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MFS - Stafford Moor - Silvers Festival, 25th February 2019

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With the arrival of 2019 another visit to Stafford Moor for the MFS silvers festival comes around. Organised by Herbie, our intrepid leader supported by Kenfish and Hathers. I had arrived early on the Saturday morning having suffered some sleepless nights in excitement for the week ahead and had some opportunity to practise on both Woodpecker and Pines. Over the weekend the weather report was shaping up for a cracking week considering 2018 we suffered from the “beast from the east” this week promised to be totally the opposite and around a 20-25 degree C difference in temperature! Monday morning soon came around and we all gathered at the JoOp, “the tackle shop with everything” ready for the start of the MFS Stafford Moors Silvers. The Draw Today would be an open draw across all the lakes, Woodpecker, Tanners, Pines and a new addition for this year Beatties (the specimen lake). It would also determine the section we would be fishing in for the next 4 days. Tanners and Pe

Sumners Match Lake - Rick's Silvers Series, 10th February 2019

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Match two of the three series silvers league organised by Ricky Baxter. Great to see all the lads and the final time to get some fishing in before the week that is Stafford Moor! The Draw Peg 6, on the left hand bank with an island chuck for me today and the wind off my back unlike the poor souls over the other side of the lake... Set-Up Waggler and bomb rod for across. 3 metre whip line and a margin line. Bait was all natural maggots and casters. No groundbait or pellets today. All-In The far bank island was way too tempting so I started on the waggler to try and winkle any of the lakes resident chub by pinging casters across. So the first 30 minutes was spent on the waggler with some small silvers coming, however nothing of note and of course the stocky carp got involved in the action too. Meanwhile I had been feeding the whip line and knew that I could catch fish at a quicker rate than the waggler. Dropping on to the whip line and I was quickly into fish of

GAS - Sumners Match Lake, 27th January 2019

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I joined Godalming Angling Society at Sumners Match Lake near Horsham today. Twenty anglers arrived to quite a cold and windy day. Today's match counted both carp and silvers however there was also a silvers pool, draw depend would shape my day, I aslo wanted to use the day as further silvers practise for Ricky Baxters Silvers League. The Draw Permanent Peg 4 in the bowl was my chosen peg for the day, which was also the end peg. I'd fished the bowl previously so I was definitely starting to think that my carp match was not going to happen. Set-up I grabbed a feeder rod that was setup with a modified method feeder and some pole elastic to carry a PVA bag of pellets and a white wafter for the carp. Pole Lines where: 3 metre whip 12 metre line 5 metre margin line Bait was very simple, casters, maggots together with some groundbait just in case the carp or even larger skimmers moved in. All-In I had to start the match and try to find a carp, so the feeder r

Sumners Match Lake - Rick's Silvers Series, 13th January 2019

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Rick Baxter announced a three match silvers series at Sumners Match Lake spread across January, February and March. With a great bunch of lads and just down the road it was too good to resist particularly as it would make great practise and preparation for Stafford Moor silvers at the end of Feb. The Draw Temporary peg 20, the first peg on the right hand side from the car park, right next to the "wedding platform". Set-up After getting some tips from Hathers and with the wind blowing straight into my face I set up the following: 3 metre whip 6 metre pole lines to my right and into the margin Bait was very simple, maggots, casters and a small amount of worm.  No ground bait mixed at all. All-In The plan was to exploit the whip line for the first hour and then to strategically take silvers from the margin and 6 metre lines.  It didn't quite work that way. The wind in the face was a pain but I soon got into a rhythm with the short whip and before long

Sumners Match Lake - Silvers, 28th December 2018

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A post Christmas silvers knock up at Sumners Match Lake was posted on friendsbook by Hathers organised by Dave Fifield.  Given I was due to fish a three match series to would provide an ideal opportunity for some practice at the venue beforehand. It was great seeing a lot of the lads, Shedders, Jaapster, Hathers, Pikey, Silvers and Rick to mention a few.  No warm bacon butties lads, not this morning anyway. The Draw Temporary Peg 5 which was on the bowl and I think permanent peg 28.  The first time I've been in this area and of course I had my old mate Shedders as one of my neighbours! Set-up The water was pretty coloured however I've been having some success on the waggler lately so that came out of the bag as well as a feeder rod, just in case. Pole lines were 14.5 metres to my right where I'd fed reasonably heavy for the larger skimmers.  Margin line covering both left and right hand sides. Bait was casters, maggots, worms and dark F1 groundbait. All-In

GAS - Wood Lake, Busbridge, 23rd December 2018

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Since moving from London I decided to join to local clubs which basically gives me most of the waters within a 30 minute radius to me.  I've fished quite a few matches with the Farnham guys, time to fish a match with Godalming Angling Society  or "GAS". The stunning Wood Lake Christmas match was in the calendar and a quick email to the Roger, the match secretary and I was on.  Roger emailed back with the latest form from the lake and also advice on what bait to fish and methods.  Thanks Roger, very welcoming email. The Draw Gathering at GAS headquarters to pick up keep net and landing nets I drew peg 31 which is on the right hand bank from the car park.  There would be 23 anglers and once we arrived at the fishery there was very little space in the car park. Set-up Arriving at the peg the water was gin clear, I was also being watched my a demon in the trees... see picture!  Post Note:  This is Cthulhu, see more about him here  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthul

FAS - Badshot Lea Little Pond, 25th November 2018

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The weather is starting to close in for winter with the temperatures starting to drop and the sky constantly grey with a fin mist spray soaking everything that is outside. It would be back to Badshot Lea Little Pond for todays match with the Farnham Angling Society. The Draw It was decided that we would fish the shallow end of the lake on both sides rather than taking a full bank, so pegging would be from peg 17 on the near side bank and 23 on the far side bank where it is between three and four foot in depth. Peg 17 would be my home for the day and also an end peg! Set-Up  I had a chat with Eddie regarding the pole line, he mentioned it was pretty shallow at my end of the lake so with that bit of advice and looking at the peg I decided to keep the pole in the bag and break out the rods. Feeder rod for fishing a drennan method bomb to fish a PVA bag Feeder rod set up with a traditional running open ended feeder Waggler rod to fish the pole line Bait menu today dead