Welcome to my fishing blog… October 2022

October 23rd – RBL Club Match – Stathe Drain – Somerset Levels

Last Sunday, I should have been fishing an Alcove match on the lido but the water level had dropped so low it was not possible and so we ended up having a silvers-only knock-up at Whitehouse Farm. I had over 5lb for a section win on that one.

However, today we were at Stathe Drain, which nestles on the Somerset Levels between Bridgwater and Taunton. A lovely quiet venue with a good head of bream, roach, tench, skimmers, perch and a few carp. On arrival, it was quite “alarming” to see how clear the water was as all the weed had been cut by the water authority 2 weeks previous. So, basically, the fish had nowhere to hide.

We managed to persuade Kevin Swanston, one of the Alcove lads to join us, making it a 10-man match, with 2 sections of 5. Well, I won here last year from the end peg, so either peg 1 or 10 would be a plum draw today. Unfortunately, it was not to be as I drew peg 7. My plan was to fish a light rig at 8-metres down the middle and a bit heavier right over at 14 metres. The choice of floats was Chianti style with a 0.2gm for the middle and a 0.3gm for right over. The wind was due to pick up hence the heavier float for the long line.

Other than that both rigs were identical with 0.15 Guru N-Gauge mainline to a size 18 Guru LWGF, tied to 0.11mm hooklength. I like to keep everything simple when I can. On the whistle, I cupped out a small nugget of Sonubaits Black Bream groundbait, laced with a few casters, some dead red maggots and a few live pinkies. On the long line, I cupped out some casters and hemp. I had a small rudd on the first put-in but after that bites were hard to come by. In fact, it was beginning to be a real struggle due to the clear water I suspect. 

I could see Tony Humphries on my left getting a few on the whip and I was wondering whether I should set one up but I just couldn’t be arsed, a decision which might have cost me, probably, maybe. However, Alan Maggs to my right was also struggling a bit, which didn’t make me feel any better. A quick look right over brought a few bleak so that method seemed like hard work when I could just as easily catch bleak of the same stamp down the middle. The news came down the bank that Ian Swanborough on peg 1 was catching bream.

On hearing this “shocking” news I was more determined than ever to stick it out on the shorter line and pile in some feed. After about 2 hours I finally struck into what I think was a tench. It managed to find some weed from somewhere and I could feel it digging in on the bed of the drain. I couldn’t shift it so piled on the pressure and then the inevitable break. I don’t what it is but it almost seems obligatory that I should lose at least one good fish on every session I have these days. It’s spooky!

So, I must admit I was losing interest fast toward the end with just an odd bleak coming and a small rudd every now and then. To top it off the rain began to get quite heavy in the last hour making it really uncomfortable too so I was quite glad to hear the final whistle. I reckoned I had well over 2lbs of small fish and might have even had 3lbs but I’ll never know for sure as I tipped them back and packed up as quick as I could.

Tony to my left had over 4lbs and so that was good enough to take our section of 5. At the other end, the guys on pegs 1 and 2 had a totally out-of-this-world experience compared to the rest of us. Ian finished up with an easy and comfortable victory after putting 28lb 11oz on the scales, mainly bream with a tench for good measure. On peg 2 was Kevin Murch who finished second with 10lb 9oz. The other section winner was Adrian with 3lb 13oz.

Another one to forget for me but I’m still looking forward to going back again next year.    

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January 2023

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June 2022

July 2022

August 2022

September 2022

October 2022

   2nd – Alcove v Silver Bream – Whitehouse Farm

   9th – Alcove v RBL – River Avon- Keynsham

   23rd – Stathe Drain – Bridgwater

November 2022

December 2022

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