http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php Talk Angling UK is the fishing resource for anglers to chat and discuss anything from match fishing to carp angling online en Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:50:29 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/images/trigo/misc/rss.jpg http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=110 Sun, 10 Aug 2008 10:18:24 GMT BRAND NEW 2xmatch top 3s,2x Big Bore power kits +3s ,Super 4th, cupping kit,Conny holdall £700 BRAND NEW 2xmatch top 3s,2x Big Bore power kits +3s ,Super 4th, cupping kit,Conny holdall £700 ]]> Hogey http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=110 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=109 Sat, 09 Aug 2008 23:19:48 GMT For a long while Steve had been wondering if a pole was the way to go. Not an enormous, hugely expensive, lake spanning pole, but a decent margin pole to allow him to position his bait hard against a reed bed with absolute precision, just as he likes it.

Last Saturday he decided to go and get one and I went along for moral support. To put it into context, I have to admit to harbouring misgivings about commercials, it feels a bit like cheating, chasing a captive audience of fish in a hole in the ground, dug and stocked for that very purpose. Not that it stops me frequenting them, they're just too convenient! Similarly I've also got misgivings about poles, because that looks like cheating too. A mechanism that sometimes self hooks the fish and then plays it for you on an enormous bungy, that's got to be cheating, hasn't it? So the idea of combining the two seemed like heresy.

Well whatever the merits , Steve bought his pole, gromets, bungs and elastics for his top and spare power top, he bought his rigs and after a lightning fast demonstration of how to set up his tops, which included the sawing off of several centimeters of carbon fibre, we stumbled out of the shop with his gear and somewhat to my surprise an almost identical set-up for me.

We were fishing on Sunday, so after throwing together a rudimentary lunch which I doubt if either of us tasted we got on with setting up the three non-elasticated tops we still had between us. This got off to a bad start because despite possessing at least three hacksaws, I couldn't lay my hands on one for love or money. We turned the house upside down until Steve eventually looked me in the eye and told me to get my Dremel out.

Now I'm fond of my Dremel and as my dad would have said, (up until the point where my brothers and I took the mickey so much that he stopped using the phrase altogether,) 'that's a nice little tool'. However I had reservations about carving up my new pole when I only had a hazy recollection of the incredibly fast demonstration I'd witnessed earlier and an internet diagram to go on. I was also very aware that I was taking the lead on this project, so not only was I chopping the end off my pole, but I was going to be truncating Steve's too.

Somewhat to my surprise everything seemed to go right first time. Also second and third, despite the cold sweat that trickled down my spine as my cutting disc sliced into the carbon fibre, nothing went wrong and we soon had all the tops elasticated and ready for action.

Now I have to confess that I was convinced that it had all been too easy and that the first time I hooked a decent fish, rig, float and six feet of bright orange bungy would disappear into the depths of the lake, never to be seen again. Sunday would reveal the truth, had we done it right, or would it all go horribly wrong?

We went to Pool House Farm, a fishery located close to the Belfry and a place neither of us had fished before. I'd stopped in for a look a couple of weeks before and been highly impressed by the immaculate state of both the pool and the surrounding grounds. There were a good number of reed beds, two artificial floating islands and a couple of very promising patches of lily pads, so I was really looking forward to fishing there.

Once we had our tickets and the owner had given us some useful advice on good pegs and suitable tactics we settled down on adjacent pegs and got to work. I was pleased to see that Steve was as impressed as I was by the quality of the venue and after a bit of fiddling we shipped out our poles for the first time and started fishing. At this point I was still unconvinced about pole fishing, but having invested in one I was determined to give it a go.

For me, the action started almost immediately, not that I was catching anything spectacular, but I was catching. My first three fish were a tiny perch, an equally tiny roach and then a microscopic silver fish that I was too disgusted to try and identify.

I abandoned maggots and put a large worm on. What followed was a little wierd, because my float twitched, but never dipped, then it just stayed put. After five minutes I hauled it in and found my worm was gone. I re-wormed my hook, double hooked and secured in place with a piece of red rubber band pushed onto the hook. I shipped it out again and this time when it twitched I lifted the pole, but I still missed whatever was after my worm. Nonetheless when I pulled the pole in again after ten minutes of inactivity I found the worm was gone, leaving a little square of red rubber impaled on my hook. I was impressed, whatever was out there nicking my worms had skill, it was time to switch to corn.

Meanwhile Steve was having a hard time, he'd still not caught and was talking about setting up a rod instead. I had an extra two meters to play with and he was wondering if size really mattered. I assured him that it was what you did with it that made the difference, secretly I was very glad I'd gone for the extra length. The fishery owner happened by and stopped to see how we were doing and finding out I was catching, he left me to it and set about working out why Steve wasn't.

My switch to corn was paying off and on a series of small single grains I pulled out a procession of small bream and skimmers, perhaps this pole thing wasn't such a bad idea after all? Soon I was in no doubt at all, because the next bite I hit stretched the elastic dramatically and something zig-zagged madly across the swim in front of me.

My first large carp on the pole was an experience. In fact it was decidedly wierd. My big mistake was taking too many sections off the pole too early, as the carp tried its hardest to dive under my peg I struggled to put more sections back on the pole to force it out into the clear water. Once that was done I concentrated on keeping the end up and let the elastic do its stuff. Because of the elastic, the feedback through the pole was totally unlike the feeling you get playing a good sized fish on a match rod and I knew it was going to take some getting used to. It felt like an eternity, but was almost certainly only a couple of minutes and then Steve slipped my landing net under the fish and brought it to the bank. We stopped to admire a beautiful slim common, which must have been a double figure fish, then I unhooked it and Steve slipped it back into the water.

Up to this point I'd been fishing out towards one of the artificial islands but now I decided to try maggots close in on the margin. The result was a flurry of small to medium sized perch, so I increased the maggots on the hook from two, to five and pushed it out just a little further. When the float went this time, it went down like a rocket and my lift was met with a pull that stretched the elastic far beyond anything I'd seen so far. The zig-zagging was crazy and the pole was jerking wildly in my hand. I was calling for Steve when I became aware that he was next to me already, with the landing net ready in his hand, he was muttering to himself, 'That's a good fish, that is a good fish.' The litany went on and on, as the elastic flashed back and forth across the swim. Then it changed course and headed away from me, pulling against the elastic, stretching it further and further, until with a sound like a whip crack something gave way and the elastic shot back into the pole tip, I ducked involuntarilly, half expecting the rig to come flying back into my face.

It took me a moment to recover, a mixture of left over adrenalin and pure shock at the power of the elastic as it smashed back into the pole tip, but I was soon examining the rig to see what had happened.

It was my hooklength which had gone, five pound line snapped by the brute strength of a very good fish. We'd been told that there were fish of 25 lb plus in the pool, but so far no-one had landed one. I couldn't help wondering if I was the latest person to fail to do just that.

Whatever happened after was going to be an anti-climax, but even though it was nearly time to go home, I wasn't giving up just yet.

By the time we did pack up, we'd both caught a good few fish, but whilst I was a definite convert to the pole, Steve was speculating as to how this pool would fish with a rod, "The pole's ok," he said, "but it isn't proper fishing." Funny how things turn out! ]]> dangerbod http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=109 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=108 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:26:15 GMT On wednesday morning 16/07/08 wendy sent me a txt saying she was going down to the ribble and asked if I would like to go with her, unfortunately I had to decline the offer as it would take me atleast a day to sort my gear out for such a venture . But I decided to have a ride down just to see how it was done. She said she was going to the '**********' (sorry, apparently in the specimen world you aint allowed to say where you have been ) stretch which is a day ticket length with about 5 or 6 pegs max. I didn't tell her I was coming because I wanted to catch her in her 'natural' state lol, (no make-up and hair not done ). As I pulled up in the carpark I recieved a txt from her saying " I am such a ******* useless piece of ****" obviously she had forgotten another important piece of equipment as she usually does , and as usual, there was someone on hand to help her out . There was a bloke already fishing, who knew wendy from her previous visits to this stretch, who happened to have a spare long bankstick, (yes, wendy's was left stood up in the garage )
To say she was surprised to see me maybe an understatement, but happy she wasn't lol, baggy jogging pants and no make-up hahahaha but I did bring her a butty for her brekky lol
I helped her to get set up because her tackle makes me look like an expert, bits of stuff everywhere, cant find this and that !!!!!!!!!!!!
Eventually, she was ready to start fishing and put 4 feeders of hemp and bronze maggot in various parts of the river , then baited up with an expensive predrilled hallibut pellet ( they saw you coming there dear ), and cast out 3/4's across the river into the fasr water. I must admit, I have never seen someone concentrate so much on the cast, I was well impressed



first chuck the rod doubled over and she was into a right beast, but it decided it wasn't being caught today and headed for blackpool at a great rate of knots, 6lb line broke like cotton .
Undeterred, she set up again and cast into the same spot, the accuracy of her casting was unbelievable, maybe she is 'the barbel queen'
Anyway, 1 hour later and i realised why she takes a bedchair with her



After 2,3 or was it 4 hours (well bored) she offered me the rod to have a go, so i had a few chucks, exploring the swim, I found that if I cast to the far side of the fast water I would come out full of weed, so I cast just on the inside of the fast water. As the feeder settled and i tightened up, bbq was telling me a tale of how she caught a 9lb bream from this swim , all of a sudden she made a lunge for my nether regions . the rod butt was between my legs and as I was looking at her as she waffled on, the rod banged round, we argued for a few seconds and it wa decided that I would try to land this 1! Big mistake, after 1 hell of a fight, it turned tail and screamed off upstream and broke a 7lb hook length
Well that was the end if the excitement for the day, 2 breaks and a few promises but no fish, I haven't done that for years, but it was quite enjoyable. Oh yea, I sat on and broke bbq's fishing glasses , so if anybody has any fox Polaroids going cheap
No doubt bbq will have a few comments to make about the day but this is how it REALLY happened ]]> Brian G http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=108 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=107 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:01:45 GMT http://Image: http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee358/Rich67_bucket/fishing/01012007274.jpg Image: http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee358/Rich67_bucket/fishing/01012007267.jpg Image: http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee358/Rich67_bucket/fishing/010120072661.jpg Image: http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee358/Rich67_bucket/fishing/01012007272.jpg Image: http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee358/Rich67_bucket/fishing/01012007270.jpg http:// ]]> Rich67 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=107 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=106 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:01:03 GMT http://Image: http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee358/Rich67_bucket/fishing/01012007274.jpg Image: http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee358/Rich67_bucket/fishing/01012007267.jpg Image: http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee358/Rich67_bucket/fishing/010120072661.jpg Image: http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee358/Rich67_bucket/fishing/01012007272.jpg Image: http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee358/Rich67_bucket/fishing/01012007270.jpg http:// ]]> Rich67 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=106 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=105 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:18:15 GMT I thought I would have a change from my normal Barbeling after work and have an evening at an estate lake owned by one of my clubs catching a Tench or two, I didn't catch any Tench but I caught my very first Wels Catfish. It was not a big one as far as Catfish go at 8lb 8oz but it was my first.


My First Wels Catfish 8lb 8oz - Notice the riddiculously small dorsal fin

I thought that I'd hooked a nice Carp at first but the fight was totally different as it wasn't taking long powerful runs, however it took longer to subdue than a similar sized Carp. I thought that something had been thinning out those horrible turkish Crays and I heard that the Catfish had been caught a few times this season after previously being caught many years ago when they were only about 1lb each; they were obviously now getting fat on crays.
I caught a few other fish see (pictures below) but nothing of any note and I also lost a better Carp which shed the barbless hook; but catching my first Catfish made my evening special.



I caught the Catfish using a large hair-rigged Halibut Pellet coated with Halibut Paste together with a small PVA bag of large Pellets as feed.
I caught the Carp and Bream using small hair-rigged Crab Pellets coated in Halibut Paste with a PVA bag of small soft Halibut pellets as feed.
BB ]]> BoldBear http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=105 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=104 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:05:00 GMT I was due to visit Whittlesey this afternoon so decided to visit Kingsland in nearby Turves for an afternoon session. After visiting the bungalow to pay and pick up my net I decided to fish the middle pool which is home to the larger carp (upper doubles). Another angler was just packing up from a corner peg and had done me the favour of baiting up before he left. I set up a pole at six meters which was a couple of feet from the corner reeds, and was about three feet deep. I had also promised to take my youngest girl fishing as she just had a birthday. She was as eager as ever and waited patiently till everything was sorted out ready for her to fish. She has been fishing for a few years now nearly as many times as I have been (not enough) and has taken to it really well. Now it was time to fish and she got herself settled with pole in hand, punched luncheon meat on the hook and me at her beck and call. It wasnt long before the float started to flick and lift, but she knows not to strike at this and wait for a positive pull under. The float slid away eventually and after a brief tussle a nice clean 2lb tench was in the landing net (I land her fish due to her size). *A very clean 2lb tinca.* Image: http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll138/LOCKIO/25072008-1.jpg The forecast was hot, windy and heavy showers. And they werent wrong either, very soon the heavens opened and brollies were quickly put up. This was very welcomed as it cooled things down after it had gone. No sooner had thing settled down again, a few more tench in the net and now some small carp were making an appearance. Putting in more feed put more carp in the landing net. She was doing me proud and I knew a bigger carp was on the cards so even more feed was put in. She carried on taking tench and 3lb carp, most put ins and played them well. *Playing small stuff like a pro!* Image: http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll138/LOCKIO/25072008-2.jpg I had to have a go myself, and ended up looking a right plonker as my 1st put in connected with a big double which took me straight into the reeds and broke the lot. After putting on another rig some more bait went in and I sat the girl back on the seat. The swim was a bit quiet now and I knew that the smaller fish had been pushed out by the larger carp. It wasnt long before she was into a larger fish and played it away from the reeds. My youngest is quite a small girl and this fish was giving her a right going over! She had it at her feet, to the left, right and I thought I should take over, but she was sure to do it herself, just net it for me daddy was her words. After 5 mins we were all knackered and the fish came up begging for the net. I obliged and her new personal best laid in the net. It was just under the 10lb mark, but was great to see her face. *A new personal best.* Image: http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll138/LOCKIO/25072008-3.jpg A few more 4lb - 5lb carp were netted and it was time to call it a day. She was thrilled and I was happier. Not sure of the total weight but I am sure to go there again for a re-run. I was due to visit Whittlesey this afternoon so decided to visit Kingsland in nearby Turves for an afternoon session. After visiting the bungalow to pay and pick up my net I decided to fish the middle pool which is home to the larger carp (upper doubles). Another angler was just packing up from a corner peg and had done me the favour of baiting up before he left. I set up a pole at six meters which was a couple of feet from the corner reeds, and was about three feet deep.

I had also promised to take my youngest girl fishing as she just had a birthday. She was as eager as ever and waited patiently till everything was sorted out ready for her to fish.
She has been fishing for a few years now nearly as many times as I have been (not enough) and has taken to it really well.

Now it was time to fish and she got herself settled with pole in hand, punched luncheon meat on the hook and me at her beck and call. It wasnt long before the float started to flick and lift, but she knows not to strike at this and wait for a positive pull under. The float slid away eventually and after a brief tussle a nice clean 2lb tench was in the landing net (I land her fish due to her size).
A very clean 2lb tinca.


The forecast was hot, windy and heavy showers. And they werent wrong either, very soon the heavens opened and brollies were quickly put up. This was very welcomed as it cooled things down after it had gone. No sooner had thing settled down again, a few more tench in the net and now some small carp were making an appearance. Putting in more feed put more carp in the landing net. She was doing me proud and I knew a bigger carp was on the cards so even more feed was put in. She carried on taking tench and 3lb carp, most put ins and played them well.
Playing small stuff like a pro!


I had to have a go myself, and ended up looking a right plonker as my 1st put in connected with a big double which took me straight into the reeds and broke the lot. After putting on another rig some more bait went in and I sat the girl back on the seat. The swim was a bit quiet now and I knew that the smaller fish had been pushed out by the larger carp. It wasnt long before she was into a larger fish and played it away from the reeds. My youngest is quite a small girl and this fish was giving her a right going over! She had it at her feet, to the left, right and I thought I should take over, but she was sure to do it herself, just net it for me daddy was her words. After 5 mins we were all knackered and the fish came up begging for the net. I obliged and her new personal best laid in the net. It was just under the 10lb mark, but was great to see her face.
A new personal best.


A few more 4lb - 5lb carp were netted and it was time to call it a day. She was thrilled and I was happier. Not sure of the total weight but I am sure to go there again for a re-run. ]]> Neilio http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=104 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=103 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:09:02 GMT Last night after work I decided to have an evening session on the upper river Lea after a couple of Barbel. After finding that my favourite Barbel swims were already occupied I went in search of another swim. I found a couple of promising ones but there were lots of Chub in these swims and I caught several from around 8oz up to around 1.7lb but it was Barbel that I was after and on this stretch of river the Barbel seem to stay away from the swims which hold Chub in quantity; so I went in search of a swim with features that attract the Barbel and had very few Chub in residence then I would have a better chance of a Barbel or two. After trying several swims I found the swim below: Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/keith.manger/images/2008_0722%20Leasey%20Bridge/LeaseyBridgeSwim%20(600%20x%20450).jpg The swim that I decided to fish. (NB. The flow was from left to right.) The swim was at the tail end of a bed of streamer weed with a small eddie close to the bank, the flow increased where the bank narrowed slightly and there were several overhanging trees to the right. I lowered a bait slowly into the eddie by the near bank and within a minute had a nice Barbel of 5lb 6oz; not big as far as barbel go but still a nice size for this stretch of small river. The Barbel zoomed straight through the streamer weed upstream of me but at least I could bring it back down through the streamer weed to the landing net which would have been more difficult if the streamer weed had been below me. After a couple of heart stomping runs I was able to get its head above water and I knew it was in the net. Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/keith.manger/images/2008_0722%20Leasey%20Bridge/LeaseyBridgeBarbel1%20(600%20x%20450).jpg The First Barbel from this swim (5lb 6oz). Ten minutes later I caught a tiny Barbel of around 12oz so at least they are spawning in this river. Over the next couple of hours I lost two more Barbel; one when the barbless hook came free during play and another when the line parted after catching on some underwater snag amongst the streamer weed. Unfortunately this spooks every other Barbel in a swim of this size so it was just a case of rebaiting and waiting. It got dark at around 9:30 last night and as soon as the light faded I got another smaller Barbel (see below) which weighed 2b 10oz. Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/keith.manger/images/2008_0722%20Leasey%20Bridge/LeaseyBridgeBarbel2%20(600%20x%20450).jpg the last smaller Barbel (2lb 10oz) On the hook I was using double hair rigged Crab flavoured Sonubait Pellet ‘O’s coated with Dynamite Halibut Paste and for loose feed I used small soft Dynamite Halibut pellets. Line was 6lb and hook was a barbless size 10. I used a short ½oz link leger with a 6in hooklength. I love fishing these stream-like rivers especially when they are less than half hour from your home. It makes a pleasant change from the overstocked Carp puddles that we have to fish in a lot of our team matches plus it keeps you thinking about the lost art of watercraft. I keep meaning to go to one of our upper Great Ouse stretches above Bedford where the big Barbel are; but I think I will leave my Barbel campaign there till around September time. Meanwhile I have a couple of team matches to get won yet. BB. Last night after work I decided to have an evening session on the upper river Lea after a couple of Barbel.

After finding that my favourite Barbel swims were already occupied I went in search of another swim. I found a couple of promising ones but there were lots of Chub in these swims and I caught several from around 8oz up to around 1.7lb but it was Barbel that I was after and on this stretch of river the Barbel seem to stay away from the swims which hold Chub in quantity; so I went in search of a swim with features that attract the Barbel and had very few Chub in residence then I would have a better chance of a Barbel or two.
After trying several swims I found the swim below:

The swim that I decided to fish. (NB. The flow was from left to right.)

The swim was at the tail end of a bed of streamer weed with a small eddie close to the bank, the flow increased where the bank narrowed slightly and there were several overhanging trees to the right.

I lowered a bait slowly into the eddie by the near bank and within a minute had a nice Barbel of 5lb 6oz; not big as far as barbel go but still a nice size for this stretch of small river.
The Barbel zoomed straight through the streamer weed upstream of me but at least I could bring it back down through the streamer weed to the landing net which would have been more difficult if the streamer weed had been below me. After a couple of heart stomping runs I was able to get its head above water and I knew it was in the net.

The First Barbel from this swim (5lb 6oz).
Ten minutes later I caught a tiny Barbel of around 12oz so at least they are spawning in this river. Over the next couple of hours I lost two more Barbel; one when the barbless hook came free during play and another when the line parted after catching on some underwater snag amongst the streamer weed. Unfortunately this spooks every other Barbel in a swim of this size so it was just a case of rebaiting and waiting. It got dark at around 9:30 last night and as soon as the light faded I got another smaller Barbel (see below) which weighed 2b 10oz.

the last smaller Barbel (2lb 10oz)
On the hook I was using double hair rigged Crab flavoured Sonubait Pellet ‘O’s coated with Dynamite Halibut Paste and for loose feed I used small soft Dynamite Halibut pellets. Line was 6lb and hook was a barbless size 10. I used a short ½oz link leger with a 6in hooklength.

I love fishing these stream-like rivers especially when they are less than half hour from your home. It makes a pleasant change from the overstocked Carp puddles that we have to fish in a lot of our team matches plus it keeps you thinking about the lost art of watercraft. I keep meaning to go to one of our upper Great Ouse stretches above Bedford where the big Barbel are; but I think I will leave my Barbel campaign there till around September time.

Meanwhile I have a couple of team matches to get won yet.

BB. ]]> BoldBear http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=103 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=102 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:37:23 GMT Fishing can spoil you at times and here at Rockells farm in Essex is no exception. This place has only 2 matches a month and you need 400lb to frame! Pleasure sessions are just mad and there is not many people who dont end with less than 100lb. There was days when 100lb was target, but with so many commercials small stocked carp growing on 200lb or 300lb is there for the taking.

Well established....definitely no hole in the ground!


I was the 1st angler on the lake and had my choice of swims so decided on the end peg over the inlet stream. This peg has an unreachable bay with an overhanging tree at the front making it one of the fancied pegs on the lake.

There were fish showing all over the place so I was hopeful for a big weight. Putting in two big pots of riddled catmeat to get things going two meters to my right one meter from the bank as this was going to be my only line of attack. I fished with 18" of 10lb line (no float) direct to a size 12 hook in 3 feet of water.
My chosen hookbait was thumbnail pieces of flattened bread (to make it sink). Feeding a dozen expanders by hand every put in.

It must have been all of 30 seconds to get my 1st fish and a 1lb pasty was in the net. This was quickly followed by another slightly larger carp followed by another and another (you get the picture). The 1st hour saw me put 75lb in the net as I fed, dropped in bait, hooked fish fed whilst pulling carp to the left, netting fish and repeating over and over! The odd 3 and 4lb fish were making an appearance and bumped up the weight. I never use a keepnet here and cant be bothered to keep emptying it (such a chore!).

The next few hours were steady apart from two six pounders and the sun now on the swim and me reaching for the sun cream.
The fish were starting to fade so I opted to put another helping of catmeat in and and change to a small boilie hair rigged at the same depth. This produced better bites and now I didnt have to rebait after each fish or missed bites. Now things seemed to step up a bit with (if you can believe it) more fish going in the net.

My estimated weight on the clicker after 5 hours was 330lb. I was very happy with this but felt the lake had more to offer with the bigger carp. There are lots of double figure carp here at Rockells and I hadnt caught or hooked any! I now opted to put a mixture of groundbait, pellets and riddled catmeat on the bottom to try and persuade the bigger carp to make an appearance. But all this did was make the water black with fish making foulhooking a problem. The stamp of fish was getting bigger but sorting them out was impossible.

All the fish wanted was more and more and more feed. It seemed the more I put in the more fish turned up and overdoing it seemed impossible! Then I hooked one of the bigger fish which broke me. It was time to call it a day and what a day it had been. I finished with 437lb after 7 hours fishing averaging around 60lb of fish an hour. Lots of anglers around me caught plenty of fish that day with loads of spare pegs to be had.

I dont fish as much as I would like so coming here http://www.rockellsfarm.co.uk/home.html more than makes up for it. ]]> Neilio http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=102 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=101 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:05:21 GMT please ask my question and reply to me:cool: does the preston box x3 have draws? which is better: preston boxs x2 x3 ???????????????????????? please ask my question and reply to me:cool:

does the preston box x3 have draws?

which is better:
preston boxs
x2
x3
???????????????????????? ]]> lord carp http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=101 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=100 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:54:00 GMT I took a friends son fishing, not his first time but all his last outings have been fishless!
We went to Rookery waters in Pidley and decided on Jay lake as he was sure of fish.
I showed him how to set up a float rod, feeder and pole. How to plumb the depth and generally when to use each method.
This way of showing someone from scratch is not easy and it is helped by showing and explaining the do's and dont's. He watched as I explained groundbaiting, feeding and types of hookbaits.
As I caught from each method I would give him a go and would correct and encourage him as he learned.
Lots of carp, tench and roach were being netted and fish welfare was being brought into the lesson. After a couple of hours he was casting, feeding and even landing some scrappy carp on his own. We ended the afternoon and his face was a picture. He seemed to pick up the basics very well and is keen to fish again.
As I packed away the gear I made a very bad error ! I stood up and stepped to one side to show the lad where to stand so not to get in the way. When I stepped back the wind had blown my top 3 section on the floor, I didnt see it but certainly heard it crack as I stood on the bugger! It was now crushed and useless.
He was shocked and thought he was to blame, but I laughed it off and told him it was my fault.
To make less of it I said I had another section spare at home so not to worry (I dont really !!!)
Anyway lots of lessons today (even for me).
P.S. anyone selling a spare top 3 for a MAP concept match please PM me :) ]]> Neilio http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=100 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=99 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:54:47 GMT Been busy with work so time to catach upon some matches. Greeted with a warm sunny morning as I packed my tackle into the car and went to pick up Mike (canalking), banter on the way was the usual what methods and how will it fish. On arriving stopped off to by some of the fishery pellets and down the track to the car park. We had a walk around the lake as we waited for curtains to turn up and the lake was carrying some extra water with the owner putting extra pallets on some pegs to raise them out of the water on the early pegs. Once Curtains arrived, quick hand to help him peg out and back to make the draw, I had fancied the early pallet pegs but ended up opposite bank in the woods, can’t seem to draw for toffee at the moment. Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/leigh.betteridge/Data/Meadowlandswarren.jpg *My peg* Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/leigh.betteridge/Data/mypegmeadowlands.jpg *Sue on the 1st sunken pegs* Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/leigh.betteridge/Data/suemeadowlands.jpg After loading the shuttle up it was a nice push through the woods to the last peg on this bank. It put me out on a platform and with reeds to my right and a bush hanging out into the lake on my left (with plenty of line and pole floats in it) it didn’t look to bad (I should of realised what was in store:() Set up method feeder, pellet waggler and margin rigs for either side. I have been experimenting with the Sonubaits groundbait mixes this season so used this for the method with a Garbolino inline speed feeder. Set up a small Preston loaded pellet waggler with a hair rigged band and planned to use some of the fishery 6mm on the hook. Right margin I was going to target with paste 0.17 powerline straight through to 14 B911 with A Maver black Ice self cocking paste float. Left margin luncheon meat over hemp and pellets on 0.17 powerline to 0.17 hook length and 16 B911 and Mick Wilkinson power margin. On the all in I cupped in my margin lines, the 2 lads (Joe and Keith) on the point cast there feeders straight out which basically cut my feeder options back straight away, so clipped up short of there lines and sat waiting whilst firing pellets out onto my shallow line. Joe was soon into his 1st carp but not a twitch on mine or anyone’s along my bank. All the time feeding the 6mm pellets over my shallow line and feeding the margins. I did manage to snare a very small carp after 30+ minutes and decided to stick it out for at least the 1st hour as Joe was still getting a few on his feeder line but else where it all seemed very slow as the sun kept beating down so I kept pinging pellets out looking for signs. Had a small pull round and struck into a skimmer. It was now red hot and not a lot was being caught at all with quite a few still waiting for a bite. Tried the pellet waggler at regular intervals but they were just not having it, although I did keep the pellets going in regularly. Temptation was to much so time to try the margins, slipped out the paste and potted it in but no signs at all after 15 minutes so on with some meat and try the bush. After 5 minutes small dip and lifted into a lump which I was attached to briefly for a moment before it locked me solid in the bush. Ended up pulling for break and on with another hooklength, checked depth and out again. After 15 minutes same scenario brief extraction of my elastic before solid in bush again (was beginning to see why all the line on the bush). I had plumbed up a couple foot away from the bush as well finding the same depth at beginning so decided to try here to give me more of a chance of getting one out. Typically sat there with not a knock and you know you shouldn’t but next to the bush again. Result same as before couple of brief lunges as I try to pull it away from bush and then solid…….on with another hooklength, followed by losing another again. I was to say the least a wee bit frustrated by now so out with a 0.19 rig set it to same depth but straight through and tightened the elastic up, me thinks the next one is coming out. After sitting for 10 minutes float dips I strike into another and pull pole round trying to force it away from the bush, seems to be on for a longer than before then…………BANG sounds like a shotgun but its not its my new top 8 :eek: typically the fish is still on as I grab at the elastic and try and handline it but nope the bush and fish win again locking me solid. Have to pull for a break and think more peed off that I lost me MW float than me top 2 :mad:. Plenty of choice comments aimed in my direction by fellow club members make you feel better as well :rolleyes: Enough’s enough remains thrown up the bank and feeder is out as I sit peed off. Did have another skimmer before the all out but was relieved this one was over. Packed up still muttering to myself as I think everyone on the lake heard the bang and were so sympathetic (not) Have not got the full results but it did not fish anywhere near its potential and was glad to see the back of this one. Fair play to Mike on this one he targeted the skimmers from the off and it nearly paid off for him fishing pellet over micros 1st Joe Elton - 20lb 4oz method and punched meat 2nd Mike roberts (canalking) 20lb 3rd Aubrey Marsden 15lb - 12oz 4th Mark Elton (sumo) 15lb - 5oz 5th Lance Glover (curtains) 14lb - 4oz Leigh Betteridge (leigh66) 3lb + one broken top 2 Been busy with work so time to catach upon some matches.

Greeted with a warm sunny morning as I packed my tackle into the car and went to pick up Mike (canalking), banter on the way was the usual what methods and how will it fish. On arriving stopped off to by some of the fishery pellets and down the track to the car park.

We had a walk around the lake as we waited for curtains to turn up and the lake was carrying some extra water with the owner putting extra pallets on some pegs to raise them out of the water on the early pegs.

Once Curtains arrived, quick hand to help him peg out and back to make the draw, I had fancied the early pallet pegs but ended up opposite bank in the woods, can’t seem to draw for toffee at the moment.


My peg

Sue on the 1st sunken pegs

After loading the shuttle up it was a nice push through the woods to the last peg on this bank. It put me out on a platform and with reeds to my right and a bush hanging out into the lake on my left (with plenty of line and pole floats in it) it didn’t look to bad (I should of realised what was in store:()

Set up method feeder, pellet waggler and margin rigs for either side. I have been experimenting with the Sonubaits groundbait mixes this season so used this for the method with a Garbolino inline speed feeder.

Set up a small Preston loaded pellet waggler with a hair rigged band and planned to use some of the fishery 6mm on the hook.

Right margin I was going to target with paste 0.17 powerline straight through to 14 B911 with A Maver black Ice self cocking paste float.

Left margin luncheon meat over hemp and pellets on 0.17 powerline to 0.17 hook length and 16 B911 and Mick Wilkinson power margin.

On the all in I cupped in my margin lines, the 2 lads (Joe and Keith) on the point cast there feeders straight out which basically cut my feeder options back straight away, so clipped up short of there lines and sat waiting whilst firing pellets out onto my shallow line. Joe was soon into his 1st carp but not a twitch on mine or anyone’s along my bank. All the time feeding the 6mm pellets over my shallow line and feeding the margins. I did manage to snare a very small carp after 30+ minutes and decided to stick it out for at least the 1st hour as Joe was still getting a few on his feeder line but else where it all seemed very slow as the sun kept beating down so I kept pinging pellets out looking for signs. Had a small pull round and struck into a skimmer. It was now red hot and not a lot was being caught at all with quite a few still waiting for a bite. Tried the pellet waggler at regular intervals but they were just not having it, although I did keep the pellets going in regularly.

Temptation was to much so time to try the margins, slipped out the paste and potted it in but no signs at all after 15 minutes so on with some meat and try the bush. After 5 minutes small dip and lifted into a lump which I was attached to briefly for a moment before it locked me solid in the bush. Ended up pulling for break and on with another hooklength, checked depth and out again. After 15 minutes same scenario brief extraction of my elastic before solid in bush again (was beginning to see why all the line on the bush). I had plumbed up a couple foot away from the bush as well finding the same depth at beginning so decided to try here to give me more of a chance of getting one out. Typically sat there with not a knock and you know you shouldn’t but next to the bush again. Result same as before couple of brief lunges as I try to pull it away from bush and then solid…….on with another hooklength, followed by losing another again.

I was to say the least a wee bit frustrated by now so out with a 0.19 rig set it to same depth but straight through and tightened the elastic up, me thinks the next one is coming out. After sitting for 10 minutes float dips I strike into another and pull pole round trying to force it away from the bush, seems to be on for a longer than before then…………BANG sounds like a shotgun but its not its my new top 8 :eek: typically the fish is still on as I grab at the elastic and try and handline it but nope the bush and fish win again locking me solid. Have to pull for a break and think more peed off that I lost me MW float than me top 2 :mad:. Plenty of choice comments aimed in my direction by fellow club members make you feel better as well :rolleyes:

Enough’s enough remains thrown up the bank and feeder is out as I sit peed off. Did have another skimmer before the all out but was relieved this one was over.

Packed up still muttering to myself as I think everyone on the lake heard the bang and were so sympathetic (not) Have not got the full results but it did not fish anywhere near its potential and was glad to see the back of this one. Fair play to Mike on this one he targeted the skimmers from the off and it nearly paid off for him fishing pellet over micros

1st Joe Elton - 20lb 4oz method and punched meat
2nd Mike roberts (canalking) 20lb
3rd Aubrey Marsden 15lb - 12oz
4th Mark Elton (sumo) 15lb - 5oz
5th Lance Glover (curtains) 14lb - 4oz

Leigh Betteridge (leigh66) 3lb + one broken top 2 ]]> Leigh66 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=99 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=98 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:28:51 GMT This is my first Blogg so I thought that I would start off with a short oppertunistic trip I had last season on the upper reaches of the rver Lea; so that I can get used to using the Bloggs.

The weather had been stable for a few days and the sun was shining, my mate had rung me earlier to say that he was going for a days relaxing fishing on the upper river Lea after the hectic team match the previous weekend.

I had to work but I thought that I might snatch a couple of hours in the evening.

I arrived at around 5:45pm and went searching for a likely swim. there were Chub in most swims however the better known Barbel swims were all taken. I love finding underwater features especially when they are away from the well known swims, and I found a swim that was ignored by the other anglers as it looked like it was featureless (see fig.1)

but how wrong they were, the swim was at the head of a long sweeping bend which had undercuts that had been cleaned out or created earier in the season, the bottom had a pronunce depth change (scoured out by the floods), and best of all the bend downstream was protected by thick bushes and trees so the fish would feel secure. although it doesn't look like it in the picture there was a meduim to moderate flow.

Fig.1 Chosen Swim

In the next 2¾ Hours I had the following fish from the swim. Plus I lost two other Barbel when the hook pulled free.

The Barbel were not big by any stretch of the imagination but where the average size for this small stream.
The guys in the so-called hotspots (including my mate) had quite a few nice Chub but only two Barbel between them. so it definately pays to look for hidden features.
Bait was Nice n Spicey Luncheon Meat and feed was small soft Halibut Pellets. ]]> BoldBear http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=98 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=97 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:02:49 GMT Friday after work was a wash out, apart from finding a nice little location to fish for free about 5 minutes cycle from Millbeck there is a pond which is 'free' to fish.

The ony problem I see is that it is over run with kids and there is so much litter and remnants of camps that sooner or later who ever owns the pond will fence it off.

Saturday the old man cried off at the last minute, 'I don't fancy it' ..........

Oh well all this bait and ground bait ready mixed, just add pond water, I had better use it up, so I head off and go down Millbeck and I fish the same peg as the week before, using same tatics, waggler fishing with a size 12 hook and and a bundle of white maggots on the end, I bait the area up then make up my rod, chuck in more groundbait and a ton of maggots, get the landing net and unhookng mat already, nice and wet with plenty of pond water.

The wind is blowing a gale into my face. The waves lapping up onto the end of my peg. I put my line in the water 5 minutes later the waggler is slowly movingf away. First chuck and I am in. I land a nice 3lb common.

I lose a few and carry on catching, I catch 10 in total but the 3lb is the biggest I land, I am sure I had a bigger one get a way tho, I lost 4 fish, but I netted 10 and my reckoning was about 20lb in total. the smallest was a good pound and like I said above the biggest was only 3lb.

I was a little dissappointed but I still caught a good number of fish and each of them fought like little Trojans.

I did lose a couple to a similar tatic, they were straight out in front and they kept changing their direction so I got mixed up on which side strain to put on the line, and in this confusing 10 or 20 seconds the fish worked itself of the hook. If anyone has any good tips to help prevent this from happening please add a commnet.

So after 7 hrs of a gale blowing in my face from around 8 am i packed up and went for a bit of fun on the fun pond, where I caught a couple of common, 1 lb being the biggest.

So not a bad saturday, the old man says to me 'lets pop down here on sunday'

I groan....... on the big lake, he goes 'No' I give in and say ok, I was tired.

Sunday morng get up get the gear ready and we get to Millbeck for around 8.30. It takes two attempets to get him rigged up and he it is just after 9 when he puts his line in the water. I am just about to put my float on my line when i hear the sound of 'Bugger!!!!'

The old man has struck that hard he lands in a tree bhind him and then yanks it out of the tree and is totally stuffed up, I have to cut him down and rig back up.

I gat my line wet at 9.45, over an hour after we have arrived, there is a guy with his son and I put on some bright red luncheon meat on my hook dropped it in threw in 2 or 3 peices and waited, this is first chuck and my float sinks and I strike firm and hard. the rod is bent double and i reel in the slack and play the fish for a good 10 minutes, it must have been around the pond about 8 times beofre it finally gave up, head out the water, spitting water I am on knees I lean right out and she is in the net.

I pull it to the side of the pond and leave it for a minute, I wet the mat and my sling and grab the landing net and rod to lower it gently on to the mat.

hook in bottom lip, size 12, it has come out itn the net i lift the common up and move thje net and lside him into the sling.

I quickly weigh him and it is 3.25 lb, thought it was bigger tho. The picture never came out tho but I didnt hang around and slowly lowered him back and he swam off after a minute.

The old man was 'what bait is that' so I gave him some, and he was happy, he caught loads as he was fishing where I was looking after all the kids, everytime they tangled they came to me, I helped them out with settng there floats and shot, they seemed to have a load of pre weighted ones where they were using a rubber that was useless.

It was good helping the kids, one lad esp was really upset he hadnt caught, I sorted his gear out and his first chuck, using my maggots too, he caught a nice rudd, I said thats 50 quid you owe me, poor lad thought I meant it lol. I said 'told you, you would catch one'

But what got me mad was my old man, lifting carp straight out of the water, I did once but i thought it was a tiny I had on as it was a baby carp under 2 oz, but the old man has a landing net but never used it.

It really made me angry, and I told him not to be lazy, get of your backside and land the bigger fish properly, a coupel of gorgeous rudd, size of your hand dangling in the air.

It made me mad, I kept tellng him to use the net thats why it is there.

Any ideas on hwo to deal with this please add a comment

Oh well, roll on next weekend. hopefully I wil be fishing the FFA ponds this weekend, away from the old man.

Laters

Pete ]]> sunburntarms http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=97 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=96 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:22:42 GMT Having come down with a chest infection earlier in the week I was not intending to fish this match, but woud still be there to run it, with one or two changes to the TA team all done and pretty well certain of a full squad, Silverfish who was going to travel with me was loaned out to Maggot Drowners safe in the knowledge that if needed I could be a late replacement, Up at around 5-30am to see that it looked to be a dry start even if a little breezy, a last check to see that I had all my paperwork safely in one place whislt doing a brew, one for me and one for the wife who it appears has the same bug as me, did she expect me to stop at home to look after her, not much chance of that she said, she knows the fishing would come first. Into the garage bait in the carryall and time to load the motor, which would be pretty full with three of us travelling Danny ( silverfish ) was first pick up and by the time we had got his gear in it was evident tha it was a good job I had removed a couple of seats, round to Bonehillstars Grandads where he was ready and with his gear packed in the back it was impossible to see out the rear window, thank goodness for wing mirrors. A steady drive down the A45 towards and beyond Coventry saw us pull into the fishery entrance in plenty of time for breakfast, a quick look around the cafe saw that Ta had a few early risers in the shape of Sumo, Curtains and Drayman all tucking in to the breaky, a quick hello to the members of the other teams that were there and a chat with the fishery owners, it was time for my breakfast. Breakfast finished a quick chat with the other captains and time for the draw, with only Angling Forums looking to be one short it looked like it was going to be a full house and if needed I would fill in for AF, whilst Toft Lakes is a pretty young venue it was certain that the winner would come from somewhere off the island pegs but team fishing is always somewhat different when you are looking to get good points, despite being told there were 58 pegs on the lake when there were only 25 saw me having a mad dash to qucklkly adjust a few pegs luckily no one had reached their pegs so no real harm was done, and following a full circuit of the lakes just to check that everyone was ok, time to fill in the weighsheets and a cuppa, when the call was made by Pete P that he was one short and duly I was in for Angling Forums I had just about got the sheets done and started to unload my gear when it was time for the all in. Having left my troley at home to save a bit of space a couple of trips were needed to transport it to peg 36 on the far bank open water, to find I was between Badpegpicker ( maggot Drowners ) and our own big carp specalist Cutains, the second trip round with my gear identified that Sumo Bonehillstar had already caught and ith Curtains playing a smallfeeder caught carp it looked like we might be in for a half decent day. As my suddenly new team captain had not let me into team tactics, despite the many hours he and his team had spent practising and the fact that I was well behind the rest of the field my attack was going to be pellet at 6 metre, which was fed with a couple of small hand fulls of 4 mm feed pellet no time for precise potting as i was playing catch up and an inside line for later but with not much margin growth that probably would not perform, a few rigs were soon out the box and top kits laid out in the roost the first one was fitted with a MW .6gr diamond a quick plumb up and a 4 mill expander was impaled in the B911 18 hook which should be ample for the stockies that were anticipated, The tow on the lake was pretty fierce considering that the wind was no that bad and but at least to start I could search the water, Curtains to my right was now into his second small fish but was complaining of bumping a few on the feeder, when my float dissapearsand a small stockie is soon pulling a bit of 6/8 hollow elastic out, well thats one team point secured as dry nets get nothing, perhaps I should pack in and make sure that Curtains who was in my setion be safe for at least 2 points, no really as the Intersite for me is about the banter and meeting up with friends old and new. A run of a few bites saw me looking to take a lead over Curtains and maybe my co helper in orgainising the match Carpcruncher from Total Fishing, suddenly bites were still there but many were missed, and those that were hit had to be left to really develop, a quick look on the big maggot produced a slightly better fish but was hooked in the rear and then nothing, maybe they had backed of the feed bout neither further out or closer to brought any result, time for more feed, this had the desired effect and a short run of fish with the odd better sample was in the net, before the bites once again became unhitable, and a good hour went by without a fish, with a last ditch attemt to induce a few more bites four good hand fulls of feeder pellet were put in which resulted the smallest fish of the day finding its way to the net, and with the need to get back to the motor for the scales and weigh sheets I quickly broke down my only rig and packed away, just as the heavens opened not for the first time but with a bit more vengence this time. Back at the car help to weigh in was soon offered by Missabite ( Maggot Drowners ) and Poolfodder ( Steve May TF ) and gratefully accepted, given the quality of fishing it seemed that the anticipated 60 to 70lb winning weight was not going to be reached and indeed double figures and above were a decent weight, but with no drynets recorded everyone scored a point or two, the full results are as follows. Peg-- Angler ---- Site ---- Weight----Points 19--- Spongebob - TA-----15-12-8-----4 20--- Bob Palmer---AF-----0-13-0------1 21--- BME---------MD-----7-12-0------3 22--- Blunty-------TF----- 4-14-0------2 23--- Siver fish----TA----- 6-8-0-------1 24--- Ray Gregory- AF----- 11-6-8----- 4 25--- Dave B------ MD----- 8-11-0-----2 26--- Yazman----- TF------10-2-0---- 3 27--- Harry911---- TA------2-13-0-----1 28--- Richie Lewis--AF----- 13-14-8----3 29--- Jake1969---- MD----- 15-13-8----4 30--- Crusty------ TF----- 10-0-0-----2 31--- Badboybagger TA----- 2-10-0---- 1 32--- Vince Atkinson AF-----31-4-0-----4 33--- Drynet--------MD----- 8-0-0-----3 34--- Carpcruncher- TF------ 5-9-0-----1 35--- Curtains------ TA------ 7-11-0----3 36--- Brian G------- AF------ 6-10-0 --- 2 37--- Badpegpicker- MD------ 2-2-8-----1 38--- Shallowman-- TF------10-13-0--- 4 39--- Sumo---------TA-------8-13-0----1 40--- Maurice Williams AF-----11-0-8----2 41--- Missabite------MD------29-10-0-- 3 42--- D. Webb-------TF------45-4-0----4 43--- Bonehillstar----TA-------3-15-0---1 44--- Kev Fowell-----AF-------7-13-8---3 45--- Simple Simon---MD-------7-0-8--- 2 46--- Knappers------ TF-------13-0-0---4 47----Drayman------ TA-------19-9-0---4 48--- Martyn Paynter-AF-------10-8-8---1 51--- Sprucey------- MD-------11-4-8---2 52--- Hillbilly-------- TF------- 15-2-0---3 53--- Polekiller------- TA-------33-0-0---4 54--- Cutnut Pete P-- AF-------12-13-0--2 55--- Silverfish-------MD--------4-14-8--1 56--- Mark Williams---TF-------- 18-0-0--3 57--- Mark777------- TA------- 4-13-8--2 58--- Dave Smart---- AF------- 4-12-0--1 1---- Clive-----------MD-------- 8-2-0---3 2---- Steve May-----TA---------25-0-0--4 Team Result 1st Total Fishing 31 points 2nd Maggot Drowners 24 points 3rd Angling Forums 23 points 4th Talk Angling 22 points To be continued Having come down with a chest infection earlier in the week I was not intending to fish this match, but woud still be there to run it, with one or two changes to the TA team all done and pretty well certain of a full squad, Silverfish who was going to travel with me was loaned out to Maggot Drowners safe in the knowledge that if needed I could be a late replacement, Up at around 5-30am to see that it looked to be a dry start even if a little breezy, a last check to see that I had all my paperwork safely in one place whislt doing a brew, one for me and one for the wife who it appears has the same bug as me, did she expect me to stop at home to look after her, not much chance of that she said, she knows the fishing would come first.
Into the garage bait in the carryall and time to load the motor, which would be pretty full with three of us travelling Danny ( silverfish ) was first pick up and by the time we had got his gear in it was evident tha it was a good job I had removed a couple of seats, round to Bonehillstars Grandads where he was ready and with his gear packed in the back it was impossible to see out the rear window, thank goodness for wing mirrors. A steady drive down the A45 towards and beyond Coventry saw us pull into the fishery entrance in plenty of time for breakfast, a quick look around the cafe saw that Ta had a few early risers in the shape of Sumo, Curtains and Drayman all tucking in to the breaky, a quick hello to the members of the other teams that were there and a chat with the fishery owners, it was time for my breakfast.
Breakfast finished a quick chat with the other captains and time for the draw, with only Angling Forums looking to be one short it looked like it was going to be a full house and if needed I would fill in for AF, whilst Toft Lakes is a pretty young venue it was certain that the winner would come from somewhere off the island pegs but team fishing is always somewhat different when you are looking to get good points, despite being told there were 58 pegs on the lake when there were only 25 saw me having a mad dash to qucklkly adjust a few pegs luckily no one had reached their pegs so no real harm was done, and following a full circuit of the lakes just to check that everyone was ok, time to fill in the weighsheets and a cuppa, when the call was made by Pete P that he was one short and duly I was in for Angling Forums I had just about got the sheets done and started to unload my gear when it was time for the all in. Having left my troley at home to save a bit of space a couple of trips were needed to transport it to peg 36 on the far bank open water, to find I was between Badpegpicker ( maggot Drowners ) and our own big carp specalist Cutains, the second trip round with my gear identified that Sumo Bonehillstar had already caught and ith Curtains playing a smallfeeder caught carp it looked like we might be in for a half decent day.
As my suddenly new team captain had not let me into team tactics, despite the many hours he and his team had spent practising and the fact that I was well behind the rest of the field my attack was going to be pellet at 6 metre, which was fed with a couple of small hand fulls of 4 mm feed pellet no time for precise potting as i was playing catch up and an inside line for later but with not much margin growth that probably would not perform, a few rigs were soon out the box and top kits laid out in the roost the first one was fitted with a MW .6gr diamond a quick plumb up and a 4 mill expander was impaled in the B911 18 hook which should be ample for the stockies that were anticipated,
The tow on the lake was pretty fierce considering that the wind was no that bad and but at least to start I could search the water, Curtains to my right was now into his second small fish but was complaining of bumping a few on the feeder, when my float dissapearsand a small stockie is soon pulling a bit of 6/8 hollow elastic out, well thats one team point secured as dry nets get nothing, perhaps I should pack in and make sure that Curtains who was in my setion be safe for at least 2 points, no really as the Intersite for me is about the banter and meeting up with friends old and new. A run of a few bites saw me looking to take a lead over Curtains and maybe my co helper in orgainising the match Carpcruncher from Total Fishing, suddenly bites were still there but many were missed, and those that were hit had to be left to really develop, a quick look on the big maggot produced a slightly better fish but was hooked in the rear and then nothing, maybe they had backed of the feed bout neither further out or closer to brought any result, time for more feed, this had the desired effect and a short run of fish with the odd better sample was in the net, before the bites once again became unhitable, and a good hour went by without a fish, with a last ditch attemt to induce a few more bites four good hand fulls of feeder pellet were put in which resulted the smallest fish of the day finding its way to the net, and with the need to get back to the motor for the scales and weigh sheets I quickly broke down my only rig and packed away, just as the heavens opened not for the first time but with a bit more vengence this time.
Back at the car help to weigh in was soon offered by Missabite ( Maggot Drowners ) and Poolfodder ( Steve May TF ) and gratefully accepted, given the quality of fishing it seemed that the anticipated 60 to 70lb winning weight was not going to be reached and indeed double figures and above were a decent weight, but with no drynets recorded everyone scored a point or two, the full results are as follows.


Peg-- Angler ---- Site ---- Weight----Points
19--- Spongebob - TA-----15-12-8-----4
20--- Bob Palmer---AF-----0-13-0------1
21--- BME---------MD-----7-12-0------3
22--- Blunty-------TF----- 4-14-0------2
23--- Siver fish----TA----- 6-8-0-------1
24--- Ray Gregory- AF----- 11-6-8----- 4
25--- Dave B------ MD----- 8-11-0-----2
26--- Yazman----- TF------10-2-0---- 3
27--- Harry911---- TA------2-13-0-----1
28--- Richie Lewis--AF----- 13-14-8----3
29--- Jake1969---- MD----- 15-13-8----4
30--- Crusty------ TF----- 10-0-0-----2
31--- Badboybagger TA----- 2-10-0---- 1
32--- Vince Atkinson AF-----31-4-0-----4
33--- Drynet--------MD----- 8-0-0-----3
34--- Carpcruncher- TF------ 5-9-0-----1
35--- Curtains------ TA------ 7-11-0----3
36--- Brian G------- AF------ 6-10-0 --- 2
37--- Badpegpicker- MD------ 2-2-8-----1
38--- Shallowman-- TF------10-13-0--- 4
39--- Sumo---------TA-------8-13-0----1
40--- Maurice Williams AF-----11-0-8----2
41--- Missabite------MD------29-10-0-- 3
42--- D. Webb-------TF------45-4-0----4
43--- Bonehillstar----TA-------3-15-0---1
44--- Kev Fowell-----AF-------7-13-8---3
45--- Simple Simon---MD-------7-0-8--- 2
46--- Knappers------ TF-------13-0-0---4
47----Drayman------ TA-------19-9-0---4
48--- Martyn Paynter-AF-------10-8-8---1
51--- Sprucey------- MD-------11-4-8---2
52--- Hillbilly-------- TF------- 15-2-0---3
53--- Polekiller------- TA-------33-0-0---4
54--- Cutnut Pete P-- AF-------12-13-0--2
55--- Silverfish-------MD--------4-14-8--1
56--- Mark Williams---TF-------- 18-0-0--3
57--- Mark777------- TA------- 4-13-8--2
58--- Dave Smart---- AF------- 4-12-0--1
1---- Clive-----------MD-------- 8-2-0---3
2---- Steve May-----TA---------25-0-0--4


Team Result

1st Total Fishing 31 points
2nd Maggot Drowners 24 points
3rd Angling Forums 23 points
4th Talk Angling 22 points


To be continued ]]> Brian G http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=96