Another poor result..

Yesterday saw us fish a league match at Two Counties located near Mere in Wiltshire. Overcast and cooler than it has been I was hopeful for a few fish today. I finished my cup of tea as well as talking to a few of the lads about the England Ladies Quarter Final Class with Hosts Canada, of which we won by the way 2-1!!!, and dug my hand in to the draw bag.

How Things Looked Before The Match

Glen and me haven't been in the same section since the opening match and sure enough he drew peg 6 and I drew peg 3. Finally got him in my section and now I needed to beat by 2 place pull level on points with him.

I was happy with my draw. I had a nice chuck to the island with a nice cut in to the bank where I could see a few fish. My edges were rather over grown, I couldn't see anything to my right or left due to vegetation sticking out so much. This also ruled a method chuck my left :(

Peg 3, My Home

I set up the pellet feeder for across with the Matrix Evolution System (this would allow me to change to a method feeder or straight lead without setting up from scratch), I set up the new Impact Bagging Waggler, and 3 pole lines for 2m, 6m and 13m. Bait choice was softened 2mm pellets, 6mm pellet, meat, corn and red maggot.

Here is a video from Matrix on the Evolution System and how the products work. It's a good watch and it gives you a look at what happens under water.

The Impact Bagging Waggler, as well as my Roost Kit and feeder arm, got some attention from Bob, Ian and Trev. After the guys had gone back to their pegs I soon called the all in. That then started a rather annoying 6 hour match.

The New Matrix Impact Bagging Waggler, The Round Top Stops This From Diving.

How Does The Bagging Waggler Work? I'll Let Les Explain.

I started off at 2m to try picking up an early fish but to no luck. Out to the Island I went and Que the hook pulls. I lost 4 fish quickly and landed one. I knew it would be a long and tiring day. No bites for 10 minutes I knew it was time to come off of this line. Out to 13m and pinging 3 or 4 pellets every 30 seconds. I was soon in to some fish but like the pellet feeder I was still losing fish. I lost 2 Carp and 6 F1's all on 10 hollow and 0.13 bottom.

Half way through and the frustration kept building but this time it was because I was missing bites. I couldn't hit a barn door with a machine yesterday after the 3 hour mark. Much to Glen's amusement I was having a hissey fit. I stopped, had a drink and focused on my short line's that I had been building up.

Unfortunately for me the lines didn't produce and I was sitting on 20-25lb if I was lucky. I called the all out and packed up my gear and helped with the weight in.

So Ian won my section with 82lbs with Glen in second place with 68lb's. Jeff won the other section with a 93lb 8oz net of which I just managed to lift out while slipping on the platform. Bob finished 2nd with a 48lb bag.

This was another bad day at the office for me and I was certainly glad to get home to a hot meal and a drink.

Results On The Day

Jeff popped into the shop today to see about some luggage and showed us the updated league table. No change in the top 2 but things are getting close from 3rd downwards!

How Thing's Now Stand

Next Up For Me: North Dorset Shield Round 1, River Stour, Sunday 12th July

A Poor League Match & River Season Opening Week

Sunday 14th of June saw the next round of the league take place at Summerhayes Fishery in Bridgwater. We would be fishing on Longs Lake and I couldn't believe that my section was exactly the same as the last league match.

I had drawn Peg 3, permanent peg 14, and I will be honest by saying that the venue isn't a place I am confident in fishing. Either way I set up a 5m meat line, an edge line to my left at 9m, edge to my right at 6m, a 10m line, 16m line across as close to the point as I could and a get out of jail line between my nets using a top kit.

Home For The Day

I got off to decent start catching 2 carp within the first 15 minutes and then nothing for an hour. I had fed micro at the start on my 10m line and my short and edge lines every 20 minutes. I managed to pinch a few Skimmers from the 10m line but again this dried up. I had nothing from 16m or 10m for the rest of the match and the wait for the last 2 hours was a long one. 

Eventually the alarms sounded and I went to my right edge first and the float buried. It was a crucian carp of roughly 4oz's. I went to my left edge at 9m and didn't have a touch for 5 minutes so I left it. I had nothing from the edge lines after the Crucian so I went on to my meat line and pinched 2 carp quickly but then not as much as a sniff!

I picked up my top kit line and prayed something would be down there after feeding 3 pellets there every 10 minutes for the entire match. Sure enough the float flew under and I was into a carp. I fed whilst playing the fish and soon netted it. I went straight back out and the float buried again. I had hooked into what I thought was a decent Tench, going by how it was fighting, but then a head of dirty, slimy Eel popped up. I shouted to Keiran "do eels count?" to which he replied "not sure, put it in the silver net". When I got him in the net it was huge! Biggest Eel I'd ever seen.

After that I had hooked another Carp but lost I lost it :( That summed up my luck on this venue. But hey we all have bad days at the office.

I weighed in with 14lb exactly. 8lb of which was silvers. Now I only had 2 skimmers for a 1lb and that crucian carp for 1lb and a half tops which meant that Eel was at least 5lb! Dirty thing!

I finished 4th out of 5 in section. Well done to Trev who won our section and Kieran who finished 2nd. In the other Section well done to Glen on another Section win and Ian for 2nd!

To sum up my performance, poor. The fish are in a funny place at the moment but you can still catch. I didn't see much activity in my swim so maybe I just didn't have many fish around. Oh well on to the next one :)

The Results

So Tuesday June the 16th and the day everyone seems to love, the opening day of the fishing season. The rivers open for anglers to fish and this year time seemed to stand still waiting for this day.

4:30am On The Opening Day At Langport

I ventured out the the River Parrett at Langport. I arrived at first light to ensure a good swim. I was the only person there! I decided to fish the town stretch in between the 2 bridges.

Upstream Of My Peg

Downstream Of My Peg

My Home For The Day

I fished with Maggot, Caster, Hemp and Ground bait. I used Sonubait Super Crumb River as its a sticky mix and sinks like a brick! It's perfect for getting particles to the bottom, in my case Hemp and Caster.

The Super Crumb Range, Perfect For Silver Fish Fishing

I was fishing in 6' of water and its was really clear with a tiny bit of pace. First put in I came back with a little Chub around 8oz's and quickly had 2 more. Bites then came every couple of minutes but most of the fish were in the 4oz mark. I was soon catching better fish, 12oz+ Perch and Roach started showing.

My Ground Bait Mix

Soon after the better stamp of fish arrived all hell broke lose as a dog came charging down the bank and jumped in. The owners ran down and repeatedly said sorry. They called the dog out of which he decided to clamber all over the keep net and get stuck. When he got free he then trampled over my top kits despite his owner trying to carefully move them, he was aware that it was expensive tackle and did say if any damage was done he would sort something but thankfully we didn't have to go down that road. 

I didn't have a touch after that so I took my net out and weighed in with 12lbs and 7oz's. Not bad I thought considering the dog jumping in, clear water and bright sunshine.

12lb 7oz's Opening Day Catch

On Wednesday I ventured out to the Stour. I fished up stream for  most of the day but bites were hard to come by. I spoke to Steve before I walked up and it had been fished by a few people on the opening day. Steve himself had 4 Chub to over 3lbs in 3 different swims which is great to hear.

I had the same baits as Tuesday with me and the better stamp of Roach fell to single Red maggot over the Super Crumb Ground Bait.

The Few Roach I Managed From Upstream

On Thursday I went back to the Parrett with my colleague George. It was just a social session really but George went for it and manage to catch some fish over to the far bank. The Perch were hungry as they chasing in fish that George was bringing in. With that we both fed some maggot short. George was soon catching some Stripey's to the 1lb mark as well as some lovely Roach. Soon the Chub started showing across and George landed one to 1lb and a half - 2lb. Unfortunately later on he lost 2 decent fish, one straightened the hook and the other managed to get in to a snag. Despite those two loses George managed a 13lb 8oz net of quality fish, not far off my bag on Tuesday!

George's 13lb 8oz Bag

Next Up For Me: Evening session on the Stour for some Chub or League Match at Two Counties on Sunday!

Fine Form Continue's Despite Late Scare!

Firstly I just want to say thanks to everyone that takes the time to read my blogs. My last one had over 100 views which is awesome. Thanks a million!

Sunday 7th June saw Round 6 of the League take place at Avalon Fishery in Westhay, Somerset. Moors was the setting for today and the weather was really nice. Not a cloud in the sky so we would be in for a hot one.

Home For The Day, Peg 19.

Once a couple of the late risers arrived we got on with the draw. I had drawn Peg 19 next to Keiran and Joe. I had a fantastic looking edge line to my right under a tree so I set up a 0.40g Carp Series 2 rig to a 16 Carp Bagger. Mainline was Matrix Power Micron 0.16 (5lb) to a 0.14 hook length (4lb). Elastic was a Matrix 12 Stay Fresh Hollow fitted in a puller kit.

Power Micron: A soft and supple line yet very strong!

I then set up a 5m line with a paste rig (sorry Ash & Scott). I used a Matrix Big float with the same diameter line as the edge rig to 14 hook, again the same pattern as the edge rig. Elastic was again Stay Fresh Hollow 12 fitted in a puller kit.

When fishing an edge or paste line a good strong hook is needed. I use Carp Bagger hooks as they are very strong

Next up was my 13m line of which I would keep as a back up if the carp didn't want to know. This would be fed with chopped worm and caster with worm for bait for anything the swims. The rig was a Series 7 0.4g float to a 18 carp bagger. Mainline was 0.14 to a 0.12 hook length. Elastic was the Stay Fresh 10 Hollow.

I love the Matrix Hollow Elastic. I use 8, 10 and 12 (Yellow, Orange & Red).

I also set up a pellet waggler with the new Drennan Shorty Waggler in 4g size, 6lb mainline to a 0.16 hook length and an 18 Carp Bander hook. The rod, an 11' Carpmaster float fitted with an Ultron Reel. I also set up a straight lead for underneath on a 9' Carpmaster tip rod fitted with the new Aquos 4000 reel.

The Aquos 4000 reel is superb! Super smooth, a fantastic clutch and unbeatable in its price range!

At the all in I fed the 13m line  and began firing pellets to the island. After  4 pouches went in I cast in with the pellet waggler. After 3 casts I was in to my first fish of the day, a carp of around 5lb. Unfortunately after that fish were hard to come by. They concentrating more on reaching the odd pellet that landed on the Island rather than my hook bait. 

My bits to make up my pellet waggler set up. The New Drennan Shorty Floats, I highly recommend.

An hour and a half went by with only 2  more fish in the net. Numerous casts into the tree and 3 lost fish started to get on my nerves. I fed a small cup of worm and caster on the 13m line and went over it with a inch sized piece of worm. Within a minute a had a nice Skimbob in the net. I filled my to pot and shipped back out with fresh hook bait and I was soon in to my first of 2 Tench which was a great scrap on the 10 hollow. 

After my run of Silvers my alarm for 2 hours remaining sounded so I fed a small cup of 6mm pellets at my 5m line and had a quick look to my right where I had been feeding meat every 15 minutes. The float shot straight under and I was in to a Roach no bigger than my hand.

I went in on my Paste line and had positive bites right away. I was soon into a fish and The number 12 Hollow was superb in allowing the fish to swim around, under little resistance, until I lifted the kit into the air to scoop up a fine mirror at roughly 6lb. 2 more fish followed and then I had to call the all out. 

I make my paste from Swim Stim Groundbait. It makes perfect paste

I was a little worried as in the last two hours I could see Keiran catching some fish down his edge line and I honestly thought he had won our section. Only time and scales would tell. I wanted to carry on my form of late by winning my 4th section in a row and to keep in touch with Ian (2nd in the league before the match) and Glen (1st in the league before the match).

Section A

1st: Glen (TackleUk)      58lb 5oz     Peg 13

2nd: Geoff     46lb 11oz     Peg 11 

3rd: Ian    36lb 12oz     Peg 7

4th: Bob    33lb            Peg 5

5th: John    23lb           Peg 3

6th: Rich     6lb 8oz      Peg 9

So on to Section B..

1st: Andy (TackleUk & Matrix)     40lb 4oz        Peg 19

2nd Keiran     39lb           Peg 17
3rd: Joe       18lb 8oz         Peg 20
4th: Trev     17lb 15oz     Peg 16
5th: Rob      13lb 6oz       Peg 22

So I had overcome Keiran's late run of margin fish to win the section by the skin of my teeth. 4 section wins in row now which is amazing considering a year ago I couldn't get anywhere near the top 3. Buzzing. Thanks for making me work for this one Keiran!

How The League Now Stands. It's very tight and we are approaching half way! All to play for!

Next up for me is Summerhayes this coming Sunday the 14th on Longs Lake.

Catch Reports
In recent weeks there have been some great catches reported from local waters.

George Perkins, of TackleUk in Yeovil, fished Chard Reservoir and had a stunning Carp weighing in at 30lb 9oz! George used a stiff hinged rig that incorporated the new Fox Edges Ready Tied Chod Rig Size 6 with a Mainline Diamond White Pop Up as bait.

George With His 30lb 9oz Carp

Ashley Tompkins, also of TackleUk, set a new match record at Dillington Pond, Ilminster, on 24th May with a 48lb 2oz bag which consisted of 6 Bream, a 3lb Chub and 15lb of Roach. Ash fished the pole shallow with Castor to catch most of the Roach and then fished on the deck to catch the Bream, again, on Caster.

Ash With Part Of His Lake Record Bag

Another report from the popular Dillington Pond this time from Scott Russell of TackleUk. Scott fished a match yesterday and finished 3rd overall with this lovely net of Roach, 130 of them in total. Scott fished the pole shallow with Castor for a total of 18lb 5oz.

Scott With His 3rd Place Net Of Roach

Jamie Rich, also a blogger, fished a League match at Perry Street yesterday. Jamie finished 2nd on the day with 38lb 8oz. Jamie is also the League leader at the moment and is at the half way stage of the fixtures.

You Can Read Jamie's Blog On This Match By Clicking HERE

Tight Lines!