A few years back, I did a series of ‘Hit Parades’ on everything from ‘My Top Ten Match Wins‘ to ‘Virgin Venues’ where I looked back through the blog and picked my favourite posts on different subjects. The last one was in September 2016 so with no fishing at the moment, I thought I’d do a new ‘Hit Parade’ covering my most enjoyable matches in the intervening years. So in no particular order,
13 – Better late than never
I drew a decent chub peg that I’ve always wanted to fish, I needed a good result for a top three league position but after three and a half hours, I only had minnows in the net!
https://www.againstmenandfish.com/2017/02/river-isle-ves-precision-league-7-19.html/
12 – Good Friday silvers
Summerhayes is one of my favourite venues and a well attended silvers open to start the long weekend.
https://www.againstmenandfish.com/2017/04/summerhayes-open-14th-april-2017.html/
11 – A proper bunghole
After my first visit to Todber where I didn’t disgrace myself with 97lb, I was looking forward to a return visit and drew a bunghole but how did I get on?
https://www.againstmenandfish.com/2018/04/todber-manor-open-21st-april-2018.html/
10 – Return to Stathe
We started to fish some inter-club matches and the first one was supposed to be against Taunton on the Tone but with the river flooded, it was moved to Stathe Drain, a venue I hadn’t fished since 2007!
https://www.againstmenandfish.com/2018/10/stathe-drain-taunton-vs-ilminster-7th-october-2018.html/
9 – A different stretch
For one of our winter leagues we were trying some different stretches of the Isle including Midelney which I hadn’t fished for years, I wasn’t sure how it would fish but had a lovely day.
8 – Snow roach
With snow on the ground, I was expecting this one to be a struggle…..
7 – Silvers heaven
Another trip to Todber and my first time on the fabled Homeground which had been producing some big bags of silvers.
https://www.againstmenandfish.com/2019/04/todber-manor-open-19th-april-2019.html/
6 – First time on 37
Summerhayes is one of my favourite venues and there aren’t many pegs I haven’t fished so when I drew 37 for the first time I was hoping for a nice days silvers fishing.
https://www.againstmenandfish.com/2019/08/summerhayes-open-26th-august-2019.html/
5 – Another blast from the past
I hadn’t fished the Stoke stretch of the River Parrett since the old mini league days so was looking forward to this inter-club fixture.
https://www.againstmenandfish.com/2019/09/river-parrett-stoke-vs-ilminster-1st-september-2019.html/
4 – Something a little different
For a match to remember Bob Hammond we decided to fish it at Dillington (his favourite venue) and make it rod only as that was his preferred method. I hadn’t wielded a feeder rod in anger for ages and was strangely looking forward to it.
3 – What a day!
We’d fished the Parrett at Muchelney a few times and it’s full of fish but this was a proper red letter day!
2 – Far end at Harry’s (for the first time)
We hadn’t fished for the Chris Patten memorial trophy since 2009 and when I drew the hot peg at Harry’s in the Xmas Fayre I was in with a chance of being the first person to win it twice.
1 – Fishing the stick!
Another inter-club fixture, my first match on the ‘Fast Stretch’ and the first time using a stick float for donkey’s years!
https://www.againstmenandfish.com/2020/01/river-tone-taunton-vs-ilminster-26th-january-2020.html/
I’ve really enjoyed looking back through the last couple of years and to be honest there were a few more matches that could have been on this list but I didn’t want to bore you to much! Would any of these challenge my original top ten list (see link at the top)? I’m not sure, maybe I’ll do an updated all time top ten if this no fishing goes on much longer.
Reliving some of them has just reinforced how much I’m missing fishing and I’m gagging to get back on the bank, hopefully if we’re all sensible, by the time we do get out again, there’ll still be some summer left! If there is I can’t wait to do some shallow fishing for carp at Perry St and Sadborow, silvers fishing at Summerhayes and corn on the pole and feeder at Dillington for those skimmers and bream, what will you be doing when we’re allowed out again?
