A Change Of Scenery

So on the 3rd and 4th I decided to fish the incredible Sherborne Lake. In the past big nets of Bream were very common but due to foot and mouth all those years ago the Lake had to be shut. This, I believe has caused the the Bream to go back to natural baits like Bloodworm, worms etc etc. Ever the optimist I decided to fish the afternoon on Saturday. It was sunny and we had a gentle breeze.

Peg 42

I arrived and I set up in Peg 42. I decided to fish here because all of the other pegs were flat calm and I thought that the ripple would help. I set up my 3.8m Horizon S Class feeder rod and Super Feeder 5500 reel and began casting around. I found that at 80 yards it was all silt and pulling back I found a clear spot. I clipped up and set up my marker sticks and began winding the line around them. I measure 72 yards which was comfortable. 

Bait Selection

What More Can You Ask For? This Was As I Left.

I mixed up some Sensas Explosive feeder ground bait along with a quarter of a bag of F1 dark to darken off the mix. While it was resting I sorted out my other baits and hook lengths. Shortly after I began putting out a big bed of ground bait. I started with 15 feeders full and fished over the top. I added softened micro pellets, some corn and a pinch of dead reds and casters.

Looking Down Towards Peg 1, Flat Calm

Half an hour in to the session I had a Roach around half a pound and a few more followed. I was hoping that these would draw the Bream in but unfortunately it didn't happen. I finished up with 12 roach all in and around the half pound mark. A great afternoons fishing despite not catching some Bream.

Made Some Feathery Friends

So on the Sunday I had awoken to thick fog and a cold Easterly breeze. Today would be a filler match, a change of venue and a change of faces. Like the league I am in I would be fishing with customers of TackleUk. I would be fishing alongside Chris Rowland, who hasn't long come back from a trip to Ireland catching Bream, Roach and some Tench. Also I would be fishing Gary Skarin who whom I know from working with his wife in my previous job, we actually first met at a then colleagues wedding of all places!

So 8am and draw time. I was hoping for peg 33 as a few Bream had been showing from there recently. I didn't fish the pegs that were put in for the match on the Saturday as I didn't want to pre bait the person swim for them haha. I drew 34 which I was happy with and I would have Gary Skarin as my neighbour for the day on 36.

A Rather Misty Peg 34

I set up 3 pole lines. I found the bottom of the shelf at 7m and fished a 1.5g Euro Canal float to an 0.10mm hook length and 18's Silver Bagger hook. I had 6' here  but the lake had a mean tow coming from the right to left. I would fish this until the sun broke through and burned the fog away. I planned to feed 4 balls of Sensas Lake with a quarter of F1 Dark on the deck with caster. Elastic was a solid 6 fitted in a match kit with a pulla bung.

I also set up 2 shallow rigs. Pencil series 6 .4g dotted down to the same hook length as above. I would fish Caster shallow on these rigs to hopefully put a good net of fish together as I know this can produce.

At the whistle I cupped in some ground bait and began loose feed casters short to build up the peg. After a slow start fish started showing. Nothing big but it was a start and I didn't see anyone else catching.

My 7m didn't produce much after an hour so I switched to my short line and began to catch some fish. I was slowly putting fish in the net and I was warming up to which was great as the easterly breeze was blowing in to our faces. I kept at it and I was catching steadily until the last hour when things went slow. I can only assume Pike were nearby as small fish were jumping out of the water just past my shallow line.

The whistle soon blew to end the match and I was shocked at how quick the match went. I guess it would if you fished mainly 6 hour matches 98% of this year so far then fished a 5 hour one. I estimated 7-8lb as I didn't have much in terms of quality.

The scales arrived and I weighed in with 10lb 2oz. Nothing to sing and shout about but a nice net of Roach and Rudd. I followed the scales down and out of the 7 that fished 5 weighed in with double figure bags. Considering Pike were clearly hungry and disturbing us for their breakfast I thought that was a good figure. Over 65lb of Roach and Rudd came out on the day.

I wasn't ready for the photo but hey ho, 10lb's 2oz Of Roach & Rudd

A nice days fishing with some of the TackleUk customers. A lovely, clean and tidy venue that is on the Yeovil & Sherborne membership (Applications only). Credit to the Angling Society and the Groundsman of Sherborne Castle.

Results On The Day, 65lb+ Of Roach & Rudd

So next up for me is: league match at Avalon Fishery :)