On Saturday it was off to the prolific Viaduct for a Fish South Silvers Qualifier although with the weather and temperatures all over the place, like everywhere at the moment, it’s been fishing trickier than normal. I was hoping for a nice peg on the near side but pulled out 130 on the opposite bank, the same swim I had last time I was here.
As per usual there was some top silvers talent on display including the likes of Mikey Williams, Callum Dicks, Richie Reynolds, Tommy Hillier, John Fuidge, Stu White, Dave Wilmott and Trigger (who’d just won back to back festivals at White Acres) to name a few!
The same view as last time
I set up a couple of 4 x 14 Preston Innovations F1 Maggots for top five and two lines at 14.5 metres. On the side tray I had maggots, casters and pinkies plus some Bait-Tech Special G F1 Dark groundbait.
On the whistle I fed the shorter line with a little loose groundbait with a few pinkies while on the longer line straight out I just cupped in some loose casters and the other 14.5 metre swim was fed more positively with groundbait and casters.
I kicked off short to let the longer lines settle and had a couple of little roach and a perch in the first thirty minutes. During the early stages I hadn’t seen a lot happening but odd skimmers were starting to come out on peoples longer lines as we neared the end of the first hour. Andrew Crocker on 131 to my right had a couple of decent fish so hopefully there were a few beginning to feed.
The lake had been flat calm but a light breeze got up which put some ripple on it and combined with ‘white water’ I couldn’t see the float on the left hand line and after the match several other anglers on our side said the same. Basically I binned off that swim and in a bid to make something happen, began toss potting small amounts of groundbait on the other line.
Andrew was catching steadily and the bloke to his right was getting a few while I was really struggling as was the lad on my left. My first skimmer came after two hours but I still wasn’t getting many bites whereas the anglers on the opposite bank were now catching quite well. I started a new line angled to the right but my first bite resulted in a carp tearing off before snapping me and I didn’t know what to do next.
Back on the line straight out, three decent skimmers in as many chucks gave me hope but it was short lived. The next indication came from the new line but unfortunately it was another carp and I hooked three on the trot.
I did hook one fish which may have been a big skimmer or a carp but the line went round the toss pot, resulting in no elastic coming out and it snapped me so I’ll never know! Worse still, after putting a new hooklength on, I went to ship out and the rig fell off as the stonfo must have opened up! Thankfully it popped up not too far out and I managed to retrieve it not long after.
It never really got any better for me and I only had one more skimmer along with a decent perch and I wasn’t too upset to hear the all out. I finished up with five skimmers, a perch and some bits for probably 6-7lb and wouldn’t be troubling the scales, my left hand neighbour had also struggled for three skimmers and chucked back.
The scales started on our side as we were packing up and Andrew had an excellent 30lb 3oz which would give him a great chance of qualifying. It had been hard going for the rest of our side with a few 9lb weights and several DNW’s. The opposite bank had fished quite well with John Fuidge coming agonizingly close with 30lb 1oz on 116 and Ant King, Dave Willmott and Mikey all being just a fish or two behind.
1 – Andrew Crocker – 30lb 3oz (Peg 131)
2 – John Fuidge – 30lb 1oz (Peg 116)
3 – Ant King – 29lb 2oz (Peg 110)
4 – Dave Wilmott – 28lb 10oz (Peg 113)
5 – Mike Williams – 25lb 6oz (Peg 114)
Andrew Crocker qualified for the final with 30lb 3oz of skimmers*
Photo credit – Fish South*
Thanks to an extremely generous £30 from an anonymous donor, £3 from me and £2 from Nick P, the grand total for this years Nugget-O-Meter is an excellent £560 which is the best one yet so a massive thanks to everyone who has got involved.
I’d only ever intended to do it for one year as a tribute to my Dad but with it being my Mum’s birthday and the anniversary of my Dad’s passing in November, I’ll continue doing it and donating it to Chris White’s and Stoke Club’s charity fund for the Oncology Unit at Yeovil Hospital.
So many people have contributed and got involved along the way and whether it’s a pound, a tenner or thirty quid it’s very welcome and all goes towards a brilliant cause. In the three years The Nugget-O-Meter has been going it’s raised £400, £500 and £560 which is just fantastic so thanks again.
Thinking of you both every day
There’s still a great offer running if you fancy treating yourself to some new fishing gear, use the exclusive discount code AgainstMenandFish10 to get 10% off when you shop online at Somerset Angling
Also I still have copies of my book available from eBay here or Amazon here
And if you could spare five minutes to leave a nice review on Amazon, it would be very much appreciated.
Next up – Revels
Coming soon – Lots more match reports
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