The clan gathers.
That group of social misfits, dropouts, pariahs and outcasts who find themselves under the collective banner of Watchet Angling club found that their match on the the Kings Sedgemoor Drain at Parchay had been switched to Combwich ponds match lake, owing to a mass invasion of Lemnoideae or Duckweed as it is known to the common man. There is a few interesting facts about this so called green menace.
Duckweed is eaten by humans in some parts of southeast Asia.
It contains more protein than soya beans.
NASA has identfied duckweed as a top candidate for growing food on Mars.
Duckweed plays a role in water conservation because the cover of duckweed will reduce evaporation.
Duckweed prolifergates by waterfowl and small mammals, transported inadvertently on their feet and bodies.
Researchers around the world are studying the prospects for using Duckweed as a source of clean renewable energy.
Duckweed removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus it may have possibilities in arresting global warming.
The Combwich match lake has been in existence for just less then 30 years. It came in to being as a result of a causeway being constructed and dissecting part of the so called shallow end of the main lake. It is now a fully mature venue with potential. The lake itself has over 20 pegs and although it is named the Combwich match lake, matches are seldom held there and is normally frequented by the pleasure angler. The old pallets which where in a very sorry state have now been replaced but it has to be mentioned that not all the pegs on the lake consists of pallets. The peg fees is £4 per peg which is a bargain considering a Bridgwater day ticket is a fiver.
The winner in action.
Steve Warren from peg 1 smashed it on the day with a very creditable weight of 47 lb 01 oz. His tactics was to fish right under the tree on the island opposite with banded pellet. Since this maestro has joined us, records show he has not been out the top 4. So well done to him, Mr consistent.
Eric who seems pleased with his catch.
Eric Seale got 2nd from peg 11 with a nice weight of 31 lb 02oz, Eric employed the feeder with banded pellet. Eric must be commended because he is rarely out of the top half of the results table and this is achieved even though his suffers badly from very poor health. Poor Eric has a lung disease which makes breathing very difficult and on top of that he suffers also from that very painful condition sciatica. So a very well done indeed.
Mr Nigel Coram who got a respectable third.
In third we find white man van Mr Nigel Coram with a haul of 26 lb 13 oz . This gentleman found himself on peg 5 fishing of the island that was in front of him. When ask about tactics employed his answer was all sorts and with that got a comment from a certain member of ” Bertie Bassett”!
Another consistant angler finished 4th. Mr Ian Grabham who always end up in the higher portion of the results table drew out peg 12. Ians main attack was to use the feeder with an assortment of different baits including wafflers. Ian weighed in 21 lb 06 oz.
Fifth place went to Paul Smith, Paul had a cracking all silvers weight which in the mix of things really stood out. Paul whose weight of fish came to 19 lb 12 oz used pole with maggot and pinkie from peg 10. As you might expect Paul had the top silvers weight and for his efforts won the goldern peg as well. Looking at the silvers table you can see that Paul won the silvers by a very big margin. So hearty congratulations to him.
We see that Ian Townsend made sixth place with a net of 18 lb. His main bulk of fish came on the feeder, fishing between the two islands with pellet. Although a reasonable weight was acheived he did go through long periods without a bite which made him use the word dire. In peg 13 he was my next door neighbour and whilst I was setting up had to put up with yours truly moaning to myself owning to things that were not going to plan. Sorry mate.
Placed in seventh was match secretary and birthday boy Alan Bland who is now 58 years young. Alan managed a weight of 15 lb 03 oz. It was a mixture of bomb and pellet and pole and maggot from peg 6. Unfortunately for Alan he will not be able make the next match owing to having to attend his mothers 80th birthday celebrations. Since the start of Watchet angling club many many moons ago Alan has only missed two. A stalwart of the club indeed.
Out of sorts Rob Dodd could only muster eighth place and in terms of the the results table finds himself in unfamilar territory. Rob who fished peg 2 just piped me by 2 oz for 3rd silvers spot. (little bugger). Rod for his net of fish of 11 lb 02 oz mostly used pole and maggot but did have one small Carp on worm.
Ninth placed was the one and only David Nash. Dave who always targets the silvers regardless, obtained a haul of 9lb from peg 3. Dave employed pole and maggot. Now this little scamp took great pleasure during the weigh by bombarding me with black berries. Right Nashie learn to sleep with one eye open else you might find a scorpion down your W Fronts.
Veteran Alan Jenkins was at number ten. Alan who had drawn peg 7 managed to land 4 small Carp for a weight of 8 lb 10 oz. Method used was feeder with banded pellet. Good on yer Al you don’t seem to finish bottom any more, things are it seems improving.
Yours truly finds himself in the basement part of the table once more at eleventh from peg 14. I had an all silvers weight of 7lb 2 oz which in terms of silvers wasn’t a poor weight. This weight consisted of mostly nice sized skimmers all taken on red maggot and ordinary waggler. I did start of on the feeder for an hour but to no avail. Hence in hind sight I wished I started straight away on the waggler, but as they say that’s fishing.
Now dear old Bob Pascoe finds himself with the bottom weight. Rob Dodd who helps with the weigh in looks into Bobs keepnet and with total amazement utters one of angling most famous phrases. “Is that it” Bob who had peg 8 could only be described as suffering from fish poverty. The poor chap could only catch one small Roach which didn’t even tip the scales. So the weighing in team from the kindness of their heart and smitten by sympathy gave him an ounce.
Mr Grabham who got 4th 
Top silvers Paul 
Messers Nash and Bland 
Ian Townsend Esq 
Rob Dodd the one and only 
Haven’t a clue who this is. 
Bob with his only fish of the day. 
Alan Jenkins 
Paul smiths silvers
The unsung heroes of the Bridgwater Angling Association ie the volunteers of the works party have been busy once more. The swims which are known as Killer and Helicopter has had a revamp and now have been gated of. The helicopter swim believe it or not has a tiny bit of history attached to it, way back in the day this swim was known as the Point or the Headland owing to its configuration of jutting out in to the lake. This swim was by far the best swim in Dunwear. Way back in the 1970s different groups of anglers carpers and pleasure anglers alike from far and wide used to occupy the swim days at a time and even up to a week. This unfair tactic caused a lot of friction amongst anglers, so much so that Bridgwater Angling Association brought in a rule that no angler or anglers should occupy a swim for more than 24 hours. This rule of course has now been relaxed.
Killer and Helicopter swims have now been gated off.
Railway pond is now open to fishing , but it has to be said that catches have been very disappointing to say the least. The pond hasn’t been fished seriously for many many years. I would say around about 20. The life span of the average coarse fish excluding Carp is between 12 and 15 years. So it can be concluded that an entire generation of fish have come and gone without even seeing an anglers bait. The fish now in the pond are now the off spring of this generation and to quote from one of the greatest books on angling ever written Still Water Angling by an angling giant who have long since passed away Richard Walker “You will see, therefore, that the commonly held idea that the less a water is fished, the easier the fish it contains will be to catch, is only really true of such fish as roach, rudd, bream and small perch”. There has been the odd skimmer coming out and the small roach and rudd. But give it time and this lake can become a little gem. Take for example the match lake at Combwich, last year the fishing was dreadful but this season the fishing has improved significantly. So just give it time.
Well that’s all folks
Tight lines Pete C.