Result of Sheldons East Stoke River Trent Match 11th September 2021

[Whisker]

Tough day at the office (for me at least).

Drew peg 13 which was shallow and rocky close in and very snaggy further out. Started off on feeder with a bunch of dead reds… nothing. Changed to meat on the hook after an hour and a half and chucked in, thought I’d check my phone. Next thing I knew, my feeder arm swung round and my rod bent over… too slow and it snapped my 10lb hooklength!

That was my only bite of the day, I could have fished the waggler for bits but persevered for a barbel. Fed the tiddlers round my feet for most of the day, kept me entertained Did manage to hook someone’s lost feeder at the “all out” so I didn’t entirely blank! Enjoyed the day, nice to be back on the river after *ahem* years and as a bonus, we kept dry. Thanks to gixer for organising the match and well done the framers, great day out

 

[IanG1]

Drew peg 7 or no man's bay as Paul K described it. Started on the feeder like everyone else looking for them big fish. Hemp and caster through feeder and bunch of reds on hook but only one perch in first hour. Been feeding a waggler line and decided to see if that worked. Could only catch eyes on maggot or caster, tare would get me a roach but they were small and lots of blank runs in between. Went through the motions and saw Paul K on 5 net a small Barbel so decided I was going nowhere so last hour on maggot feeder. One or two nice dace that would have been lovely on wag line. Get a proper slam on rod and lift into something better. Snag city out there and get busted on my 020. Nothing much after that but well done to Paul who fished a tidy last hour and found barbel on meat. Cheers the Gixer for organising and look forward to the next one.

 

[Krh57]

Well done to all the framers and thanks again Gixer for organising the day out. Although I didn’t achieve a lot I enjoyed the day and the company. Best bit was not needed chasing ‘Maximus the brute’ around the car park !!

 

[Whisker]

Yes, it was good to meet Maximus, lovely little dog

 

[rob6709]

Peg 3 8lb something. Had a decent day in comparison to the warks avon standards lol. Due to the lack of flow on the inside I opted to fish the maggot feeder for probably 95% of the match. Caught fish (mostly dace) in spells all day including 2 small barbel and a couple of decent perch. Had a great time and was good to see everyone after a couple of years. Well done to the winner and thanks Gixer for organising. I'll definately come back for another go.

 

[Yuccaman]

I was on Peg 2. Very difficult with odd bits on stick and maggot feeder, but never got anything going properly. With half an hour to go, I'd had maybe 1 and a half pounds including 3 tiny barbel. I'd had 3 visits from Mr Pike, and been smashed by a decent fish, so decided to spend the last 30 minutes with a 14mm pellet - all or nothing. It worked I had a chub of about a pound within a few minutes, and then literally 10 seconds before 'TIME!', I had that beautiful little twitch from a barbel, that turned out to be 4lb 8oz.

Not enough to frame, but a respectable 4th, from nowhere... I wonder what would have happened if I'd gone all out on pellet from the off.

Great day, and well done to the ones who did frame

 

[Scribe]

Well done Neal on organising the match, shame you couldn't fish it on the day, ah well at least you got to have Breakfast with a celebrity angler.

Peg 12 for the day and my was it rocky, I should have either bought the platform (definitely) or ordered some long legs for my Octbox. It's a good job I brought my waders as I needed them. Getting a keepnet setup was something else, peg 12 seems to be where the Trent decided to dump the biggest rocks. Too shallow & rocky close in to attach the net to the seatbox, so waded out and spent a good 15 minutes trying to get banksticks in to set the leepnet facong upstream.

Finally got settled and had the Korum 1.75 Lb rod set up and ready for the all in ! (There's a first ) after the first of the bigger crusiers came down river and dislodged the bankstick holding the open end of the keepnet. Decided then to move over to the left, first though spent another 10 minutes trying to get the keepnet sorted, before pulling the insert that attaches to the bankstick,out of its housing. Gave up in fristration and ended up with banksick through the gap between net & frame, although at least it stayed put. Seatbox re-positioned, carried on chasing a barbel, firing pellets in between casts, trying to trigger a response.

It brightened up, so gave up n the Barbel and thought I could at least rescue something from the day by trying out the Daiwa Nzon 180g Feeder rod for the first time. Kamasan black cap feeder using two maggots on a 16 Preston Revaluation n50 hooklength. Very impressed with the rod it is after all a distance feeder rod. Had a rattle on the tip, turned out to be a perch as were the nexy three, a record gudgeon (for me) and a baby barbel.

Bit of trial & tribulation, but got to use the Nzon feeder fishing which is a method I haven't tried much, so that was good.

 

[160642fishing]

I drew peg 1 and really enjoyed myself catching small Perch,Bream Roach and Dace on the stick,would get three or four bites on concecutive trots then nothing for ten or fifteen minutes,probably down to my feeding but I'd like to have another go on the sandy pegs,a bit of a novelty for me and it gave my footplate a good clean !.
Thanks Gixer for organising it,getting my bait and patiently waiting for me to arrive bang on 9-00 clock

 

[ravey]

Many thanks to Gixer for organising this, and I look forward to the next one, whenever that might be. I drew peg 15, towards the downstream end of the stretch. I had not seen/fished Sheldon's before today, and was not sure what to expect, other than the possibility of barbel, and so I set off wit this in mind. Tactics-wise, I think it was the right decision. Despite the lack of any recent rainfall, the river here is pacey, and as we were on the outside of a large bend,, most of the flow was on my side of the river. A 2oz feeder was more than enough to hold bottom comfortably with a bit of a bow fed out, and I set off with maggots on the hook, and putting hemp and maggots through the feeder. I was getting chewed maggots most casts, but they were small dace, and I ended up feeding only hemp after a while in an effort to avoid their attention. This seemed to do the trick and allowed me to leave the rig in without worrying about smashed bait, and wait for a 'proper' fish. I ended up with three little barbel and a handful of dace and roach for a smidge over 5lb in total - not enough to worry the framers (well done to those who did!). All in all a very enjoyable day in the best of company. Again, many thanks to Gixer for organising the day and great to meet some fellow 'brothers of the angle'!

 

[Northantslad]

Worked hard for a couple of pound of bits off 17, mostly on the waggler, but some fish coming later on the feeder. Still can't get my head around sitting it out for Barbel on the feeder, when a need to be putting some weight in the net in case the Barbel never show prevails. Well done to all, particularly the framers, good to see some new and returning faces. Thanks for organising Gixer.

 

[Paul k]

First of all thanks to Gixer for arranging and organising the match.Well done to everyone who fished it's not easy at the moment very low and clear.
Ian,Ravey and myself stood on top of the river bank peg 12 before the draw and this should have been a light bulb moment with barble rising all over the river.
I drew peg 5 set everything up 9mt whip,light stick float,4gram bolo,waggler and a feeder rod.
Started on the feeder 60 turns not right over but close to it.Maggot feeder with it so clear.45 mins in hardly any bites had 2 small dace.I had been feeding the whip line with hemp and tares.Went on it with hemp straight under it went roach number one,next chuck the same then couldn't get a bite.On to the stick it was the same one or two then nothing.Waggler and bolo were next same thing odd bite then nothing.Had about 25 roach swoping and changing about 3-4 lb.
It was 1.45 now I knew a bonus fish or two was needed.Rob above had caught dace on and off all day plus two small barble and a couple of big perch well done mate.So on to the meat feeder only cast short about half way.First cast no bite only left it about 5 mins.Next cast tip dropped back small barble about 1lb.Ended up with 6 barble and a small chub.Just as Gixer turned up I hooked the biggest a 8lb 1oz torpedo a great end.
Once a gain well done to all

 

[gixer 13]

Right sorry about the delay with the results. But here goes a brief run down. Twelve hardy souls lined the banks of the Sheldons stretch of the river trent at East Stoke, well fourteen actually as I was double booked and when booking the match I had forgotten we had promised to look after the grand children this weekend and the wife was working. Notneeded was also there but was unable to fish due to personal reasons but came anyway to see everyone and pay his peg fee. The draw done and everyone made their way to their alotted peg unlike open matches no one moaned about where the where to spend the next five hours fishing. While everyone was getting ready I took the grand children and tony (notneeded) for breakfast to hardys farm cafe. If you want a good breckie it's great place to eat with the added bonus of the massive future fishing a hundred yards away. Anyway the results
1. Paul k 18lb 14oz (barbel 8lb 1oz) peg 5
2. nick 8lb 12oz peg 11
3. rob 8lb 7oz peg 3
4. Yuccaman 6lb 15oz (barbell 4lb 8oz) peg 2
5. Ravey 5lb 3oz peg 15
6. 160642 fishing 3lb 10oz peg 1
7. IanG1 2lb 15oz Peg 7
8. Northants lad 2lb 0oz peg 17
9. Fish4alarf 1lb 15oz peg 6
10. Scribe 10oz peg 12
11. Whisker peg 13 dnw
12. Krh57 peg 14 dnw
So well done Paul k 1st place and biggest fish nice weight on a low clear river trent. Every fish went back in good condition and yet again nice to see the care taken by Paukl and Yuccaman to ensure there big barbell were recoved before releasing them. Well done to everyone who attended could not wish to meet a nicer bunch of lads and will definitely be running some more next year and Yuccaman will be running one at Burton Joyce as well

 

[IanG1]

Well done mate @Paul k tidy last hour pal. Wish I'd got off the box and set up a bolo as feel this would have been worth a few more fish on my peg and got me through the eyes on the surface. Still have been nowhere but you never know.

 

[IanG1]

Shame we weren't on road stretch yesterday @gixer 13 just seen the riverfest practise weights and looks a different river lol.

 

[Whisker]

Still can't get my head around sitting it out for Barbel on the feeder, when a need to be putting some weight in the net in case the Barbel never show prevails

Having not fished a river for over 30 years, it was always going to be more of a pleasure session for me. With it being so clear, shallow and snaggy, I went all or nothing for the bigger fish and although it didn’t work, I still enjoyed the day. If I had caught a proper river barbel, it would have been a tick on my bucket list of things to do before I pop me clogs.

I’m also not very competitive anyway but I still love my Sunday club matches because every weeks like an MD match, great fun to be a part of

 

[drw]

Well done to all of you, great reading your write ups , would like to join you on one of the next ones

 

[Zerkalo]

Sounds like a good day out, well done to the winners and all competitors.

 

[Arch]

Well done everyone. The river is difficult at the moment so well done for sticking it out. I was in two minds whether to fish, but we have our Granddaughter overnight on Fridays, and she is at the handful stage so leaving her with Mrs A isn't really fair, that and the fact she's the apple of my eye makes doing anything on my own on Saturdays somewhat awkward. I'm sure they'll be other opportunities to make one on the river.

 

[Northantslad]

Nice one @Whisker , glad you enjoyed the flowing water outing mate. My post wasn't a criticism of anyone who sits it out for the Barbel. Match fishing mate, decisions, decisions, decisions. I like to get my match head on occasionally and exercise the competitive edge. I wasn't on a great float peg yesterday, but knew a float approach would top the net up, i was just missing a bonus Barbel or two, but even when drawn on a notable Barbel peg, i do know Barbel well enough in these conditions, to know that you target them soley at your risk. Particularly when peg one and two (and i think three) next door has got bait going in (bolies and pellets). A few were had on those pegs next door on East Stoke. Also in my decision making was that the whole stretch is snag central and time spent constantly re-setting up, is time lost. As the conditions went perfect at 1.30 (low light, muggy, nice breeze) i edged more and more towards the feeder and was fortunate to hit a shoal of perch whose presence told me the Barbel were elsewhere, bet the Barbel enjoyed their tea time supper of my hemp, maggot and caster though when we left.........

Next mission, pork pie match, see you soon.

 

[IanG1]

Another highlight of the day when the old boy on peg 6 shouted me and asked what time was? 2 I said, and back came the reply "oh God I was hoping we had nearly finished"........ About summed it all up