Opened up the diaries again then, and back to November 1st 1998. A week of rain put the river right up and the ATWL was transferred to the K&A canal. I was drawn on peg just over the viaduct at Dundas, before the canal goes round the bend. I was happy with the draw as I had a moored boat opposite to provide some cover. I caught roach and little hybrids on punch bread, when this died I had gudgeon on a 3m whip (not many of them in the canal anymore). I ended the day fishing caster / maggot by the boat catching more roach and hybrids. My final weight of 6lb 1oz won the section and the team came 3rd on the day. The following Sunday it was the next round and we were on the river this time at Newbridge, I was on peg 83 which I did not fancy and the river was very pacey. I started by fishing a feeder on my 20 foot rod, like a pole feeder, and had a couple of roach straight away. I then lost a chub which I pulled out of just as I grabbed the net. No more bites so on to the feeder one third out. I had just a few bites but managed a couple of roach, one of a pound, but I pulled out of two big fish (bream?) and it was just not my day. 3lb 7oz was good enough for 8 points out of 11 but I threw back a section win that day. Better news the team won the day and went into first place overall.
15th of November and on the canal again for the Commercial House. I got drawn 2 pegs above Limpley road bridge and had a stinker, all I caught was a few small perch on chopped worm for 10oz. Although I only had 3 points the team did well and we won on the day.
The following week and a venture to Viaduct Fishery fishing a match on Match Lake that was undoubtedly run by Tony Rixon. Pretty sure I was drawn on peg 40, and would have been fishing with maggots and casters. I had two carp on the pole & caster, two on a waggler and three on a feeder for 38lb and picked up a tenner for a section win by default.
The next two weeks the weather turned cold with frosts and temperatures down to minus 6C. Unsurprisingly then I blanked when I fished the Bristol and West Xmas match at Swineford. This cold weather gave way to milder wetter weather and put the river up again. I did not record where I drew on the Bathampton Xmas match but I had 5lb 2oz which was 1 bream and a few eels for no good. I was though looking forward to the Bristol Docks Xmas match, this venue generally still fished OK in the winter, but a draw on the sections where skimmer were was needed. I drew on what was then "wasteground" at Half Penny bridge and was told straight away it was no good. They were right, I caught 3 fish for 5oz and was second in the section down there!
That was the end of 1998 a difficult year at times on the fishing front, but I had the best present with the birth of my second daughter. 1999 was going to be a good year I hoped, and it also had a very special moment for me which I will never forget, but you'll have to wait a while to find out what that was.
Hope you caught plenty of fish this weekend, I'm back to Viaduct next week on Spring Lake.
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