Sunday 28 October 2018

Windmill Sunday open 27/10/18

Not been for a few weeks as myself and the lovely other half went away last weekend in the caravan and the week before we were busy, so I was gagging to get out on the bank and drown a few pellets. So I decided to go to Windmill fishery as its close and not much else around open wise. The weather forecast was for bright chilly weather.with a stiff breeze. The day didn`t start too well as I got to the old Severn bride and it was shut, so I had to back towards Newport and turn around and go across the second crossing adding about 20 minutes to the journey. So I got there late, but Dave Haines had put me in the pools and drew for me. Everybody apart from Dave had gone to their pegs when I got there. So I was directed to peg 24, which meant I had a nice short walk. The good thing about this peg is in the deepest part of the lake and with the temps being pretty low this was probably a good thing. the bad thing was I had a really cold wind blowing straight in my face  and it never stopped all day. It was bloody freezing. And to top it off I was in the shade most of the day so the sun we did have never got a chance to warm me up. I set up with the intentions of fishing mainly for silver for a change today but I did set up for carp as well. A .3 edge rig. a .75 slim to fish pellet in 8 feet at a 10 oclock angle at 10 metres. And a bomb rod to give my hands a chance to warm up in my pocket when needed. The silvers rig was a .75 slim fished at either 2+2 or 10 meters. The good thing is the lake bottom is totally flat here so easy set ups. I had got my hands wet so at the start they were already freezing so I went out on the bomb for half an hour, but apart from a few liners nothing graced my nets. I then spent 90 minutes on the silvers lines but it was a dead loss and all I had was 3 roach. At the end of that time I tail hooked an 8lb carp on the longer line,and on 4 elastic and a size 20 to .10 it was hard going but after 10 minutes I got it in the net. that was followed next drop in with a 6oz perch. but that was it for those lines, so it was back on the bomb for 15 minutes to warm the hands up. No indications on that line so it was out on the pellet line to my left. After 10 minutes of no indications I lifted to move the float and I accidentlly hooked into a carp. Fouler number 2. But this one had the better of me and slipped the hook. so back on the same line and after a while I started to get indications. Very small dips on the float. then a proper bite and carp two was netted. again my hands got wet so I dropped the bomb on that line and it ripped around straight away. I now had three in the net for about 25lb. by the end of the forth hour I had 6 in the net and they were all big fish, and lost four. But that was it for my day and the last 90 minutes were biteless. I was guessing at around 50lb at the end and was very close as I just topped the 52lb mark for third on the day.  First on the day was John Smith on sheltered peg 11 with 92-06. second was John Osborne on peg 14 with 56-12. I was glad to get back in the car at the end to warm up. the wind was relentless and I was chilled to the bone. Couldn`t wait to get home for a hot meal tonight. Weigh sheet below.

Sunday 7 October 2018

Mathern Mill occasional saturday open

I was gonna go to Landsend today but the weather forecast was for a horrible day, so I decided to stay closer to home and after an invite from Craig Challingsworth I decided the 5 minute drive to Marthern was far enough for today. The day started badly. Went to get my gear from the storage, where I keep it, and found my nets were at home so my 5 minute drive turned into 45 by the time I'd sorted myself out. 10 fishing today so everybody had empty pegs left or right or both. Second into the draw and I pull out peg 9. I've been fishing this place for 6 years and never had this peg before as it's only been used in matches for a short while now. For company I had Andy Gard on 7, who took the wrong turn for Acorn and ended up here 😂. It was carp only for me today as I had drawn the golden peg, so the pressure was on. Four rigs were set up. Two margin rigs, as there was a foot difference either side. A .3 Slim to fish 2+1. And a .5 to fish the full 8.5 meters of my margin pole on pellet. Plus a bomb rod as this can produce plenty from open water on the right day. Fed all lines and started on the bomb pinging 8mm's. 30 minutes in and not a touch. But I'd seen a couple of scalely horses in my left margin so it was into there for a go. After 5 minutes I hit one and the first carp was netted, all of 15lb. They are big in this place. But that was it for a while. There was plenty there, but they were skillfully avoiding the hook bait and clearing up all the loose feed. I had a problem after an hour. With the wind in my face and the non stop rain, I had now lost dexterity in my hands. I was struggling to put pellets or corn on the hook, and I couldn't grip my pole with my right hand. They didn't feel cold but we're swollen from the non stop soaking. So things were hard. And to be honest I couldn't wait for the end already. I was proving to be hard with the fish being cleaver in their feeding and after 3 hours I only had 3 that went around 35lb. Andy though, was catching very well on the silvers and was putting a good weight together. The second half of the match improved a lot and I started to catch a few. Even the sun tried to pop through when the rain eventually stopped. And feeling in my hands nearly returned  to normal. Theft margin was the only place I could get a bite with all other lines void of fish. Even though the size of fish got smaller I managed to put 15 in the net, all but two on pellet, for 132-9 for 4th on the day. So the golden peg lived on. The match was won by Zac Williams on peg 20 with 200-9, caught half at 14.5 meters and half down his margin. Second was Craig Challingsworth on peg 14B (?) With 148-8. And third Norm Sterry  with 147-7 from peg 5. Overall it fished well but it was a miserable day with crappy weather. Full results below.