Harescombe - Field Lake

Harescombe.  Field Lake

Peg 5.  Right up the top on the lake, this is a feast or famine peg.  Unfortunately it was famine.

Only had 3 carp.  1 at 1.30pm and 2 in last 30 mintues.  Back to normal, "last" with 23lb. 😢

All weights below.

Thanks Ed for running the match.

Happy new year!!

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Alvechurch Fisheries- Winter League Round 3

Alvechurch Round 3 of Winter League.

Drew peg 29, last peg in the bag.  Was late for draw..... caught mainly on pole and maggots at 14.5 metres and 3 on the tip on pellets.

Won the match with 106lb.

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Thoughts of 2019

Happy new year to you.

For me 2019 hasn't really seen me get proper excited for any of fishing matches apart from Whiteacres in September with the boys, but I feel that's more of the atmosphere rather than the fishing.

 Neil Richards asleep at Whiteacres 

Festivals

The first festival of 2019 was at Todber Manor, 3 dayer.  I did poor, learnt a few things for 2020.

One of my highlights was winning the Manor Farm Festival in May.  First time I won it, the draw bag was incredibly kind.  I normally have one bad result that ALWAYS costs me.

My final festival was our private one at Whiteacres, great banter, caught a few fish and was lucky to win that.  It was mega close, all decided on weight.

Really enjoyed Mawgan Porth 

Team Fishing

Devizes MG is the team I'm with and have no interest in anyone else.  I haven't fished any Winter league matches again, fished one open at Horton, really enjoyed it, but got battered.  Fished the Spring League on the canal, proper match over 80 anglers fishing.  But OMFG it was tough.  Hungerford was awesome for most.  Had a couple of decent results and a couple of bad ones!!

Favourite Venue

Alvechurch.  Horseshoe and Canal.  The Canal is unreal for bites

Best match venue in the country.

Todber Manor, unreal.  Maybe not everyones cup of tea catching loads of fish.  But for me, its awesome.  Sensible rules and catch loads of fish.  Can't ask for more.  But two hours from my house, just wish it was closer, and I would be there all the time.

Facebook Results

I always would like to pride myself as giving the WHOLE picture of results on Facebook.  Good or bad it goes on.  Always used weight boards, where possible, to prove the number of anglers fishing and where the fish have been caught.  However, I found this has had an negative impact on my mate, as lads started taking the pi$$ (banter) on Facebook and he got quite upset.  So maybe, I think I'll stop using weight boards, as some anglers may feel pressured that people will see their performance.  It was never my intentions to upset anyone.  So for years I have used weight boards on match reports.  But now I won't.  So maybe, next time you use social media to broadcast your match or results maybe only list performers.

I will improve my write ups, as they are poor on how I caught.  So the "last" will stop, unless I do come last!! (Hope not).  I said it before, but will do some videos for 2020.

Plans for 2020

Number one, isn't fishing related, but I need to loose some weight.

Normally I set myself targets, but this year I am going with the flow.  I definitely only wanna venues where normally you can get loads of bites.  Enjoyed catching silvers on the commercials, but only had a couple of matches in December.   Looking forward to Manor Farm Leisure Silvers League.  Should be worth a few bites.

Thanks to Mosella, Hinders  and MK Quattro for their individual support.

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Manor Farm Leisure - Silvers ONLY

Manor Farm Leisure silvers only.
Peg 37 Boundary Pool
22lb 8oz
53 Fished

Drew peg 37 Boundary.  Filled it in for skimmers.  1 hour 30 mintues in and Gary Watts was getting bored.  I realised I wasn't going to catch skimmers, so head down for roach at 6 sections, and was flying at stages.  All on maggots.  Weighed 22lb 8oz of mainly roach.  Won lake and third overall.

Merry Christmas

Gear used

Garbolino UK2 Pole

1.2mm Hybrid elastic

4x14 Jon Walker Power Pencil float

0.16 to 0.10

18 B911

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Ivy House Lakes - Christmas Match

Ivy House 
Christmas Match.
26 fished

Drew peg 31, fished for carp for 20 mintues and unfortunately didn't catch one.  So head down on silvers and weighed 27lb.  Brilliant days fishing.  Fished 3 lines.  Caught on maggots over groundbait ( Hinders Tutti Frutti Expander, with some black dye).

Won silvers and section.

Well done to Allan for winning the match with impressive 80lb.

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Ivy House Lakes - Winter League Round 3

Round 3 of Winter League.
Peg 6 on Heron.
14lb
2nd in section

Not ideal and really is a poor area.  But I had a flyer last week..... so rough with the smooth.

19 carp and 2 F1's for 14lb, second in section and fourth on the lake.  I was lucky as it was tight, three 13lb weights in my section.

ALL weight below.

Gear used

Garbolino UK1
1.2mm Elastic
4 x 10 Malman Float
0.16 to 0.10
18 B911

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Alvechurch Fisheries - Round 2 of winter league

Peg 26 Canal
Last
19lb
30 fished

Drawing peg 26 wasn't ideal, but as I always say "you take the rough with the smooth".  This was hopefully going to be my dropper, especially as peg 1 is in, this will make things a little tighter, as a lot of fish do get catch long this time of year, and been on the corner of the island it will make the fish back off and spook a lot easier.

It took an age for me to catch, I caught all my fish on maggots, well one on 7mm punch bread at 12 metres, 1 metre off the bank.

Wish me luck for the rest of the winter league!!!

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Alvechurch Fisheries - Canal

Peg 16

123lb

Won the match

9 fished

I haven't fished Alvechurch Canal for ages, last time was the pairs match.  So was keen on fishing it.

Started on bread, and caught 4 and lost 2.  Fish swimming through the peg and unfortunately into the line causing foul hookers.  Which almost EVERYONE  suffered from, so wasn't my poor ability for once!! 🤣

After 35 minutes I introduce bait on various lines, and caught nothing.  So feed in 2 foot, which you would easily see the bottom of you were a "sky liner" behind me.  And unbelievably I caught in this depth of water.  Even Phil (fishery manager) said "can't believe your catching in that depth of water".  But happy days.

Caught almost all my fish in a honest 2 foot of water on PLAIN maggots tight across.  (I do find it fascinating how many people plug favouring their maggots these days!! Gosh I'm I becoming a grumpy git?).

I had 33 carp for 123lb and a little win.

Gear used

Garbolino UK1 Pole

4 x 10 Malman Cane float. (I still love Jon Walker floats)

0.145 to 0.12 B911 size 18 hook

1.4mm Slip Elastic 

Winter league on Saturday, hope I haven't used up all my luck.

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Ivy House Lakes - Winter League. Round 2

Peg 39
22lb 10oz
6 points out of 9
36 fished

Was praying for pegs 37 or 50.  However, peg 39, 8 carp and 2 skimmers later for 22lb 10oz and a "last".  Our lake fished quite well, looking at the weights.

This was a tough match and onr more decent carp would of gave me two more valuable points.  I lost one at net, pulling too hard and big unit (7lb) in the side, which I played for ages and lost it.  I bit gutted.  On well back on Heron in two weeks, on the tougher section.  Wish me luck!!  Peg 2 please.

Well done Magoo on the win and Jamie second.

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Alvechurch Fisheries. Round 1

Alvechurch Fisheries Winter League.  Round 1

Peg 8 Arrow

One broken pole, on the strike 😳.

3 carp and 8 Ide for 4th in section (10lb) . Tight at the top.... lost carp in the last 30 mintues and big Ide right at the death.... Owen " you jammy fu#ker" came straight off.  Talk about kiss of death!! 🤣🤣🤣

Caught most of fish at 19 metres, until broke section, then 17.5 metres.  Weren't quite long enough 😢.  Only manage one Ide at 13 metres.

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Ivy House Lakes - Moorhen and Kingfisher

Cheeky mid week match, can't remember the last time I fished in the week....

Drew peg 26.  Which I wanted to draw that lake.  24lb for 2nd on lake and 5th overall.  ONLY 6 on lake and 12 fishing.

Tough, but enjoyable day.  However learnt a few things for Sundays match.  Peg 34 PLEASE!!

Well done Jamie and Allan.

Ivy House Lakes - Heron

Peg 2 Heron

Nice day, came 5th with 47lb.  Faster loser!!  Long periods without bites and only four F1's!! Lack of stamp.  Not moaning, unlike some!!!

Caught everything on the pole.

18 fished

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Hascombe Fishery - Field Lake

Peg 2
Field Lake
136lb 8oz
2nd

It was Tim's birthday bash match, so lovely to get an invite.  I do love this lake, wish we had more regular matches are this lake from a pure selfish part on my end.... so any free opportunity I get, I'll fish it if free.

I drew a flyer, and basically caught almost all my fish down the edge on pellets.  I had some stunners.  The last 1 hour 30 didn't did die and I got punished for my laziness, as I got destroyed off the next peg!!!  154lb to my 136lb.

Boneless, enjoyable day.

Tim Hadland had 15lb of roach

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Ivy House Lakes - Winter League. Round 1

Peg 10 Heron Lake
50lb
2nd in section
2nd on lake
3rd overall
36 fished

This is my first winter league ever at Ivy House Lakes , which sees 36 anglers, which by todays standards is a great turn out. As even the  Upper Thames AT winter league only has 48 on it, 6 proper teams of 8.  And the Tunnel Barn Winter League has 4 teams of 8.  So unfortunately the days of fishing 100 pegs leagues are long gone in my area.  Shame, used to love them winter leagues that were 120 peggers!!  When I was a boy they were 144 pegs.

Last weekend, I drew peg 6 on Heron and I really struggled and packed up early.  Which is so UNLIKE me.  Then had a friendly ripping from Derek Newson!!

Todays match

Drew peg 10, which is on Heron.  This is a fantastic peg, so it was worth some bites.  I started at 14.5 metres on maggots and mirco pellets.  Then went to pellets at 16 metres.

I had two decent cap for 7lb between them and then mainly F1's.  I reckon I had 50 fish, great stamp of fish, bars of gold them F1's.

Very light pellet.   4mm was best.

Gear used

• Garbolino UK1

0.2 and 0.3 pellet floats.

0.145 to 0.10 B911 size 18 hook

1.2 Matrix Slip Elastic 

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