Blakey's Fishing Blog

A good turnout (11 members) plus a few spectators for this weeks Wednesday Evening Stan Memorial Silver Fish Match on another pleasant and still evening.

I had 4th Pick in the walk off and luckily Peg 24 was left available so in I went - not virtually in the water you understand but you get what I mean I hope. Mick Byrne had moved over from his normal location on the Road Bank to Pick Peg 25 ahead of me and Mick Wagg had gone over to peg 9 - (Carp Alley)


I set up nice a light with same rig as the last Silver Match - Size 18 to 2.5lb line 6-8 Elastic on my Middy Hot Spot Match Kit. Set up for two lines - Arc sweep at 3 & 5 metres.

It was possibly going to be a curtail match time wise as the nights are already drawing in but it was pretty clear so should be able to go till 8.45pm.

At the whistle - 1st Drop in with Single red maggot I'm in with a nice 4-5 oz Roach, but then it is slow and only smaller stuff for the next hour _ I keeping bumping the bigger ones off - perhaps my elastic is a bit tight but it is the same as it was two weeks ago - I persevered but allowed my frustration to show and had a mini tantrum after a series of missed bites / lost Fish, which did not go unnoticed by Kev Keeling who was keeping a 'watching brief' behind his Son Matt over on the Road Bank in Peg 11. That served to remind me that I supposed to here enjoying a relaxing evening's fishing in good company not getting all competitive !

I kept going and the fish got smaller and smaller but at least I was landing them and putting weight in the net bit by bit. Over on Peg 9, Mick (The Silver King) Wagg was having a few but nothing big apart from the occasional Carp which were dispensed with the normal quote 'P** off you b#####s, and short shrift on pulling the pole up meant they did, however I believe he did have a sizable Bream on a one stage which he may have been a bit aggressive with or thought it was a carp or fouled hooked - Mick - please use the comment button.

Gary (Cruiser) Somerfield to my left on Peg 27 joined in the Carp fun also with a run of two late on - The 1st pulled his elastic for ages and after two failed attempts to get into his landing net which reportably was stated to be too small as its head would not fit in Spectator Martin Johnson rushed round with Mick Wagg's landing Net, but you can guess the next bit can't you - just as Martin arrived the carp had decided it had had enough and smashed Gary Up. The 2nd was a little more active and smashed him straightaway. Of course it will be All-In next week and the carp will not show.

I had heard a little bit of splashing from bigger fish further up to my Right where Dean & Barb Peters were fishing - I think Dean has had a couple of large Skimmers.

I was hoping they would not move into my Swim - A few Tench bubbles had moved in on my 3 metre Arc so I went out to 5m but the fish were even smaller - went out to 6 & 8m same problem.

By this time the bubbles had dispersed so I came back to the middle of the 3m arc - but looks like everything has gone , then all of a sudden the floats slowly disappears and the elastic pulls out - my immediate thought is large Tench but no Tench Knocking or Carp thumping - could it be a bream if it is it could Mr or Mrs Bream - I have never caught them. So I take it careful just in case - slowly gain ground and it surfaces - It is one of the 'Big' Bream so I put the tip into the water to reduce the upward pressure on it and successfully play it to the net - I think largely unnoticed by everyone else. (was this the same one That Mick lost or Mr or Mrs Bream off on a loner ?

I had another sizable Roach and that was it Match finished at 8.50 pm.

Weigh-In done and I had just over 10lb - with the Bream - Should have weighed it separately as I don't think I had 3lb of Roach - estimate at 7 to 7 1/2 Lb.
Enough for me to Win with Dean 2nd and Matt Keeling, 3rd - a swift pack away and departure - good job too as just as I'd finished packing away the gear at Home a huge thunderstorm descended on us - with heavy refreshing Rain & good 'cleaner' for the Nets left to 'Dry' in the Garden.

Labels: Wednesday League Match