The Highs and Oh so Lows of Winter Fishing

We've reached that time of year when if high pressure weather systems are over the country for any length of time the temperatures plummet quickly, leading to cold water and also clear water through the lack of rain during these high pressure periods, and as we all know cold clear water doesn't make for great fishing generally. This was particularly the case at the AMAL's Fishpool stillwater fishery near Walton on the Wolds, on the 16th of November, one of our member clubs , Ratby AC had a match, it was just at the start of the colder weather and they did have a great winter match, won with nearly 34lb followed by 15lb then 11lb and two 9lb weights, really good weights for the time of year. Fast forward a week and I was running a match on Fishpool on the AMAL's behalf, with 4 guys cancelling within 48 hrs of the match , I wasn't the only one who anticipated a grueller. I made the match a "rover" so all those fishing at least had the opportunity to pick a peg they fancied fishing. I had seen the weather forecast that promised sun throughout most of the day , and so picked peg 12 with an island to fish to , and the sun would hopefully warm the island margins and Mr Carp would oblige me with some action, well the weather forecast missed all the cloud we had and so the island wasn't a sun drenched haven and I had 1 mirror on popped up bread and two liners for a total of 1llb 14, bad bad bad, but I then found out two anglers had remained fishless, and the eventual winner on peg six had TWO carp for 4lb 2. 2nd place on Fishpool with less than two pound is I believe unrivelled low weight. Not 2 miles away another of our member clubs (Jones and Shipman) were on the AMAL's only canal length, the  Barrow Canal, in its entirety, probably 400metres long its the navigable link for the Soar when the river goes over a weir near The Navigation pub in Barrow on Soar , it then winds its way through a section known as the Brinks (Quorn AS control this water) from here its meanders round the fields at the back of Quorn and then under the new A6 and onto a length of river approaching Barrow Bridge again a Quorn AS length known as The Greens, just as the Greens length goes under Barrow Bridge the Barrow Canal rejoins via the Deep Lock at Procters Park, so the river does about 2miles, the Barrow Canal 400metres, but on its day its a seriously fishy piece of water and so it proved on the day in question,  Jones and Shipman enjoyed some quality sport on what was a low clear cold canal, but ideally suited to bread punch, and so the match was won with 8lb and this was followed by a 5lb and out of 10 guys I believe only one weight was below 2lb, mainly roach was the target of the day, but rudd perch and tench are all possible on this deeper than average canal, which fishes even when the river is flooding.
So the two extremes of our pastime were exposed not two miles from each other, in hindsight I should have asked if I could guest on the canal match :-)

AMAL Business
We had our bi monthly this week, no real dramas, our bailiff team reported a downturn in anglers at Fishpool, but as we know the weather has now turned and a lot of guys just don't do "the Cold" I will be running a match at Fishpool between Christmas and New Year, on Sunday the 29th December, if you want to fish, please message me on the blog page. Guys please note Fishpool is closed to fishing on the 30th of November, its extremely important that no one is on the water on this date, many thanks
Here's the latest match bookings for AMAL waters

Water Booked                                   Date of Booking     Booking Club

 Fishpool                                               30/11/2013        Private function
 Barrow Canal                                     01/12/2013                    MatchCatch
Barrow Canal                                       08/12/2013                   Bingham AC
 Barrow Canal                                      22/12/2013                   MatchCatch
Fishpool                                                29/12/2013                  AMAL

Winter's almost here, get the gloves and skee-tex out of the shed

Well autumn seems to have been a very short season this year , one minute the temperatures were holding at 13degrees at night , the saying Indian summer was never more true, all the tree's were holding on to their leaves as though there lives depended on it, then we catch the tail end of some tropical storm and that's it we're galloping toward winter, with gales, endless rainy days and suddenly naked trees. All in all a pretty sharp change in both water temperature but add in the shortening day length and yep its winter you can hear galloping over the horizon.

 I took advantage of the sudden influx of water into the Soar and squeezed in two evening sessions at the joining of two major flows, which created a slack area right under my own bank where the flows where at their slowest, it screamed out as a fish holding feature, 6ft deep and the most coloured the water had been for weeks, both rods had a 2oz feeder holding groundbait stuffed with hemp and pellets with a splattering of maize, one rods 12inch hooklink was baited with 14mm drilled halibut and the other hooklink had a white chocolate boilie, both baits have potential to catch any of the species the river holds around this feature, carp bream chub tench, any one could have had a nibble on the first night, none of them felt the need to wear out the batteries on my bite alarms, so I balled in 6 Jaffa's of the groundbait , looking to return the next day and empty the river of its specimens, the fish yet again had other ideas and another blank ensued, with my confidence smashed I've decided that worms will be the focus of my next visit, at least that way I've got the added chance of a perch to pull my string, I'll keep you informed as to how it goes but my luck must be due for a change soon.

AMAL Business
The AMAL are running their monthly match on Fishpool, its on Saturday 23rd of November and if you would like to fish please give Dave Houghton a call on his mobile 07721493306
There is a delegates meeting this month so we can all have a mull over the fishing issues that we've got, there are no major isssues within the AMAL at present but it does give all delegates an opportunity to ask questions . The AMAL are currently hosting quite a few matches on our waters of late and I think this blog is the ideal opportunity to see where the matches are being held so pleasure anglers don't go on the waters that are booked by the various clubs. Below is an updated match list
  As ever guys your input adds an extra dimension to the blog so any pictures/catch reports/reminesence's are all welcome, cheers for now Ian
Water Booked                                   Date of Booking         Club Booking Waters
R Soar  Deeps                                                 9/11/2013         AMAL
Fishpool                                              16/11/2013        Ratby AC
 R Soar 1860 + Cobbles                     17/11/2013        SVWL                                          
Fishpool                                                          17/11/2013       Jelson AC
Fishpool                                                          23/11/2013       AMAL
 Barrow Canal                                                  24/11/2013       Jones and Shipman
R Soar 1860 and Cobbles                               24/11/2013        SVWL
Fishpool                                               30/11/2013        Private function
 Barrow Canal                                     01/12/2013                    MatchCatch
Barrow Canal                                      22/12/2013                   MatchCatch