Kev Perry Series 2011 - Match Two

I spent around 5 hours Saturday evening/night sorting out elastics, rigs & bait - I wish I'd gone up the pub....

That was after a trip to Avon Anglingto collect some bait, a discussion ensued about elastics, Clayton Hudson & Tony both thought they'd got a bite from me, but when I questioned how many floaters were in Tony's casters, I got a huge wrap round. He grabbed a bag from the display fridge opened it and threw some into the toilet - "look, look, there are only four floaters to a handful" - having to look at the caster in the pan wasn't the issue, it's the "I've never seen bleach" appearance of the toilet pan thats worrying.....

I was due to be in C section, the section that produced the top three last match and should produce at least a winner or framer this. I asked Team Mate Mark Bromsgrove to draw my peg - he can draw flyers for himself! - but not for me, peg 21 he managed. The peg of doom in the section, not much open water and where there used to be boards in front of the rush beds, they have now gone.

I had it in my head to fish for silvers, I set up a pencil float on 0.11/0.10 with a 22 63.13 for pinkie/maggot/caster, another rig with 0.13/0.11 to a 18 808 for soft pellet, I guessed paste would catch some carp, so I set up a rig - just in case. I also set up a rig for down the edge.

The match started slowly and didn't improve from there, the silvers (well crucians and goldfish) were spawning in the rushes and margins and the carp would not come more than 6" from the rushes to feed. I fed a couple of lines, one with micropellet & 3mm expander and one with pinkie & groundbait. The only line I caught on initially was the groundbait line and this was slow, with the odd crucian and fantail taking the bait.

I switched to the pellet line, to no avail, I had fed a line near the rushes, but felt it was suicidal and so it proved to be - the rushes and carp claimed, several hooklengths, a couple of rigs and a rig complete with double No8 elastic and a PTFE bush. By 12.15 I was ready to pack up and go home, I couldn't get a bite in open water and every fish I hooked near the reeds went deep inside them.

I took a breather for 5 mins and then reassembled the cupping kit etc I'd taken down in temper, I managed a couple of decent roach on caster before the carp (small ones, moved in for a quick burst of two fish). I thought that peg 24 was catching crucians, I couldn't see 26, but assumed he was as well - no, a total misjudgement, I should have stayed fishing for silvers the whole match, but thinking I was behind I switched to paste on a heavier rig and landed some carp - as well as losing plenty in the reeds!!

I weighed in 3.200KG of silvers, 720G short of second in section (silvers), but ended up with 3 points instead of a possible 6 (I don't think there was 6KG of silvers to had to beat the section winner, who banked 7 points).

The crucians and goldfish seemed to be spawning, the skimmers were conspicuious by their absence and the carp showed up, but small ones in general and not in great numbers. All in all, a total waste of an evening staying in preparing, I can't say I enjoyed it. I managed 11.400KG which tied with peg 22 (Nick Harvey)for 4 series points and a lowly 3.200KG of silvers for 3 silvers points.

1) L Jones 22.350KG peg 25
2) S Kitteridge 20.000KG peg 18
3) L Tucker 18.500KG peg 15
4) A Hockin 17.850 peg 3
5) S Johnson 15.020 peg 16
6) P Bartlett 14.260KG peg 26

Silvers

1) M Owens 8.400KG peg 6
2) D Wride 7.450KG peg 12
3) S Kitteridge 7.220KG peg 18
4) L Tucker 6.280KG peg 15
5) N Vigus 6.000KG peg 19
6) M Bromsgrove 4.540KG peg 8

Overall Table Top Six

1) L Jones 14 31.040KG
2) S Kitteridge 12 22.900KG
3) L Tucker 12 22.670KG
4) M Bromsgrove 11 22.690KG
5) A Hockin 10 22.170KG
6) C Fox 10 19.570KG

Silvers Table Top Six

1) N Vigus 13 9.470KG
2) L Tucker 12 10.450KG
3) S Kitteridge 12 10.120KG
4) Mark Bromsgrove 11 13.990KG
5) D Wride 11 9.000KG
6) C Fox 10 10.100KG