Sunday 28th January - Clevedon Club Match, Main Lake, Plantation Fishery Kingston Seymour

I had some bad news from our Team Captain Chris Hook on the Friday evening. Chris had received a letter from Maver saying they would no longer be supporting us. I was not totally surprised but gutted for Chris as he has managed the account with them since 2006 and the deal we had with them was very good. I have closed our Team Facebook Page now but not without thanking Maver for their support over the years first. Views within the Team are mixed but whats done is done and I don't think we are the only Team to be dropped. What happens next remains to be seen but we will do our best to continue in some form.

So... on to today. I was hoping to fish the Taunton Open on the River Tone but the rain in the week suggested it would be in flood so I booked into my Clubs Match at Plantation Lake just outside Clevedon.
I have fished it a few times but not within the past 2 years or so. Not many matches are held on it and if so only in the winter. Apart from the carp there is a big head of skimmers, roach and specimen perch.

At the Club AGM this year a rule was passed that allows you to invite a non member friend to fish a Club Match but only once during the year. Team mate Sam Johnson asked if I could book him in which I did.

We met in the Fishery Car Park for the draw and 16 were booked in but one dipped out. We had the whole lake so there would be plenty of room. Match Secretary Adie Baker had it all well organised as usual. The wind was quite gusty and I fancied a peg up the top end of the lake 16 or 17. Those pegs were not in but I did pull out 19 which was right at the top of the lake with an island chuck.

The wind was blowing across left to right so I set up the pole at 8 metres to fish 2 lines with a 4x14 to 0.10 hook length and an 18 hook. I planned to fish soft pellet over micro. A small method feeder was set up to fish to the island. 

Both pole lines were fed on the all in and then a chuck with the method tight to the island. 

After 10 minutes and the second chuck the tip slowly went around and I had a big skimmer on a white wafter. A few liners later I got bored and went on the pole. It didn't take long for a bite and it was a quality roach. From what I could see the action was pretty slow both sides of the lake so just stuck on the pole drip feeding micros through the pole pot. I was quite happy catching roach but really wanted the skimmers. They finally arrived just over halfway through the match and were taking the pellet mainly on the drop.

Word came around that Lance Tucker down on the other end of the lake on peg 38 was having a good day.  

I did get a carp on the pole, a decent one at that, over 5lbs but that was the only one.

I had a busy match and enjoyed it but came no where.

Lance did win the match by a comfortable margin made up of 10 carp and a great bag of silvers.

Here is the weight sheet......

Just look at those weights, average per angler worked out at 31lb.

Well the gears all cleaned up now as I am away all of February so next outing will be in March and hopefully we will have sorted out the Teams future plan. On a personal note I would also like to thank those Teams who have approached me as well as putting out a welcome hand for my Team mates.