Summerhayes – Open – 5th January 2025
Not a great start to the day when I woke up at 6:50 and was supposed to be having breakfast at the bowling club at 7:00! In full headless chicken mode, I rushed to Ilminster, had my food and then …
Not a great start to the day when I woke up at 6:50 and was supposed to be having breakfast at the bowling club at 7:00! In full headless chicken mode, I rushed to Ilminster, had my food and then …
The weekend arrived and so did more crazy weather, waking up Saturday morning I was greeted with a hard frost while the forecast for Sunday was heavy rain and temperatures ten degrees warmer. It’s no wonder the fish don’t know …
After my last match of 2024 was a bit of a damp squib, I was hoping to start the New Year with a bang but weatherwise it was looking like more of the same with strong winds and heavy rain! …
For my last match of 2024 I headed to Revels and was hoping my recent good run of draws would continue. There was the usual good turnout of 19 anglers despite the forecast of strong winds (just for a change!). …
I was really looking forward to my first Xmas Match of the year at one of my favourite venues. I’ve only fished this match once back in 2021 when I managed to win it from peg 8 (the best peg in Dorset) with four carp on dobbed bread for 24lb+. There was a great turnout of 35 anglers and we’d be spread …
On Saturday it was off to the prolific Viaduct for a Fish South Silvers Qualifier although with the weather and temperatures all over the place, like everywhere at the moment, it’s been fishing trickier than normal. I was hoping for a nice peg on the near side but pulled out 130 on the opposite bank, the same swim I had last time …
Waking up Sunday morning, the weather was showing no signs of letting up and I wasn’t feeling too enthusiastic about spending another day battling the elements. Summerhayes is pretty exposed at the best of times and on arriving the wind was howling across Longs which did nothing to ease my lack of motivation! With ten fishing, Pete asked what we wanted to …
This book has been on my radar for a while now but I hadn’t got round to buying a copy yet so when the publishers Merlin Unwin got in touch and asked if I’d like to review it, I didn’t require asking twice! When it arrived I couldn’t wait to get stuck in and I have to say it’s a delight! In …
After having quite a bit of snow in the week which caused chaos per usual, the rubbish weather was set to continue all weekend with Storm Bert determined to wreak havoc with strong winds and heavy rain – great! Nick and me were at Acorn for another of Foxy’s matches and along with everyone else were hoping for a peg that might …
On Sunday we were headed back to Summerhayes and I must admit to still feeling really deflated after the previous day and I wasn’t up for this at all, especially as Sellicks hasn’t been fishing very well! There were 19 booked in for this one which wouldn’t do us any favours either. With Pete holding the bucket of dreams/doom, I was hoping …
On Saturday it was the Champion of Champions Silvers Final on Longs at Summerhayes, it’s one I really look forward to and would love to win but so far, fourth is my best finish. There were sixteen anglers fishing so we’d all have plenty of room although a few more had qualified but were unable to make it today. Pete announced the …
I’d really enjoyed my last match on Longs a few weeks previous with lots of bites from small fish along with the odd better skimmer and some crucians so was looking forward to another go. The car park was busy with 24 booked in for Longs and another match on Sellicks as well. With quite a few anglers on the lake today, …
On Saturday the ‘Ilminster Massive’ headed down to Todber for another silvers match on Ash. We had breakfast in the Lakeside Diner which wasn’t fully open the last time I was here and I have to say if was really nice, the service and food was spot on. Then it was into the shop to get some bait and pay our pools. …
After the first leg on the Parrett we were 11 points behind Stoke which put them in a great position and I thought it might be too big a deficit to claw back in the return fixture. The 26 anglers would be split over Dillington and Coombe with the former my home for the day. We met at the bowling club for …