Kennet and Avon canal- Teams of 4

Teams of 4 on the K&A. 

108 people fishing

Lie in this morning, left at 6.30am. 

From a pure selfish point of view i wanted to draw Farmers.... but drew Brimslde, however draw the end peg.  So can't complain, not that i do anyway. (Yes Martyn Howard an end peg).

After first round of the canal league I needed a boost, so glad I drew a flyer, BUT more importantly we had an alright draw on paper, but mega, but Robbie was in Farmers and not Wootton Rivers, Paz and Graham was ok where they draw.... just needed some luck with these skimmers.

Lines of attack

• Bread at 5 meters.... even though at draw i said it wouldnt be needed.

• 9 meters squatt line. Cupping in damp groundbait with squatts and deas pinkies in hope to catch skimmers

• Chop lines, as it was so clear, so decided to feet chop in 3 foot of water up the shelf.

• Loose feeding casters to reeds (lack of and lack of depth, water level was down)

I had a hybrid first chuck on bread, than took me all over the canal, was concerned it was a Tench and was going to break me, was shocked at 10oz..... this was only bite on the line.  Went up the shelf and caught 15 quick tiny roach, and had a quick look for skimmer, glad i did.I caught 4 skimmers in first hour on chop and 1 in last hour and roughly 80 roach in the middle.

Rigs used
Chopworm rig
0.3 gram Jon Walker float
0.14 to 0.09 hooklength.
19 Hayabusa 128

Squatt rig
4x10 and 4x12 Colmic Senna
0.10 to 0.06
24 IM1 hook

Weighed 10lb 10oz to just win my section, cane 4th overall.  Won £140..... that will cover my fuel bill this weekend

Marukyu Fine Dark Canal

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Lindholme- Commerical National

Commerical National today.
Peg 11 Beeches
20kg, 6 carp and 1 F1.... no good.
4th in section.
Team came 6th overall, 87 points and 6 points off a medal.

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Heronbrook - Maver Match This

Peg 6 Bridge
34lb
No good
76 fished

Drawing Bridge isn't my first choice of lakes, hoped to draw Match lake or Meadow lake, on one of the "ends or bends"..... however every 5 pegs paid out £70, which is nothing to over look, but end peg Bridge was going hard to beat, which it was. 44lb won section, i had a disappointing 34lb and lost 8 fish, cost me.

The frame weights were incredible.  See link below

https://mavermatch.co.uk/match-this-qualifier-no-4-heronbrook-fisheries/


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Lindholme fishery

Peg 9 Beeches
139lb
Won lake (10 on lake)
60 fished match

Nice to fish another 60 pegger, and fair play to the fishery they spread us around the complex.  30 on Bennies, 10 Beeches, 10 Laurels and 10 Bonsai.

A struggle for most of the match.... caught a few in last two hours for 139lb down the edge on maggots and EFG151 groundbait.

Nice day in the end, but no good in the overall standings.  But won my lake.

20 carp for 139lb

Lovely looking lake.

All weights on my lake

Top 4 weights are unreal.

1st 283lb
2nd 252lb
3rd 230lb
4th 200lb

Wish me luck for the commercial nationals next week.

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Teams 4. Kennet and Avon. Round 1

Peg A12
3lb 3oz
No good
8 points out of 27
108 anglers fished

Nice looking peg.... but no depth to far bank 🔚

Haven't seen my Devizes team mates for a while, so nice to see them.  Team draw wise, we didn't have the best to be honest, as Graham draw the bottom of the Pile, and you wanted a higher number, the higher the number potentially the better it was going to be be.  Myself drew close to where I was last year, which was tough and 3lb last year was good. The beginning and end of the section was better last year, so was a little up against it.

This match is normally about catching as much as you can before the boats start....  so making correct decisions early is crucial. As you are unable to correct your decisions as the match tends to get harder and them early fish may not feed again.

The match for me wasn't the start I wanted.  First mistake I made, was getting in the water.   This may of safed my gear from the narrow towpath, but my 4 meter line was awful....   the next mistake was I should of feed two lines at 10 and 2pm.... only few 10 o clock, this made shipping very quick as I am right handed and I shipped my pole down the towpath and not across, so didn't have to worry about my pole getting damaged by dog walkers, bikes, etc.

The boats weren't as bad as last year, as the weather was wet, which improved the fishing and I got a little caught out.  Should of fished in the slighter deeper water and left the scissors and worms in the bag...

I caught 3lb 3oz of mainly tiny roach (70 ish) and 1lb of bonus fish  (1 roach and 5 tiny skimmers).  This would only beat a few.... Timothy Ford whipped my arse (again) off the next peg by 1ounce.

Team wise we unfortunately struggled.  Nice to fish 108 pegger, like the old days.... but my silver fish skills are a little rusty and poor.  I felt I should of had 5lb.  It is difficult to compete against lads that specialise in natural venues only and me that does 85% carping and 15% natural venues.  I look forward to the next match in a couple of weeks, hopefully will perform better on a flyer 😂

Weights were really tight....

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Manor Farm Leisure - Island, Ash and Windmill pools

Peg 33 Island
51lb
2nd in section

A little disappointed with the draw, was hoping for Windmill Pool (peg 24), but draw Peg 33 Island, which ain't the worse, but certainly not the best.  With this in mind, I was only going to fish for my section, not point trying to win the match and blow the peg.

Caught a couple of F1's on the feeder tight to island, but was behind Neil, not by much, so decided to go on the pole, risky as this was always going to make Neil peg stronger.  The pole was awesome for while, but did die and came back on Stockies and at 2pm in was died.  And unfortunately just saw the section well and truely disappear.

I had 70 fish for 50lb.  Never caught in last 1 hour 30 mintues (well one carp on method).  Cost me my section.... 69 lb won section, well done Neil McKinnon who caught in the feeder..........

Gear used
18 gram Guru method feeder
Sweet Fishmeal method mirco pellets
0.20 to 0.16 hook length

Garbolino UK1 Pole
Edge

2.5mm Mosella Ozone Hollow elastic 

0.16 to 0.14 to 0.2 gram Jon Walker floats

18 Drennan carp match

Out rig
0.3 Jon Walker Diamond
1.8 Mosella Hollow elastic
0.145 to 0.11
18 Guru LWG

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Manor Farm Leisure

Peg 37 Island
85lb
Won section
4th overall
39 fished

Peg 37 Island wouldn't be my first choice of draws, but hey ho.  After been to my peg for an hour on my peg, I could see a couple of fish milling around the edge, so therefore dumped some gear (rod balls, trolly, cool bag) to try and keep people back from bank side noise, even Monty got a barrier..... lol.  Thanks mate.

However, two quick casts on feeder with nothing, I went down the edge and had a few early fish down the edge, 6 big F1's, lost 3 too, just pulled out.... but noise made by people, anglers I would add, was unreal.  Not one to moan, but this has cost me, as the edge never came back.....

I did have a nice day on my new pole and pellets and a few early fish down the edge with 3 maggots.  I caught all F1's apart from one small carp.

Gear used

Garbolino UK1 Pole
Edge

2.5mm Mosella Ozone Hollow elastic 

0.16 to 0.14 to 0.2 gram Jon Walker floats

18 Drennan carp match

Out rig
0.3 Jon Walker Diamond
1.8 Mosella Hollow elastic
0.145 to 0.11
18 Guru LWG

All F1's apart from one small carp.

Impressed with the Garbolino UK1 POLE 

Add caption

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Manor Farm Leisure - pairs

Peg 24 Middle Pool
95lb
Second in section
58 anglers fished
4th individually.
3rd overall in pairs with Liam

A few late units got me second in section, buy way off Nicky Dean

My drawing arm seems to have gone off track a little, don't get me wrong, there is worse pegs on the complex.... but beating pegs 28, 26 and maybe 20 could be really difficult and with sections of 5,  I guessed you would need two section wins..... which you did.

I had a cracking start on the method feeder with 2mm Sticky Sweet Method Pellets and 8mm Krill 4 Bands hook bait.  6 carp in first hour for 35lb.  After than it was a bit of struggle, caught a few fish on the long pole and 4mm pellets.... but my saving grace was 4 carp down the edge in last 40 mintues for 30lb.  Fished three dead red maggots over EFG130.   I weighed 95lb for second in section.  

Liam Dennick came 2nd overall and won his section off peg 34 Windmill. He had a nice day catching F1's at 17.5m against the Island with 4mm pellets.  He ended up with 60 F1s for 109-0-0.

Marukyu EFG130

Manor Farm Leisure is really beginning to fish

I always try and get the board weights, so you can get an honest review and I NEVER lie on attendances. 

Some food tokens

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Manor Farm Leisure - April fool

Peg 20 Middle
39lb
2nd in section
No good
25 fished

Caught 5 stockie carp on method and went on pole to catch 2 F1's and a carp...... and that was my lot!!  The next 3hours 15 mintues saw me catch 15 skimmers.  Even had 5 down the edge. 

Disappointing, but take the rough with the smooth

----
April fool....peg 23 Island.
21lb
Third in section.
No good
Take the rough with the smooth
36 fished