Viaduct silvers League Rd 5.

After deciding to have a Saturday off fishing I was looking forward to round 5 of this popular silvers league although this morning I didn't seem to have the enthusiasm  but was sure I would be more up for it by the time we arrived, Traveling with team-mate Don we had are normal hilltops breakfast before making the way to the fishery and as Don had fished yesterdays knock-up on Cambell lake the news of Gary Webber winning the silvers from peg 125 with 31lb of skimmers had me hoping for a draw in that area along with the other noted areas on the remaining lakes Lodge & Cary. After managing to sneak towards the front of the draw, with my size helping as nobody see's me" lol , I couldn't believe it when I only went and drew 125! Happy with the draw I felt that my main target was to be Skimmers on the long pole on a couple of different lines and a waggler fished slightly further out towards the middle of the lake.

For Company I had Andy Gard on peg 124 & local lad Geraint Powell on peg 126 who was in the next section but both these swims were vacant yesterday in the knock-up which could of made a difference? but at least I new there were skimmers in the area so felt I would still catch a few.  first of all I set up a 3AAA waggler with an 0.10 bottom and an 18 PR434 hook followed by A 4x12 & 4x14 Wire wonder pole float on 0.11-0.09 and an 63-13 hook, these were to be fished at 14 & 12mts in around 5ft of water both sides of me at 10 & 2o'clock angles, and last of all a 4x10 chanti on a long line to fish short with caster.

At the all in I cupped 4 balls with some dead reds and casters added on the 14mt line and two balls onto the 12mt swim with some chopped worm and dead pinkees added. I decided to start short just flicking a few casters in by hand after firing a few grains of corn onto the waggler swim towards the middle. I was soon catching the odd roach to 4oz and in the 1st hour seemed to doing ok but it wasn't long before a few had ventured onto there long pole lines and I notice Anton page & on peg 127 and the guy on peg 123 in my section have a decent skimmer straight away so with me now only catching the odd small roach I soon shipped out starting with a single caster tipped with a pinkee on the hook, I couldn't believe it when the float slid away only for me to bump of a big skimmer straight away! And even more hacked of when I did the same on single maggot 15mis later!" I had re-elasticated a couple of tops this week but soon swapped it' but after another 15mins bite-less I topped it up with another ball and tried the 12mt swim with just a couple of small skimmers & roach showing on single maggot after 20mins I tried the 14mt line again with a single maggot.

A couple of 12oz skimmers were soon added but again I bumped one of after lifting the rig to twitch it not realising it must of been sat there with the bait in its mouth!? This also happed later in the day and both times I was just a couple inches over depth and never had an indication on the float". I fully expected the last couple of hours to be productive on the long pole lines but it just didn't happen and I only had 1 bigger skimmer of 2lb in the net all day losing 6 in total including one 5mins from time shipping back" I missed another bite soon after and it seemed a few fish had turned up but it was to late. I had tried the waggler through the day but didn't have a bite on corn and just a missed bite on caster but had a few skimmers to a 1lb of both long lines in the end but it turned out to be a hard day which had to be expected as it turn out to be a bright and wind free day which didn't help. Geraint had struggled the same as me weighing 8lb odd off peg 126 but wasn't in my section, I had 9lb 12oz before Andy weighed 12lb odd catching most of his fish short with a few bonus fish along the way before Sam Powell on peg 123 went on to win the section with ease with 18lb odd of skimmers and small fish taken on the long pole with Squatts on the hook. 

It turned out Andy's Weight was enough to take second in the section so ruling losing those fish today after sitting and waiting so long for a bite. I fully expected to catch bigger skimmers later in the day and in hind sight I would of been better of sticking to the small fish closer in when I couldn't get bites as the pattern seemed to be you would get indications as soon as you left a line to settle for a while. I could still make a top ten finish after dropping today last in section! whoops" but it proves the class of anglers in this league Tony Rixon , Steve Kedge & Gary O'Shea are all tying for the lead Having 4 section wins each after dropping there worst result! The lakes all fished harder today and Paul Elmes took the honours from peg 70 on lodge lake with 20lb 13oz but the back up weights were very close with just a good fish separating the top 6". Back for the final round in two weeks but will be keeping a bit more of an open mind rather than thinking it will work.

Full Results -

1st Paul Elms (Avon Angling) peg 70 lodge, 20lb 13oz.

2nd Paul Cardwell (Bait-Tech Viaduct) peg 68 lodge, 20lb 7oz.

3rd Gary O'Shea (P.I Thatchers) peg 115 Cambell, 20lb 6oz.

4th Steve kedge (Somerset Angling) peg 97 Cary 19lb 10oz.

5th Tony Rixon (Mosella) peg 77 Lodge 18lb 10oz.