A Frosty Morning On The Stour

So after a week off on holiday and feeling pretty poorly throughout the whole week I braved the first frost of the year today and fished a Stalbridge Angling Winter League match. After my cuppa and some toast I loaded up the car and headed to the Stour. The thermometer in the car said it was 1c so I thought it would be hard fishing today.

Cold Toes This Morning Walking Through The Frosty Field

I arrived at river where a few early birds had already arrived and loaded up in the field ready. Normally when we fish upstream I draw the same peg almost every time so I was 2nd the bucket to try and reduce my chances of getting it again. I drew out peg 2 which I thought was good and it was confirmed that I drew it again! "Andy you've got that bloody bend AGAIN!" Never mind hey.

Looking Back Towards The Road With The Mill Pool On The Left

Just before we left the roadside we were informed that it was also the Pairs Match and that I was paired up with Bernie. We ventured across the frosty field to our pegs and I arrived to my peg. It was pretty sticky and soft so I am grateful to my box having decent sized mud feet.

Peg 2 For Me As Always

Bait for the day was maggot, caster, hemp and ground bait. My ground bait choice was, as always, Sonubaits Super Crumb River. I set up 2 rigs, both identical. 1 rig was for my 2 o'clock in the deeper water with the ground bait and the rig was for right in front of me which would be my hemp and caster line.

I Use Bait-Tech Super Seed Hemp As It Is Perfectly Cooked, Perfect For Loose Feeding Or Adding To Any Ground Bait. The Best Hemp On The Market!

The rigs were 1.5g Matrix Euro Canal floats with an olivette and 2 droppers tied to 0.13mm Power Micron. Hook lengths were size 20 Matrix Super Pole hooks to 0.10mm Power Micron. Elastics, 4 and 6 solids, again Matrix.

I Use Matrix Stay Fresh Solid Elastics In Size 4 & 6

I started off fishing at 2 O'clock over the ground bait while feeding my hemp line and after a few Roach I was beginning to get pestered by Minnows both on Maggot and Caster. I put up with this for an hour and a half in hope some Roach or anything besides Minnows turned up. Unfortunately all I could catch was Minnows despite feeding a lot of ground bait to try feed them off.

After 2 hours I went on to my hemp line and straight away I was in to a Roach of around half a pound. A few more smaller Roach, Rudd, Chub and Dace came along here and there and even Gavin the Gudgeon made an appearance. Fortunately no Pike showed up today which was rare. I have finished up catching a lovely Dace around 8" long which was great to see. 

The all out was called and after packing up I awaited the scales. Peg 1, Rich Fripp, weighed in with 4lb 2oz and I admitted to him that I had the same. Low and behold I weighed in with 4lb's exactly. We made our way back to the roadside to hear the results and after I loaded the car and changed shoes I joined everyone.

On The Day (Individually) 

Bernie was 3rd with 3lb 10oz

I was 2nd with 4lb

Rich Fripp won with 4lb 2oz

Pairs 2015 Winners

Bernie Ackland & Myself with a combined weight of 7lb 10oz.

So another trophy with my name on it. This is my 3rd winter league and I have manged to pick up a trophy in every one. My next Stalbridge match is the Memorial Shield which I won last from the same Peg I had today so I look forward to trying to defend that.

My next match is November 1st at Sherborne Lake and I look forward to fishing with the likes of Alex Murray, Nigel Garrett and many more of the familiar faces that I see in the tackle shop.

Tight Lines!