Runner Up On The Swan Open

Two river matches at the weekend. One good result and one not so good. Saturday was the official practice match for the Riverfest Final at Burton Joyce. Strangely only around 30 on it. I’ve drawn peg 11 on the Rack and the weather’s been pretty abysmal the first few hours with wind and rain smack in my face. 

I have messed about a bit trying things, but also fished pretty badly, weighing 8lb. Most others around me had double figures. I drew the scales for the top section, so it was nice to see what else had been caught and the variations in depths that people had. 

Definitely the wrong end of the match on the day as Colin Beech and Paul Sheehan on peg 1 and 2 on the Nelson Field have had a whopping 155lb and 134lb of bream! That’s where we all want to draw next weekend then! 

Sunday was the annual Swan Open held on the Upper Thames at Radcot. The new landlord of The Swan riverside pub very generously added £300 to the prize pot, which was a great gesture. 

I drew peg 11 at Radcot, which was permanent peg 23 downstream. A nice looking swim and fairly shallow with 7ft tops. My nearside choppy swim surprisingly never produced a fish, but I’ve caught well on a 10m groundbait swim and a 12.5m hemp swim. A big old pike has missed numerous roach I’ve swung in. The one he did finally grab was released after a bit of pulling back and thankfully looked unscarred.

Venue master Paul Passmore was next door on the end peg grey gate swim and we’ve had a really close battle. At the scales he’s weighed 13lb 10oz and I’ve just pipped him with 13lb 14oz! We were 2nd and 3rd in the match with Matrix Talisman’s Chris Bowen putting a fine 16lb of mostly roach on the scales from peg 2 to win the trophy.