Landsend Saturday open

After a week off last week it was the first of three comps this weekend. Only 7 fishing today so a bit disappointing. After noshing down a very nice breakfast I pulled peg one out. Of the 7 pegs in today it was the one I would have chosen last. Wrong end and wrong side of the lake from where most matches are won from lately. I didn't stay around after the match as I was suffering a bit. Got to the peg and was met by a fierce wind blowing right to left so fishing long was gonna be hard. But I started off on the meat line at 2+2 with a .4 slim and had a nice eight pounder after about ten minutes. Followed after another 20 minutes by a small ghosty. Then nothing so I tried along the end bank at the bottom of the shelf on pellet fished on a .15 slim with banded pellet. Had a small carp but bites were just not coming. The wind was making presentation very hard. Then I tried again the reeds across to the island with the same rig. Same problem, too much wind slapping the tip around. There were fish there as I could see them when I fired pellets across. Back to the end bank and I managed to snare a couple but also lost several in the snags. Lost a rig to so had to set up again. All the time I was drip feeding meat and a few 4mm pellets under the bush to my right for the last couple of hours. Watching the reeds getting a hiding across to the island I got another top kit out and set up a dinner to fish shallow. Had to stick it right into the reeds but I did get a couple out. So it was just a case of switching around trying to find fish. When the wind did die down a i got bites long. A few more small carp and F1's where netted. So then I thought it was around  3-30 so it was time to try under the bush. Dropped in with meat and had a carp straight away. Then a couple of perch and a good skimmer. But I started foul hooking carp including a couple of lumps that both took rigs. One under my platform and one that headed for peg 24's platform. Did get another out before my rig was trash. Then to my surprise after 30 minutes in the edge the all out was called. Got that wrong. I was an hour out on my guess of the time. I ended up with 12lb of silvers and 42lb of carp ( I think ). Rod Wooton next to me had a very good last hour taking a few lumps down the edge. He ended up with 85lb ish including 35lb of silver. Cheers Rod, that gave me the silvers pool by default. Top wieght was 104lb. At the other end of the lake. Back tomorrow for another go.

A day off from the comps

No comp today but as I never went yesterday a trip to my local water was in order. Put gear in the car and drove the 7 minute journey to Mathern Mill. The Sirhowy club had a comp on the match lake but it was full so I didn't bother trying  to book in. But when I got there I found out someone hadn't turned up but I was too late to join in. Ah well s--t happens. So I drove down to the bottom lake and parked myself on what would be peg 12, I think. It's at the end of the island with lots of open water to the right. I set up a bomb rod to fish 8 and 11mm pellet to the island, a .4 slim to fish 6mm pellet over softened 4's at 9 metres. And a .15 mugger to fish meat over groundbait in the left and right hand margins. Started off on the bomb but after 40 minutes I only had a few decent skimmers. So I went out on the 9 metre line and started to catch skimmers in the 8oz to 1lb bracket. Stuck on the for a while and had a couple of small (5lb) carp plus some realy nice bream to 4lb. Very surprised at the size of them. But after a couple of hours that line died. So I fed the margins and went out on the bomb for a bit. Had a couple more carp before I tried the inside line. Lost the first three of which two were right munters. One snapped  a .017 hook link and one straightened a size 14. When you consider there are quite a few lumps over 20lb in this lake I'm not surprised I got smashed up. I did get two lumps that would have gone close to 30lb between them. The rest of the day was spent swapping  from the margin rig to the bomb picking off fish. Even managed a chub of around 3lb. I ended up with about 15 carp for around 85lb and probably 20 plus pound of silvers. No keepnets so these are just guestimates. Enjoyed it even though it was a bit chilly at times in the wind.

Landsend open

Day two this weekend at this great venue, and hoping to keep a decent run here going. Another realy nice breakfast downed and into the cabin for the draw. 19 fishing today so it was split over Match and top lake with the top three plus silvers being paid on both. Into the bucket and I pull out number 5 on Match. Not too disappointed as its the narrowest peg on the lake at 13 meters. After fishing 16 meters all day yesterday I was glad to fish shorter. For company I had Bristol's very own Wee man, Jason Radford on 19 opposite, were I was yesterday. To my right was Nick Bartlett on 7, who had my peg yesterday and had 42lb of silvers, so I thought I might snag a few of them today, and Russ Peck on 1. Looking down the lake between pegs 2 and 3 there must have been 50 good carp cruising around in the sun. Oh happy days. Four rigs today. A. .15 slim to fish tight to the island with banded pellet on an 18 to .013. A   .4 slim to fish meat at 9 meters  and to the platforms left and right, on a 16 to .013. A .4 pencil with an 18 on .013 to fish expanders over soaked micro's incase the silvers came on in numbers on the 2+2 line. And a .3 margin slim to fish meat to my left margin. At the start I pinged some 6mm's to the island and potted some meat and micros to their respective spots. Started over to the island and had my first fish after about 10 minutes. I stayed over there for an hour and a half taking a few carp and F1's but also loosing 5, but it wasn't exactly hectic and then it totaly died off.   It was a case of catch feed and wait a while. Most bites came after lifting and dropping. Letting it sit there was too slow. I then came in and tried the 2+2 but never had a touch there so that rig was put aside and not touched again. Jason was getting the odd fish across to the island but was getting a spanking, as we all were, from Alex Murray who was slowly emptying it fishing shallow tight to the island on 17. Nick was finding the silver fishing hard going and Russ was struggling to get anything of note but was having a good laugh at whoever was opposite him on 24, as he was moaning about, well, just about everything lol.  I then tried the platforms either side of me but wasn't hoping for much as it was a bit early to try there. Nothing came on that line at all but I did manage to mug one on meat that was slurping in the weed to my left. It was back to the island and I did catch slowly but it was hard going. With about two hours to go I started on the meat line and started catching some big skimmers and the odd carp and F1's. I stayed on that line apart from another 15 fishless minutes over by the island. At the end I thought I'd managed over 70lb but wasn't sure. At the weight in my silvers went 20-8 and my carp dead on 60lb for a 80-8 total for third on the lake. Alex Murray put a grand total of 177-4 on the scales and Kev Molten , who I couldn't see but could here dropping fish in the net had 86-8 on peg 21. Tony Rixon won the top lake with 113-4. Another nice days fishing with fab weather. Even managed bit of a tan. Realy enjoying fishing this place at the mo and looking forward to going again in two week.

Results.

Match lake
1st Alex Murray 177-4.
2nd Kev Molten 86-8.
3rd me with 80-8.
Top silvers Nick Bartlett 29-12.

Top lake
1st Tony Rixon 113-4.
2nd S Seager 90lb.
3rd Joe McMahon 83-11.
Top silvers G Coton 30-10

Landsend Saturday open.

Off to Landsend fishery for the first of two visits this weekend. Got there in plenty of time to munch down a very nice breakfast before the 9-30 draw. Into the draw bucket and out comes peg 19. Not too disappointed with that. Got to the peg and found the breeze blowing into me from a 10 o'clock angle between the two islands but not enough to be a real problem. Three rings today.  A .4 margin slim to fish meat in four feet of water  down to my right to the next platform. A   .15 slim with 2 number ten dropper with an 18 on .013 to fish hard pellet at 16 meters to the island. And a .5 pencil to fish 2+2, 11 meters and at the bottom of the far side with a 16 to .013 for various baits when required. Gotta love a peg with a flat bottom. For company I had Tom Mangle to my left on 17, Nick,  not sure of surname, to my right on 19 and Rod Wooton on 24 in the corner. Started of feeding all my chosen lines and watche'd Tom get 2 carp in two drops before I'd wet a line lol. I went out on 2+2 on meat and hoped for some instant action but that never happened. A quick try with caster over the same line only produced two blippy perch to that rig went away. Tom hadn't had any more but there were fish cruising around. Rod and Nick were also having a slow start. I went over to the island on 6mm pellet over cattied 4's and had two quick carp, both of the smaller variety. I kept on this line for another half hour but only put one more in the net. A look down to the pallet to my right on meat and although I had a few bites I recon it was white bait messing with it. I stuck with it for 20 minutes and did manage an Ide of about two pound. Nick had now taken a couple but Rod was having a slow day and had started concentrating on the silvers. Back on the 16 meter line and had a short purple patch taking two more carp and two decent F1's. Tom was now getting the odd carp long as was Nick. It went quiet for me and it was quite a while between fish for a couple of hours. I did loose a few which was frustrating so into my rod holdall and a different elastic was picked out. This solved the lost fish problem. About two hours from the end I saw Nick get off his box and disappear up the bank. He had lost his top five of his new M70 pole to a carp. Then I saw it floating past me obviously with the fish still on, so I managed to flick my rig over it and hook the elastic connector and drag it in with the fish still attached. It was only a squeaker too lol. I stuck it out on the 16 meter line for most of the match after that and had a good last two hours putting around 15 more carp and a few F1's in the net . Tom had had a few lumps down his margin so I knew it was gonna be close between us for the win as I had heard a few saying it was hard around the lake. Tom stuck 16-4 of silvers and 95-10
Of carp on the scales for 111-14 total. My silvers went 11-14 and 85-8 of carp for 97-6 and second on the day.  Top silvers was 42-3. A nice day in the end with decent weather. Back again tomorrow for one of Tony Rixon's opens.

1st Tom Mangle 111-14
2nd me 97-6

Top silvers Nigel 42-3
Sorry, don't knew all the surnames

Landsend open.

Off to Landsend today for one of Tony Rixon's open matches. We were on lake 3 today and as I've only fished it once, about two years ago, I can't say I know much about it. Left home at 8 o'clock for a nice drive down the M5 and got there in plenty of time for a nice cooked breakfast in the recently opened cafe on the venue. And very nice it was too.  Into the draw bag and first I hand off one to Tony Rixon and he wasn't too unhappy I'd given him peg 50. I drew 70 for myself which was a corner peg with a spit sticking out at 14 meters. Gotta admit with the wind forcast I was glad to see I was well sheltered from the wind. Plenty of options so I set up a .15 mugger with a size 16 to .015 to fish along the end bank.  Another .15 mugger, same end gear, to fish the deeper water tight over at 14 meter by the spit. A  .4 pencil with a 16 to .13 to fish 2+2  and at 9 meters out in front. And two more rigs on heavier gear to fish meat in the right hand margin at 4 meters and at 9 meters to my right to fish meat between the bankside reeds and a weed bed. Think I had it all covered. After feeding all lines it was out on the 2+2 pellet rig. Feeding three pellets every couple of minutes I was sure I'd be into a few F1's but it was a slow start. First fish was a nice silver ghosty after about 15 minutes then it was A wait for the next bite. Ten minutes later another small ghosty was in the net, then no more bites. So it was out to the 9 meter line and after just one missed bite in 15 minutes it was out to the spit. I'd been flicking 4mm pellets over there from the start and was pleased to see the float bury straight away and the elastic shoot out. A nice common of 5lb in the net another smaller one followed shortly but as before the bites died. Joe McMahon opposite had only a couple of small fish at this time and Rod Wooton next to him was also struggling for bites. As was Kev Molton next to me. We were all getting the same problem, struggling to get more than one or two bites in any one spot. Time to try the end bank. First drop in and straight into a small carp. But it was very snaggy and next drop in found a carp burried in the snags. Then no bites. The pattern continued. Back to the spit and straight into a good fish that went straight into the end bank snags. Bugger. That pattern continued for a while get one fish then move. Loose one in The snag then no bites. Very frustrating. Time for the meat lines. The short margin was void of life and the long line only produced roach and Rudd. So it was a case of regularly switching around picking off odd fish switching between 6 and 4mm pellets. The short margin did produce three late on including one pushing double figures.  At the end I got to admit I was in agony with my knee as stiff as hell from being sat all day. I thought I had 50lb tops today so wasn't confident of collecting any coin. Joe was first to wiegh and the few big fish he took late pushed the scales round to 84lb 12oz which gave him second place on the day. Walking round the other side and it was a different world. They had all been pummeled by the fierce wind and I was glad I wasn't over there. Martin Laneghan wieghed 106lb 6oz for the win with nearly all carp from peg 61. I managed 59lb 14oz for third. All in all it was a tough day for most with the wind. With the sheltered pegs doing best. First in the silvers was Tony with 8 lb 9oz, and he took great joy in rubbing Rods nose in it after beating him by just a few ounces. I guess revenge will be sweet.

1st Martin Laneghan 106 - 6.
2nd Joe McMahan 84 - 12.
3rd Stuart Barnett 59 - 14

1st in silvers Tony Rixon 8 - 9
2nd Rod Wooton 8 - 3

Landsend saturday open.

I wasn't suppose to be fishing this weekend as I was booked in for a knee op Friday but that got cancelled late in the day so i at least I got to go fishing Saturday and work Sunday. So I headed off to Landsend. After a very nice breakfast it was into the bucket and I pull out peg 10 on Match. Oh dear!!!. All the matches I've fished here since Xmas the pegs along that area have bombed out big time. But as Mr Rixon says, fish have fins and move around. Right where do I start??. Oh yeah, 4 1/2 hours in. 4 bites, 1 fish, packed up went home to watch the rugby. End of. It was crap

Mathern Mill winter league

Back to Mathern today for round something or other, not sure as I've sort of lost interest lol. Into the draw bag and out comes peg 14 in the bottom corner of the lake. Not a peg I'd select as it produces a weight about once every millennium, when Venus and Pluto align with Uranus during a solar eclipse. So not very confident. Got to the peg and found the wind blowing into the corner so maybe I'd be lucky. Set up two rigs. A .5 pencil float with a 16 to .013 to fish a variation of baits at 11 meters as there can, on the odd occasion, be some decent skimmers around there. And a .3 short diamond to fish the hole to my right margin on corn or maggot where it drops off  off about 18 inches to a depth of 3 1/2 feet. Hoping there might be something there as the water was very cold. Plus a bomb rod to fish along the right hand end bank and 20 meters straight out. You can't go much farther as there are anglers left and right that you'd cast across. Started on 8mm pellet along the left bank as Steve Shaw caught there on the rare occasion the fish are around there a few weeks ago, but after a biteless hour I tried caster at 11 meters. Not a touch there, Hmmmmm. So it was into the margin on corn. And again nothing. Switched to trying both bomb lines again for half an hour and biteless. But at this stage the whole lake was fishing very hard. Craig Challingworth to my left on 15 had only had a couple of small skimmers by now and Steve Shaw on 16 had one carp. Back on the 11 meter line on corn and after a long wait I did manage a couple of small skimmers. As this is a combined weight league and not points catching these was a waste of time so I went back in the margin and it was like the dinner bell rang as Craig, Lee Pesticcio on peg 12 on the point and myself all hooked and landed a carp at the same time. Here we go then. Or not as it turned out. That was the only carp I had. Even thought I swapped around all day all I managed after that was a few small skimmers. The second half of the match did pick up in the usual pegs and a few carp were caught, but not for me. So as the football was on I thought bugger it as I was clearly last on the lake I chucked my fish back and packed up about 15 minutes early. I don't like doing that but I'd had enough by then as as I've got no chance of getting anywhere in the series it didn't matter that I got a DNW. Top three today were the three anglers along the bottom bank to my right on the point fishing the open part of the lake. Giles Cochrane on 11 caught mainly on the bomb for 110lb for first. Second was Lee Pesticcio on 12 with 88lb for second on long pole,  and third was Gary Swain on 10 with 82lb of bomb caught carp. Those pegs have been producing all series so I'm not surprised they produced again with good anglers on them. Not sure how the rest of the lake got on as I was watching the footy by the time they weighed in.