Wednesday 8th November 2017 - Viaduct Campbell lake

We had a sharp frost today, with the promise that the temperature would not pass double figures.    So why did I have fifteen of Dad's Army parting with their ackers, laughing and joking, without a hint of complaint?    I must assume they all have some sort of problem with their heads!!!

We were at Viaducts today, the lads were going to tackle Campbell so there was plenty of space.   We didn't expect great weights but knew we would have some fish.    Matt looked after our needs today, he also drew the Golden Peg 115, which was drawn by Tivi, who had Bad Boy George on his right and myself to his left, all fishing for silvers.

Horny tooted and we were off, or should I say The Nasty Sheriff was, he was catching small skimmers and roach, as was Big Bird, they were both on the other side of the lake.   I could not see any carp being caught, and there was very little movement on the surface.    My little marbles were so cold,  I thought I'm in for a gender change?  Dave next door said the cold makes him pee more, as he sidled up to a willow tree;  but there was not a moan from my mate George.

We were finishing to three o'clock, and I thought we were all relieved when the final toot sounded, and Matt arrived with the scales.   I could not see the weigh in taking long, which is unusual at Viaducts, but it had been very tough.

The few carp caught came from the car park end of the lake, with the Wizard winning overall with 43lbs 3ozs, Ninjar was second with 27lbs 7ozs.    The silvers was won by that collector of nuggets Danny who beat Rob by ounces.

Well done you intrepid men of Dad's Army, a successful day under pressure.

    On Sunday it's Landsend, and next Wednesday the platoon will visit Trinity.

                                      Get your longjohns on!

                                                     Chair Bob

Sunday 5th November 2017 - Trinity Woodlands

Hi folks, we have a new Sunday Blog Man...... Steve King

The HLS crew were back to the lovely trinity waters today, and with 21 fishing Martin had to think about the pegging but the fantastic Misha had already  done this; thanks!

Golden pegs were picked and they were pegs 19,29

The weather was cold ,windy, and Saturday night Bridgewater had loads of rain so it could be hard !

I asked "Phil guru Beards" if he would like a pound side bet and he agreed !!!!!! he had a few side bets today.  "that’s why he went home early "

A quick  look at the lake and pegs 2,3,6,31,32 had no wind on them and the rest were choppy !!!!! so into the draw bag and I pulled out peg 17 ,a great peg but  would have the wind in my chops all day , it is a good carp peg and with pegs 16,18 not in I was a happy bunny.

Peg 17

Pegs 16 & 18

I asked Misha how the peg was fishing and she told me that last week it was not good but fish have fins.....

My plan was to fish towards  peg 18 and also midway towards peg 16 and a silvers line at 2+3 just in case the carp did not feed and a method rod to fish in the open water

So at the all in I put some ground bait and pinkie on the 2+3 line  and some micros towards peg 18 and maggots towards peg 16,  and out with the method, after a bite less hour on the tip (not to be used again ) it was time to try the pole. I had a look down the edge on the micro line and  it just sat there!!! Ummm, I will catch on the maggot line towards peg 16, ummm NO! ..time for a drink and looking around nobody was catching !!!

Time for the silvers me thinks !!! I put a single red on a 20 and placed it over the ground bait line ummm it just sat there after 20 minute I had a lift bite and a 3oz skimmer in the keepnet .It was hard going but over the next few hours I had a few small skimmers in the net, I didn’t have a bite in the margins all day ?????

As the scales went around, it was obvious it was a very low weight match, Paul and Mike  had sneaked a few better silvers in and I was sure they both beat me but I had just enough ....happy days!

It was a hard day but a close match and to be honest I like that !

And Phil you owe me a nugget !!!!!!! you tart!!!!

1st  overall - Tony n           25-8                                    

1st silvers - Steve k         10-2

2nd overall - Eric                 21-4                                    

2nd silvers - Mike d         9-8

3rd overall - Dick b          16-13                                  

3rd silvers - Paul b            8-3

Next Sunday its Landsend please book in with Phil

Wednesday 1st November - Emeralds Fishery

We were back at Emeralds today, thirteen of Dad's Army were tooled up and ready for the assault.    George volunteered to do the pegging, and Danny assisted me.

Alan asked if he could check and move the fish we catch at the weigh in.   We decided to fish 10-00 to 3-30, mainly because of the light, and I beleive it will be just five hour matches until the spring.

I collected the cash,  sorted the pools and Alan, so it was onto the draw.   The Golden Peg was three, drawn by Kev, with myself on two, and Chef Pete on one.   Horny tooted the all in, so off we went.   I plumbed my swim,  found the better depth was in short, and decided this was the place to fish.

It was light gear and hook size 20, my usual for silvers, with maggot and caster for hook bait.   At the start I caught roach of various sizes, but it slowed down as time passed, but I managed a couple of crucians which helped.   After three hours the silvers dried up completely and the carp moved in.    At this point I noticed Bend It having a chat with Bad Boy, after ten minutes he walked back to his peg, lifted up his pole and pulled in a plump roach!!!    Is this his new approach to fishing?

At the all out toot, everyone has caught fish; it's was a tough but enjoyable day.   I weighed in just 5lbs 3ozs of silvers, and to my surprise it was good enough to win

The overall went to John with 48lbs 13ozs.  Second was Peter with 39lbs 2ozs.

            On Sunday it's Trinity, and next Wednesday Viaducts.

                     My very large Hot Toddy is sliding down as I write.

                                              Chair Bob

Sunday 29th October 2017 - Avalon Fisheries

With the Isle of Avalon on the horizon, 21 HLS guys arrived at the Avalon Fisheries. The immediate discussion was the colour of the water and that it didn't favour a good days fishing. I think they were getting their excuses for failure in early!!

The weather was forecast to start cloudy and then clear and the wind to get cooler as the day progressed. It swung around to northerly during the match and gave the guys on the easterly bank a good chilling.

Pegs 4 and 12 were drawn as the golden pegs, of which George got 12 but I didn't hear any moaning. Shane got peg 4. I hoped for a high teen/early 20's peg, so of course I drew 30.
I tend to come to Avalon set for silvers as you can usually get plenty of bites from the good stock of skimmers and bream. When I got to the peg, I decided on three pole lines; 8m out front, 5m at 10 o'clock and the left margin. I also set up a tip rod with a small cage feeder and a 12" hooklength with size 18 hook. Two of the pole lines could be fished with the same rig. I chose my favourite Nick Gilbert 1g pencil float with a size 20 hook. I tend to choose a float with a black tip to see it easier against the water. With the margins having a good depth in them, I also had an identical rig in the box but shorter depth.
Bait was a selection of 4mm expanders, corn, casters, dead reds and worm. For groundbait, I was trying Tom Thick's black, 'intelligent groundbait'. I mixed it 50/50 with some Baitech silvers crumb as I was advised by Mike Bendell. That's my failure excuse sorted!!!

Peg 30

At the all in I fed the pole lines and cast out the feeder baited with double dead reds. I immediately got bits pulling at the maggots but no takes. I continued this for 30 mins before going to the 8m line. With an expander on the hook I got bites, all be it from small roach. Changes to other baits got the same fish or nothing. After an hour it appeared to me that a single dead red was getting more bites than the rest of my baits. My first put into the margin got a carp who tore off down the margin and snapped my elastic at the dacron connector. This is not the first time this has happened and I'm wonder what's the best way to connect to the light elastics I use for silvers. Answers on a postcard please? I didn't get any change in bites from the 5m line so tended to concentrate on the 8m line. I tried a small worm and dead red cocktail. this gave me a bite from a large common. I played it carefully but the small hook gave way at the net. Another time I hooked into a common and the hook came out. My perseverance got me a nice bream of 4lbs and some better quality skimmers.
My only fish on the tip was a 4lb common, taking a piece of corn.

As for the guys around me, there was Paul Bowyer on 29 who seemed to being slightly better than me. Dave Tunstill next to him who was doing better again. On 27 was Martin Western who did not have a good day and went home at 2:30. Next to him was Tony Fry who had found the carp and steadily caught for the first 5 hours.
There was no one on my immediate left but Horny Beards was the last man on 32. He made a declaration that if he didn't catch a carp from that peg then he'd give his rod and reel to Kev Hayes. I must admit I went on before the this presentation happened. I'll ask Kev how he's getting on with the rod/reel!!!!
Other guys I could see was Danny on 16 who was catching steadily and entertained me when he hooked a carp, only for his elastic to break at the bung at come out the pole. The carp didn't swim off and so Danny was able to get hold of the elastic and retrieve his rig. The carp was lost. Danny, your get some luck!! I didn't trouble the scorer but reckon my total would have gone around 10lb.

At the end of the match, the two winning weights came from the two northern pegs. Tony got overall with 83lb 4oz and Bobby Pascoe put together a very respectable silvers weight of 20lb 14oz.

Wednesday 25th October 2017 - Shiplate Hawthorns

It was another Wednesday, and we were at Shiplate Hawthorns on a perfect day weatherwise for fishing.   We had ten lads, the perfect number to fish this fifteen peg lake;  BUT  there was a humungous amount of cold rain overnight, and the water level was up!!

We were very spoilt today, with Carol, Steve, and Reggie looking  to our needs, and  so no weighing in to be done.   I got the guys to part with their cash, while Carol wrote out the draw numbers, and selected the Golden Peg which was number seven.

At the draw Bad Boy got twelve and was happy!!!  while the Sheriff got golden.  My peg, the last in the hat, was three.   I had Tivi to my left on one, and Tonto on peg four.   Tonto's first question was "How far into your swim Bob can I cast" some things never change.

For me, like most times, it's keep it simple, just caster and red maggot over small amounts of ground bait laced with caster, fed regularly.    Horny tooted and I realized it was going to be tough, with just three small roach to show after two hours of effort.   Dave was struggling, as was Tonto who had one carp and  lost one, commenting what a silly boy he was, there was no answer to that. 

Steve had said the fish tended to feed later, so with patience I persevered with my plan, and was rewarded with a good second half session.   I had a dozen or so roach, some skimmers, and a small tench, which gave me 10lbs 4ozs in silvers,

plus 35lbs 4ozs of those pesky carp.  This was good enough for the match, and some more of those precious nuggets!!  All  thanks to the humble red maggot on a twenty hook.

             This Sunday we visit Avalon, so always room with plenty of pegs.

                   Next Wednesday we return to Emeralds.

                                    "Dog and Bone" Phone PLEASE

                                                     Chair Bob

Sunday 22nd October 2017 - Summerhayes Long Lake

We were at Summerhays Longs today, and there were eighteen of us contesting on a very windy day.   Six hours to test our 'skills' in the most trying of conditions; we would see.

Peter was busy making bacon and sausage butties, plus plenty of hot drinks.  Treasure collected the money and decided how to distribute the the same.   Next it was the draw, the Golden Pegs were eleven and twenty five, Tivi got eleven and

myself twenty five.

Horny tooted and it was all in.  It was maggot and caster over ground bait for me, with a short pole, the weather allowing nothing else.  It was a slow start, but a few small silvers entered my keepnet, plus some carp, but I knew Tungstan had a better catch.   Three hours in and a surprise bream entered my net, which gave me some hope;  but as we all know the scales don't lie.

Today there were a lot of fish caught, so it was a very evenly fought match, with eight weights within ten pounds of the winner Dick, who had 47lbs 15ozs.  Second was Tonto with 46lbs 13ozs, and third Colin with 44lbs 8ozs.

Tungstan won the silvers, with myself second, and Bad Boy third.   I must say the silvers were tough going.   Full results below.

        On Wednesday we visit Shiplate Hawthorns with room for more,  and  next

                       Sunday it's Avalon.

                                               A call would be nice

                                                                Chair Bob

Wednesday 18th Oct 2017 - Trinity Woodlands

Another Wednesday, another match, the venue Trinity Woodlands.    We had seventeen stout!!  fellows today, including a new Wednesday member John, and the craic was pretty good.

Misha looked to our needs this morning, making hot drinks, and helping select the pegs to be fished.    I collected  the coin, paid our dues, and sorted the pools;  then we had the draw.    Ninja got lucky with the Golden Peg number fourteen, I was next door with thirteen, so I had the privilege of watching and hearing Eric hauling carp into his net, which were caught mainly on worm. Eric was the runaway winner of overall and extra nuggets from the the Golden Peg fund.

I was looking for skimmers, and so I fished maggot caster and worm, over grounbait and loose feed.     I had a serious lack of memory, I forgot to bring my nets or groundbait!!    Marilyn arrived five minutes before the off with the nets, and Kev supplied a bag of groundbait; the day was good again. 

Horny tooted and off we went.    It was not long before I had my first skimmer in the bag on a single red maggot.   I had decided to go for quality today, so it was out in front; I could see the Nasty Old Sheriff doing the same.    This did not win, it was first and second to margin fishermen, Bad Boy George and New Boy John on caster.

The highlights of the day for me were two nice tench, about three pounds, and the second, the very reasonable price charged by the fishery A BIG THANK YOU.

Please see the results below.

I now have twentyfour names and money for the Fur and Feather on December 17th.   Any members wanting to fish please come forward as soon as possible, as we need to be buying the prizes and making the arrangements.

     On Sunday it's Summerhayes Longs, and next Wednesday Shiplate  Hawthorns

                               It don't get easier

                                                              Chair Bob