Monday Night Open Sweepstake

11th August 2008

With the summer daylight now receding we only just managed an 8:45 finish. For a change I drew an end peg and was straght into the action with a 2lb Tench on the first put-in. Incredibly, I actually caught some small skimmers which, given I was using a 1.5g olivette rig to combat the flow was no mean feat (well I didn't think so anyway). I had another Tench towards the end of the match which must rae as the sickest looking specimen I've encountered on the Sluice. Horrible red belly (especially round the fins) and an angry red mouth. It fought harder than the first one (both females) and was slightly smaller, so it's obviously fit.

The other end of the match was where the winning weights came from though - Dave Hodge going one better than Sunday with Tench and Bream in a winning bag of 7lb 14oz. Melanie Bates was next off the next peg with 6lb 8oz (well done with the Tench, Mel) and Brian Woods was next with 4lb 15oz.

The overcast and rainy conditions didn't really put the fish off, in fact it seemed to fish better than Sunday - just a pity that the light is now against us.

RESULT:

1 - Dave Hodge 7lb 14oz
2 - Melanie Bates 6lb 8oz
3 - Brian Woods 4lb 15oz

Southport & District Angling Association's Summer sweepstake matches are held every Monday from June until August on the Association's Match Length at 1st Plank, Cabin Lane. All Monday night matches are now Opens - all welcome.

Draw: 5:00pm sharp

Fish: 6:00pm - Dusk (Presently 9:15pm, which will fall back to 9:00pm as the light recedes during the summer)

Pools: £6.00 all-in

Monday Night Open Sweepstake

4th August 2008

After her exploits on Peg 2 the previous day which resembled being sat on a nest of very angry Tench, Melanie Bates took the honours with a nice 10lb+ net, mainly Tench caught on red maggot.
Second, bringing his winning streak to an end was Brian 'The Gardener' Woods who had a Tench and two decent hybrids from Peg 3 for 7lb 4oz. A spectucular result for Dave Hodge in third place with a net including a 5lb Pike!!

It was a lovely evening to be out on the Sluice on Monday - spoilt only by the dreaded green lergy - duck weed, which was drifting upstream on the light breeze; having previously been blown downstream and collecting on a vast scale on the ticket length - wiping out the fishing possibilities. The same happened two years ago, with the Centenary Match only being saved at the eleventh hour by some frantic construction of booms and assistance from the EA Flood Defence staff at Banks pumping station. Lets hope we don't have to go down that road again for this year's open match - the signs aren't looking good so far.

Quick note for all club members - there is a match booked at Sluice Farm this Sunday - 10th August. If you were planning on fishing up there, please arrange to fish elsewhere for that particular day.

RESULT:

1 - Melanie Bates 10lb 7oz
2 - Brian Woods 7lb 4oz
3 - Dave Hodge 5lb 9oz

Southport & District Angling Association's Summer sweepstake matches are held every Monday from June until August on the Association's Match Length at 1st Plank, Cabin Lane. All Monday night matches are now Opens - all welcome.

Draw: 5:00pm sharp

Fish: 6:00pm - Dusk (Presently 9:15pm, which will fall back to 9:00pm as the light recedes during the summer)

Pools: £6.00 all-in

Monday Night Sweepstake

28th July 2008

Back to back wins for Brian Woods - off the same peg too. In baking hot conditions with a blustery southerly wind, he took the match with 14lb 6oz from Peg 9, just at the start of the wides. Having emerged from a day-long sulk after a shocker yesterday, I got my act together and came second off peg 6. Included in my net was a clonking Bream, over 5lb - caught on chopped worm. A couple of nice hybrids around a pound with a few caster Roach had me up to 8lb 6oz. Third was Alan Birchall from peg 8 with a nice net of silvers caught on the long pole for 6lb 2oz.

I've still not totally evaded the dreaded Peg 3 - while I was conducting the draw at the start of the proceedings, I asked Cleggy if he'd draw for me & I'd return the favour. In went Cleggy's right hand and out came No. 6. In return, in went my hand and out came (you guessed it) No 3.

The run has to end sometime...

RESULT:

1 - Brian Woods 14lb 6oz
2 - Mark Rimmer 8lb 6oz
3 - Alan Birchall 6lb 2oz

Southport & District Angling Association's Summer sweepstake matches are held every Monday from June until August on the Association's Match Length at 1st Plank, Cabin Lane. All S&DAA members are very welcome to enter.

Draw: 5:00pm sharp

Fish: 6:00pm - Dusk (Presently 9:15pm, which will fall back to 9:00pm as the light recedes during the summer)

Pools: £6.00 all-in

Monday Night Sweepstake

21st July 2008

Bit of a grueller on the Sluice tonight - same numbers as last week and I drew a different peg!! Brian and Cleggy guided me to peg 5 after I stopped at peg 4 feeling feint and with the start of a nosebleed. My trolley veered-off to the left at peg 3 and I only just regained control in the nick of time.

Once we got down to the fishing it was clear that there wasn't any fast & furious activity going to occur. Whether the fish are spawn-bound, have double-spawned or are on hunger strike I know not; all I do know is that bites are few & far between so you have to make sure you hook 'em when you see 'em.

The early signs were that Bill Todd was in the boss seat, after Cleggy & I looked on as he played Tench in successive put-ins. I went all gung-ho and put a worm tail on my snig-rig, out at 11m. Within a few seconds the float slid away and I was into a decent fish, which proved to be a Tench around 3lb. A good hybrid followed along with several net Roach and some small Perch. Pretty soon the bites just evaporated, as they appeared to have done for most of those present.

RESULT:

1 - Mark Rimmer 5lb 3oz
2 - Brian Woods 4lb 12oz
3 - Paul Tabron 4lb 9oz

Southport & District Angling Association's Summer sweepstake matches are held every Monday from June until August on the Association's Match Length at 1st Plank, Cabin Lane. All S&DAA members are very welcome to enter.

Draw: 5:00pm sharp

Fish: 6:00pm - Dusk (Presently 9:15pm, which will fall back to 9:00pm as the light recedes during the summer)

Pools: £6.00 all-in.

Monday Night Sweepstake

14th July 2008

At last - the fish have started responding. Even before the start, pleasure anglers were telling us that the hybrids were on the feed and that Tench were following suit. So it proved in the match - I fed a worm & caster line from the off and after mucking about on the (now obligatory) short line with only a couple of net roach to show for it (I think I've blown the art of pinkie fishing) I went over the worm & caster line with double shell - only to see the elastic disappear off downstream - attached to a large Tench. I got it turned and thought I had it for a split second but it just ploughed on past me and upstream before the hook let go; Tench 1- Me Nil. I switched to the worm rig (OK, it's my canal snig rig...) and straight away a decent hybrid took it - this was repeated a few times before another Tench took the bait, which was bagged in no uncertain terms.

Meanwhile, on the downstream end peg, Bob Moss was failing in his attempts to empty the place of Tench, losing five on the spin before bringing one in. Brian Woods also lost a couple before landing one. Further upstream there was a gap in the pegs before the rest of the anglers, which made it difficult to see what was going on.

At the weigh-in it was clear that Paul Tabron had done it again - his third Monday night win of the season with a bag of Tench & hybrids for over 11lb. Brian Woods was second with a last gasp hybrid, and I rued my early missed Tench with third place.

RESULT:

1 - Paul Tabron 11lb 6oz
2 - Brian Woods 9lb 9oz
3 - Mark Rimmer 8lb 10oz

Southport & District Angling Association's Summer sweepstake matches are held every Monday from June until August on the Association's Match Length at 1st Plank, Cabin Lane. All S&DAA members are very welcome to enter.

Draw: 5:00pm sharp

Fish: 6:00pm - Dusk (Presently 9:15pm, which will fall back to 9:00pm as the light recedes during the summer)

Pools: £6.00 all-in.

Monday Night Sweepstake

7th July 2008

"Wrighty - get back here with that bloody camera!!!" was the cry as the 14s elastic shot out across the sluice. After several discussions in recent weeks about the distinct lack of snigs on the Sluice, lo & behold I bagged one - and what a snake it was. Although not good enough to help me win the match, I settled for a comfortable (as it turned out) 2nd place with 11lb 13oz made up of a Tench around 2lb 8oz, a Bream of around 4lb 8oz and that snake which was probably 2lb 8oz. I say probably, because despite three people having a go, nobody would get hold of it long enough to weigh it separately!! Word of the week (with a scrabble score of 13) is so far going to Wrighty for r e g u r g i t a t e, during his description of what the snigs do with hooks. Mine was so far down it's neck I lost the No10 stot which was 4 inches from the hook...

Paul Tabron took the honours with a very impressive bag - 14lb 12oz from the other end peg including a couple of decent slab Bream. I was already settled into my usual spot on peg 3 - the fourth time in six matches this season I've drawn it out of the bag. Brian Woods took third with 8lb 6oz including a decent Tench.

Everyone who fished caught tonight, which is a marked contrast to the recent matches. The Bream appear to be moving back down river, possibly as a result of a double-spawn this year. The slabs which were caught tonight were certainly 'flat', looking like they have recently spawned. Additionally, the hybrids are now showing in increasing numbers, which wasn't the case as recently as a week ago.

RESULT:

1 - Paul Tabron 14lb 12oz
2 - Mark Rimmer 11lb 13oz
3 - Brian Woods 8lb 6oz

Southport & District Angling Association's Summer sweepstake matches are held every Monday from June until August on the Association's Match Length at 1st Plank, Cabin Lane. All S&DAA members are very welcome to enter.

Draw: 5:00pm sharp

Fish: 6:00pm - Dusk (Presently 9:15pm, which will fall back to 9:00pm as the light recedes during the summer)

Pools: £6.00 all-in.

Monday Night Sweepstake

30th June 2008

Another grueller with very few fish caught - Bob Moss and Brian Woods shared top spot with 3lb 15oz each - both with good Tench and a few small fish. Third was Graham Johnson with a 2lb 12oz Roach/Bream hybrid and no other fish. The only other person to weigh-in was me, having caught 25-30 small Roach in the margins on pinkie for 1lb 6oz.

Weights on the match length are suffering and there doesn't seem to be an obvious reason. There are plenty of fish in evidence, but they simply aren't feeding. Looking at the weather forecast it seems rains are predicted for the rest of the week - maybe an influx of fresh water and some sustained pumping will trigger some feeding - the anglers need it, even if the fish don't.

RESULT:

1 Joint - Bob Moss & Brian Woods 3lb 15oz
3 - Graham Johnson 2lb 12oz
4 - Mark Rimmer 1lb 6oz

Southport & District Angling Association's Summer sweepstake matches are held every Monday from June until August on the Association's Match Length at 1st Plank, Cabin Lane. All S&DAA members are very welcome to enter.

Draw: 5:00pm sharp

Fish: 6:00pm - Dusk (Presently 9:15pm, which will fall back to 9:00pm as the light recedes during the summer)

Pools: £6.00 all-in.

Monday Night Sweepstake

23rd June 2008
The contrast in conditions to the previous day's grueller couldn't have been greater as the competitors were bathed in bright, warm sunlight with a light breeze for the second of the season's Monday nighters. Another encouraging turnout saw Bill Todd take first place with an impressive catch of Tench and Roach/Chub hybrids for 14lb 12oz.

Second was the previous days victor Graham Johnson with 2lb 8oz of bits with one decent Bream, with third place going to me with 1lb 7oz of small roach on short pole-fished maggot & pinkie from Peg 3.

There's already been a noticeable increase of interest in the S&DAA matches this season with some pleasing attendances, which makes for more competition and more enjoyable sessions. More information sheets have been & continue to be posted in local tackle shops, advising members of the match details, so the prospects are bright for S&DAA match fishing.

RESULT:

1 - Bill Todd 14lb 12oz
2 - Graham Johnson 2lb 8oz
3 - Mark Rimmer 1lb 7oz

Southport & District Angling Association's Summer sweepstake matches are held every Monday from June until August on the Association's Match Length at 1st Plank, Cabin Lane. All S&DAA members are very welcome to enter.

Draw: 5:00pm sharp

Fish: 6:00pm - Dusk (Presently 9:30pm, which will fall back to 9:00pm as the light recedes during the summer)

Pools: £6.00 all-in.