Mathern Mill, Craig Challingsworth`s baggers open. 12/12/2020

 Nice short drive today to Mathern Mill for an open match on the motorway lake. Realy fancied the bottm end of the lake and just fish for the skimmers. First into the draw bag and peg 20 sticks to my fingers. Well, to say I was dissapointed was an understatement. As far away from where I wanted to be as I could be. Plus ive drawn this peg a few times and its Rudd soup. Almost impossible to get a bait through the tiny rudd that live in this peg usually. Set up 4 rigs. 2 .5 slims with different colour tips, as during the day the sun would be straight in front so a change of colour might be needed. Both set the same to fish maggot or soft pellet for anything silver. An edge rig that never got touched, and a .5 slim for carp. That also never came out the rig roost. All day was spent switching between two lines, where Id fed chopped worm in groundbait in one and maggot and micros in the other. Both at 13 mwtres. After 30 minutes I started to get small hybrids over the micro line. Had a few so switched to the groundbait line where there were skimmers. All day I`d get acouple then had to move. It was a steady flow all day and whene the match ended I thought I had around 18lb. Surprisingly the scales went round to 26-04 which won the silvers and a nice pick up of some coin. It was a nice busy day with plenty of bites. Finally got a few fish out of this peg. Winner on the day was Rob Skellet on peg 3 with three carp for 37-14. Big fish!!. It didnt fish well today and I recon I was lucky to sit on a few feeding fish. And not a rudd in sight. But ya need a bit of luck some days. Full weigh sheet below.

Landsend saturday open.

 Finally got the chance to go to Landsend again. Not been for 5 or 6 weeks cos of the covid lockdown crap. Was a bit worried about the weather as when I was loading the car it was snowing. Not a great start. Got to the fishery and found we had 16 booked in so we decided to put us all on Match lake. Mike drew peg 6 for me. I cant remember ever fishing this peg as its not in very often. Decided to fish for silvers and take carp if they came along. Well!!! its a short story. Started on 2+2 with maggot over maggot and micros and after 15 minutes hooked and landed a carp of 7-8. I was winning lol. Then ten minutes later a roach. That was the last bite on that line until ten minutes from the end. Most of the match I was switching trying to find some bonus fish but only caught at 14m off the end of the island. All small roach, rudd and perch taken on single or double maggot. I had about 30 of them. Believe it or not that got me 4th on the day with a total of 9-12. Winner on the day was Russ Peck who started 15 minutes late in peg 22 and was straight into fish. But it was fish soup in front of him. He caught steady all day for 60-8. Second was Steve Leaf Blower Seager with 27-14 from peg 15. Top silver ws the Silverback silvers king, Rod Wootton with 7-4 of mainly newly introduced micro tench from his favourite peg 19. For everybody else it was rock hard with 7 not weighing in. Back in two weeks for first round of the winter league. Hope it settles down by then. Weight sheet below.

Mathern Mill, Craig Challingsworth baggers open

 Finaly got out for a dabble today. First time in 4 weeks cos of all this covid crap. Just a short drive to mathern mill for a knock up organised by Craig challingsworth on the top lake. Only ten fishing so loads of room and with a shitty weather forcast I fancied a peg with the wind off my back. Right!!!! that didnt happen. Sat all day with the rain blowing horizontaly into my face. But at least it wasnt cold so not all bad. I drew peg 9 down in the corner of the bowl. Never drawn this one before, but the plan was just to fish for silvers and go for carp if they turned up. Not going into too much detail as it was a pretty simple day. Apart from about 45 minutes I spent all day on 2+2 over two lines. One groundbait and maggot and one just maggot. It was a perch fest. never seen so many. But I took a note out of Foggy`s book. If your getting plenty of bits keep at it. And thats what I did. For three  and a half hours it was perch perch perch. Then a few skimmers turned up late over the ground bait. I ended up with around 80 perch and 5 skimmers for 13-14. That got me top silvers for the day and a little brown envelope. Top weight on the day came from peg 6. Mike Eyre with 5 carp and a few bits for 63-1. Big lumps taken on bread on the bomb. Second was Stephen Norris with 6 carp and bits for 48-7. Second in silvers was George Sunsionon peg 16 with 9-1. A tough day and I didnt see a carp landed anywhere in the first half of the match. But its was nice to be out again. Working next weekend so another couple of week until I get out again, unless I can get in a sneaky match somewhere in the week.

Landsend Saturday Open 17/10/2020

 Winter is well on the way and it showed today. Peg 13 for me and I was very happy with that draw. But I got to the peg and was greated with a mass of leaves and frothy scum on the top. This wasnt going to be fun. Not much to report. This peg had been fishing well lately but not today/ Never had a touch along the end bank or in the margins. I Only had one bite out by the aerator that produced a carp aroud 7lb. struggled for silvers as the lines I fished were choked with leaves that just went around in circles in the ever changing wind. In fact I had to put a .5g float on to get the line through the scum as lighter floats resulted in the bulk shot just sitting ontop of it. Needed that extra bit of weight to break through it. And I could of walked on the water in the margins at times it was so thick. Did not enjoy it at all. I did manage to get three across to the point of the island, but at 16m in that wind, I recon my back will be feeling it for a week. I ended up with the four carp that would have gone 25lb and about 3lb of silvers, but I was well and trully spanked all around in both departments, so I didn`t bother weighing in. Don`t even know who won as I`d gone by the time the scales went around the lake. Ah well, lets hope for better luck next week.

Mathern Mill saturday open

Short trip to mathern today. Breakfast was brought to the fishery as the previously aranged breakfast at the Millers was cancelled due to all pubs being closed from friday night. 21 fishing today so only one empty peg on the lake. I drew 20 and was pretty happy with that as Norm said anglers had a boat load of carp the day before that end of the lake fishing a pellet feeder and maggot. And i had the empty peg in 21 next to me so a bonus, though pegs 22 and 1 would be the ones to watch. started the match on the pellet feeder but no pull rounds.

 In fact the lake was dead. In the first hour from what I could see only one carp had been caught and no silvers.I tried a maggot line at 10m but the wind was blowing a holligan. It was just about impossible to fish the pole, and even though I did try several times I just could not present a still bait.. It was 2 hours 45 before I got my first bite, a ripper of a pull round on popped up wafter, I was supprised I got it in as it went mental and had me bottomed out on my lineclip for a minute before I made any line on it.i thought cold weather slowed them down. No chance in this place they are the hardest fighting fish I`ve come across. I then tried the laft margin as i`d been feeding it for three hours and took a carp first drop in. Then had to wait another half hour before the next down the margin, but it was a big beast around 14lb. two more late fish on the bomb was my lot for the day. no lost fish and only two missed bites. i did all I could today but it was hard.
paul Nicholls on 22 Has a steady second half of the match catching at 14m by the airator and on a 6m line. Rich Lovering on peg 1 had a few as well. They were able to fish long poles as the wind was more into thier face and was blowing along the pole. The scale came round and Neil Morgan on Peg 11 was top weight with 96lb. My 5 carp went 46-10 which was very close to my guestimate. That ended up third on the day. Paul went a bit better with 55-6 helped by a 15 pounder ten minutes from the end and another right on the all out for second place. A rough day in the wind and very few bites, but thats winter fishing for you. Full results below.

Landend winterleague final round

It was the last of this years winterleagye at Landsend and this was the rearange match after the 5th round was cancelled through severe weather. I was just 4 point ahead at the top of the league so realy needed a good draw after bombing out last match.lake three today and I draw out peg 66. Not bad as this had the old weedbed in it that always held fish in this area. The weather was horendous so the first bit of kit set up was the brolley. Some say your a soft cock if you sit under a brolley, but you`d have to be soft in the head to sit in that rain for hours. started off fishing across to the island at 14 1/2 metres on 6mm banded pellet. it took a while but I did start to get a few bite. After just over an hour I had 4 carp in the net.  then lost the next three. it went a bit quiet so I came in on the 2+3 meat line. not a touch on that, and thats how that line was all day. a try down the righ margin just off the weed bed produced one small carp. Back across to the island. I took three more over but it was a bit slow with bites few and far between. Russ peck opposite, sitting in for Rob watts was fishing light for silvers as Rob was very close at the top of the silvers table, But russ was hooking carp after carp. But he had to stick it out for the small stuff for Robs sake. at 1-30 the rain stopped and that killed the peg, as it did for quite a few. it was hard work for a couple of hours taking just three more untill the last half hour when I took three good fish to my right margin.At the all out i was confident i`d done enough as my nearest rival, Lee Williams, two pegs to my right was admiting to around 50lb.
Mike started the weigh in on the other bank. Steve Seager maoned his way to 54lb after saying it was crap and there were no fish in his peg.  He was quiet when he was catching early so we have to be thankfull for little mercy`s. Russ did well to land quiet a few carp on silvers rigs for a total of 44-15. Nick Duckett up on 58 put 66-03 of carp on the scale, and that got him the win on the day. Lee had a very good start but the rain stopping killed his peg and had next to nothing last 3 hours. He put 52-14 on the scales. My dozen 13 carp pushe d the scales round to 65-12, just pipped by Nick, and that was enough for second on the day and the league win. So Im a happy little bunney. Nice little pay packet to take home. Mike Duckett ended up winning the silvers so well done to him. Yet again it was a pleasure to fish this league, with good organisation and load of laughs, mainly at Steve seagers expence. Thanks to mick Duckett for running it and to all that fished. Cheers guys. Full results of today below. Didnt get a final standing photo so will putit up when Mike uplaids it.

Landsend winterleague round 6 sort of.

A few days late doing this blog. As the last round was postponed this should have been the last match but we got one more re-aranged match to go. We were on match lake today and as I am at the top at the mo I needed a good draw to make things comfortable in the last round. I drew peg 11. A few weeks ago I would have ran to this peg but its a feast or famine peg and at the mo its seams to be a bit of the latter. To say it was hard going is an understatement. I struggled all day for 12 bites. I switched around rigs and lines every 15 minutes just searching for fish. The best line was the deep hole off the end of the island at 14 1/2 metres on pellet. I managed 4 carp and one skimmer from there. I also took one F1 from the end of the island in the shallower water and my biggest carp of the day, around 8lb, foul hooked dropping in amoungst the reed bed to the left. I totaled 28-10 for absolutely nowhere on the day. So that is my dropper weight. It was strange as I never saw a single fish top all day, and in a lake with so many fish in it that was pretty unusual. First on the day was Nick Ducket who never had a touch untill 3 hours in then proceeded to empty his peg on meat for 134-14 from peg 19. Second was Dale Howsen on 24 with 78-12. Third, and getting too close for comfort in the final standings, was Lee Williams on peg 15 with 56-12. That puts him just three points behind me going into the final match in two weeks. A good draw is deffinately needed. No slip ups next time I hope. Full results below.

Mathern Mill Open 8/2/2020

Short drive today to Mathern. 24 fishing and both lake were being used. Into the draw bag and peg 11 on Motorway lake comes out. Useually a very good silvers peg , but as I didnt go into the silvers pool that spoiled things. I will keep this very very short. The lake fished CRAAAAAAP. Hardly anything caught from what i could see. All I had was two big skimmers and lost two at the net, but fishing with carp gear the elastic was probably too heavy. I also lost one of the lake huge carp that did its best to pull me in before the hook got straightened out. And apart from that I missed one bite. packed up with an hour to go as I just couldn`t see anything improving. When you see anglers of the caliber of Craig Challingsworth and Gabe Scarba packing up way before me you know its bad. Didn`t hang around for the results so no idea what won it. I was home drinking coffee before rhe match ended. Winter league at Landsend next week. Hope thats a bit better.

Landsend Winter league round 4

Lake three today for round four and the wind was blowing a hooligan. I was last in the line for the draw and was left with peg 70. Its a decent draw on its day but the weights have been coming from the other end of the lake lately. I needed to do well today as Im at the top at the mo but might miss the next match so cant afford to drop a result yet. I was glad to see the wind that was pretty strong stood up on the bank wasnt doing anything at water level. I set up to dob bread along the end bank, and fish short with meat short and close to the weed bed to the right, plus an edge rig to my right. Started at 14 1/2m in the corner by the spit and had a good first hour taking 7. But I did loose a few too and with them wrapping around the post along the end bank it spooked them and they dissapeared. So I came into the edge and took one straight away. Then had a double first drop on the short meat line, but that was the only bite there. 3 hours and 50lb in the net. Doing ok. It slowed up a bit for ages. I took a couple more plus some roach down the edge and a couple on meat close to the weed bed. Then in the last couple of minutes another from the dobbing line. Thought I had low 70`s at the end. The far side of the lake was first to weigh and Rob Watts on 55 was well ahead with 84-10. Didnt think I could beat that. Rod Wootton on 62 had 57-02 and John Hawkins on 66 had 59-10. I was last to weigh and was surprised when I put 89-08 on the scales for the win. My guess was well out today. That put`s me a few point ahead overall with two to go. Full results below.

Overall standings.
1st Stu Barnett  7 points, 308lb
2nd Lee Williams 15pts, 239-10
3rd Steve Seager 18pts,  213-04
4th John Hawkins 19pts210-09
5th Rod Wooton 22pts, 191-03

Mathern Mill saturday open 25/01/2020

Off to mathern today for one of Norm Sterrys knock ups. had last peg in the bag and I was on 22. Pretty happy with that. Was hoping to catch on wag with bread or bomb and pellet to the island today as this works well in this peg. 40 minutes swapping between the two and never ha a bite. id been feeding maggot to the airator at 14 1/2 meters and dropped in on that line. thie float settled and kept going. but after a minute in just pulled out. Came back with a scale on the hook. Over the next two hours I lost 5 and landed 1 on this line, mainly foul hookers, but nobody was catching much so I stayed on it as there were obviously fish there. I did chuck a bomb on the same line to try and stop the foulers but had just one skimmer on that. So 3 hours and one carp and one skimmer. Not going well. The fact I was struggling to see my float at times through the mist didnt help. Then I started to land a few and they just got bigger, with the first 4 going around 50lb, with the biggest weighed at the end at dead on 20lb. By the end I landed 10, all on double maggot, for 100-6 including the skimmer. Some big boys in that place. That got me first place on the day and the first time I had picked up any coin here for 18 months I recon. Not been doing any good for ages at Mathern Second was fishery regular Rich Heatley with 58-4 from peg 7 on pole and maggot. Third was  Andy Gard from peg 10 with 46-12.  Full results below.

Landsend saturday open 18/1/2020

First frost for ages today and the night temp was zero compared to the 8`s and 9`s of the last couple of weeks. I thought 12 fished but the weigh sheet only shows 10. Lake three today which is ok as the winner can come from anywhere. Into the draw bucket and 55 sticks. corner peg top end of the lake. happy enough with that. Opposite I had the resident Silverback in the shape of Rod Wootton for company on peg 58.

And with Steve Seager at the other end it was gonna be  some load piss taking today. I wasnt setup in time so I chucked the bomb out, with a popped up wafter, to the end of the island, and before I could do anything the rod was almost dragged in. Landed it and chucked it again. Got my bait out and off it went again. Nice start, 17lb in 10 minutes. Got sorted and the tip never moved agian. Started on the  pole at the spit but only got one perch. A good one of 1-05.

Fished a silvers line on maggot at 10 meters but never had a bite on that line. so after an hour came into my short meat line at 7 meters slightly to the right. Sat on it for ten minutes fe ore the float went. A big boy around 12lb in the net. Next drop in the same. long wait then a decent carp. It went quiet so switched to the right margin wher Id fed meat and 6mm`s. Same again long wait then a carp netted. Rod had a very slow start but had started to get the odd fish. Bites were far and few between but by switchuing around my meat lines I didnt miss many and landed everything I hooked. At the end I had 12 good carp and the one perch, and it was hady getting a 6 pounder on the whistle as Rod had a strong last 2 hours and it was close. Too close. He has 71-08 and I just pipped him for the win with 73-14. Third was Dan ? on 61 with 47lb. Two weeks in a row ive not lost a single fish. Must be getting better at this game. High light of the day is always taking a quid off of Russ Peck. Cheers mate.

Still foggy when we left so couldnt resist the piccie.

Full results below

Landsend winter league round 3.

Round three and we were back on match lake today. I was lying second after the first two rounds so a good draw was paramount today. Into the draw bucket early while all the good stuff was left and out pops peg 15. Very happy with that. Its a nice consistant peg that usually feature in the results.The water was very clear today so I didnt think it would fish too good on the top shelf but I still set up a rig to fish against the island. ya just got to try it. A rig for down both edges though I did fish bottom of the first shelf in about 3 foot. And two rigs for doen the track. One for silvers and one or carp over the same line. I also set up a bomb rod to chuck out when it was coffee time. Or when I get in my usual tangles. Started in the soft pellet over micros to see what was about but 20 minute and one tiny roach ws enough of that. Over to the island ẁith 6mm banded as id been pinging 4`s. Didnt take long and I hit my first carp. Not big but I was off the mark. Nick Duckett to my right had two in the net by then. Rod "Silver back" Wootton was struggling and not getting any bites. After an hour Id had three small carp for about 10lb but was well behind John Hawkins who was off to a flyer in peg 11. It went quiet across. Infact I never has another bite across all day. So I switched around from the edge to the track but only another roach in the next hour. Then I got my first fish down the left edge for about 7lb. Simon Hawkins in 13 started to get a few down the end bank and John was still catching regular. Down to my right was very quiet. I fancied a coffee so I chucked the bomb into the deep hole 14 meters to my left that Id been feeding. I fished it with a wafter popped up about an inch off the bottom. I was on my second biscuit when the tip ripped round and carp 4 was landed. But no more action after that so back to swapping lines. Half hour later and tangle number one so chucked the bomb again while I rigged up. Tip flew round again and abother in the net. Then I had three down my edge on corn before it went quiet there. no bites anywhere for a bit so the trusty bomb went out. Two fish in ten minutes and a missed bite and I though it was worth dropping a rig over it with corn on. I started to get a few but it was hard work dragging them round from 14 meters to my left. Nick And Rod were catching well now and both were catching me up. Nick was getting a fish most drop in`s on meat short. John opposite had a bad last two hours so it was going to be close. It did help when I had a 12 pounder at the end. When the scales got to our side of the lake I was surprised to see John had 86lb. Id though he had well over a ton but he did have the end bank fish that can be a bit small. Simon, who was fishing his first ever match had 43-01 in peg 13, so well done to him. I was guessing on 75lb and was very close with 77-10 for second on the day. Nick had a flying finish and was very close to catching me with 69-05 for third. And Rod sneaked a few more than I though for 64-01. The second place puts me top now with my dropper still to go, so all`s good so far. Three weeks to the next one so a couple of practices are in order. Full results below.

Mathern Mill saturday open.

A quick 5 minute drive tody to Mathern. 20 fishing so it was run as 2 matches over the two lakes. I didnt mind where I drew on either lake as long as I avoided pegs 24 or 25 on the motorway lake. it seams its all I draw there and a different view would be nice. So I dive into the draw bag first. Peg 25 on the motorway lake comes out. Well theres a surprise. I should put money on it. Last time I fished it, it was a silvers match and caught nothing but carp so I was hoping today was gonna be the same. it was just gonna be a maggot day today, after an enitial go on bomb and pellet to the island. Half hour on that and no pull rounds but I did get a couple of liners so i was hopefull id get some later. Out to the airator which is suspended from a rope that is only 2 meters to my left, that makes it a very narrow peg. but that was biteless as well. so I went to 13 meters to the sunken weed bed to my right. that was after a word with the guy to my right that though it was ok to cast his bomb 40 meters to where I was feeding a spot to fish 13 meters to. It took about 15 minutes to get a bite but when I did I knew id hooked one of the lakes big boys. In 5 I barely got it off the bottom and was seeing tail paterns in 6 feet of water. I did get it close in but my elastic was bottomed out and with a shake of its head it snapped me off. Next drop in and I had a big skimmer close to 3lb. I was off the mark after 90 minute. To my left Rob jones was also struggling on the pole and had 1 carp at that time and a few tiny silvers. My line went quiet so it was back to the airator where I did take one carp and another skimmer. Rob took a couple more carp. But it went quiet again for him. I went back to my right and hooked another carp, I think Frankie Dettori was on his back, and I struggled to get it in the net. Two carp for a good 25lb. the pattern continued with another skimmer then nothing. Very strange. this happened 5 times during the match. It was like they were buddying up. And that was all I had. Rob next to me hit the jackpot, as he switched to punch bread fished mid depth on the wag, of which I had neither of to follow him, and cleaned up big time the last two and half hours he couldnt go wrong and I recon he put 150lb in the net in that time and he finished with 207lb for an easy win. Well and truely spanked off the next peg. I finished with 5 carp and five skimmers for 66lb. Norm sterry was second on our lake with 140lb plus. Top lake was won with 99-01. full results below.

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