Round 2 Wx Clanfield Pleasure fishing.

First cock up forgot the camera today and the phone camera was out as the battery was flat.  Bugger .  So no pics peeps just a run down of what occurred according to my jaundiced view.

I drew for the time and drew peg 5 of 6. We quickly convened outside to gather our thoughts and draw on our team member Graham Godwins knowledge.  Graham knows every peg in this venue and was able to give a succinct report.

Whose in section A , that's me says I .  Sorry Gaz but you will be pleasure fishing for bits on perm peg 12 you just wont beat pegs 123 above the wooden bridge there are too many resident big fish; and even the bits are bigger.

Graham kindly filled in the rest of the team on the various features and ledges etc and where and hat they were likely to catch in their respective swims.

Off to the peg park behind the peg and scale the barbed wire.. Nothing funnier I would imagine that watching a fat bloke like me doing strictly come dancing on flexing barbed wire as I tried not to rip the goretex and catch my nuts, as I climbed precariously over .

The swim did not look inviting very clear very weedy and not much fish sign.  A swirl right under the bush to my right made me swing out a 4 meter whip the float shot under and a big Perch swam strongly into a tree root , I could see it swirling and twisting as the rig tightened around the snag.  Then it was off; and the rig was solid I threw the whip down in temper and left it snagged.

Not another sausage not even another  bite for the first hour, and then I got a small Perch.  I settled on mid river fishing a 6 meter whip to hand.  The light bait approach for bits did not seem to be working so I put in six balls of caster and pinkie laced river black and etang ground bait.

I got into a rhythm of a fish every three trots.  Fish were pipping on the far side.  So i decided to see if the fish were bigger , the low autumn sun made it difficult but a blagged a few Bleak.

My mate Chas Short slipped in behind me and sat quietly on the grass and off the skyline; and we exchanged an hours chat as I began to get one a chuck.  Chas is a good lad and the deep baritone voice and the puffing cigarettes made a nice distraction.  He was able to inform me I was doing ok as many others were on a few gudgeon.

Gary Davis came down from the peg above me to complain he had only had 4 minnows.  Gary and I had agreed to go a quid before the match knowing neither of us would I'm pact on the top 3 pegs.

Talking of them, stories of bagging on 1 and 3 with big Chubb and even a few 10 oz Barbel.  Oh to be on them pegs.

Still I must grind it out, and although Chas had to go, the rhythm of  one a chuck didn't change.  The match went surprisingly quickly always does, then with an hour and 15 minutes to go all stop.  Three boated didn't help, so I put two more balls in and a couple of bait droppers of hemp and pinkie.  It took another 45 minutes to get going again and in the last 30 minutes I had a few more.

All out called , and we packed away. News from upstream was not good they had bagged.  Downstream not much better as Nic reckoned he may have 4 lb.  Well I had 81 fish but they were small so I owned up to 3 lb ish.

Gary Davis came down and offered me the quid, because although he had caught more than minnows he reckoned he had a pound.  I refused and said wait for the weigh.

Sure enough the top pegs had done well with big Chubb and smaller Barbel and good quality roach for 12 lb + and 8 lb + respectively although peg 3 had around 3 lb. So hope of creeping up the points.  Fishing for 4th or 5th in our 6 man section I was delighted to weigh in 5 lb 14 oz pipping Nic who had 5 lb 7 oz and beating peg 3 and 4 as well.  In fact Gary was fishing for ISIS so I was glad to beat him as we are 2 points behind ISIS as they lead the comp.

So I took quite a few plaudits from the locals as they congratulated me on my weight saying it was a very good weight from that swim; and I made my way home.  I had to leave quickly having the longest journey home and so had little time to socialise with the lads.  Will post the results when they appear on line.

I did hear that Paul from ISIS had done well down in section D.  With an almost 3 lb Perch!! and 3 x 3 lb Chubb for 12 lb + as well, so it will be interesting to see top weight.

PS with some sections being won with less than 3 lb , I didn't do too bad at all.  Pleased.

See you next week.  Sorry about lack of Pics.

Pewsey and Still water Blue.

A very cold night meant the first match of October would be a interesting.  Would we scratch?  It was disappointing to see only 6 turn out.  I am glad I came I was going to attend a dog show in Devon.  Its difficult when you want to support 2 friends .  I do hope Kims show went well in Devon.

Mark my friend and team mate in the Wx Winter won over so it was fishing instead of dogs.

Still it was nice to see Martin Aris and even the Legend James Carty showed.  Pre match wish list included pegs 3,10 and 15.  But I ended up with 11, a peg I have never fished even in pleasure conditions.

With only 6 Mark decided on 15 back to 9. So he and James drew the end pegs respectively.  The match started well for me with a fish of around 10 ounces in the first 10 seconds. Followed by a copy cat 30 seconds later.  Then a lost fish of around 5 lb hooked in the dorsal.

Then Simon to my right had a run of fish and Mark and Brian to my left started catching.  I made a school boy error in my excitement, in firing in a fair bit of bait.  The thought behind it was I had caught quickly and the others were going just as well the fish must be on it.

Big MISTAKE.

It killed my swim stone dead .  Well not quite, it filled my swim with small fish and for the next 2 hour it was small fish, and I mean small minnow sized Roach.  So as the match progressed those who were more conservative with their feed edged further and further in front.

So that age old dilemma should i sit it out on the big fish line or keep putting fish in the net.  The lake answered it for me in giving me 2 hours without any sort of bite.  I then had 3 puppy carp on a new unfed line.  Proof further that I had over fed.

So there I sat you could have named me after my favourite float - Still Water Blue.  Constantly changing depths trying to find fish anywhere in the 7 foot of water in front of me.  Simon and Brian either side of me; in fact all of us were losing 5 lb plus fish and language levels were rising all around me as those pushing for first place got tighter and tighter .

Both Brian and Mark were fishing the extremity of their poles . Giving them the precision of lowering a rig against the far bank.  Brian in particular was showing a masterful display of fishing 17.5 meters.  That would have killed my back.  It was not possible for me as the lake widens to around 22 meters in my peg.

Brian however was losing out to Mark, because his unshipping point was next to a tree in the water snag.  If he struggled to unship the fish dived straight into the snag; and he lost several elastic stretching fish.

I decided to sit it out on the method I had no choice I was so far behind.  I nearly choked on my scotch egg as the tip belted around and I lifted into a a powerful fish.  I clicked over the anti reverse to play the fish on a back wind instead of the clutch, not normally my style and I don't know why I did it.

What I do know is, in trying to find a place to place my scotch egg down , I took my eye of the fish and my reel .  Resulting in line going behind the spool!!!

A quick unscrewing of the spool under pressure meant the fish went solid in a snag.  Not a bad thing it gave me time to untangle and put back together.  However, the fish was never to come out of the snag but a straightened hook did fly past my ear.

A fitting end to an abysmal performance riddled with basic errors.

The weigh in with James first far end peg. Will next, then Martin then Simon.  

We will not talk about me, it was Brian next.

Some Chubb and Skimmers first followed by his carp. Setting the target for Mark to beat.  So to Mark on the other end peg and he started his weigh in.  He too had Chubb in his silvers but many more Carp

So to the scores on the doors.

Great weights from Brian and Mark .  With Team Russ overcoming an in form Brian.  For this time of the year 70 lb+ of fish in those two pegs is excellent and proof the lake has fished well this year compared to previous years.  A quick word to the committee for keeping the faith and their longer term plans coming to fruition.

Even a guest appearance from the Legend results in a pick up.

I must focus on next week now and Clanfield (Thames) being positive I have fished well really well for 10 weeks ( but I fished like a Knob today) or more so I must stop the rot of the past two weeks.

Bring on the River.

Wx Winter kicks of with a mare.

For quite a while now I have been fishing well catching regularly and although I had to be coerced into fishing this years league.  I felt I could do well.

Nige Russell and Pete Gilbert took the money and did the admin whilst the rest of us took the piss out of each other; and people mused on not every ones favourite venue Sutton Benger.

I didn't draw where I wanted , but got D Section again. 4 Years in a row!!!!!! And never at the favoured weir pool end.  I do wish they wouldn't put the weir in ; it does make D Section really difficult. My peg looked OK cut out yesterday I hoped it would fish.  It was mighty tight to Eamon upstream if the tree wasn't in the way I could have touched him with my pole.  Eamon wasn't impressed and I don't blame him he only had a poles length to trot and he would be in my swim.  A complaint to the section steward (Pete Gilbert peg 2 in the weir) fell on deaf ears.  I too was not pleased , I felt for Eamon I felt he had a case, not only that it would be really easy for him to draw my fish.  I couldn't really fish down stream as the rushes to my right went so far out I wouldn't be able to see my float.

It was stagnant till half way across were it dropped of to 10 feet deep.  There was no movement at all as the swim was clogged with silk weed and cabbages, almost a still water.  Bleak pipped everywhere. Till the start and then they disappeared.  The match started with a huge commotion two pegs up.  Steve Dean had been smashed by a double figure pike.  Eamon struggled to get going with tangles and bumping fish.  Me I had a few 2 oz fish then two 6 ounce Perch on the worm under the bush opposite.  Then the minnows started, and despite using a big section of worm on a 16 hook I still couldn't shake them off.

I hooked a nice Roach which was nabbed at the net by a near double figure Pike which led me a merry dance stretching the 6 elastic to its limit before taking the fish and the hook length.  The Pike hung around for the rest of the day ramming my keep net every now and then.  Those who read the corresponding blog from last year will recognise a severe case of Dejavu here.

The Match dragged on in some horrendous down pours and near 3 hours without a bite.  Eamon had a little bit of flow in his swim, and after a slow start had overtaken me catching some nice little roach.  Me I had nothing but minnows and bleak that were not much bigger. I was staggered at the size of bait these tiny fish would take and I just could not get a bigger than 2 oz fish.  I tried hemp and tare, 3,4, and 5 mil punch.  Lobworm and double caster.  I dare not put on a maggot or pinkie it was suicide.

The end came round real quick and I knew Eamon had done me although he would only say he thought he had 3 lb.  I hoped I would be close with 30 bleak 140+ minnows and a few small Perch.  I weighed in 2 lb 11 oz and Eamon 3 lb 14.  His bigger roach doing me in the end.

Pete Gilbert in the weir one the section with 7 lb plus including Chubb (oh to catch a chubb) Brian Ballard on the first peg out of the weir was second.  My team did well with two firsts two seconds and a third before I let them down.  I will make up for it next time.  I would defy anyone to catch more than I did in the swim, and without fishing Donkey choker pellets on the hook you would have got nothing but minnows.

Thats the first one out of the way. Onwards and upwards.

Joining the Clan...........Open to all

What a beautiful day to go fishing.  Took up the offer of Clanfield Angling and attended the River Thames to fish an open match.  Left home at 7 met Ian and Leo in Pewsey and onto Clanfield , where the great the good and the ringers were waiting to do the draw.

After a little confusion as to which field gates were open and how we would get to our pegs we drew and got under way. I drew well down at 85, With Brian Ballard on end peg 91 and James the Legend Carty on 89 plus many other good anglers in the section it would nor be easy.

My Peg was beautiful but featureless on a straight and about 6 feet deep from my feet 90% across.  No real features except for a lovely up stream breeze.

Its a year since I fished the venue and I have always drawn up the other end.  But Today Leo and Ian were that end, in fact Spanners had the top end peg.  I had an inside whip line for hemp and squid  ink pellet (no Tares) .  Mid river ground bait Noire and River Black casters red and flouro maggot over it .  Far waggler line loose fed caster , yellow maggot on hook.

The match started well bites straight off, with the whip inside and 9 straight roach on the pellet.  Big swirl from Pike and that was the end of that swim.  At least for now.

Mid river now and just enough flow to pull a stick through with a nice upstream to help presentation.  I can see the legend JC bagging mid river fishing 7 meters to hand.  I gonna have to go some to keep up.  Brian too, is catching steadily. The fickle wind made me come of the stick and put out the pole on the same line just for accuracy..  The bites slowed so two bait droppers of hemp , spiced em up again and brought in the Perch.  Change to worm for bigger Perch brought one more nettable before it died again.  Downstream the boys are still catching but my bites are slowing - 1 hour gone.

An hour without bites well 4 bleak,  and a drop in wind , so I went across .  Waggler Caster spray and yellow on the hook.  Immediate chublet and another Roach.  The breeze has picked up and swung round in my face, causing the line to loop behind the spool on the reel.

Birds nest sorted and back in sees another  three roach and one more 4 oz chublet.  I can hear Brian and JC discussing the lack of bites.  JC is looking upstream to me , so I try the mind games and net a 6 ounce Perch, could have swung it in but trying to apply pressure.

A baron couple of hours for our section left 1 hour to go before people started catching .  Up stream the guy above me had just had a nice Chub so was looking good.  Me I couldn't get a bigger fish but had started to catch big bleak and small roach on the wag.

Brian called it for the end and the weigh began , clearly I was not gonna win the section but had not disgraced myself.

Brian had 8 and bit pounds.  JC 6 and a half , a did not weigh below me (4 fish ) me 4 lb 5 oz

I knew I wouldn't pick up by default as the guy upstream Chub had given him 6 and half too.

So round to see Leo weigh in 2.5 lb

and on up to Spanners who reckons he might add three pound.  Then headed for home.  The journey home was the only bad thing on an excellent enjoyable day fishing in the sun, most relaxing.  A big thanks to my hosts Clanfield.

The locals did do well on their water.

Left at 5 got home at 735, after traffic in Lechlade, Highworth, chucking out time at Honda, 20 minutes getting over m4.  Traffic jams in Marlborough, Collingbourne and Tidworth!!!!!!!!!

Going to the Clanfield Facebook page now see who won.

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=clanfield%20angling%20club

September Lake and the far end at last

For my regular readers who enjoy when I have a bad day , then your gonna love this.  September at the Lake can be a funny time of change to its winter coat ; but not this year the continuing nice weather is stretching out the fishing.

I virtually ran to my peg having drawn 14 at the Carpy end and also it being the golden peg.

  Had many a good pleasure session on this peg, but never drawn it in a match. Set up the method rod and a couple of wagglers one for up in the water and one on the bottom.  Two pole lines left and right one ground bait over maggot and the other micro pellet and meat over the top.

Nic too my left was preparing his meat and the match was just about to start.

For the second club match in a row I had Mark Russ to my right on the end peg

The match began and I fed the pole lines and then went across to the bull rushes for the Carp.  The tip whipped around and the first of several 10 oz puppy carp came to the net.  One hour in and I have a 3 pounder and Mark and Nic are starting to get twitchy at the lack of bites.

The pole lines have erupted in bubbles akin to those caused by eels , but there are no eels in the lake?  I decided to come of the feeding fish and try the pole/  Big mistake.  Several finicky roach bites and nothing of any size.

Mark has just lost a clonker at the net and left of Nic Will and Jimmy Broomham are now bagging.  Time to stop pissing around and get back on the rushes. Cast out only to catch the line around the tip breaking of the quiver tip end too eyes.  Bugger. After 15 minutes of piddling around  got going again and some how although I had clipped up, The line came out of the clip and the whole package sailed straight into the bed of reeds.

Whilst laughing and looking heavenwards the bait was taken and the resulting fish ploughed deeper in.  A straightened hook and a lost fish later I tackled up again and cast only for the line to get caught around the reel handle and the feeder cracking off and heading alone to the horizon and freedom.

Meanwhile Mark had lost another lump , hung three floats and two feeders in the trees opposite and yet finally hooked a good looking double. It pulled his black hydro for sometime before he nearly lost it under his peg and the peg to his right.

Finally he and not to my pleasure he gets it in and its over 10 pound

For the next 3 hours I fished like an idiot and lost fish after fish as did Mark.  I have to say I became quite perplexed as to how I was going to get these fish out of the rushes.  Fact is I wasn't prepared .  Having gone so long without drawing that end of the lake, I only had 5 lb line and hooks that were not man enough.  Poor admin was costing me dearly I should be fishing at least 8 lb line and Guru strong carp hooks.  I only have myself to blame.

 Whilst I was getting in the right place and actually hooking fish but they dived straight into the rushes and every time I lost them.  I became very despondent and my brain went and I started chasing swirls and bubbles anything for a bigger fish in open water.

Mark had lost more fish too but now had one out in open water and was inching it to the net.

Time was ticking away, Nic lost a section of pole in the Lake, Will had a couple of lumps and Jim was still bagging.  Me I awarded myself twat of the day for cocking up a good swim, and the match end was called.

Nic went in for the pole section

Nice Boxers Nic.  Lol.  Having recovered his section we started the weigh in and it was clear straight away my poor preparation and subsequent poor fishing had cost me.  I have been fishing really well and catching loads lately, so much so that I had become blase and thought I could just turn up and catch anywhere.  How wrong can one be.

Well done to all the others who did have a good day.  Jimmy for WINNING.  Mark for second but probably lost 25 lb plus as did I.

Also well done to our guest Robin Pearce, his 3 lb Chub helping him to a section win.

Pewsey Summer time and the fishing is easy.........!!!!!!!!

It was with some reluctance that I attended the last round of Daz Edgell's Wessex Summer League.  A bad draw in round one left me playing catch up and despite a 1 and 2 points in the last 2 matches I felt I could and should have been better placed than 6 out of the 6 who still have a chance of winning it.  A real case maybe of drew it and blew it.

Having been out with the dogs enjoying the charged atmosphere the day before , I got just a little too close to a lightning strike 50 meters away as it decimated a hay bale stack next to me . Exciting but too close!

So with the sky still black over Wills Mothers we arrived at the car park of Patney lakes do battle.  Would the rain hold off?  Would the banter and abuse ever come to an end ? And who would win the day?

The scrum soon formed around the BBQ for an unusual breakfast on the bank side as opposed to a pub.  Bacon butties, Burgers and hotdogs the order of the day all part of the package agreed between Dazzer and the lake owner, and free paid for from the summer league funds. Bonus.

Breaky done impatience set in as we waited for the 8 am draw eager to get going before the black heavens opened on us.

Draw done and I get B1 same as the last match and scales yet again. I sloosh through the deep surface puddles that are yet to drain away from yesterday.  Pleasantly surprised at my peg, although the locals say its not a good draw.  The lake is yet to mature so the ledged island at 25 meters is yet to become a feature.  First mistake no feeder rod !!!  Still practise from some of the lads had indicated banded pellet fished mid water picked out the better fish.  I took my time to set up , we had plenty of it so get comfortable and get the brolly pole in.  The black sky over was abandoning Wills mother and headed our way.  Wives and family members of some of the fellas , got settled in with book and butties with flask.

On my left the ever jovial Leo Pocock on peg A8, confident his team and himself will do well today.  After all anything can happen and Pewsey Blue are placed well going into last round.

Sure enough the weather closed in as we started and Leo was off straight away with.  My pre start comment saying wouldn't be funny if we all blanked on a venue full of fish.  Was coming back to haunt me .  Leo had 5 fish in the net and others to my right were already bagging, and I had yet to have a bite.

I was going to be on the back foot from the start still after 15 minutes I had my first tiddler and I was away on the whip, catching small fish after small fish.  Much to my surprise the guy to my right had hooked a train and his elastic stretched out across the lake.  Surprise because I was reliably informed the fish in this match lake were between 2 oz and 2 lb.  So why the monster?

The pellet approach was not bringing me the expected rush of fish around 1 lb + so I swapped to double maggot as the rain came and the wind freshened up. I was starting to overhaul Leo now and from what I could see in section A  to my left apart from Cliff ; whose elastic had been stretched out for what seemed like three days.  A section was not doing as well as the pegs to my right.  To my right there was lots of drama and excitement as elastics and rods bent well into regular fish.   My mate Roly came along for a bank side stroll looking very dapper in his Sunday best complete with brolly.  A quick chat established that the pegs to my right were doing consistently the best, but there were big fish some doubles were dotted around.

Doubles!!!!! What the hell.  I had got this wrong big style and I was being mullared. The only bonus was I was gradually winding up Leo, as my float continually dipped.  Although small I was at least catching.  Cliffs elastic was still out , was it a different fish or the same one?

For a laugh I started to sing a bit of Ella Fitzgerald " Summertime and the fishing is easy, fish are jumping and the cotton is high" Not funny says Leo and backs it up by pinging 4 mill pellets at me.  I had swapped now to waggler fishing the island in the hope of a fish bigger than 8 ounces.  It did result in half a dozen 10 to 12 oz fish and 3 lost munters.

I had to accept the chance of the individual title was slipping away, maybe Mark and I could take the Pairs we were well placed.  Not to forget my team Pewsey Silvers ( named after our hair) .  The island died so back to nearside and a try on the edge.

A few more 8 ouncers and an odd skimmer or two. I say to Leo " For little fish they go well don't they"?  - He bit - "yeh they do" - Perfect now the punch line.  " How the bloody hell do you know , you haven't had a bite in hours!"  Much raucous laughter from all around , resulting in Leo upping from 4 mill to 6 mill pellets fired in my direction.

Head down and try harder to get that bonus fish.  Time was slipping a way now as the clock clicked down to the hooter.  The rain was now boringly regular and heavy, just right for weighing in.

I have been hammered to my right, and it was with dread that I walked to peg 8 to start the weigh in.  Pewsey blues Ian Spanswick weighs in a carp of 7.7 lb first as his contribution to fish of the day.  Backed up by a bag of small ones.  If not for his bonus it could have been tight between us.  On round the bank and everyone had good fish, including a 9 and half from Andy.  Ali and the others also had plenty of carp between 2 and 5 pound with the occasional biggy.  The guy to my right had 30 pound plus so as we got to me, I was looking at last in section, after 23, 24 and 25 pound weights.  I weighed 17 pound loads of fish but with the biggest Carp being a pound and half, only good enough for 5th in section. Just one bonus fish thats all I ask God if your listening.

So back to the pub, for the end of season bash.

The beers are downed and the scores totted up.  Stories of biggies lost, and what could have been are abound.  For me its so close but no cigar.  Even in the pairs, a good day for Ali and Doug gave them the pairs.  With Nige Russell and his partner pushing us back to third place by a pound and half.  If your reading Nige , that last gasp Tench at Horcott on round 2 comes back to haunt me again.

Leos dreams of Pewsey Blue winning fell at the last fence.  Salt in the wound too, as my team Silvers come through to take a close second - well done lads.  Individually Pewsey Blacks Brian Jackson takes the yellow Jersey.

Winning Team Clanfield well done lads

For me and my team consolation runners up trophies.  Glad someone at Pewsey can win something Leo!!!!!!!  Lol. 

See you all next time  

Back on the Cut fishing to the sound of Leather on Willow

The wet morning followed me to the canal today, for a club match on the cut.  The canal has been overrun with moored boats, lately and with boaters thinking they own the place I was in truth not looking forward to it.  I was pleasantly surprised however to find space to fish. It meant they were spaced out in section 2 but a low/ poor turnout of 9 made it reasonably fair.

Chas Short definately not an Outcast in my eyes

I was placed having a nice space to my left.  To my right my mate the handsome and rich Mark Russ, to his right Leo and on end peg Morgan Plank.

The match got under way and almost a immediately a boat came and moored next to me right over my bait.  Couple that with the noise that ensued as he unloaded the contents of the boat onto the tow path I was not pleased.

Just got the bites going down the track when the first of two double boatings occurred leaving the swim a frothy mess.

The sound of leather on willow accompanied me from the cricket pitch opposite.  Until a good shot by Rodders caught by Geofrey, brought afternoon cream teas.  The swim settled down and I had my first bite for a while.  Mark was going great guns next to me a crayfish a chuck.

Me I had an obligatory pike take a perch, but as Jack spat it out I swung it in to the tune of Simple Minds Alive and Kicking. Leo netted a nice big skimmer , so Mark started netting every fish to try and get the psychological edge over him and I.

Much to my delight Mr Noisy to my left had finished unloading , only to be replaced by friends and colleagues to start ferrying it noisily through to the road.  The lovely fella did decide to rev and leave a goodbye present of another unfishable mud slick.

The swim was dead now and the second double boating hit home the last nail in the coffin.  I scratched away trying to keep up with Mark and Leo,  Ian to my left had a quid on with me and I needed to win it, as he was a quid up in our never ending battle.  Morgan also looked to be catching on the end peg.  Rumour had it that Brian Shuttler also had a dog Perch.

So to the end of a scratching match and what was the scores on the doors

My net was enough in the end to take the section, a pound from Ian and 4th in the match. 12 points. Unfortunately the picture of Ian handing over the dosh did not come out

So to the top three anglers on the day

Winner Brian Shutler on the left Chas second place on the right and Big boy Mike Marsden in the middle .  I had to crop the photo as Mike had shorts on and I now know why hes called big boy.  Swings like a Donkey!!!!!!  Just kidding here's the boys doing their Seventies Album cover pose.