stevelockett

First, choose whether you will fish the pole, waggler or feeder.
On it's day, the waggler will take some beating for good points, but conditions have to be spot on. A team who all fish the feeder could do some damage, but it would take some bottle to do that.

Let's look at the pole first.
Distance: You must plumb up very carefully and look for an area where the bottom only comes up by a float's length or less in one section's length. Ideally, this will be at 9m, but more likely it will be at 13m.
Check out the weather forecast for the whole day before you fish, as you don't want to be fishing at 13m if the wind is going to get up much over 15mph. These venues are open and wide, set in the middle of the Somerset Levels, which is basically flat peat bog.

Groundbait or loose feed?
Balling in with a dozen double-handers containing half a pint of hemp and half a pint of casters plus a pinch of pinkies will work for up to 10lb of small silvers and the chance of bigger bream or skimmers depending on where you draw. You must feed hemp and caster over the top to draw bigger roach, rudd and hybrids or you will be bitted out and struggle to put 5lb together.
I would suggest Sensas Gros Gardons and Noire mixed 50/50, plus some Epiciene if in a breamy area.
Loose feeding with maggots will allow you to catch perch and eels alongside the silvers. Expect to get through 4 pints of mainly white maggots. Cup in half a big cup on the whistle and loose feed by catty every minute or two after that.
On either of the above, start on double red maggot, then try singles and caster. White maggot will tend to bring more eels, pinkies may pick up bonus roach.

Rigs:
Sensas Jean-Francois or similar will be the first choice float for nailing it. I use Garbolino DC4s. Carry 4x14 to 1g and look to use 0.5g in swims which are usually around 5' deep. This depth will depend on how much water is left in by the authority.
Shotting is a slightly spread bulk of No8s plus 2x10 droppers.
Ideally, you want to use a slimmer 4x14 float. You will then pick up bigger roach, but it depends on the presentation you can get.
Mainline 0.12, hooklength 0.08 for balling 0.10 on loose feed stepping up to 0.12 straight through if there are mainly eels in front of you.
Hooks: B520 size 18 or 20 or similar maggot pattern.
Elastics: No4 or 5 on groundbait, No8 for loose feed to stand any chance of getting the eels in. The eels are usually around 12oz to 1lb some of the perch are a similar size.

Feeder
You must fish it all day and accept that if you get it wrong, you could blow out.
Put 10 to 15 big feeders out on the whistle. A soft bream mix with a few casters in and a pinch of chop. If the river is not towing, cut down on the loose feed in the feeder, if it is pulling hard, step up the feed, especially the worm.Kick off on double dead red maggot. The other top hookbait is a bunch of small redworms, they can pull bites form skimmers and bigger bream when all looks lost. Also worth trying a dendro and worms tipped with casters etc.

Waggler
You will need a long float carrying aorund 3AAA or 2SSG. Make sure you can put a spread bulk of 5 or 6 No8s down the line to pick up the tow. This will work a dream if the wind is pushing away from the sea, towards Gold Corner and the trip is coming back. Standard undertow fishing, but if you can get the float to work against the wind, you stand a good chance of picking up some good stamp roach, eels and skimmers with loose fed caster and hemp.
Probably fishing around 20 yards out, feed plenty and don't be afraid to drag lots of line on the bottom to slow the float down.

The KSD and the South Drain, I know much less about. I can only tell you that they will not fish as well as the 'Spill, although there is a good chance that a few will have good nets of bream on the feeder.
If you fish the pole, take it steadier with the feed unless you are on an end peg. Target weight for excellent points will probably be around 3-5lb on these two venues.

As well as the article in Match Fishing, there will be a species map, compiled by Pete Hodge before his sad death, printed in the Angler's Mail soon. That will show you which areas are better for bream etc.
Also, Bridgwater AA have a section map on their website.

Any more questions, drop me a PM and I'll answer them or find someone a bit more knowledgeable to put you right.

Good luck, I may come up and have a wander on the day.

Steve

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