Lewy's Lines

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

The final round of Ricky Baxters silvers series at Sumner Match Lake and what a beautiful day we all woke too. My results in this league meant I was nowhere however it was tight between the top 5 with them all having a chance at taking the crown. It would be an interesting day! The Draw Permanent peg 4… I always seem to draw in this area! Only fishing the other side once in all the matches I’ve had at Sumners late last year and this year. Set-Up As simple as possible today. Line were: Waggler at around 14 metres Whip line at 3 metres Left hand margin Bait was all natural, mainly casters, hemp, maggot and some worms. I bought some Fin Perfect silvers groundbait from Andy G at the Big One on Saturday so mixed up a small quantity of that. All-In Kicked off the margin swim with a ball of groundbait and started to flick some casters in on the whip line and fed twice on the waggler line before flicking the waggler out. The float buried and I was into roach from the

Now the final day of the festival is a leveller for all of our skill groups. We would no longer be fishing our section as we had completed the lake rotation. I had managed to get into the 3rd group, so one up from the numpties. Today was also a special day for Big Ben, it was his 40th birthday so we all sung Happy Birthday and Jo had kindly got him a lovely cake and some balloons... they never went to the peg with him... The Draw Which lake would we be on? Well Clive W drew for us as I had been banned from drawing and we would be back on Beatties. Not too bad I thought and herbie had removed peg 6 as it simply did not fish that well during the week. So I ended up still in the shallow area again, this time on Peg 8! Set-Up Pole at 14.5 metres to the island Pole top two and two on my left Waggler to fish towards the break between Beatties and Tanners Feeder rod as the island was too much a target not to fish All-In Cupped in two balls of groundbait with chopped worm