Wednesday 12th July 2017 - Shiplate Hawthorns

It was Wednesday and we were attacking Hawthorns Shiplate.   Fifteen of Dad's Army arrived to assault the fifteen pegs available.   The weather looked set fair, and the lads were in good shape!

Steve and Reggie were in the shop, they couldn't wait to tell us the rumours how it's been fishing? only George believed them!!    There was no problem choosing pegs, they were all in.   Peg three was the Golden Peg, which Nasty Sheriff drew; would he put another fifty pounds into his deep pockets??

I completed all the business, and the draw was made;  I got peg one which was not ideal for me.  Off to the bank to prepare our kit and wait for Horny to toot.   My main bait for today was caster with two different rigs, one with the bulk weight a foot from the hook, on a one gram float, fishing just over depth.   The other a 0.2 gram float set to drift down slowly, hoping to catch any silvers at all levels,  well that was the plan.

It was ten o'clock and we got going.   I started with the positive rig and caught a few roach, but as time went by I knew it was not enough.   I changed to my lighter set up, and started to catch a few rudd, but mostly the float reached the bottom, where I started catching  mainly carp.

Cockerel Colin on peg two was losing more carp than he landed.    He decided to try and pull the tree on the far bank towards him; the air was blue and I was having a good laugh, only to pull out one of the pests, and was up a tree myself!!!

Horny had one of his usual disasters; he lost two sets of top kit, so he packed up early, plus his tooter stopped tooting so he had to shout all out.

I had a good day's fishing, plus entertainment;  I weighed 9lbs10ozs of silvers and 24lbs 4ozs of carp.   Top overall went to Tony Newell, with the Chef second.   Big Bird won silvers, with "They'll Come George" second.  

The average weight being around 40lbs from fifteen anglers.   Thanks Shiplate for another great day at your excellent fishery

     On Sunday its Avalon, and next Wednesday Woodlands Trinity.

                         Plenty of room so get on the phone.

                                         Let's do it.

                                             

                                                           Chair Bob