Bait Tech Festival 2012

Today saw me on 31, Twin Oaks, I'd decided on a line at 14m for worm and caster, a short line for meat and tight to the far bank with a waggler and straight lead. I also set up a margin rig as both margins looked tempting and one rig did for both.

I clipped up the waggler and lead rod, plumbed up the pole rigs and was ready for the start, I had an F1 on the second chuck with the straight lead and then one of those inexplicible cock ups, the lead hit the far bank and I lost the lot. I don't like leaving tackle on the bank, but there wasn't much I could do about it.

Switching to the waggler I had a carp tight across, then heard a commotion as a duck had picked up my lost line and then tangled that up with the waggler set up of Lewis Walker on peg 29, he managed to get the duck in and I went down to his peg and cut all the line off it - it flew away quite safely.

Sad to say that was the most exciting part of the day, the promising looking margins only producing one fish from each side, a few skimmers on the pole and a couple of carp across ensured that my dismal performance continued.

Onto the last day and I was looking forward to Porth, I was confident that I could put in a better showing than on the lakes dominated by F1's. 82 out of the drawbag, so a trip on the boat and it was dropping off at peg 80, so a short walk. I was intending to only take a couple of feeder rods, but I did slip a waggler rod into the rod bag.

I set up two feeder rods, one at 25 turns and one at 60 turns, the 60 turns rod didn't get touched again, so no more about that.  I added the waggler rod to the set up, with a large bodied Drake waggler. Hooklengths were 0.10 flurocarbon and size 16 hooks on both rods used.

Starting on the feeder with caster & worm, I had indications and a couple of fish early on, after an hour of bites and a few small skimmers I tried the waggler and had 3 fish including a chunky 4oz roach, in 3 put ins. Then the line caught under the plastic plug on top of the platform leg and broke, I retackled up, but couldn't replicate the bite a chuck of the first 3 casts.

Back on the tip and I kept fish coming, the 2 best fish, skimmers of about 12oz and 1lb, both taken by pike, at 4 o'clock another disaster - the fine glass tip of my drennan rod snapped, so I had to retackle up with another tip section. I kept catching to the end and was happy that I'd fished a much better match than the previous 3 days. I was second to weigh in in the section and was winning the section with 5lb 10oz until end peg 89 weighed 6lb odd. Someone said,"that end peg has won the section every time I've been here!!"

So some redemption on the last day, the festival was a massive learning curve. I now know how little I understand meat fishing, F1 fishing and that good up to date info is crucial to success in these festivals. The bait limit meant I was worrying about taking the full amount, which on every day was too much.

I reckon I'll go again, but next time with full preperation and more prepared to ask questions.

See the Whiteacres website for all the results.