Bonehill Mill, Tamworth - Friday 15^th September

I popped down to Bonehill Mill Fishery in Tamworth last week. I’ve been to this fishery twice before. First time for a Fishing For Info day back in August. I fished shallow that day at 13m. Spraying 8mm pellet with banded 8mm pellet on the hook. I caught carp ranging from 3lb to some double figure beauties! Second time, I had a dabble on the open match a few weeks ago - where lets just say I didn’t do that great. But I learnt a few bits from the session and that's what it's all about. This also brings me to the reason for my third visit, to brush up on my Method feeder fishing at range.

I will hold my hands up and admit to anyone that fishing with a rod isn’t my favored technique. I’m definitely a pole angler at heart! But it’s a must that you need to get your head ahead as it can play a big part in a match on certain venues.

The first few casts weren’t great. Nevertheless both Andy and Neil soon put me right - load the blank, swing towards your target, releasing the line at the correct time, using your finger to feather the method to gently plop into the water (not splatter in like I’d previously been doing). Yes I know what you’re thinking, that’s obvious. Well yes it is if you are shown correctly (which I have been many years ago). However, I felt putting all that into one motion and also been accurate is a touch harder. I knew I definitely needed the practice!
After a couple of hours (and a couple hundred casts), I was casting spot on at 60 metres within a few inches each time. It was getting on towards the end of the day and the chaps challenged me to chuck to a spare peg that was probably again a 60 metre cast. If I'd been asked to do this at the start of the day I would of just laughed at you! Anyhow the first cast landed 12 inches from the pallet and instead of trying my luck at getting closer on the next cast I just took a little more line off the spool before clipping on. Following that every cast was within inches of the peg!! I finished the day off with some stunning double figure carp.

Overall it was a successful day. Yes it was difficult watching Dylan a few pegs down bagging especially on his pole line, but I fought the urge to set the pole up and I just stuck at the method as this is what I needed to work on.

All in all a great learning experience and one (very) small step to becoming an all rounder. The great thing about angling is that you never stop learning! . . . Stay tuned to see how I struggle on my next lesson in this great sport.

Browning Youth Masters Qualifier.

Browning Youth Masters Qualifier 

I had been going to Woodlands Lakes in Thirsk to fish all the different types of ponds and getting use to the range of different styles of fishing that is required for commercial venues. At the time, Alan Gregory took me under his wing and taught me literally everything I needed to know about fishing a commercial.

When I heard that there was a junior match coming up, I soon got my name down for it. I didn’t expect to do well in the match, let alone come second and qualify for one of the biggest Junior finals at The Glebe and Mallory Park Fisheries in Leicester. The day of the final arrived, I managed to finish in the top 10 and won top female.

Following the success of the first Browning Youth Masters qualifier and mainly the buzz of been part of a big final. I decided to enter the qualifiers each year and this meant that most years I dedicated my school holidays, sometimes traveling the length and breadth on the UK trying to qualify for the final.

I remember one year that I’d been just out of qualifying at my local venue. So we ended up travelling to varies venues such as Cudmore Fisheries in Stoke-on-Trent, Llyn Y Gors in Anglesey, White Acres Fisheries in Newquay (that’s just naming a few!) trying to get into the final. I managed to scrape through the last qualifier at White Arces to make the final for that year. I took the whole experience as a learning curve and the knowledge that was gained from fishing the different venues was invaluable.

I became member of Leeds Junior team. I managed to be consistent and do well with section wins and seconds, on a variety of mainly different commercial venues in the UK. I then decided to join Wakefield Juniors to venture onto the natural waters. It took me a while to get my head around the natural venues. There were many matches I got beat, but I continued to go every week and I eventually started to do okay on the natural waters too.

I soon secured myself a sponsorship with Browning. This just shows that you don’t need to be winning everything you enter to gain a sponsorship - hard work, dedication and consistent results is enough. But always remember the most important thing is to love what you do.

After years of dedicating myself to my fishing, I decided that it was the right time to take a break. I am now dusting off the cobwebs after 9 years. I am having to learn how the fishing and the tackle has developed since I’ve been away. I hope you will enjoy reading my journey back into the Angling world.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I am looking forward to sharing my journey with all you ladies and gents 😊

Gallery

 

About Me

 I’m May Potter, I am based in North Leeds West Yorkshire

I started fishing at the early age of 4 years old, after constantly asking my Dad if I could go with him. My Dad eventually gave in and took me along to one of our local commercial ponds, The Oaks in Sessay. Armed with half pint maggots and a top kit, I started to catch few fish. That’s where it all started, I’d caught the fishing bug!
After a few years practising every day, fishing after school and every weekend. I became part of Helperby and Brafferton Angling Club. I fished my first Junior open match at the age of 6 years old on the river Swale. This is where I found my love for competitive match fishing.

At the age of 10 years old I entered my first Junior match on a commercial pond, Which happened to be a Browning Youth Masters Qualifier at Woodland Lakes in Thirsk. I ended up coming second overall and qualified for the big final at The Glebe and Mallory Park Fisheries in Leicester. In the final I was lucky to be backed by Lower Wharfe Angling tackle shop in Boston Spa. I managed to calm my nerves enough to catch 70lb of carp which was enough to win the Top Female in the final.

With the success of my first venture into commercial match fishing I soon became a regular in the local open matches on my local commercial fisheries and quickly gained a love for the competitive match scene. I became a member of Leeds Juniors and this gave me the chance to fish venues all over the UK and I enjoyed the local and national match scenes. After a couple of years I decided that I need to venture more onto the natural waters and became a member of Wakefield juniors where again I had the opportunity to complete local and national matches

I was lucky enough to feature in a fishing article with Darren Cox. We fished bloodworm and joker at Tunnel Barn Farm in Warwickshire. If I remember rightly it was freezing cold but we managed a good bag of carp and we made the front page too!

I also featured in a fishing challenge on Tight lines against Keith Artur. He came up north to Woodland Lakes in Thirsk. It was a typical wet northern day and It was a close call at the weigh in,  Keith managed to just pip me by a few ounces (If only I hadn’t lost that roach at the net!)

It wasn’t long after that I got offered a sponsorship with Browning, and from that day I became a member of the Browning Family. This gave me the opportunity to fish Browning Team meetings. I also had the chance to fish in Browning European team meetings in Holland and Germany - What I learnt from all the Browning Team anglers was invaluable.

At the age of 16 my fishing slowed down and took a back seat. After years of dedicating myself to my fishing, I decided that it was the right time to take a break.

After realising that my Dad had got back into fishing, I decided to meet up one weekend for a pleasure session. After fishing for a couple of hours catching skimmers, I soon got that buzz of been back on the bank. It was long until the odd day pleasure fishing wasn’t enough and I ended up booking a week of fishing the loughs and rivers in Ireland, where I caught some stunning fish.

The match fishing has changed considerably in the 9 years I have been away. I am now thriving on the challenge to reach and improve on my past achievements. I am very proud that I have also recently become part of the Commercial Indication team.