Manor farm leisure- All lakes

Peg 4 Middle Pool

48lb

3rd Overall

29 fished

After Christmas all the Angling Trust winter leagues have finished and frees up some time, so will start going to Manor Farm Leisure more for the next few months.

A nice turn out, 29 anglers on the match, and Dave (owner) has spread us all over the complex, which is great, plenty of room.   I draw peg 4 Middle Pool, which is apparently a "good area" at the moment, despite yesterday's open on Middle was a lake win with 12lb from peg 23...

With the wind in our the faces, it was going to be struggle to present the bait.  The pole was a little unproductive and should of chucked the lead earlier and waited... I was lucky and caught 4 fish down the edge in last 45 mintues and lost a 8lb foul hooked in the belly....  I had 11 fish for 48lb, 4 carp and 7 F1's.

Manors weights 

Manor farm leisure- Open

Peg 39 Boundary Pool
33lb
No good
24 fished

Peg 39 Boundary Pool is normally a good area, so quite fancied it, wind sort off my back too. However, I said to callum before I have struggled off the peg before. So tell will tell.

Started on a white wafter on a tiny pellet feeder, )which result in no bitems or liners after ten mintues.  Therefore chucked the bread at 50 cm popped up. Also no bites or liners.  Looking around the lake it was slow and Ash Fisher was doing the best on peg 10.

The pole did produce late, but was too far behind to catch up. 11 F1s for a disappointing 33lb. Did enjoy the last 1.5hours.  I will be back.

Alvechurch- Colmic Canal

Peg 20
11lb
No good
15 fished

A little disappointed to draw in the 20's again, as at the moment the fish seem to to be from pegs 6 to 16.  With 9, 10, 11, 12 and 16 been the hotter pegs.   Don't get me wrong the lake is rammed full of fish... fact.  However, it's winter and you have to accept the fish shoal up. 

My attack is simple, bread to begin with and maggots for rest of the match and fishing 3/4 the way across...  no fish seem to provide in deeps.

Alders Farm Fishery. Xmas pairs

Peg 21 Pines
14lb 10oz
2nd on lake
Won section.
2nd in pairs

Never caught so many carp from Alders..... and so small.  Just shows how healthy the lake is!!

Went to Alders Farm Fishery today on the pairs match, with fellow Marukyu angler Liam Dennick.   17 pairs braved the weather.

I drew peg 21 Pines which was a good peg and Liam due peg 24 Ash.  With the lakes frozen, it was going to be mega tough.  So the plan was to fish the pole with mirco pellets and maggots.

Both of us fished really light, 0.1 gram floats, 0.145 X5000 main line to 0.10 Stream and 20 WN501 hook with single red maggot as hook bait.  The most important thing is to be patient.

Liam was second on his lake with 11lb 12oz and I was also second on his lake with 14lb 10oz.

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Round 5 - Alvechurch winter league

Peg 19
12lb 12oz
4th overall
16 fished

Well done to Gary Donachie winning

Thoughts of 2017

Thoughts of 2017

Alders Farm

Alvechurch Fisheries- loved Horseshoe lake.

Winter League

Our Angling Trust Winter league really didn't go to plan as a team, for me individually got off to an awful start at Lechlade and had a tough 5 winter leagues, one match I drew the "Oak Tree" at Chippenham and caught really well in the first hour and 30 mintues and then cried for the rest of the match....
Colmic Devizes MG finished third overall and Gordon League won the league and GBMV came second.  Hopefully 2018 we will do better.

Individually I came third overall in the winter league.  Which isn't bad considering I commerical fish most of the year and then take on the natural pro's.  Of course I would of liked to win it again.

Fish O Mania

I think I may do Fish O Mania this coming year, as they weren't so popular this year, I guess the reason is there more competition with Golden Reel, Maver Match This, and more festivals.  You can only do some much in a year.  Also I think it's a little disappointing that Andy Ford isn't there with the TV cameras on each individual qualifier, so it lost its personal touch.


Maver Match This

I decided to do a couple of Maver Match This's.  Solhampton I got wrong and The Glede I got lucky and come third overall and qualified for the British Pole Champs which was a bit disappointing, as I got it wrong and pegging was very tight in my area.... must of been good area?

Dads memorial

I was really pleased to qualify for my dads memorial at Wickwater 2, my dads favourite lake.  It did fish quite tough, but still very enjoyable.  The canal match I walked the bank and took some photos.  Good match, especially Farmers, Cottages and Road Side was full of little fish.  Looking forward to 2018.  Wickwater is fully booked and the canal match should have about 30 on it, got 25 names already  (30th Nov 2017).

My best match win in 2017. My dads match

Ivy House Lakes

Only managed to fish Ivy House Lakes Lakes 3 times this year, and had 100% success rate, 3 matches and 3 wins. 

Paste was brilliant at Ivy House Lakes.

Heronbrook

Heronbrook a venue that has been quite kind to me, will focus some attention on this venue in 2018, as I have bought a few Golden Reel Tickets and a Maver Match This.   I do like the venue as it can be really aggressive fishing  (feeding loads of bait and catching loads of fish..... hopefully).  I would like few more opens and see if I can do a big weight.

Heronbrook has some proper units in the lake

Alvechurch Fisheries

I've really enjoyed fishing Alvechurch Fishery, especially Horseshoe lake, some beautiful fish in there and plenty of "get out of jail" fish.  So your almost always in the race for a frame place.  Will fish more paste this year, as learnt quite a lot this year.

The Colmic Canal is solid. So many silvers in there, and I've caught over 100lb in couple of matches, which is a great days fishing in anyone's opinion.

Targets for 2018

To enjoy my fishing, regardless of the size of the fishing match.
To win my Dad's memorial match.
To qualify for a big money final.
Catch more than 300lb from Heronbrook











Thanks to Colmic and Marukyu for their individual support.

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Kennet and Avon Canal. Marlborough. Round 6

G5
3lb 13oz
2nd in section.
48 fished.
6th overall

The last round of the winter league saw me draw the middle of the Road Side at Foxfield, not ideal for selfish reasons, but it was a fair section.  For me, I was fishing bread and lobworms.  As I thought 4lb would be a mega weight, as I thought there could be blanks, as it was so clear and no fish topping.....

 I always keep it simple, so one bread line and one lob line, done.  Found three foot of water, and then fished 6 to 8 inches off the deck, this was going to be the best option? I caught three roach on the 2mm punch.  Then decided to loose feed squatts over the top.  

A tough, rough, but enjoyable match.

Peg by peg

Congratulations to Daiwa Gordon League winning the league.  Garbolino Black More Vale was second.

Andy Jay won the individual league, well done feller.  I came third.

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Round 5 Angling Trust Winter league- Marlborough

F1
3lb 9oz
Won section
Team won on the day.
48 fished.

Back to Marlborough on the K&A for the fifth round on the Upper Thames winter league. 

Its a little difficult to get really motivated for this match, as unfortunately the team has had a couple of blow outs in the previous rounds of the winter league.  So now for me, I'm getting the lobs out for a change and fish the winter leagues as opens.  Therefore hoped for one of these famous end pegs, which I got.  However, it was the same peg as I had last week, but it was an end.  So happy days?!

So end peg, potential framing peg?  With 14 end pegs out of 48 pegs, I wouldn't say this is one of the better ones..... but still have a chance of double figures.  So I collect 50 lob worms last night, and have 1/2 kg of dens, which is going in.  Don't see the point of sitting on the lob worms, so would rotate between worms and a squatt line at 9 meters.  One line too, don't like spitting the fish up, "safety in numbers" and pick the fish off in a one meter square in this clear water.  Also I caught a lot of my roach 6 inches off the bottom.

Gear Used

Colmic Airon F66 pole

Senna and Lux floats
0.10 to 0.06

Chop float.  Jon Walker.
0.145 to 0.125

Tried to win the match, but failed.  I had 20 fish on lob worm, but tiny perch, for 2lb.

Nice to draw an end peg, especially in a tough section.

Teams on the day

Colmic Devizes
GBMV
Gordon League

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Alvechurch Fisheries- Round 3 of winter league

Peg 35
29lb
No good
Won section by double default.

I fished tight to the far bank as I felt this was my only chance of catching.   The peg is very shallow, 2 foot, you can walk across, as I did..... sorting the snags out (don't ask Phil Evans).  Anyway so fished long, and reckon I hooked cruising fish coming through the peg and not feeding.  I fished 0.145 Stream and felt maybe that was too heavy and therefore went down to 0.10 stream and 20 WN501 (RISKY), but still hooked two and lost both.  So stayed on 0.14.  Felt maybe last hour I would empty it, but only had 1 and lost 4, one in snag. 
I had two in the mouth, one in the chin, two in the face, one in tail and one in anal fin.

Marlborough- K&A

Peg F3 - churches
3lb 11oz
2nd in section
55 anglers fished the match

Hoping like everyone to draw an end peg and catch on the chop.  I fancied Competition pound, closet peg to the lock, but unfortunately drew a couple of miles away..... Churches

My match

The canal was surprisingly clear and with lack of fish topping (none) I was worried to could be tough.  My attack was squatts and worms, was doubtful to catch on worms and unfortunately I only managed 10oz perch, hoped to for bigger and a couple of "whasps" in this period I had fallen behind Paz on little fish, so had to catch on Choppie and I fancied Kev on peg 1 for some perch (if they feed).....

Only managed 10oz perch and around 100 tiny fish for 3lb 11oz.  Paz won section with 4lb 6oz.  Well done team mate. ( I highlighted your result Paul)

Gear used
Colmic Airon F66
Senna floatso
0.10 to 0.064


Results

1st Mark Gaylard (Sensas Lobby's) 10-11.
2nd Ian Dunlop (Garbolino Blackmore) 10-2.
3rd James Carty (PI Thatchers)
4th: Martin Howard (Daiwa Gordon League)- 7-7
5th: Simon Hebditch (Garbolino Blackmore Vale)- 7-3
6th: Kev Rowles (Colmic Devizes)- 6-15

Nice looking peg.

Well done Paul Passmore (aka Paz).

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Alders Farm Fishery

Peg 19
61lb 7oz
No good
11 fished

Pines Lake is my favourite lake at Alders Farm Fishery.   I drew peg 19 and fantastic first part of the match, 6 carp in 6 quick casts on the pellet feeder at 20 meters.  I got quite excited, but this came to a grinding holt.  So tripped off about 5 meters of line, thinking they are simply backed of????  No bites... onto the pole. 

Shipping out my trustee F66 pole in the cross wind was no problem. but unfortunately my float wouldn't go under.  Was a little shocked to be honest.  I had only 1 proper carp and 5 tiny ones, lovely sign to fish the fish breeding naturally in lakes.

The next 4.5 hours was really grim and I really struggled to put anything in the net.  Could only muster one fish off one line....... and that was me having two feeder lines, even tried chucking feeder onto a third line (end peg gave me the room), out of the way, which resulted in nothing.

It was a shame was 70lb was last in the frame, which was only another three fish and I didn't loose any fish on the feeder neither.  Not sure what I should of done differently. ...

Good stamp carp on the feeder

such a healthy fishery, caught 5 of these little beauties

I love Colmic Method Line.  Sinks easily and is very durable

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Upper Thames Winter league. ROUND 4. DEVIZES

Peg H4
3lb
3rd in section.
Team was third on the day.

I was hoping for to draw Foxhangers  (A Section) or the top the Pile (B Section), but unfortunately I drew H section and on arrival to my peg I had no feature.  This was hard for me to get truely motivated as the Team has no chance of qualifying for the final at Decoy / Drains, and therefore this was an open match for us, and where I had draw it was going to be alomost impossible to frame or even win the section from this peg.... not making excuses, but I feel the best canal angler in the country wasn't going to catch 8lb from this peg.   So no wheel spinning in car park or throwing my toys out the pram, I was going to try and catch what I can and accept that it was always going to be a tough match for me. 

I am always positive when I fish, don't believe that you win sections and matches by been negative normally.  But been realistic I honestly felt if i'd fished for big fish all match it could be the most unproductive 5 hours fishing of my life.  so therefore decided to fish early and late for a bonus fish, as this is normally when they feed.  I started on bread, and hoped id catch a BIG skimmer, I felt this was my best chance, so put in a full pot of bread (400 ml) and catch on a 5mm punch.  This result in 3 tiny roach.... gutted so onto the worm, where I was lucky enough to get one bite on the worm down the track, which resulted in a 6oz perch (I thought they were all 2lb??!!) and that was my only bite.

Unfortunately now I was going to play the numbers game and catch anything that swims on a squatt or pinkie on the 3/4 quarter line.  100 tiny fish went about 2lb and had one 6oz skimmer out of the blue....  Frustrating as I don't know how I could of caught much more from this peg.  The last forty mintues of the match I tried again to catch a big fish, which didn't happen.

Gear used.

Colmic Airon F66
Senna float 4 x 10 / 4 x 12 / 4 x 14
0.105 X-5000 mainline and 0.064 Stream
24 B2000

---

Chop rigs.   0.145 to 0.115 18 N600.

Fish are tiny.... this was biggest fish 

Lack of feature, lack of bonus fish

Liquidised bread with Impressive Mix

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Alvechurch Fisheries- Horseshoe

Peg 36
12lb
Last
16 fished

Alders Farm

Peg 8 Pines
95lb
3rd overall
13 fished

Haven't been to Alders Farm Fishery for ages and normally when I fish it, I'm on Pines (one of my favourite lakes in the country) and today we were on Ash Pool.  Was lucky enough to draw a decent peg, an end peg too.  Ain't had one for a while....

For me it was an all out on a pellet approach in open water and maggots down the edge.  Simple.

Started short at 6 meters and had 4 carp.  Then a very slow 1 hour,  caught nothing at 13 meters and unfortunately nothing on pellet feeder or method.  In this time I had been pinging 13 meter line, which was light switch.  This transformed my peg and even caught four carp shallow.  Nice day.   What a venue.

Gear used;

Colmic Airon F66 Pole
4x12 float
0.152 Spider Line and 0.125 Stream hook length
2.1mm Colmic Hollow Elastic.

Go and see Colmic Airon F66 at Alders Farm

I'm a great fan of 4mm lasso pellet

EC300 - fantastic top kit.

EFG150 with black dye.... awesome winter mix

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