Lewy's Lines

Well my hope of a high finish in the festival is fading fast, but hey its way better than working! Next stop Pines.  The regulars to this festival say that Pines fishes better in the first few days of the festival and then tends to drop off as the skimmers take longer to "recover" from being caught. It will be an experience not to fish it in the cold winter months anyway... The Draw Peg 7, probably the worst draw and this peg is either feast or famine and the weights during the week had not been brilliant from it either. Set-up Peg 7 is very wide and with the wind blowing straight into my face I decided to break out a feeder to target beyond pole range to the far bank. Pole lines 13 metres, uniformed depth (7feet plus) for a number of swims Top two and 3 Margin line Up in the water rig for roach close in Bait today included more natural baits, maggots, caster, worm, groundbait, expander and micro pellets. All-In Todays approach would be negative due t

Putting the disappoint result from Oaks behind me it was fishing Tanners that I was looking forward to next.  The easterly wind had started to blow after the previous beautiful day so I fancied a draw down around peg 10 - 14, lets see what the drawbar had in store for me today. The Draw Well, peg 2 on the lawns, which is a good waggler and bomb peg so wasn't too disappointed.  I had the pellet waggler master for a neighbour on Peg 1, Dave Stockton and Silvers on Peg 4. Set-up The bomb rod was straight out of the bag together with a pellet waggler set up, really simple! While not a lot had been reported coming out from the margin I just had to set up a margin line to my right and a 5 metre pole line too. Again mainly pellets together with worms and sweetcorn. All-In At least the ducks got a feed! Speaking with Hathers after the draw he mentioned that I'd probably be spending 80% of the match on the bomb and pellet line, which I did to be fair, 5 hours in total

Section rotation meant that Oak was today's challenge and having only fished it a few times in the MFS winter silvers festival I really didn't know what to expect.  It would also be a pole only match which makes it a little more interesting or challenging whichever way you look at things. The Draw I didn't fancy being on the back bank of Oak which was the deepest area and of course my drawing arm didn't let me down putting me on peg 13 in the deepest area of the lake! Set-up Pole only so I fished three lines with the following rigs. 14 metres with around 8 feet of depth 6 metres with around 7 feet of depth Margin line to the left Shallow rig Pellets (micro, 4, 6 and 8mm) along with some worms for the margin as bait. All-In The weather was extremely warm so my match plan was to try and get some fish on the deck with hard 6mm pellets on the long line.  It was pretty apparent once the very deep rig went in the fish where of course shallow, so I started to

Stafford Moor May Spring Festival was too good to resist so a quick phone call to Hathers and I was on the festival filling in for one of the lads who couldn't make it this year. Seeing Stafford Moor in full bloom the fishery looks absolutely fabulous and more credit to Paul and Jo for the great job they continue to do.  Festivals full, specimen lakes booked out, life at the Moor is looking very good in deed! Lodging with Hathers, the mighty Spindle (the legend that he is), Hoggy and Perry Stone for the week replacing Dave Boyd for one year only! The format for the week would be rotating around the five lakes, Willow, Oak, Tanners, Pines and Woodpecker and the sections had been drawn by Jo and Paul at the fishery. The Draw My starting lake would be Willow which would also be the first time I'd fished it too. Peg 17, the corner peg looking from Aspen lodge.  Pegging is a little tight if I'm honest and my neighbours for the day were Jeb and Silvers. Set-up A s

After nearly a month of no fishing it was back to Stockbridge Pond with Farnham Angling Society for one of the regular Sunday matches. A good turn out, with 19 fishing so both sides of the lake would be in use today. The Draw Talk was that everyone wanted the closer, shallow bank rather than the higher peg numbers. My home for the day would be lucky for some, peg 13.  One peg along from the last match I fished here. Set-up The Waggler is a must at Stockbridge so that was first out of the bag, given the days weather, warm but overcast I opted to start this at half depth.  A feeder rod was also set-up to fish over the waggler line. Pole lines where: 10 metres ahead to fish the edge of the lilly pads 13 metres to my left in open water at the same depth of the 10 metre swim 10 metres swivelled round to the left hand margin with a light rig in case the roach where there Bait all natural, maggots, casters, worms, some sweetcorn and a little bit of groundbait for the feeder.

The morning started off frosty with the need to clear the car windscreen before heading off to the lovely Stockbridge Lake with Farnham Angling Society. Arriving at the lake, the water looked pretty clear with plenty of surface activity and some turns dive bombing the smaller fish. The weather forecast was favourable too, so a good day ahead beckoned… The Draw Being last on the match sheet I actually never got chance to draw today. Peg 12 was left in the bag for me which included scales for one half of the section. 15 anglers today so we were spread out across the bank nearest the car park. Set-Up Waggler and feeder rod to fish close to the middle of the lake and I selected two other pole lines at around 13-14 metres in front of me. I managed to get a decent depth of around 5 feet and the pond is pretty uniform at this depth. Bait included maggots, casters, worms, sweetcorn and hemp. I knocked up a small amount of groundbait for the feeder and one of the pole lines.

The first match of the new Farnham Angling Society season today at Kings Pond on the Badshot Lea complex, for me anyway. The weather over the weekend was mixed with a cold snap and over cast weather on the Sunday so I felt it would be a more negative feeding approach than positive. The Draw It was a full house at Kings Pond today, 16 pegs, 16 competitors… the draw was most orderly too. Richard Cain calling out the members in the order they had booking onto the match. I was fourteenth to draw and peg 13 came out for me. For note, the first time I fished here I was on peg 12! Set-Up The far bank was calling, however the choice would be waggler or feed/bomb. I decided to set-up a small feeder and clipped up to fish as close to the protective fence as I dare. Pole lines set-up as follows: 14 metres left and right side (to the tape), finding the same depth to reuse the rig Top two and 2 left and right side trying to find the edge of the lily pads (which are still submerge