I have just returned from a successful trip to the Kennet and Avon Canal near Melksham in Wiltshire, with a Ladies National individual silver medal in my pocket after catching just shy of 19lb of skimmers and roach using Sonu's Silvercrush groundbait as my main attacking ploy.

it was a beautiful stretch of canal and I fancied my peg as there were rushes opposite me at 14.5 metres. I had cracked a couple of ribs in the run-up to the match but the Preston Innovations Gis 14 Absolute pole is so light that I was still just about able to fish to the rushes, which is where I plundered ten good skimmers by fishing a piece of worm over four good balls of Sonu Silvercrush groundbait containing chopped worms and casters.

I'd kicked off at five metres fishing squatt and pinkie over the same groundbait sieved fine and containing squatts. I had some early roach then a 1lb 4oz skimmer on the short line.

However, having primed the far bank swim at the all-in, after two hours I was itching to go across and see if any better fish had settled there. My dad was with me to lend some moral support and after seeing me catch ten skimmers to 2lb, one after another, he declared he was off to the pub while I set about the task. Trouble was, I caught nothing while he was gone!

The canal then went a bit iffy so I decided to pot two balls of the Sonu Silvercrush groundbait in on my 11 metre line and I started to catch a few fish there. With an hour to go I went back across to the far bank and caught a 10oz skimmer and a few more smaller samples.

I hoped I had done enough to win the match but I can't complain about taking the silver medal as I have won the ladies national once already, in 2006, and now I have had a first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth individual in this event, so I have been fairly consistent.

So what conclusions can I draw from this match? Well, one thing is for certain, Sonu Silvercrush groundbait has real pulling power. If you visit silver fish venues, I suggest you pack a bag in your carryall and give it a whirl. It won't let you down.