River Isle - Tacklebox/Royal Oak Winter League 7 - 22nd January 2012

Strong winds were forecast for this one and probably contributed to only five anglers fishing this week. Rob had put in the bottom end and everyone fancied pegs 120 or 126. My day started nicely when Martin handed over his pound from last week and got even better when I pulled 126 out of the draw bag! My only concern was how the peg would be affected by the wind but as it's been really consistent over the last few weeks, I was sure I would get some fish (surely even I couldn't cock up this flier!). Heardy had the choice of 124 or 125 and elected to fish the former as it has some chub form and won last weeks match.

I got to the river and the peg looked nice but the river looked even lower then normal (if that's possible!). I set up a 1 gram Drennan Trio and plumbed up around the swim. The peg is known as 'Barney's Bend' and the flow comes in from the right and there is a branch hanging in the water and a raft of rubbish on the far bank. If Barney was looking down I hoped he'd help me catch some fish today. With the wind being really gusty I decided to try and fish quite short where I could present the bait in a half decent manner. I had some shelter from the wind but I was guessing Martin, Rob on 106 and Steve Parker on 108 would have it full force. Neil Dring had 120 and would also be quite sheltered.

I started at 8.5 metres, inching the float through towards the overhanging branch, I was getting loads of minnow bites and after catching one on caster I switched my attention to the middle of the peg and a small chublet settled the nerves a little bit. Then the minnows arrived here as well so next stop was 11.5 metres towards the far bank rubbish. A nice dace and a chunky roach led me to believe I'd found the fish but once again this proved to be a false dawn and it was back to catching minnows. I tried shallowing up and fishing to my right where the flow comes in but after a couple of small chublets the minnows were back and I was starting to get frustrated. Double caster was no better and I was even catching the little blighters on that. I tried upping the feed but this didn't really work either. After an hour I had ten fish plus (plus probably the same number of minnows) and didn't have a pound yet.

This was a little worrying as the lowest weight off this peg this league was Pete's 5lb 12oz and at this rate I wasn't going to be anywhere near that. I tried 13 metres by the raft of rubbish and had a couple of small roach and chublets before it was back to minnows and this set the scene for the day really and I had to keep chasing the fish around. The other thing that was worrying me was that I just couldn't get any quality at all. Bob Tolman turned up for a chat and while he was there I only added a couple more small chublets. Trying to fish 13 metres in the wind was really hard work and I wasn't enjoying myself at all.

My next visitor was Heardy who said he just couldn't fish his peg with the wind and had only caught minnows, he'd also heard from Rob who was in a similar boat as was Steve. The only one we didn't know about was Neil but I was sure he'd be catching in the weirpool but as Rob was paying two today I felt I was in with a chance of a brown envelope, even with my meagre catch rate, after hearing from Martin. I had another chublet of an ounce or so and Martin wandered back to his peg. With about an hour and a half left I was on around 30 fish (plus minnows) and thought I might have 2lb.

I was getting really fed up with the minnows when out of the blue I had an 8oz chublet on single caster so at least there were some better fish about. I tried half a lobby and after missing a couple of bites I had another chublet of a similar size. I thought I'd cracked it again but my next three fish on worm were gudgeon! Double caster held back in the flow resulted in a nice dace but then it was back to minnows and I was all out of ideas. Another try all round the swim with caster resulted in some tiny roach, chublets and of course minnows. I spent the last half hour on worm again and had two more chublets but as they probably didn't go 4oz between them, they weren't going to bolster my weight much.

I ended with 40 fish (and probably about 40 minnows) and thought I'd be lucky to do two and a half pounds! I quickly packed up and walked up to weigh Martin in, he'd had a really bad day at the office and weighed 3oz. He did say that Rob had only caught minnows although Steve had started catching roach in 108. My fish went 3lb 4oz, which was slightly better than I thought but would it be enough to sneak into the top two?

Back at the results and Neil had won his second match on the trot with a lovely net of dace and roach weighing 8lb 9oz. Steve Parker weighed 3lb 5oz and pipped me for second by an ounce! - bugger it. Rob had a really bad day, he weighed an ounce, snapped his number four section and the wind ruined his brolley with the fabric coming away from the frame and taking off!!!! The only good thing about today for me was taking another £1 off Martin and gaining a point on him in the league. Deep down I knew I missed a really good chance to do well today and in hindsight I should have sat further up the peg.

Martin still leads the league with seven points followed by me on ten and Rob and Steve on thirteen. There are still two matches left in this league but it's a big ask to pull three more points on Martin but I'll try my best.





Neil won his second match on the bounce











1 - Neil Dring (Ilminster) - 8lb 9oz
2 - Steve Parker (Ilton) - 3lb 5oz

Next week it's the V.E.S. again and I really need a good result to keep me in the hunt so tune in to see if I get it. Oh, and some rain would be nice but I say that every week.

River Isle - V.E.S. Precision League 5 - 15th January 2012

This week it was back to the V.E.S. Precision league and I needed a good result or my league would be over for another year. With two hard frosts on Friday and Saturday, this match was always going to be hard and I was praying I'd get a decent peg. Rob had put in lower Coxes for the first time and I really fancied peg 27, failing that 14 or 126 would do. I paid Martin the pound I owed him from last week and said I'd be having it back this week (wishful thinking!). Rob announced the draw and I hung back a little bit, there were the usual mixed reactions as people drew although Pete was happy at drawing 126. I opened my sticky mitt to reveal peg 14 and I was well pleased with that although with the river being so low and clear, it might still be a struggle.

I got to my peg and the river was gin clear although it wasn't as cold as it had been the previous two days but had the damage already been done? I set up a 1.5 gram Drennan Trio but it just sat in the minimal flow so I also set up a 1 gram version and this was much better and picked up the flow. I plumbed up by the tank traps and also just off the edge of the flow where it comes down from the weir as these had been the two main catching areas when I fished it last. After a quick coffee it was time for the off and I started with double red maggot to try and catch a minnow and avoid the blank. I was loose feeding just a few casters and maggots with the odd pinch of hemp and also flicking some bait up towards the weir.

I soon started getting bites in the flow towards the traps and dropped off a minnow so switched to single maggot and my next bite resulted in a nice dace so I was off the mark. I was getting regular bites on caster and catching dace and even had a small trout. The bites were pretty finicky and sometimes the float would just hold up in the flow and a strike would see a dace on. After an hour I had ten fish and was enjoying myself. Rob walked up from peg 17 and said he'd only had minnows and Justin was struggling in 15 so I was doing ok in my section. While he was with me I started catching roach with the odd better one and I was ticking along nicely. Then Heardy phoned Rob and both him in 28 (I'd have fished 27) and Steve Parker in 29 were also struggling but it was early days.

I had another ten fish in hour two with most being small roach and another small spotty. Then Justin turned up and was joined by Graham Bulgin who had come for a look round. With all the bankside activity my bites slowed up but I carried on putting the odd fish in the net and had a better trout of 10oz or so. When my spectators left I had a quick burst of fish and I finished hour three with nine fish to take my total to 29. With things slowing up I tried up towards the weir but was surprised when I had no indications at all.

Back by the traps and I just couldn't buy a bite, I added another section and went further over and had a small roach but bites were now at a premium. With an hour to go Rob turned up again and he still only had minnows. He reported that Pete in 126 was catching but nobody in my section had much at all. I was now on 31 fish and just as I was maoning to Rob that I couldn't get a bite now, the float slid under and I had my first chublet but at only half an ounce it was my smallest fish so far. Rob said he'd caught up towards the weir when he fished it last so I thought I'd try it again. I shipped out and added the 13 metre section and when I lifted up there was a small trout on but it came off on the way in - bugger.

Holding back in the flow it was a bit boily but the float went and I had another small trout before missing the next two bites, Rob left to go and pack up! With half an hour to go I fancied I might get a couple more, I had another spotty quite quickly but then had a biteless ten minutes. Another try by the traps saw no more bites at all so I spent the final few minutes up towards the weir. I was just thinking that was my lot when right on time I had another small trout, as I was netting it Rob and his boy Leighton turned up behind me with the scales. Rob said he'd weighed 2oz and Leighton had an ounce, my 35 fish weighed 5lb 9oz which I was a little disappointed with. I finished packing up and they went off to weigh Justin in.

As I was loading my car up, they turned up and Justin had weighed 4oz so at least I'd won my section. I was hoping that I might sneak into the frame and when the results board came back from pegs 28 and 29 I was still leading as Martin had 12oz and Steve Parker had 1oz, so with only two pegs to come back I was guarenteed third place. I didn't think I would beat Pete in 126 but thought there was a chance of beating Neil in 124. They arrived back and I asked Pete what he'd had and he replied 5lb 12oz - bugger!, things got worse when he said Neil had 6lb 2oz - double bugger!! Still I finished third and picked up £15 plus I won a £1 back from Martin (he's only about ten up now!).

The league has tightened right up now with Heardy and Justin leading with seven points followed by Pete, me and Rob all on eight. With two matches to go it's all to play for, I just need two good results now.





Neil Dring won with two good chub for 6lb 2oz










1 - Neil Dring (Ilminster) - 6lb 2oz
2 - Pete Lonton (Ilminster) - 5lb 12oz
3 - Jamie Rich (Against Men and Fish) - 5lb 9oz

Sections
A - Justin Charles (Ilminster) - 4oz
B - Martin Heard (Tiverton) - 12oz

So that's three pick ups in three matches, tune in to see if it all goes pear shaped next week.

Ilminster Canal - Tacklebox/Royal Oak Winter League 6 - 8th January 2012

I got to the pub and had a pleasant surprise when Rob said we'd be fishing the canal today, the weather was certainly mild enough and I expected it to fish quite well. I drew peg 5 which put me near the end where we park the cars. Justin had drawn the end peg (although he was quite a way from the end!), Heardy had peg 3 and was moaning that the end pegs always win. There has been a lot of work done on the far bank and it was looking a bit bare and there weren't many reeds on the far bank either. On the plus side there were quite a few small fish topping.

I set up a light rig for down the middle (Drennan Squatt float with 0.08mm bottom and size 20 B511) and a 0.4 gram for across with 0.12mm bottom and size 18 B611. I chopped up some worm and caster and on the whistle cupped it in at 11.5 metres where there was a tiny bit of cover before starting down the middle at 8.5 metres with single red maggot on the hook. I was feeding a few maggots and casters here and my first bite saw me net a decent roach of 6oz or so. I missed a bite next chuck before catching two small perch. At this stage nobody else seemed to be catching much so I decided to try a caster and my next fish was a good perch of 8oz and I was really enjoying it.

Next put in I missed a bite on caster and then couldn't buy a bite, even on maggot. By this stage both Neil Dring on my left and Justin had caught a few small fish but from what I could see nobody was running away with it. After an hour I went across for the first time with caster and the rig settled and just kept going!, I struck and a decent fish was on and I soon netted another stripy, this one was around 10oz. Then I missed a bite on caster and couldn't buy a bite again but I wasn't panicking yet, there was plenty of time to go.

Neil and Justin were both scratching their heads like I was and Rob on peg one was walking so it looked like bites were at a premium. There were several squirrels playing about in the few remaining trees on the far bank so at least I had something to watch! I kept trying both my lines with caster and maggot and even tried fishing off the duck weed on the inside but couldn't get a bite anywhere. Justin had a decent perch and shortly after had another and we were neck and neck, the trouble was, he was getting the odd small fish as well. I decided to put some more chopped worm across and have a quick walk while I left it to settle.

Neil said he'd had seven small fish and then I got to Heardy and he was catching roach and skimmers quite regularly, while I was there he had a 6oz skimmer, missed a bite and bumped a fish and I reckoned he was already in the lead by quite some way. Steve Parker had a few small fish as did Rob but his cause wasn't helped by several dogs jumping in!, so much for a quiet days fishing! I went back and tried my light rig over the chopped worm but still nothing doing and I just couldn't see where my next bite was coming from. Martin was fishing down the middle and catching and I wondered if it was because he'd fed some micros, mind you he also had a decent reed bed across, which I think helped.

It was still close between me and Justin but he was still getting the odd small fish and I needed a fish from somewhere. I tried fishing at 11.5 metres to my left between me and Neil and laying the rig in feeding hardly anything when out of the blue the float started gliding along the top and I struck and quite a bit of number four elastic streamed out of the pole tip, I gently played and landed another 8oz perch and thought this put me ahead of Justin. Next put in the float slid away and a small roach was on but it came off on the way in - bugger. Then I couldn't get a bite again. Justin had a few fish from his inside line to his right so I chopped up some maggot and cupped it in on my inside line but never had a bite there all match.

With an hour to go, it was obvious Martin would win yet again but as for second and third place, it was anybodies. Neil packed up and had an early bath, Rob said Steve was catching a few small fish and Justin was still catching odd small fish but he hadn't had anymore decent perch. With the light fading I did manage four small roach, all caught on the drop from different spots and I was praying my extra perch would cancel out Justin's small fish, we would soon find out!

I packed up before starting the weigh in at peg one where Rob had 4oz, Steve had 1lb 11oz and I wasn't sure I had that, Martin had a nice net of roach and skimmers weighing 6lb 10oz and nobody else would come close to that. My ten fish went 2lb 11oz and when Justin pulled his net out I knew it would be close, the needle settled on 2lb 14oz and I'd have to settle for third place. He said he'd caught his small fish on half a maggot on a 24 hook and I was left wishing I'd had some pinkies with me! Still I picked up £15 and gained a point on Rob to put me second in the league, behind Martin who has a perfect five point score.

1 - Martin Heard (Tiverton) - 6lb 10oz
2 - Justin Charles (Ilminster) - 2lb 14oz
3 - Jamie Rich (Against Men and Fish) - 2lb 11oz

So Heardy continues where he left off in 2011 by winning again, can anybody stop him?, tune in next week to find out.

Chard Reservoir - 2nd January 2012

STOP PRESS (Again!) Despite me saying I wouldn't be fishing again until the 8th Jan, Les phoned me about a knock up down the resi and I thought I'd give it a bash. I was up early and the first to arrive in the car park, Bob Hammond soon turned up followed by Janders and then the rest who had been for breakfast. I suffered the usual abuse about being lost and did I know that this wasn't the river! There was a decent turnout of 11 and after getting some bait from Les it was time to draw. Les won the Xmas match from peg 8 but reckoned the other end would be better today as it was out of the keen wind. Les got me to draw for him and I pulled out 7 followed by peg 2 for me. Bish had peg 1 and I had Oz on my left with Janders next to him so at least I could keep on eye on how my pound was looking!

It was certainly a couple degrees warmer down our end so hopefully I might get to see the tip go round a few times. I was wary that Scotty said he didn't have a bite for three hours in the Xmas match so it could be a waiting game. As always my first job was to mix my groundbait and today I had some Sensas Black Bream which I thought would be ideal given the resi was clear and the fishing likely to be quite hard. I set up a feeder rod with a small Drennan groundbait feeder and finished off with a size 18 B611 to 0.10mm bottom. I didn't want to put too much feed in and decided to start quite light to try and raise a bite. I clipped up at around 40 turns and had a quick coffee before the start.

My first cast with double red maggot ended in disaster when I had a tangle and spent a while sorting that out. I was eventually under way and hadn't missed much as nobody had caught around me. In fact the first hour was an anti climax as nobody around me had a bite and I was now fishing double pinkie on the hook. I was only putting in a couple of pinkies in my feed and I was leaving the feeder out for quite a long time. Also my casting wasn't particularly accurate but then I hadn't done any feeder fishing for ages. Hoff up on peg 6 had a couple of small roach so at least there were fish about.

Two hours passed and nobody from pegs 1 to 5 had caught yet, not even a bite! From what I could see, very little was being caught and a single fish would be worth it's weight in gold. I wasn't panicking yet but if I reached three hours without a bite then it could be a different story! And I was running out of coffee! Then on two and a half hours I had an indication, I waited but it didn't develop and when I reeled in my pinkies were definitely damaged, had I missed my chance? Half an hour later I had a decent pull and a fish was on! I gingerly played it and netted a nice roach of about 8oz, I was off the mark.

Ten minutes later I saw Janders netting a roach and the pound was anybodies yet again, then I had another roach and then a decent skimmer of 1.5lb to put me back in the driving seat. At this stage I felt there were a few fish about but then I couldn't buy a bite again. Both the Steves either side were still fishless and although Hoff had a couple more roach, I felt I was doing alright. Going into the last hour I missed a bite and had another roach and that was it. Bish had blanked and Oz had a solitary late roach, Janders didn't add to his roach so at least the pound was safe.

I packed up and as I walked back to the car I asked Hoff how he'd got on and when he said he'd had eleven roach I thought it could be close between us. Then he said that they'd been catching skimmers to his left and both Les and Butch had nine apiece, it was like a different world from Hoff upwards with most people catching skimmers and roach and I hadn't seen anyone catch bugger all! The scales started with me and my three roach and a skimmer went 2lb 14oz, Oz weighed 8oz and Janders had 4oz so at least I won a pound. Mark Mockridge on peg 5 had also blanked and things got better when Les said I'd won the section. Hoff had 3lb 6oz, then Les had a nice net of skimmers weighing 16lb 12oz, Dave Abrams had 10lb 7oz, Dave Mockridge had 11lb 14oz and then Butch had 19lb 8oz and actually had more skimmers than he was admitting to! Bob on the other end peg had some nice roach but couldn't find any skimmers and weighed 2lb 2oz.

So my first match of the new year saw me win a brown envelope containing £20 and lets not forget the pound off Janders - cheers mate! I do enjoy fishing the tip for bream/skimmers and would like to have another go when it's warmer and there's a chance of a proper bagging session.






A tale of two ends!














1 - Butch Baker (Tatworth) - 19lb 8oz
2 - Les Braunton (Haines Angling) - 16lb 12oz
3 - Dave Mockridge (Chard) - 11lb 14oz

Sections
A - Jamie Rich (Against Men and Fish) - 2lb 14oz
B - Dave Abrams (Weymouth) - 10lb 7oz

Right, that's definitely it until next Sunday, lets hope for another brown envelope then!

Summerhayes - Open - 28th December 2011

STOP PRESS After last weeks blog, Scotty messaged me to say there was a match at Summerhayes on Sellicks if I fancied it, so I had one more chance to try and break the £1300 mark. My alarm going off at 6:30 was a bit of a shock to the system, as was getting up in the dark! I got to Bridgwater and there was a decent turnout of anglers including Martin Heard (who I paid my £1 to from last week) and Bruce Hunt who has been winning matches at Summerhayes with frightening regularity.

Scotty had sorted me bait out (top man as always) and today I had liquidised bread, slices for punching, micros, expanders, pinkies and maggots. I'm made up some 4 x 14 rigs with size 18 808's to 0.10mm and was quite looking forward to targetting the silvers. After a cup of coffee it was time to draw, I pulled out peg 9 which Pete reckoned was a good silvers peg so that would do me. For company I had Bruce on peg 6 and Heardy on end peg 4 (yet another flier!) and Adie Bishop on my left in the corner. As we were setting up, it looked like they were after carp across so I should have the silvers pretty much to myself.

Pete shouted the all in at 9:15 and I cupped in a few micros and pinkies at 10 metres down the track and some liquidised at the same distance but to my left before cupping some bread in across for the carp. I started down the track with double pinkie and the pimple of float I had showing soon disappeared but I missed it, next put in I had a 4oz skimmer and I was off the mark. I had a few more tiny blades before catching a 4oz carp and was quite enjoying it. The weather was incredibly mild and there was no wind as yet. Adie had got off to a flying start and had landed three or four small carp although Bruce and Heardy hadn't got much at this early stage.

After an hour I had eight fish for probably a pound and decided to try a 4mm expander to see if I could catch some better quality. I had a couple more 4oz skimmers before landing a 2lb carp. A few blades followed before I hooked another decent fish which turned out to be a 1.5lb crucian which was a welcome addition to my silvers net. I was missing quite a few bites though and bumping the odd small fish. I tried punch over the left hand swim but only caught one tiny skimmer on it so started feeding micros there as well to give me somewhere to go to rest my main swim.

We had some freezing rain which thankfully didn't last long but a gusty wind had got up and it was making presentation a nightmare. I was still getting odd small fish but now Heardy was motoring on carp and as Adie now had probably ten carp I couldn't see any point going across as I was never going to catch them up. So it was head down to try and win the silvers prize. Halfway through the six hours I was still geting the odd 4oz skimmer and had one around the half pound mark and thought I was on course to do 5-6lb which should be good enough as 4-5lb had been winning the silvers.

Bruce was really struggling and had turned his attention to the silvers and was catching tiny skimmers every put in and even had a little tench. I knew I was probably just ahead with my crucian but I was now struggling and I could see him overtaking me at this rate. I tried pinkie again over both lines and could get odd tiny blades but it was still very slow. I kept trying pellet but was missing way too many bites. As the end of the match approached I was convinced he'd done me and I finished with 38 fish and I thought my silvers might go 4lb.

The scales arrived at Martin and he had 63lb 1oz and would be there or thereabouts with that, Bruce weighed 5lb 13oz of tiny skimmers which was a really good weight and I didn't think I had that. My carp weighed 2lb and then I plonked my silvers on the scales and the needled settled and Pete called out 5lb 15oz - phew! but would it be enough? Adie had 46lb+ and then I continued packing up as the scales went round the other side. As I was packing the car Scotty turned up and he'd had 11lb 10oz of skimmers - bugger. I was hoping that he'd frame as he had over 30lb in total but it wasn't to be as peg 23 had 56lb+, so I'd failed in my bid to top £1300, maybe next year then!




Heardy does it again! (I'll have to get another picture for next year as I'm getting sick of this one!)






1 - Martin Heard (Tiverton) - 63lb 1oz
2 - 56lb+
3 - Adie Bishop (Summerhayes) - 46lb+

Silvers
1 - Scott Russell (TackleUK) - 11lb 10oz

Well that is it for me for 2011, there are matches at Summerhayes on New Year's Day and Monday 2nd Jan but my next match will be on the Isle on the 8th Jan and you can read all about how I get on right here. Happy New Year everyone, have a safe one.

River Isle - Tacklebox/Royal Oak Winter League 5 - 18th December 2011

After some freezing weather and plenty of rain in the week, I really thought the river would have plenty of colour for this match and when Rob said he'd pegged the top end, I fancied it could be a good match. After a hairy drive to Ilminster on very icy roads, I was disappointed that there were only five hardy (or should that be stupid) anglers at the draw. I really fancied peg 14 (the tank traps) but pulled out peg 15 (close but no cigar!), still it's a half decent peg, especially with extra water on, so I wasn't too disappointed.

I got to the river and was amazed to see it still quite clear, it had extra pace but no real colour. My peg looked really good though, it's a big pool with the main flow through the middle and under my feet with slacker water on the far side. From experience I knew there was a deep hole in the middle and a decent depth until it shallows up in the tail. Being a lazy git, I just set up a 1.5 gram Drennan Carbo and plumbed up around the swim to make sure I would be slightly overdepth.

After a quick coffee it was time to start, I fed the far side where the flow eddies back, in the middle and in the flow under my feet. I started holding back in the flow and had a bite straight away from a small dace, which dropped off on the way in - good start! Then I couldn't get a bite and a change from caster to maggot saw me catch a minnow to avoid the blank. I tried the far side but never had a bite so next it was down the inside but when this was no better I was running out of ideas. I stuck another section on and went down past some overhanging crap on the inside and the float buried straight away and I swung in a 3oz chublet, I thought I'd found them but then couldn't buy a bite again!

I felt like there were some fish about so I took a section off and inched the float through on the inside, a decent bite saw some elastic out and I gratefully netted a 6oz trout (which count). Next put in I bumped a fish before having another trout of a similar size before it went quiet again. I tried all three areas again but had no more indications. Rob came down from the tanktraps and said he hadn't had a bite yet! While he was with me I was on maggot down the inside when I had a couple of little digs which I thought was probably minnows but when I went to move the rig a fish was on briefly! I'd already lost as many fish as I'd landed and I was hoping they wouldn't prove costly.

Rob went back to his peg and left me to it, I did manage a tiny dace from across on maggot but was still going nowhere. I tried half a lobby to see if there were any more trout about but never had a bite in the three spots I had fed. More out of desperation than anything I stuck two sections on and went down towards the tail of the swim and the float didn't even settle before shooting away and the pole tip starting knocking as well! and I still missed it! I came back and half the worm had gone. I tried again but never had another bite down there.

My last action of the day was another small trout on caster from in the flow 11.5 metres down the peg. I packed up hoping the others had found it as hard as I had. Steve walked up from peg 17 and said he had struggled too, before going up to see how Rob had got on. I took my kit back to the car and got the scales and walked up to weigh Rob in, he'd found two trout and weighed 1lb 3oz, I wasn't sure I had that! Next was Steve and he'd had four trout (think we might be better off fly fishing next match!) for 2lb and I knew I didn't have that and was staring at last in the section. My three trout, one chublet, tiny dace plus a couple of minnows went 1lb 4oz - phew! So at least I had two section points to keep me in contention in the league but it could have been so much better if I hadn't bumped off those fish.

Back at the results and the anglers at Ashford had struggled with Martin winning yet again with 3lb 6oz of chublets from peg 82. Neil Dring had 1lb 4oz which meant me and him had tied for third place and picked up £7.50 each! I lost yet another £1 to Martin and will have to try and recoup some in 2012, but I'm not holding my breath!

1 - Martin Heard (Tiverton) - 3lb 6oz
2 - Seve Parker (Ilton) - 2lb
3 - Jamie Rich (Against Men and Fish) - 1lb 4oz
3 - Neil Dring (Ilminster) - 1lb 4oz






Martin finished the year leading both leagues







Well that's it for me in 2011, my best year ever winnings wise although I missed out on making it £1300 by just £9, maybe next year! I won nine matches and jointly won the evening league at Dillington with Moses and going into 2012 I'm joint second in this league and not too far off the pace in the V.E.S. Precision league. I would just like to wish anyone who reads this a very Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year and of course TIGHT LINES.

River Isle - Xmas Fayre - 11th December 2011

After buggering up most of my rigs over the last few weeks, I actually spent quite a while on Saturday making up rigs, tying hooks and putting new elastic in my pole. This combined with my new waterproofs had me raring to go on Sunday, I just needed a decent draw now. There were twelve of us today including Ned and his boy, club treasurer Andy Welch and Tony Newman who we hadn't seen since the first V.E.S. match! Pete announced the draw and I waited a while before delving in and looked around to see what others had drawn, Pete had the much fancied 126, Leighton had the 'Council House' which was in for the first time this season and Andy Welch had 85 which has been a consistent peg this year. I went for it and pulled out 82 again - bugger! I did have the choice of 82 or 83 and everyone reckoned I should give 82 a go. Then Heardy had the last ball in the bucket and it was 120 and I knew he'd be there or thereabouts from there (and he really is drawing well at the moment).

I got to the river and was surprised how low it still was considering how much rain we'd had in the week, but that seems to be a sign of the times with the river rising and falling very quickly. I went up to look at 82 and it looked okay but it's on a high bank which I didn't much fancy with the gusty winds predicted for today. Also the cows were around and I didn't really want to spend half the match fending them off, so 83 it was then! I made myself comfortable before getting one of my shiny new rigs out and plumbed up around the swim, the rig was pretty much spot on and I waited for the start with a cup of coffee.

10:15 arrived and I baited up with caster and inched the float through in the flow leading up to the bush and it slid away and I swung in a gudgeon, next chuck I had a dace and followed this with a chunky little roach. I was feeding casters, maggots and hemp and getting a bite every run through. After the first hour I had 26 fish, mostly gobies with the odd dace and roach and thought if I could do 20 fish an hour I wouldn't be too far off double figures by the end of the match.

The second hour was pretty similar and I added another 24 fish although I was catching mostly gudgeon along with the odd minnow (which I didn't count) and was ahead of my target at this stage. The last time I fished this peg I had a decent trout and I was hoping it would put in an appearance this week too! Hour three saw things start to slow although I still had 16 fish to put me on 66 and I was still ahead of my target. Nearly all my fish were coming from above the bush and holding back by the bush saw very few indications which surprised me as the swim screams chub!

Hour four saw me really struggling, I did have one gobie on maggot, I tried poking the rig right in under the bush and had an 8oz roach straight away, next chuck I had a 6oz chublet and thought perhaps I'd found them again but it was short lived and I only added a couple more gudgeon. I flirted briefly with worm but never had a touch on it. The wind was pretty strong but as I was only fishing about 8 metres it wasn't affecting me too badly and then the rain started! It was coming down quite heavily and I was glad of my new waterproofs which seemed to be performing really well.

I was still putting the odd fish in the net but it was obvious I wasn't going to reach my target, as the light started to fail I had three roach including a couple of better ones to finish on 79 fish. At an ounce each I would have 5lb and as I had some better fish I really thought I might have 7-8lb. I weighed Andy in who had struggled with the wind for 8oz although he did lose a good chub, I plonked my fish on scales and was disappointed when the needle settled on 5lb 14oz although I felt I'd fished a good match and had only dropped one fish off.

I got back to the pub and people started filtering back, Heardy had done 7lb 15oz from peg 120 (he must know that peg like the back of his hand now!) and was top until Leighton came back from the Council House swim where he'd had 8lb 2oz and he'd packed up an hour early! There were a couple of 5lb+ weights but I was still hanging on in third place until Neil Dring appeared and he'd had an excellent 12lb 11oz from peg 96, so I'd just missed out on the frame.

Pete did the results before we all tucked into an excellent buffet laid on by Steve and Cindy and then it was time to pick our prizes, I was called out in fourth and got a nice bottle of whiskey which would do for Mum as she likes the odd drop or two! I forget to mention that Martin had yet another £1 off me and I only have one match left to try and win one from his this year.

1 - Neil Dring (Ilminster) - 12lb 11oz
2 - Leighton Cox (Ilminster) - 8lb 2oz
3 - Martin Heard (Tiverton) - 7lb 15oz







Xmas Fayre winner - Neil Dring










So that just leaves next week to see if I can finish on a high and break through the £1300 barrier.
The club would like to thank Pete Lonton for getting all the prizes, Robin Cox for organising the match and Steve and Cindy at the Oak for laying on a lovely spread.
The final match of the year is next Sunday and the draw is at the pub between 8:30 and 9:00.
Barney's Pairs Open has been rescheduled from New Year's Day to March 4th.