Bristol PSV Fishing Club: Rood Ashton, 26 May (23 pegs)

Our biggest turnout of the year today (23) meant that every decent peg was in which included the two pegs in the jungle which are accessed through a swamp (aided by some wooden planks and the recent addition of a metal bridge). The only peg left out was the "corner of death" on the end of the car park bank which for some strange reason never seems to produce even though it looks inviting.
With this many fishing I was paying out top 4 plus 3 sections and no silvers pool as, although there are some good roach in the lake, they don't seem to show up in our matches and for some strange reason, there are no skimmers in the lake (at least I've not seen one as yet).
There was a slight ripple of discontent that there was no silvers pool but seeing as Pete Sivell had brought half a pint of scrounged maggots with him it was all the more reason not to have one!
As usual, Allan (the owner's son) had offered a bonus of £50 if anyone should break the match record which stands at around 220lbs but that was safe for another day and even though I had an agreement with my neighbour to put our fish together at the end it was still safe for another day!
Winner on the day was Stewart Riddle on peg 20 which was the last but one peg around the back bank. Stewart started off on the pole at 7m with pellet but was having problems with foulhookers probably due to the calm, bright conditions which meant the fish were spooking from the pole and after the first couple of hours only had three fish in the net. A change to the method feeder with pellet however produced a steady run of fish and he finished off the match fishing under the trees in the margins with pellet for a final total of 91lbs 2oz.
Chris Szakacs was a close second on peg 18 with 84-4. Chris had a couple of early fish on the method but caught mainly at 5m and down the margins with meat.
Third place went to Brian "mugger" Shanks on peg 15 with 79-6. Before the start he wasn't a happy bunny as his peg was, apparently, too shallow (anything over 18 inches at Rood Ashton is considered deep) but he soon cheered up as his elastic was out within 30 seconds of the all-in and carried on coming out for the first hour or so but then it went a bit quiet for him but he kept a few coming out, slapping his rig around and some from down the edge.
In fourth spot and last in the framing places was myself with 71-9. I had a couple on the pellet wag early but then changed to the pole at 14m with pellet but like Stewart, was having problems foulhooking and losing fish. But in the last hour the wind picked up putting a ripple on the lake and the fish switched on to the pellet wag (which wasn't a conventional pellet waggler but a special prototype design known only to a select few). In fact they were that switched on I lost three while trying to eat a packet of plain crisps so next time I will be taking cheese & onion.
Sections went to Pete Sivell (1 - 7) with 68-14, Chris Gay (8 - 15) with 65-14 by default and Mark Radford (15 - 23) with 61-3 by triple default.
Although there wasnt a silvers pool, top sprat basher was Richard Jones with 4lbs 5oz which was aided by the fact that nobody else weighed in any.
Strangely, peg 1, which is normally a flier only produced 36-4 for Adam Caswell.
But he did manage to lose 26 fish which must be a new record!

Full Result: