Fish O Mania
Fish O Mania from a media and promotion point of view is is one of the biggest events of the year in UK match fishing. With £30,000 for winner on and been live on Sky Sports, it is a mega event. For me, it was another difficult year and didn't even get close to qualifying again. My good friend Frank got close to getting there at Tunnel Barn Farm, but just fell short. So hopefully this coming year, me and my bud may get to the magical final.
Maver Match This, is an event that I haven't really entered for some reason, and we ensure I make some time to enter the qualifying rounds and hope I have a lot of luck.
River campagin
My river season was very kind to me, I fished 9 river matches, which were from 40 to 70 pegs per fishing match. I was lucky enough to pick up 7 out of 9 matches and only had only one bad day at Abingdon on the river Thames. All my fishing matches were on the River Thames around the Oxford area. The River Thames has been fishing really this year, and I had enjoyed most fishing matches. Radcot was an nightmare, with swimmers, dog swimmers, boaters, walkers and managed to frame, but if I wasn't faced with all these external issues, I would of easily won the match!!! So it was frustrating too say the least.
Then I was at Medley on my Winter League (round 2) which was the final straw as the rowers were nightmare as there were so many, it was relentless and they even crashed into each other, as they never look where they going. Not good when it happens in your peg. I fully appericate that the River is for everybody and truley believe that, but throwing balls in for dogs to jump into the water, while fishing, seems very rude to me, especially when the river is how long???!!! Then we had the sail boats, and they put the yellow marker in my peg and therefore the sail boats had to turn, this made it interesting as they were heading straight towards me, why do this? There was 40 yard gaps between the pegs, why not put it inbetween us. Wouldn't this make more sense?
My river season was very kind to me, I fished 9 river matches, which were from 40 to 70 pegs per fishing match. I was lucky enough to pick up 7 out of 9 matches and only had only one bad day at Abingdon on the river Thames. All my fishing matches were on the River Thames around the Oxford area. The River Thames has been fishing really this year, and I had enjoyed most fishing matches. Radcot was an nightmare, with swimmers, dog swimmers, boaters, walkers and managed to frame, but if I wasn't faced with all these external issues, I would of easily won the match!!! So it was frustrating too say the least.
Then I was at Medley on my Winter League (round 2) which was the final straw as the rowers were nightmare as there were so many, it was relentless and they even crashed into each other, as they never look where they going. Not good when it happens in your peg. I fully appericate that the River is for everybody and truley believe that, but throwing balls in for dogs to jump into the water, while fishing, seems very rude to me, especially when the river is how long???!!! Then we had the sail boats, and they put the yellow marker in my peg and therefore the sail boats had to turn, this made it interesting as they were heading straight towards me, why do this? There was 40 yard gaps between the pegs, why not put it inbetween us. Wouldn't this make more sense?
I will never fish Medley again on a Sunday as the river is too busy. I go fishing for enjoyment, nothing more and nothing less. My job is stressful as it is, and having a load of abuse and haslle from other people at the weekend is enough for me. I just wanna relax, a stress free day. I'm not bitter or twisted, but don't wish to put myself through this anymore. Commericals no hassle.
Canals
Canal fishing is something that I have enjoyed for years and used to go fishing on the Kennet and Avon canal with my Dad and my late uncle John (i do miss him). I do have some great memories and do matches on the canal but in recent times, I have spent time on the Oxford Canal which is a "tough nut" to crack. The Oxford canal is about catching on the bread punch or lob worms, if your lucky you catch on both (never have)! If you don't catch on bread (hoping for skimmers on the punch and proper roach) then you must catch on lob worms for perch!!! If don't catch in either of these baits, then you are in BIG trouble! As the "Blood" (Bloodworm) fish tend to be too small, whereas Kennet and Avon canal you can catch decent weights of roach (10lb plus, my highest 23lb).
Oxford Canal open was a bit of nightmare. I was a tiny bit slow in figuring out that the fish were 10 inches off the deck and also fished a 4 x 8 Colmic Senna float and my stamp of fish doubled in size, half to an Luce a piece, rather than fag papers. But unfortunately a boat, decided to go up the far bank, and got stuck. Nightmare. Please tell me why boats don't drive down the boat track? My last two winter league matches saw me have a nightmare with boats.
My time on the canal was a little disappointing on the two winter league practice matches, Avington was good for most, which is one of favourite canals of all time. The canal is rammed full of fish, unfortunately some of the features have been cut away, which is a shame as these were good holding points for these famous perch. Some of these trees are growing back... but for how long they will last with British Waterways.
Commericals
Commericals the future for me. They maybe not be everybodies cup of tea, but for me in 2015 is going to be my only focus. Having two jobs, I find it VERY difficult to focus on all aspects of fishing, as a result I will give up team fishing. I have fished Winter Leagues since the age of 17, from the age of 19 I have fished winter leagues for 12 weeks solid. I have had some great journeys on the way, from fishing for Elgin (sadly folded), Talismen, Devizes, back to Talismen, Drennan Oxford, Gordon League and finally back to Drennan Oxford. I have met my fair share of charcters on the way, and had a great time.
Manor Farm Leisure spring festival was reasonably good for me this year, as I came 5th overall.
Canals
Canal fishing is something that I have enjoyed for years and used to go fishing on the Kennet and Avon canal with my Dad and my late uncle John (i do miss him). I do have some great memories and do matches on the canal but in recent times, I have spent time on the Oxford Canal which is a "tough nut" to crack. The Oxford canal is about catching on the bread punch or lob worms, if your lucky you catch on both (never have)! If you don't catch on bread (hoping for skimmers on the punch and proper roach) then you must catch on lob worms for perch!!! If don't catch in either of these baits, then you are in BIG trouble! As the "Blood" (Bloodworm) fish tend to be too small, whereas Kennet and Avon canal you can catch decent weights of roach (10lb plus, my highest 23lb).
Oxford Canal open was a bit of nightmare. I was a tiny bit slow in figuring out that the fish were 10 inches off the deck and also fished a 4 x 8 Colmic Senna float and my stamp of fish doubled in size, half to an Luce a piece, rather than fag papers. But unfortunately a boat, decided to go up the far bank, and got stuck. Nightmare. Please tell me why boats don't drive down the boat track? My last two winter league matches saw me have a nightmare with boats.
My time on the canal was a little disappointing on the two winter league practice matches, Avington was good for most, which is one of favourite canals of all time. The canal is rammed full of fish, unfortunately some of the features have been cut away, which is a shame as these were good holding points for these famous perch. Some of these trees are growing back... but for how long they will last with British Waterways.
Commericals
Commericals the future for me. They maybe not be everybodies cup of tea, but for me in 2015 is going to be my only focus. Having two jobs, I find it VERY difficult to focus on all aspects of fishing, as a result I will give up team fishing. I have fished Winter Leagues since the age of 17, from the age of 19 I have fished winter leagues for 12 weeks solid. I have had some great journeys on the way, from fishing for Elgin (sadly folded), Talismen, Devizes, back to Talismen, Drennan Oxford, Gordon League and finally back to Drennan Oxford. I have met my fair share of charcters on the way, and had a great time.
Manor Farm Leisure spring festival was reasonably good for me this year, as I came 5th overall.
In do enjoy fishing manor festival as its a well attended event and the fishing is normally good for most, like any big event you do need to draw and do need some luck.
Milo at Whiteacres
I really enjoyed fishing the Milo Festival at Whiteacres, the fishing was very good, it was a lot better fishing than we we go in Spetember (Swindon go on Tour) as it pegged every other peg in the festivals and not every peg like in September. The September week is so busy, very good crack with the lads. Swindon go on Tour 2015 for me? I'm not sure I'll fish it this coming year, as it clashes with the World Pairs in Ireland. I am likely to fish this with Neil Richards. Some of the lads have been suggesting me to fish Ireland for years, and for whatever reason I haven't got round to it.
Colmic
Colmic has supported me for another year, and I'm very grateful and very lucky. Some of Colmic products are incredible, especially their lines. 300 meters of top quality line for £6 All Round line.
Also Colmic poles are immensely strong. To prove this statement ture, the French lads caught a 132lb Catfish on a Colmic pole!! The Quasar T9 is a something that you must see....
The Colmic Airon F55 pole has served me well, I had several 100lb plus match weights on it, using 0.22 lines and double 14 solid elastics and catching carp up to 18lb. Enough said.
2015
I'm not going to set myself any goals this year, just wanna enjoy my fishing and hopefully have some results on the way?! Good or bad, they will be on this blog.
Thanks
I would like to thank Colmic for supporting me for another year. Also thank Mick Denton who is a credit to the sport, as he runs Drennan Oxford, the Winter league and Summer League. Without people like this, leagues would fold.
The Colmic Airon F55 pole has served me well, I had several 100lb plus match weights on it, using 0.22 lines and double 14 solid elastics and catching carp up to 18lb. Enough said.
2015
I'm not going to set myself any goals this year, just wanna enjoy my fishing and hopefully have some results on the way?! Good or bad, they will be on this blog.
Thanks
I would like to thank Colmic for supporting me for another year. Also thank Mick Denton who is a credit to the sport, as he runs Drennan Oxford, the Winter league and Summer League. Without people like this, leagues would fold.
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Well said Chris, have a good 2015. See you on the bank.
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ReplyDeleteThanks Fred
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