I haven't updated my blog for a while (as pointed out by a regular reader!) so apologies for that and here is the news from the last few weeks.
Mon and Brec Canal - 16th August
I ran a small match on the Gilwern stretch that is just behind my parents house and where I grew up fishing. It had been fishting well so was looking forward to a nice days sport. As there was only a few of us we had a rover and with drawing number 2 I parked myself by the picnic benches so my spectators (my daughters) could watch in confort.
It was a busy day on the towpath and on the canal with a lot of walkers and boats making the most of the weather and the scenery. The fishing didnt dissapoint though and the Roach were keem to have a munch on my groundbait and bread punch. The groundbait mix was made by french super star Olivier Wimmer who had given it to Andy Neal. Andy duley passed it on to me, bribed by a few packs of crisps!
I ended up with just under 7lb of redfins which was only good enough for 3rd and a cracking days fishing was had by all
Holgan Farm - Carp Lake 23rd August
It was a really miserable day in West Wales with the rain lashing down non stop for the duration of the match. There was a good turn out though for the Sunday open which was on the Carp Lake. I drew 24 which as luck would have it was right by where I parked my car!
It was also a good draw, but with a inlet pipe just to my left and flood water coming into the lake would it still be good?!
It started off well with a double figure lump in the net within the first 10mins on corn down the edge. This was followed by a smaller one about 6lb before the earyl edge muggings dried up.
It was quite a narrow peg so I had only set the pole up, with a number of swims to fish to infront to the island and two good margin lines.
I had to alternate them all throughout the day just to keep the bites coming, but the lake had fished quite hard and I ended up with 72lb for once again 3rd place!
Mon and Brec Canal - Gilwern Wood 29th August
Another little knock up on the canal and another day of rain. As it was the bank holiday weekend we decided to go to the woods as it would have been a bit quieter than the Gilwern Village stretch.
The fishing was a bit harder though and the weights predicted to be a bit lower than the previous match we had there.
I drew a similar area to where I was the last time, and my tactics where my usual Canal approach. Bread punch to kick off then Caster and pinkie tight over and down the track. Despite the rain it fished ok and a lot better than the previous match on there. I weighed in 3lb 4oz which was 4th. Richie Hoskins had the best weight with a lovely 8lb bag of Roach and two skimmers.
Holgan Farm - Tench and Crucian Lake 6th September
This weekend we were back down the caravan and as the Holgan Farm open was on the Tench and Crucian lake it would have been rude not to given it a go!
This is a stunning lake and full of big crucians, Tench and Skimmers. It is getting a little overgrown with lillypads but its just somehting you have got to live with!
My plan for today was maggots over micro pellets and groundbait, short and long to the pads.
Going to the pads is risky business as if you hook a carp or a big Tinca then they can be through there as soon as you strike, with a lot of lost rigs the outcome!
Normally you can catch well close in, but for some reason today I couldnt buy a bite anywhere other than tight over to the pads. I lost one fish and rig that smashed me up in the thick lillys and a couple that I pulled out of trying to get them away from there.
I weighed in 32lb of Bream and Crucians which was good enough for another 3rd placing.
South Wales Summer League - Hartleton 13th September
I had been asked to guest for Frenzee South West in the last round of the league as a number of the regulars were away in Slovenia on Welsh duty or down in Stafford Moor! As Hartleton is one of my favourite lakes, not much arm twisting was required!
My draw but me on B4 which was in front of the house on the road side of the lake, I was happy with the area but also had two end pegs to beat, one on the famouse willow tree peg and the other one with an Island chuck that is always good for a few big bream.
I had quite a complex plan for today, the plan was 2 swims at 13m one being chopped worm and sloppy groundbait and the other damp micros. The other line was 5/6m feeding hemp and caster and I also set up a method feeder and waggler for good measure.
I started off on the method after feeding my two long lines, but strangly I didnt have a rap on it. Not a touch, not a liner totally zilch. So I went on the pellet line over the micros and expected that to bear fruit. Strangly this didnt either!! Where were these skimmers?!!
Having gone about 40mins without really a fish on the usual lines that are bankers for skimmers I made a decision to go for the roach or it could be a very long day!
I went on the Roach line at 13m fishing chopped worm and they were on it instantly, feeding a very wet dark groundbait mix and finely chopped ABC finest wrigglers they were literally on it!
As the day went on I knew this was the right decision as no one in sight was cathcing the skimmers that we were expecting but by then I was beating the anglers around me of small fish so they were sitting it out for bigger fish.
I did have a couple of drops on the pellet line just to see if they had moved in on that line but nothing. For some reason they didnt want to know today.
At the all out a few had snared a couple but not in any numbers, I weighed in 12lb 12oz of Roach which put my 3rd in the section. It was won with 15lb (8 Bream) and then 14lb (3 bream and silvers). I was satisfied with that as it was respectable points for the team, but also frustrated as know that if I hadn't have wasted so long trying for the Skimmers I would have easily more than beaten 15lb. But thats fishing, we make the decisions and live and learn!
Congratulations to the Frenzee Team on winning the league, who put in a very good performance in all league matches.
Mon and Brec Canal - 16th August
I ran a small match on the Gilwern stretch that is just behind my parents house and where I grew up fishing. It had been fishting well so was looking forward to a nice days sport. As there was only a few of us we had a rover and with drawing number 2 I parked myself by the picnic benches so my spectators (my daughters) could watch in confort.
It was a busy day on the towpath and on the canal with a lot of walkers and boats making the most of the weather and the scenery. The fishing didnt dissapoint though and the Roach were keem to have a munch on my groundbait and bread punch. The groundbait mix was made by french super star Olivier Wimmer who had given it to Andy Neal. Andy duley passed it on to me, bribed by a few packs of crisps!
I ended up with just under 7lb of redfins which was only good enough for 3rd and a cracking days fishing was had by all
Holgan Farm - Carp Lake 23rd August
It was a really miserable day in West Wales with the rain lashing down non stop for the duration of the match. There was a good turn out though for the Sunday open which was on the Carp Lake. I drew 24 which as luck would have it was right by where I parked my car!
It was also a good draw, but with a inlet pipe just to my left and flood water coming into the lake would it still be good?!
It started off well with a double figure lump in the net within the first 10mins on corn down the edge. This was followed by a smaller one about 6lb before the earyl edge muggings dried up.
It was quite a narrow peg so I had only set the pole up, with a number of swims to fish to infront to the island and two good margin lines.
I had to alternate them all throughout the day just to keep the bites coming, but the lake had fished quite hard and I ended up with 72lb for once again 3rd place!
Mon and Brec Canal - Gilwern Wood 29th August
Another little knock up on the canal and another day of rain. As it was the bank holiday weekend we decided to go to the woods as it would have been a bit quieter than the Gilwern Village stretch.
The fishing was a bit harder though and the weights predicted to be a bit lower than the previous match we had there.
I drew a similar area to where I was the last time, and my tactics where my usual Canal approach. Bread punch to kick off then Caster and pinkie tight over and down the track. Despite the rain it fished ok and a lot better than the previous match on there. I weighed in 3lb 4oz which was 4th. Richie Hoskins had the best weight with a lovely 8lb bag of Roach and two skimmers.
Holgan Farm - Tench and Crucian Lake 6th September
This weekend we were back down the caravan and as the Holgan Farm open was on the Tench and Crucian lake it would have been rude not to given it a go!
This is a stunning lake and full of big crucians, Tench and Skimmers. It is getting a little overgrown with lillypads but its just somehting you have got to live with!
My plan for today was maggots over micro pellets and groundbait, short and long to the pads.
Going to the pads is risky business as if you hook a carp or a big Tinca then they can be through there as soon as you strike, with a lot of lost rigs the outcome!
Normally you can catch well close in, but for some reason today I couldnt buy a bite anywhere other than tight over to the pads. I lost one fish and rig that smashed me up in the thick lillys and a couple that I pulled out of trying to get them away from there.
I weighed in 32lb of Bream and Crucians which was good enough for another 3rd placing.
South Wales Summer League - Hartleton 13th September
I had been asked to guest for Frenzee South West in the last round of the league as a number of the regulars were away in Slovenia on Welsh duty or down in Stafford Moor! As Hartleton is one of my favourite lakes, not much arm twisting was required!
My draw but me on B4 which was in front of the house on the road side of the lake, I was happy with the area but also had two end pegs to beat, one on the famouse willow tree peg and the other one with an Island chuck that is always good for a few big bream.
I had quite a complex plan for today, the plan was 2 swims at 13m one being chopped worm and sloppy groundbait and the other damp micros. The other line was 5/6m feeding hemp and caster and I also set up a method feeder and waggler for good measure.
I started off on the method after feeding my two long lines, but strangly I didnt have a rap on it. Not a touch, not a liner totally zilch. So I went on the pellet line over the micros and expected that to bear fruit. Strangly this didnt either!! Where were these skimmers?!!
Having gone about 40mins without really a fish on the usual lines that are bankers for skimmers I made a decision to go for the roach or it could be a very long day!
I went on the Roach line at 13m fishing chopped worm and they were on it instantly, feeding a very wet dark groundbait mix and finely chopped ABC finest wrigglers they were literally on it!
As the day went on I knew this was the right decision as no one in sight was cathcing the skimmers that we were expecting but by then I was beating the anglers around me of small fish so they were sitting it out for bigger fish.
I did have a couple of drops on the pellet line just to see if they had moved in on that line but nothing. For some reason they didnt want to know today.
At the all out a few had snared a couple but not in any numbers, I weighed in 12lb 12oz of Roach which put my 3rd in the section. It was won with 15lb (8 Bream) and then 14lb (3 bream and silvers). I was satisfied with that as it was respectable points for the team, but also frustrated as know that if I hadn't have wasted so long trying for the Skimmers I would have easily more than beaten 15lb. But thats fishing, we make the decisions and live and learn!
Congratulations to the Frenzee Team on winning the league, who put in a very good performance in all league matches.