Summerhayes – Open – 19th April 2026
If you’ve followed the blog for any length of time you’ll know I fish Summerhayes a lot as I really enjoy the fishing on both the match lakes. Over the years I’ve gone through periods of preferring one over the …
If you’ve followed the blog for any length of time you’ll know I fish Summerhayes a lot as I really enjoy the fishing on both the match lakes. Over the years I’ve gone through periods of preferring one over the …
Ten of us fishing silvers Saturday on Sellicks and I pulled out peg 8 which wouldn’t have been my first choice although as I was setting up there were lots of roach topping and I quite fancied it. First put …
Thankfully I managed not to oversleep the following day and was able to enjoy a nice breakfast before heading to Summerhayes for the match on Longs. 17 fishing today and when I was called up to draw I pulled out …
My Saturday trip to Todber didn’t get off to the best of starts when I woke up at 7:37 and I should have been sat down eating breakfast at 7:30! After rushing around, things didn’t improve when I arrived to …
With no match last week, I was really looking forward to getting back on the Isle and despite a frost overnight, the air temperature wasn’t too bad and it was a bright sunny day. Rob put some cracking pegs in and I fancied 14, 15 or 27 and the only pegs I didn’t want were 17 or 23. Heardy drew 23 and …
Justin Charles has been enjoying some great fishing on the Wye with barbel to nearly 10lb and pike to 18lb+ so with no match this weekend I jumped at the chance to head to Wales today. With the weather turning colder he thought we might stand a chance of a barbel or two but didn’t think we’d be catching as many as …
After a freezing day yesterday I was hoping it wouldn’t be as cold today and as I was loading my tackle into my car it certainly felt quite mild. I got to the draw and had a quick look at the weighboards and Rob had put all good pegs in today, 27, 28 and 29 at Lower Coxes and 123, 124, 125 …
I have been trying to hook up (pun intended) with Russell Hilton who writes the excellent Tales From The Towpath blog for some time and we finally arranged to have a go at catching some pike today. I know next to nothing about catching pike so Russell said he’d bring all the gear and bait and sort out day tickets (top man). We …
Once again the weather was pretty perfect for this weeks match although some showers were forecast for today. I got to the pub for the draw and all the usual suspects were there plus Leighton Cox had put in an appearance today and it was lovely to see him again. This week Rob had put in Isle Brewers for the first time …
In almost a carbon copy of last week, we had rain in the week, dying off by Friday and once again the river should be in perfect condition today. At the draw we had the same number of anglers as last week but this week Pete Lonton was fishing along with Justin Charles who had taken a break from targeting barbel and …
I was really looking forward to getting back on the river but with rain all day on Friday and the river threatening to top the banks I was convinced we’d be back on the poxy pond for the first match of the Royal Oak Winter League. But with no rain on Saturday and none forecast for today I was hoping the river …
After two weeks in paradise I was back at Summerhayes today, the match was on Longs and I was quite looking forward to it as I haven’t fished this lake for a while. Alex Murray was fishing today and he’s off to Gillhams fairly soon with his family – lucky bugger. I drew peg 18 which is a decent silvers peg and …
With Scotty unable to come this year I was a little apprehensive about going to Thailand on my own but everybody at the fantastic Gillhams resort made sure it was a trip to remember. Stuart and his lovely wife Benz, Sean and Noi and of course the fantastic guides, Golock, Joel, Chris and Lee all made sure I had an amazing time. …
I was looking forward to this one as me and Andy won it last year but as there were some right stars fishing this time around it would be hard to repeat it. Pete pays the top three pairs in silvers and carp and it is a really good little match. There were 15 pairs booked in and among these were quite …