Witherington Teams Of 4, Round 1.

 Witherington's Selwood Lake.

Browning Andover was fielding 2 squads in the Withy teams of 4, this hotly contested 8 round league. Browning Blue, and Green, I was in the Blue squad and volunteered ( thanks John! ) to fish Selwood lake, with 2 others on the snake and another on cottage. After a suitably good breaky, Barry drew me peg 16 on Selwood. Talking to John he informs me it is the shallowest peg on the lake, but does have an aerator to the right in the margins where sometimes the lumps can be caught. Arriving at my peg and it looked ok, a nice bit of colour, and the odd fish moving. It has been a couple of years since I fished Selwood last, but it hasn't changed much.

I set up an 8ft. Browning commercial wand with a small method attached for the island, 2 rigs for the 13m line, which was going to be my skimmer line, an 0.10 and an 0.12, a 6m meat line on 0.16, and a margin swim down towards the aerator, which was 0.18 for the lumps, hopefully. I had soaked micros, expander's, meat and corn, and some worms, that should hopefully tempt something. At the all in I cupped in some meat on the 6m line, and some micros out at 13m, and half a pot of corn in the margin. I chucked the method to the island for the first fifteen minutes, one to let the other swims settle, and two hopefully there would be something lurking around the island. Without so much as a line bite it was time to have a look on the pole lines.

Peg 16 On Selwood.

A quick look in the margins and on the 6m meat line resulted in no bites, so it was out to the 13m line. A couple of pegs round and they were catching skimmers regularly, but I was having to work for any bite, a couple of small skimmers was all that I could tempt. I kept trickling corn into the margins, and meat onto the 6m line. I was struggling a little and went back onto the method for a bit. Still no bites on that so I decided to have a good look in the margins. A foul hooker almost instantly I dropped a bait in, encouraging, then a few minutes later I hooked one properly. A lengthy tussle ensued, before I slipped the net under a nice 8 lb fish. The Heavens then opened up, and what with the thunder and lightning, turning the day very unpleasant.

Giving the margin line a rest I had a look onto the other 2 pole lines, only a couple of small skimmers out on the 13m was the result. It was becoming clear that the majority of the skimmers were further round the lake, and the only way I was going to do something was to catch a few more lumps, so I decided to concentrate in the margins, plus the fact the weather had deteriorated and fishing the margins was easier! I kept trickling in the corn before I hooked Carp number 2, a smaller fish of about 5lb. A good hour had passed before I hooked the 3rd lump, and this gave me a good battle before it was in the net, another fish of about 8lb. I felt I was not doing to bad now, as it went into the final hour. I foul  hooked a fished which tore through my margin swim before the hooked pulled. Not another bite until 10 seconds before the all out, and then I was doing battle with a a right old beast! It didn't want to play ball at all, and wouldn't come within netting range, but after battling with it well into overtime, I managed to subdue it, and folded it into the landing net! A nice double to end the day with. My 4 Carp weighed 32lb, and with 2lb 8oz of skimmers I ended up 4th on the lake, not a bad result at all. Browning Blue ended up 6th on the day, with all to play for over the rest of the series.

Blog Catch Up, Part 2.

 Pine's Peg 3, Stafford Moor.

Stafford Moor Fishomania qualifier was my next outing, my first visit to this renowned Devon fishery, a very picturesque venue with several lakes and lots of features. At the draw bag I pulled out peg 3 on Pine's lake. Talking to the owner he said I probably wouldn't win the match from there, so all out for the lake and section win. After a heavy thunderstorm the night before, and spawning fish it wasn't going to be an easy day, the swim was nice, with an island just about reachable with 16m, not comfortable but just about manageable. After catching some early fish next to the island on corn over pellet things slowed and bites became a premium. At the all out I ended up with 26lb 04oz, this was good enough for second on the lake. A hard days fishing with not a lot to show and a long drive home.

The next day it was the next round of the spring series at Dandy's ford, I was knackered after the long day before at Stafford Moor, so when I pulled out peg 23, I decided to chuck the tip all day, as I didn't fancy battling with the pole all day in the gusty wind. I set up a small method feeder and soaked some 4mm pellets to squash round it and hair rigged some meat for the hook. After a couple of miss casts into the island, ( I blamed the tiredness! ) I found my range and managed to catch 55lb, for 3rd in section. I was doing well in the series being joint top, but unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control I couldn't fish the final 2 rounds, a bit of a shame as I was doing well.

 Peg 23 At Dandy's.

After a few weeks away from fishing, my next outing was with the team at Witherington Farm for the inaugural Army challenge match, Browning Andover against some rufty tufty army chaps! Needless to say we won, albeit a narrow victory! But another trophy for the cabinet, hopefully we can keep hold of it next year! The weather made it interesting being very windy in the morning giving way to heavy rain which was a good test for the new waterproofs! I had a so so match, catching a few to begin with before struggling for bites, but the fish seemed to be in pockets, and you were either on them or not, but that's commercial snake fishing for you. A very enjoyable close fought contest, despite the weather.

My next outing was back down to Orchard, the weather was atrocious, very strong gusty wind and heavy rain was going to make it interesting! I pulled peg 18 out of the draw bag, not to bad a peg but well away from the fliers, ( which is probably good as I would only bugger it up! ) Some big weights had been coming out now that the fish had finished spawning, all on the short pole. So I got out a top 4 and that was as far as I was going to go, hoping to catch on the top set. I caught all day on the top set, using meat as a hook bait and feeding the same, ending up with 132lb, a good weight and good enough for a section win, but no where near the weights that came of the fliers! I did loose a top set to the lake as a gust of wind took it clean off the roost and across the lake where it slowly did it's Excalibur impression, before sinking out of site! Much swearing!

Next outing was with the team on the River Huntspill, for the regional national. A first for me and some of the team. Another wild and wet day was forecast, ( testing both angler and waterproofs to it's limit! ) It was a very interesting day, with the pole being virtually unfishable, so a feeder job was the order of the day. After 5 hours I managed just 500 grams of Eels and Roach, not last in section but was beaten by other anglers who caught bonus Bream, which sadly I never saw all day! The team did ok, being just a couple of points from finishing in the top three, a good result which we hope to improve on next year.

 Back to Dandy's for the next swaray. It doesn't seem to matter where you draw, as there is always plenty of fish and bites to be had, so after pulling out peg 19 form the draw bag Iwas quite pleased. It seemed that I had my own little island to fish to, so I set up a small cage feeder with a 15" hook length, using the method is now prohibited. Soaking some 4mm pellets, and hair rigging meat as a hook bait, I also set up a margin swim next to some lillys. I caught steady on the feeder all day plus a couple late on in the margins, a mixture of Carp, small Barbel and Tench for 77lb 8oz, good enough for second on the day, another good result for me at his lovely venue, no wonder it's one of my favourites!

Looking At Dandy's Peg 19, Very Pretty!

Team duties next for the National. After Some Practice, which resulted in some good days including a second in section on a pratice match, as well as some hard days, a team plan was formed, and the day arrived. I got drawn a lovely looking peg just up from a bridge, but it wasn't till I started plumbing up that I realised that my day was going to be " one of those ", and my nice looking peg turned into a snag pit from hell! Trying to find a clear area in my peg was virtually impossible, and I was loosing hook lengths and rigs like no tomorrow. And when I did get through the snags, I hooked big Carp on my squatt rigs, a no contest really, Carp 4 Ian 0 ! I ended up with a measly 270 grams, not last but no where near good enough, and I was very dissapointed with my efforts, for the team as well as myself, I know in a clearer peg I could of caught more, but thats match fishing, always a good leveller even when you think you have it sussed!

Blog Catch Up. Part 1.

Time for a blog catch up, have been very busy with work since coming back from my White Acres holiday, ( some time ago now I know) and have had a few problems! ( Which I won't go into! ) But I have managed a few outings, individually and with the team. First off was the first of the Challis spring series, at one of my favourite venues, Dandy's Ford Lakes. I had to come back from Cornwall to get a decent draw, peg 17 on Calvert's lake, all on it's own in a corner, I never blew my end peg, and won the match catching 83lb 4oz using meat in the margins at 7m, plus catching a few across at 13m, a good start to the series and a pick up, which always helps!

Peg 17 on Calvert's Lake.

Next up was the second round at Viaduct Fishery in Somerset, Campbell lake was the venue, another favourite of mine, in the draw bag and I pulled out peg 110, another end peg with lots of room, my drawing hand was definitely making up for the poor draws I had in Cornwall! The favoured pegs though are usually those in the middle of the lake, but with the weather nice and warm I was sure there was a few fish to be had. I soaked a load of 6mm pellets, and put this through a cage feeder, with double hair rigged meat as a hook bait. This was my main attack whilst feeding the margins. A steady run of fish on my feeder approach throughout the day, plus a couple very late in the margins resulted in another lake win with 106lb 13oz. A very enjoyable day plus a pick up, and another good result for the series, it was all going too well!

Viaduct's Campbell Lake, Lovely! With peg 110 nearest.

Next up was the 3rd round at Orchard's match lake, the weather was still lovely and with 2 series wins under my belt I was looking forward to it. I put my now "lucky" hand into the bag and pulled out peg 30, another end peg! One of the favoured pegs on this venue, as it normally wins! After some moans and groans from my fellow anglers, ( good job I have broad shoulders!) I set myself up in "the corner". The peg was alive with fish, although most seemed to be spawning, which I hoped wouldn't affect the fishing. Wrong! I ended up having a very frustrating day, foul hooking so many fish it was unbelievable! It didn't seem to matter what I did, to cut a long story short I cocked up an end peg flier, weighing in 87lb 04oz, which is nothing for that peg when they are feeding properly, for 5th in section, I told you it was all going to well!

Orchard's Peg 30, "The Flier!"

Next up was an open on the newly revamped Charlie's Lake in Andover, it was my first look at the venue after the work had been done, first impressions were very good despite it looking a bit new. I picked out peg 15 out of the draw bag, and set up on one of the new platforms, with a couple of my Browning team mates for company on the adjoining pegs. Despite having a bit of trouble with a weed bed in front of me at 13m, I managed to catch 32lb 02oz, a mixture of small stockie carp and bream, caught using corn and expanders over micros. This gave me 3rd in section, and a very pleasant day on this revamped venue.

Charlie's Lake.