Dynamite Baits Festival, Day 5.

Day 5, Trelawney.

The final day had dawned, and after a frustrating day the day before I was hoping for a nice days fishing, and perhaps a decent draw, even maybe on Twin Oaks! As the sections were split between Twin Oaks and Trelawney. I had fished Trelawney a few times and looking at the weights that had been coming out you needed to be at the far end of it. At the draw I pulled peg 10 on Trelawney, no luck again, but it wasn't too bad, talking to a few of the lads it could be alright, if the fish were there. Another glorious day in Cornwall, and with little wind it was going to be a hot one. Setting up on my peg I decided to set up a method rod for tight to the island, and a pellet waggler to go over the top. A shallow 14.5m swim which was 0.16 straight through to a 16-911 to green hollow. A 5m meat line 0.16 straight through to a 14-911 to orange hollow. And a margin rig which was to be fished at 7m either side, 0.18 straight through to a 14-911 to orange hollow.

Looking Up Trelawney From Peg 10.

I was going to start on the method whilst feeding the other lines, hopefully getting the fish queuing up. At the all in I cupped a big potful of corn onto the 2 margin lines before chucking out the clipped up method rod. After a couple of minutes the tip flew round and after a short battle a nice carp of 5lb was in the net, a good start and I was hoping for a few more. A couple of f1's followed before the bites dried up, I kept plugging away on the method for an hour and a half, but it never really happened, the fish seemed to be a bit further up the lake, as the anglers on those pegs were catching quite steadily. I switched to the pole and had a look on the shallow 14.5m line which I had been feeding regularly since the start. After 10 minutes without so much as a nibble I decided to bin that line.

Peg 10 On Trelawney, Looking To The Island.

I switched to the 5m meat line which I had been trickling a few cubes in every couple of minutes or so. After a couple of missed bites I hooked a couple of f1's, before the bites dried up there. Switching back and forth between the method and the 5m line put a few fish in the net, all be it small f1's or barbel. The anglers to my right in the section were also struggling, and it was obvious the fish were further round to my left. I decided to have a quick look on the pellet waggler tight to the island, I did manage to hook a couple of f1's but not the size of carp I was hoping for. The last 1/2 hour of the match and I managed a few small barbel in the 2 margin swims before the all out sounded. The scales came round and I weighed 23lb 12oz for mid way in section, the weights went up the further left you went. So that was it all over, knackered, sun burnt, frustrated at times but still thoroughly enjoyable. Despite not drawing well, I learnt a lot and it is all in the old grey matter for next, I might even win something next year!

Dynamite Baits Festival, Day 4.

Day 4, Trewaters.

The forth day and the section was going to be split between Jenny's lake and Trewaters. I was hoping for Jenny's as I have fished it before, but as my lucky drawing hand was letting me down this week I got peg 41 on Trewaters! A quick chat with some of the regulars and was told it wasn't a brilliant peg but there were enough fish to have a go at, all be it f1's, something that I never have really fished for before. After a 20 minute drive I arrived at the lake and I was on the bottom of the 2 lakes, they looked quite nice with an island at 19m across. I set up the pole and a small method rod, I never bothered with the waggler as there was a nasty skimming wind from left to right. I have been told that the fish were averaging 1/2 to 1lb, so I set up three rigs on yellow hollow.

Trewaters, Bottom Lake.

The first at 5m an 0.14-0.12, 911-16. the second was similar, but would be fished at 14.5m, and a shallow rig for over the the top, as I was expecting them to come off the bottom. I was going to feed corn at 5m, and pellet at 14.5m. with some meat as an alternative bait. I had pumped some expander's for the hook on the far line. At the all in I slipped an expander onto the hook and a few 6mm pellets into the toss pot and went out with the depth rig, the wind was quite nasty and was considering fishing at 13m, but felt that being closer to the island would be better. After a minute or so I hooked a nice 3/4lb f1, out again and the same, it was then that the missed bites started, the float absolutely sailing away and not connecting with anything. I was hooking about 1 in 10! Bloody frustrating! I put the shallow rig out to see if that would improve the catch rate, all it did was to increase the ratio of missed bites to hooking the little blighters! I decided to ease off the feed and have a look on the 5m line which I had been trickling the corn over.

Peg 41, Trewaters.

I had a couple of fish but they weren't really there, I had to wait for the bites so I decided to leave it and keep trickling it in. I had a quick go with the method, couldn't miss those bites! but I was having to wait along time again, the pole it was then. The fast missed bites carried on until the end of the match, I couldn't work out how to improve the missed bite to hooked fish ratio, the only thing that would of helped was a very stiff pole, and a lot more practice at f1 fishing! I weighed in 27lb 10 oz, 3rd to last in section. I felt I should of done better,and was extremely frustrated the way the day had gone, I just need to work out how to fish for small f1's! Either that or take up golf! , then again I would probably loose all my balls!

Dynamite Baits Festival, Day 3.

Day 3, Pollawyn.


The sun was out and the forecast was for a lovely sunny day in Cornwall, after the previous day's poor showing I was hoping for a good draw today. Pollawyn is one of the lakes that I have fished before, and I was looking forward to getting back on it. At the organised chaos that is the draw, I pulled out peg 41, and the bloke behind took a sharp inhale of breath and shook his head! Great another bum draw! The peg is down in the corner of one arm, and the fish don't congregate down there very often, apparently! Looking at the previous weight from yesterday it looked dire, 11lb had come of it! So I made my way to my peg full of enthusiasm!



Looking Up Pollawyn From Peg 41.

I arrived at my peg and my first thoughts was that looked quite nice! An island in front and a nice long margin to my left. An all out pole approach was called for. I was going to keep it fairly simple and fish tight to the island in front, and have another line at 7m, and a long margin swim at 13m. The island was 16m across, but with no wind I wouldn't have to battle the pole, the only problem was the high bank behind me, making shipping a bit tricky. Two identical rigs were set up across, kc cubes on 0.16 straight through to a 16-911, to green hollow. It was only 18" deep and I plumbed up next to a small clump of Irises. I used the same rigs for the margin as it was the same depth. The 7m was kc chimp on 0.12 - 0.10, 911-18, to yellow hollow, which I was going to be my skimmer line, hopefully!

Peg 41, In The Corner Of One Of The Arms.

At the all in my opening gambit was to cup some ground bait and micros on to the 7m line, and a big pot full of chopped worm and caster in the margins. I was going to start across and see what happened. After a few minutes with corn on the hook and I had my first bite, a f1 of a 1lb, I was catapulting a few 6mm pellets across, not many but enough to hope fully pull a few bigger specimens in. After a little while I latched into a bigger specimen, a nice carp of 7lb ish. I had to wait for the next bite but what a scrap that turned out to be, a clonking great Tench about 6lb! And boy didn't he go! I was quite happy in my little corner and I was beating the guys either side of me. I was still having to wait between bites, feeding a few pellets every few minutes, but when they came along they were usually good fish. The next 2 fish both shed the hook into a snag further along the island on my right, a bit annoying, but they new where it was, and they were in there before I could stop them.

16m To The Island.

I hooked a couple more decent carp of 5lb before it went very quiet in the middle of the match. I had a look in the margins, but the wasn't much doing, so a re-feed and onto the 7m line. I was hoping a few skimmers would of settled but all I could get was some small roach, the guys either side of me also weren't getting many silvers so I made the decision to go all out across and hope the margins would produce later. Back out across and the bigger fish made way for small fish, f1's, small barbel and skimmers. I was getting regular bites and was building the weight slowly, nothing fantastic but I was hoping for a reasonable result. I had a few looks in the margins but there wasn't much there. The end came and the scales man weighed me in, 34lb 10 oz, not to bad and middle of the section, a pretty good result, well an improvement on the day before!

Dynamite Baits Festival, Day 2.

Day 2, Bolingey. After some heavy overnight rain, the weather was cold and gusty for the day's match at Bolingey. The talk at the draw was that it could affect the weights, but the good pegs should still produce. I stuck my hand in the bag and pulled out peg 12, a quick chat with some of the regulars and they said it wasn't brilliant, and a look on the previous days results showed that it had come last in section, so it was some trepidation that I made my way to the lake which is just outside Perranporth. When I arrived at my peg it revealed an island chuck, with the pegging quite tight, it somewhat restricted what I could do. I decided on a method to the island, 2 pole lines 1 at 14.5m, the other at 6m, and a margin to my left. A View Of Bolingey Lake. With the fish running from big to huge the gear was set up accordingly, the method was 8lb mainline to a 0.20 4" hook length, the 2 pole lines were both 0.18 straight through to a 911 14, both married to orange hollow, the depth was 8ft. on the 14.5m line and 7ft. at 6m. I also set a shallow rig up just in case they wanted it up in the water. The margin was 0.18 to a strong 14 animal hook, married to a solid 20, I was plumbing up next to some willow roots so a strong elastic seemed appropriate! I had meat for 6m line, corn for the margins, and pellet for the 14.5m. Some ground bait micro mix was mixed up for the method feeder. The wind was gusting, and I had a one of those feelings it was going to be one of those days! At the all in I cupped a few bits of meat out to 6m, some pellet out to 14.5, and some corn down the edge.

Looking Down The Lake From Peg 12. I Chucked the method to the corner of the island hoping it would go round, but I didn't even get so much as a liner! A few fish were being caught at my end of the lake, but it was obvious it was going to be slow. A good hour had passed and nothing, but I wasn't the only one, but it felt like it! I had a look on the 6m line where I had been trickling in some meat, but not so much as a sniff! It was the same on the other lines as well! Time for some thing different, I chucked the method to the island and started pinging pellet at 14.5m. as there were some fish milling around in the upper water layers. With a a few fish being caught further down the lake I needed to catch some fish, so it was out with the shallow rig and a pellet hook bait. After a good half an hour lifting and dropping and pinging pellet, as well as battling with the gusty wind, I hooked into my first fish which was a nice 4lb mirror carp. Phew one in the net, now for a few more, hopefully! It took a we while again until I hooked into another, which I lost in a snag down to my right hand side, back out again and another good twenty minutes before I hooked into a real corker, a good double figure fish, which didn't want to give up! I knew there were a few fish to be had but the wind was now gusting very strongly and making presentation a nightmare. Time was now getting on, after a couple more fish shallow, I had a look in the margins, slipping on a grain of corn, a few seconds later the float shot away, a bit of a tussle ensued as I tried to extract it from the Willow roots, a few minutes later and it was in the net, and that was it. The all out sounded and I was knackered! The scales came round and I weighed in 28lb 10oz. I had beaten the anglers around me but found out that they weren't in my section! Bit of a blow as I thought I was doing ok. As it turned out I was last in section, hard work for not alot! Perhaps the next day's draw will be kinder to me.

Dynamite Baits Festival, Day One.

Day One, Porth Reservoir. My first festival and my first day, I had a good look round on Sunday to familiar myself with lakes as I haven't fished at White acres for a few years, and had not even seen the off site waters! Any way my first day was to be on Porth, a very pretty water which I did manage to sneak a couple of hours practice in on Sunday! I pulled peg 18 out of the bag at the draw, this put me in the section closest to the dam, although it was still a fair hike with all the tackle! A lot of the pegs at Porth are wade able, but this had a nice platform to fish from, and I didn't need my waders or platform, despite dragging it down there! Having a quick practice the previous day helped as I honed my pole rigs and had my feeder set raring to go. Pole rigs were 1grm. kc porth floats on 0.10 to 0.08, 611-18 and 20. The depth was about 11ft at 13m, and with the nice warm breeze this was comfortable, the feeder was clipped up at 25 yards, 3lb main line to 0.12 hook length, 611-18. I also set up an insert waggler set shallow ( 4ft ) for going beyond the pole, again 3lb main line to 0.12 611-18. I mixed up 3 kilo of ground bait the night before and had to dampen it down a little before pushing it through a riddle. I had worm, caster, maggot and pinkie on the bait table, all within the festival limits, but I had more of caster than any thing else. Having the quick practice the previous day I knew there were a few fish on the pole line, and with the wind being kinder I was hoping to catch quite quickly on this. At the all in I put 10 balls on the pole line laced with chopped worm and caster and a few pinkies, before starting on the feeder. Looking Back Towards The Dam At Porth. The first half hour resulted in some small roach and a couple of small skimmers on the feeder, before it slowed, so I switched to the pole line. I kept a steady stream of small fish coming in on the pole, feeding a nougat of ground bait every couple of fish, nothing big but it was building the weight slowly, the odd bigger perch showed on the worm hook bait which boosted things along. I was going along quite nicely beating the lad to my left, before the first of the pike struck. 3.00 o'clock was Pike time, and I had 12 Pike strikes! It basically ruined my pole line for a good hour or so, even when I switched to the feeder they were still grabbing the fish on the way in! My Peg, 18 On Porth. I cupped in 5 more balls on the pole line to try and let it settle again, before having a go on the waggler, I did have a few fish on the waggler with caster hook bait, some small skimmers, but my waggler rod was a little "over gunned" and I was bumping them off, so I switched to the feeder, two better skimmers, 5-6oz ! were the result, but that was it for a while. Picking the pole back up for the last hour and the pike had gone, Phew! The funny thing was the lads to my left never had any strikes all day! Must of been doing something wrong! A steady steam of small roach and perch continued till the end of the match. The scales came round and I weighed in 8lb 6oz, not too bad, middle of the section, the pike trouble in the middle of the match cost me a couple of section points, as there were a couple of weights around the 10lb mark, but I was quite pleased with efforts for my first trip to Porth, just need to re-ty all my hook lengths and rigs that the Pike trashed!

Dace Fishing On The River Nadder, Salisbury.

I decided to have a few hours pleasure fishing on the River Nadder before the season finishes in a few days, what with one thing and another I hadn't managed to get down to the river until now! So I was looking forward to running a stick float through and hopefully catching some fish. I gave Andy Brooks a call for some info, as he had been fishing the match on the river on Sunday, and low and behold he was at Brunel Road! So I decided to join him.
My Swim at Brunel Road On The Nadder.

I caught up with Andy, had a quick sandwich and a natter, before picking a swim. I set up in a swim that had some slack water on the far side, and decided to fish the crease, I set up a 13ft. waggler rod with a close face reel with 2.6lb main line. A 6 no4 wire stem stick float shotted shirt button style to a carbon chub 18 hook. After about an hour I had a couple of Dace plus numerous Minnows. The wind and sun were getting a problem, so I moved to the swim pictured above. It was narrower than the first and shallower, just below a pinch point in the river with a nice steady flow. I adjusted the depth to about 3ft. First run through and a Salmon Parr snaffled my double maggot hook bait, a few more followed before I hit the first Dace, which put up quite a scrap in the pacy water.

Me With A Nice Size Dace.

Regularly feeding a few maggots kept the bites coming, a few Minnows, Salmon Parr and good size Dace, some of which felt like sandpaper, obviously getting ready for spawning. I was bumping a few fish on the strike, a little frustrating but that's part of the fun of Dace fishing! I was getting a bite a chuck, and I didn't know what it would be next, including some Wild Brown Trout that fight like fury!

A Cracking Hard Fighting Wild Brown Trout.

The bites kept coming, some of which were no more than 10ft. down the swim. Andy packed up and brought me some more maggots, which was handy as I was rapidly running out! The action slowed a little so I packed up about 4 pm. I ended up with a net into double figures, not bad for a few hours! A lovely afternoon and nice way to end the river season on, even if I hadn't been down much!

A Cracking Afternoon's Dace Fishing.

Winter League Semi Final, Gold Valley Lakes.

After a couple of practices for myself and the squad it was time for the semi final. I was looking forward to this as well as being a bit apprehensive as the fishing had been a bit up and down. There is always a buzz around at the pre-match breakfast before a big match and today was no exception. With some big teams and big names involved it was always going to be a struggle. The weather was cold and a keen northerly wind was blowing. A breakfast bap was the first order of the day washed down with a cup of tea and a natter with the rest of the team, before Barry went up for the draw. I was on E5 on Middle lake, just a few pegs further up from where I was on the previous Wednesday. After a quick pep talk and a collection of the bait, it was time to get to my peg. Phil was running the bank today and I had given him my camera, unfortunately I had given him two sets of flat batteries! So apologies to those that didn't get photographed it was my fault! ( I blame the nerves! ) When I got to my peg I found that John was behind me on Gold, so we had a chin wag before setting up.

Phil's "Arty" shot of me fishing on E5, nice!

I set up two feeder rods, one a straight lead, and one a method, both were clipped up to just short of the rope that splits the lake in two. As I had a free peg either side of me I could fish two long pole lines at 10 and 2 o'clock so to speak, as well as one at 5m. A KC chimp 4x16 on 0.12 line to a 18 hook to yellow hollow was set up for the long lines, as well as a heavier 0.14 rig to cover the same lines. A lighter Chimp on 0.10 to a 20 hook on pink hollow was set up on the 5m line. I had about 4ft of water on the long pole lines, but it was a bit deeper close in. I was going to put some chopped worm and caster on one long line and some ground bait and micros on the other, with an initial pot of choppy on the 5m line, which would be loose fed after with maggot. After a quick comfort break back at the clubhouse it was time to settle down to the match. The hooter sounded and I cupped in some ground bait and micros on one of the long pole lines, and chopped worm on the other, as well as a small pot on the 5m line.


Keith netting a carp.

I started on the lead with hair rigged corn and cast it to the rope, after 20 minutes with not so much as a line bite I had a cast with the method. I left it in for a good while but again no indications. The guy to my right had had one on the straight lead, so I cast it out and left it there, it really is a waiting game and it gets a bit nerve wracking when the tip doesn't go round! I could see Kieth opposite had had a couple, as well as a few others on the lake, but despite my best efforts I couldn't buy a bite.



Barry, still smiling!

I tried the pole lines after an hour and a half but there was no joy there so I went back onto the lead. I started to feed a few grains of corn onto a line about 20m out, as some of the team in practice had caught a few late on this line. Half way through the match and I still hadn't had a bite. I decided to do what I did on the previous Wednesday, to give the maggot feeder a go, after a couple of casts Keith phoned up to see if I had anything and had to cut him short as the tip flew round! I had finally caught a fish to my relief! A carp about 5lb. A few more casts and then a skimmer of 1lb. Then nothing for a bit so I had a look on the pole.

Yours truly in a brief moment of action!

No bites over the 5m line, or over the pellet, but as soon as I dropped in on the far worm line the float buried and I was attached to another one of Gold Valley's hard fighting carp. A few minutes of careful playing and another 5lb fish was in the net. I had another look but no more bites followed. A few casts onto the 20m line where I had been flicking a few grains of corn resulted in nothing. So as time was getting on and a few fish were being caught further down the lake, so I went back out onto the maggot feeder, no indications until 1 minute from the all out when the rod tip flew of the rest, and the final fish again a fish of around 5lb was in the net landed after the whistle. At the scales I weighed in 17lb, not last in section as there were a few below me. The maggot feeder had caught me a few fish again and I can't help wondering what would of happened if I had started on it. Back at the clubhouse and it was clear that we had come last, Dave George did well to come second on Bungalow lake, but a bit disappointing in the end for the team but we learnt a lot, and Browning Andover Match Group will go from strength to strength and be back next year!