Officially signed off. EA funding grant and Association development funds.

Haydock Park Farm Project. Install disabled/less abled fishing platforms on Cow Hey Dam, install hard packed paths and walkways to the platforms.
Install Lads and Dads boardwalk platforms on Park1 and Park 2 pools.
Install 20 new wooden platforms on Lagoon to replace the paving flag pegs (completed, end of 2020).

Last spring (2020) I submitted a request and detailed plans for a development grant through the Environment Agency. This was to supplement the idea’s, upkeep and projected development of Haydock Park Farm Complex. I am happy to report to all the members that I have been successful on behalf of Newton-le-Willows Anglers Association in securing a grant. A huge proportion of this proposal and award being successful is due to the work of the other committee members and the hard work that has been already achieved on this complex by members. The installation of the disabled access plastic platform and access path on Cow Hey, the installation of 20 wooden platforms on Lagoon and the general upkeep of this complex had hugely improved the chances of being supported financially by the EA. There is still work I have to do with the EA funding team, but we have officially been awarded this backing.
Planning and capital equipment purchase is ongoing and work should, hopefully, start as soon as we are allowed. Thanks to all the members who have come forward and offered their time in advance of this project starting.

Platforms on Lagoon already completed on this project.

29/12/2020 I have parted ways with my bait sponsor.

Due to my wife’s continued ill health, me being made redundant after 47 years continuous employment and having to take early retirement, with some other personal commitments I decided that I can no longer give my bait sponsor the level of commitment, time or exposure that is expected of a sponsored angler. All cordial on my part and no animosity, it was a decision that I had to be honest with and make my sponsor aware of. My message was replied to with what was uncalled for, unprofessional and crass. I was actually shocked by the response and use of foul expletives in a tirade that was unwarranted. The amicable parting was broken by his choice of reply, could easily have said “take care, thanks” but apparently this is his MO as I have been informed by others who have left or been released for ‘petty’ discretions. I am out of it now, happy that I now know the metal of the ‘man’ I was proud to support with his products and brand name. No more though. He has shown his true colours and he will be found out by so many others in time.

“A little update to amuse you guys” (excerpt from Burt Baits Group, private facebook page).
Not so private!

Partridge Lakes, Tuesday Open Covey 5 and 6.

Thought I’d book on for a cheeky Tuesday as I am unable to get out at the weekend. It was dry, cold and breezy, emphasis on dry. After sitting in the rain on Sunday last it was nice to not have to cope with it again.
Got drawn Covey 5 Peg 123.

Not fished this end of the lake before, after plumbing my swim it was going to be an easy 3 lines:
1. 10 – 2 o’clock, 11 meters, 3 foot. GORTINI 4×12 round body float, 0.16 main line to 0.10 6″ hook length #18 SWL. White maggot, Burt Baits 4mm hook and hair Polony expander, Burt Baits 6mm salted nut pellet on a Maver bowtie band. Feeding small cad pot of Burt Baits 2mm feed pellet soaked in F1 pellet enhancer.
2. 10- 2 o’clock, 6 – 9 meters, 5 foot. GORTINI 4×12 diamond clear float, 0.16 main line to 0.10 6″ hook length #18 SWL. White maggot, Burt Baits 4mm hook and hair Polony expander, Burt Baits 6mm salted nut pellet on a Maver bowtie band. Feeding small cad pot of Burt Baits 2mm feed pellet soaked in F1 pellet enhancer.
3. left margin out 4 foot from bank, 11 meters, 3 foot. GORTINI 4×12 round body float, 0.16 main line to 0.10 6″ hook length #18 SWL. White maggot, Burt Baits 4mm hook and hair Polony expander, Burt Baits 6mm salted nut pellet on a Maver bowtie band. Feeding small cad pot of Burt Baits 2mm feed pellet soaked in F1 pellet enhancer.

At the all in I shipped out to my No1 line, dropped in the contents of my cad and lifted to place my polony pellet rig, had a perch on! So within 10 secs I was winning 😂. Stayed on this line with polony on the hook and managed to secure 3 stock F1’s. I was liking this peg. After half an hour the wind really got up and it was difficult to hold out at 11m. Fed a maggot line at 7m, this after an hour had produced nothing, not even a bite or knock. Switched back to my No1 line and this again was bare. Spent the next couple of hours switching my lines, still nothing. Sat back with a coffee and tried to asses what was going on, seems the wind had just made barren my swim, no one to my right seemed to be pulling much out either.
At 2 o’clock I had run out of coffee, my spirits were low and I was getting even colder. Made a decision that by 1/4 to 3 if it still wasn’t producing I was going to pack up and go home in time for Tipping Point!! Sat watching peg 101, 103 and 105 on the bottom of the lake making the most of the fish in their swims. Talking to Gaz (Burt Baits) on Peg 103, 125 – 131 on the spit were also not pulling anything out. So as it was now just a spectator sport for me, I packed up, tipped back and headed home, despondent.

Partridge Lakes, Sunday Open 13/12/2020. Covey 4 Peg 77.

A memorable day, for all the wrong reasons! Constant rain, cold and windy, today didn’t have much going for it from the off.
Packed the car in torrential rain, got to partridge and it was still raining. Got drawn Peg 77 Covey 4, a new peg for me, but happy I got Covey 4 as Covey 1,2 and 3 were acting as wind breaks!! What a day to discover that your waterproof trousers aren’t particularly waterproof.
Set up my platform and decided on 3 lines today:
1. 10 – 1 o’clock @ 12m, 3 foot dead bottom. GORTINI 4X10 chianti slim (first time out with this new design float). 0.16 main line to 0.09 6″ hook length #18 SWL hook. Red and/or White maggot or Burt Baits 4mm Polony expander. Feeding small nuggets of Burt Baits X-pander ground bait and soaked Burt Baits 2mm F1 sweet pellet.
2. Track line, 5 foot of water. GORTINI 4×12 clear diamond. 0.16 main line to 0.09 6″ hook length #18 SWL hook. Red and/or White maggot or Burt Baits 4mm Polony expander. Feeding small nuggets of Burt Baits X-pander ground bait and soaked Burt Baits 2mm F1 sweet pellet.
3. Left margin, top 2 plus 1, 4 foot of water. GORTINI 4×12 NiTi wire stem. 0.16 main line to 0.09 6″ hook length #18 SWL hook. Red and/or White maggot or Burt Baits 4mm Polony expander. Feeding small nuggets of Burt Baits X-pander ground bait and soaked Burt Baits 2mm F1 sweet pellet.
Nothing doing on any of the lines, tried changing bait and stopped feeding but it was looking grim. Pegs 98 and 100 were also doing nothing and these are normally great pegs. 79 and 81 were pulling a few F1’s but nothing substantial, this side of the lake was truly dire.
Just after 13:30 I had my first bite, just as I noticed peg 96 putting his second net in!! I landed a small 15oz stock Mirror, saved the blank. That was pretty much it until the last hour when I switched to a #22 hook and single pinkie on my No1 line hoping to at least improve on my solitary fish. Managed another small F1 and 10 or so roach and a perch, surprisingly no gudgeon. I was glad to hear the hooter for the All Out. Tipped back my stunning, maybe 2 1/2 lb. I’m back on Tuesday but Covey 5 and 6 which I don’t get to fish that often.

Partridge Lakes, Sunday 06 December, Open. Coveys 1 to 4 ~60 fishing.

Twas on a cold and frosty morning, as the carole goes. And it was bloody cold, had to scrape the car windows after loading up. There was frost on the ground at partridge and it was still early, so headed off to the cafe for a bacon barm. Got drawn Peg 40, knew I wasn’t going to have a good day! Back of Covey 2 stuck firmly in the middle of the section. 4 lines to start off with and play it by ear;
1. 10m straight out, 6 foot of water. GORTINI 4×12 clear diamond float, 0.16 main line to 0.10 6″ hook length #18 SWL hook, double big red.
2. 13m mud line -1m, 20″ of water. GORTINI 4×14 margin float, 0.16 main line to 0.10 4″ hook length #16 SWL hook, 3 big red/corn/6mm bread disks.
3. Top 2 plus 1 10 o’clock, 4 foot of water. GORTINI 4×12 round body float, 0.16 main line to 0.10 6″ hook length ~16 SWL hook, 2 big red/corn/Burt Baits 6mm Salted Nut hard pellet on a Maver butterfly band.
4. Left margin 13m back to top 2 plus 2, 20″ of water. GORTINI 4×14 margin float, 0.16 main line to 0.10 4″ hook length #16 SWL hook, 3 big red/corn/6mm bread disks.
Started on my 13m line with bread disks hoping to pick off resting carp in the mud line, for nothing. Pulled back to my 10m line after 20 mins and hit into something too big for my 0.10 hook length, after the strike I never had it under control, it swam off to the right until the hook length failed. I at least know the fish are in 4 foot of water, which was moot as I never got another bite until again I had a hook length snapped. I was tempted to rig up a heavier top section or 2 but kept to what I had started with as the bites were very sensitive and cautious. Picked off a small Mirror and a stocky F1 but it was never going to be enough. Anglers on 38 to my right and 42 to my left were also not doing much and loosing fish at the net, which I was also managing. Bites were struck positive, in the mouth but they were managing to shake the hook at the retrieve or at the net. I was hard to not swear!! Nothing doing in my margins either. Last hour took a chance of fishing at 4 foot in 6 foot of water down the track and this seemed to be working, but the fish were small stocky F1’s and I wasn’t gaining much weight on these fish, neither were there enough of them. They were just not feeding.
At the All Out, I tipped back about 11lb, my section being taken with ~25lb.
A plus was, I had bought myself some Grubs Midline 5.0 Ankle Neoprene Wellington Boots. Nothing wrong with my other ankle wellies, other than the soles are pretty slick and while on our club waters ended up on my arse a few times. The Grubs were fantastic, warm feet all day and good secure footing, a good purchase.

Haydock Park Farm Complex, Lagoon pool. 29/11/2020

Up with the sparrows, looking forward to getting out again, pleasure fishing today. Matches resume on Thursday with the Old and Bold match on this complex.

Simple tactics, 3 lines:
1. 7m, edge of lily pads, 5 foot of water. GORTINI 4X10 Chianti style float, dotted so just the water tension was keeping the tip up. 0.10 mainline to 0.6 hook length #22 wire hook, single big red. Feeding walnut size balls of Burt Baits Silvers Dark Spice.
2. 11m, back edge of lily pads, 7 foot of water. GORTINI 4X10 Chianti style float, dotted so just the water tension was keeping the tip up. 0.10 mainline to 0.6 hook length #22 wire hook, single big red. Feeding walnut size balls of Burt Baits Silvers Dark Spice.
3. 13m, 7 foot of water. GORTINI 4X10 Chianti style float, dotted so just the water tension was keeping the tip up. 0.10 mainline to 0.6 hook length #22 wire hook, single big red. Feeding walnut size balls of Burt Baits Silvers Dark Spice.

Started off feeding a couple of balls on my 7m line. Dropped in at 11m line with just a big red, no feed. Float settled then disappeared, nice Rudd, followed in quick succession by another 5. Line went dead so switched to my 7m line and took a couple of Rudd from there. Switching round my lines, the Rudd were close in the lily pad and out in open water were the roach and skimmers. Had 2 snaps in the session, both resulting in a birds nest of line round my dacron! That’s what I get for fishing so light. It wasn’t a weight busting session, but I was the only one taking fish constantly giving me huge confidence in the Burt Baits Maggot Enhancer I have had my big red in for a week or so and the new Silvers Dark Spice Groundbait. Most of the fish were taken out at 13m in open water, Starting point for Thursdays match if I draw this pool?
Sadly there were a few blanks today, which is never nice to see when pleasure fishing. My bait and additives are working, my tactics were definitely working so here’s to a good Thursday match.
The 4×10 chanti style GORTINI floats were fantastic, dotted right down in the flat calm water, the bite indications were tender at best but they showed every bite, not that I hit every one!
I had a robin poncing maggots off me all day and was rewarded by him sitting on my pole, reaching for my phone to take a picture and he was gone!
The new platforms we installed yesterday, up out of the mud looked all pristine, until I got my muddy boots all over it.

Yew Tree Reservoir, Haydock. 25/11/2020.

The day started off with rain and a cold morning frost. A change of venue, we were going to go on Havannah Flash, but ended up on the Yew Tree Res! The Res was mirror like and there was no breeze. I got there first and set up on Peg 11, back side of the pond, opposite the gate. Just red maggot, trying out the Burt Baits maggot enhancer. 2 pint of big red had been in the enhancer since yesterday morning hope this is enough time for the maggots to take on the aroma. I have 4 flavours and I chose the F1 flavour. Word on the grapevine was that it had been hard all week on this water and the fish were out at 13m +. 3 lines:
1. 6m 4 foot of water. GORTINI 4×10 chianti, 0.11 mainline to 0.09 hook length #20 Guru hook, big red. Feeding Burt Baits Silvers Spice Dark, this is another new product and is as the name suggests flavoured with spices, smells amazing as well.
2. 11m 6 foot of water. GORTINI 4×12 round body, black bristle, 0.11 mainline to 0.09 hook length #20 Guru hook, big red. Feeding Burt Baits Silvers Spice Dark and big red.
3. 13m 7 foot of water. GORTINI 4×12 round body, black bristle, 0.11 mainline to 0.09 hook length #20 Guru hook, big red. Feeding Burt Baits Silvers Spice Dark and big red.
To say it was slow is an understatement! 11:20 over 2 hours before my first bite, greedy perch, but saves a blank. No fish topping and the anglers to my left and right were not fairing much better on pinkie.
Switching round my lines and I picked off a couple of good size roach at 13m but then nothing. Pulling back to 11m and they were there, just not feeding. Just before 2 o’clock it turned on at 11m, had a run of roach and skimmer, even had to use my landing net for a couple. As quickly as they started to feed it stopped, by 2:20 it was back to the way the morning had gone. Packed up at 3, but was happy to get out despite the poor showing. Got some maintenance work to do on Saturday on one of our club waters, I will fish this water on Sunday. Here’s hoping for a better showing.

A very fishy related weekend 21/22 Nov 2020

Saturday, as forecast was wet, very wet. Myself and 4 other club members (fellow Burt Ian Alexander) had planned on doing work on one of our club waters, Havannah Flash. This is part of the partly filled in Sankey canal and an area of old mining subsidence that make up ‘the flash’. It was pretty laborious work but rewarding and the needed maintenance wouldn’t keep until after lockdown2, whenever that is! 3 new pegs and a recovered and a repaired peg later it was time to head home. A nice soak in a Radox bath followed by a Chinese delivery I was refreshed.
Sunday, no rain forecast so I didn’t pack my brolly, it rained and at one point we had hail! I went to White Door Dam, another of our club waters (Oak and Beech pools), I set up on Beech pool Peg 10 (the Marcroft peg). It was tip rod and hard pellet only today, trying a bit of finesse with a rod which I don’t often get to practise enough of. Just a chair and a rod pod, very minimal. I had made up some ‘tea bags’ of 2, 4 and 6mm Burt Baits feeder and F1 sweet pellet on Friday and had 2mm feeder pellet to make up for the method and hybrid feeder. On Saturday I took delivery of a bait order from Burt Baits, this had some new products to market, Salted Nut groundbait, 2mm, 4mm and 6mm pellet. I chucked a bag of 6mm Salted Nut in my bag to try out today. Fished bomb and ‘tea bag’ for an hour with Burt Baits Salted Nut 6mm on the band. Later switching to hybrid feeder.
Reports from during the week had been that this water was fishing hard and more overnight cold rain was not going to improve the poor showing of fish off this venue.
If we use statistics and percentages as a measure and not use actual numbers to muddy the story I caught 200% more than anyone else on this water. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🙄. In old money I had 2 bream in the 4 hours I was fishing, but no one else caught so I class that as a win. 🤩🤩. My rod went round twice and I landed both fish so a 100% hit record for me. I really am trying to bolster up this outting.
Next time out the new maggot enhancer is on trial, I will be using the Krill with red maggot and can’t wait to be honest, going to go full match set up so I have lots of options as well. Watch this space.