Round 5 of the Silvers League and with no chance of
finishing anywhere other than well down the table, a positive approach and fish
for 20lb+. Working until 22.00 the night before meant preparation wasn’t great,
which was compounded by realising I had left my waggler rod at home once I
opened the tailgate to get my tackle out. Two offers of the loan of a rod were
forthcoming, from Clayton Hudson and Paul Faiers and whilst my home for the
day, peg 99 (Cary), would be one of the pegs that I’d usually opt for the
waggler, I declined and put my faith in the pole and a tiny cage feeder set up.
With hindsight, probably a mistake, as the fish didn’t want to venture too
close in.
On the all in I fed 3 lines, 2 balls of GB with only minimal
caster and a couple of dead pinkies in, same at 11m of to an angle and I had
set up a 4m whip, which produced 4 roach, so no more of that. Leaving the pole
lines to settle I cast 3 times with a next size up from tiny feeder and that
resulted in a small roach, a switch to the smallest feeder I own, with either
caster, maggot or dead maggot on the hook resulted in the odd little roach and
an occasional steady pull round of the ½ oz glass tip – liners from the few
carp that were showing themselves out towards the middle of the lake.
The pole lines were slow, with just an occasional bite,
again, small roach, with one two even smaller perch. By now Phil Cardwell on 96
was catching skimmers, whilst Dave Roper on 97, myself and Rowland on 100 were
just spectators. Another look on the feeder, the same result, liners and roach,
not a sign of a skimmer. I dropped down to 0.08 and a 22 and would have gone
smaller, but I didn’t think that it would have made any difference, I could
hear Nicky Collins directly behind me, catching decent roach on Lodge, the
biggest I had might have gone 2oz.
A switch back to the 13m line saw three skimmers (palm size
– but welcome) in three put ins, then I lost four fish in five put ins, 3 of
which had the maggot over the hook point – co-incidence? or perhaps it was the
way the fish were feeding and my rig was set up. Anyway, that was enough to
upset the skimmers and that was the last I saw of them. Those around me fishing
the waggler were getting the odd roach and Dave Roper had a better skimmer, had
there been more time I would have looked behind me to Paul or Clayton, both on
lodge for the loan of that waggler rod, but with ½ an hour to go, I just knew
that I wasn’t going to get a flurry of big skimmers or perch, so packed up
early and tipped back about 5lb. I guess Clayton must have stood too close to
me before the draw, as he drew 66 for the 3rd time in the series,
what are the odds of that happening, at least he amused himself towards the end
landing some big carp.
With one round to go, its another open for me, as a couple
of poor results and missing the 4th round due to the snow ( lorry
stuck on the hill after Chewton Mendip on A39, so I turned round and went back
down the A37, only to find the hill out of Gurney Slade blocked, with the snow
still falling heavily – must treat myself to a 4x4).
For the results please see either Tony’s, Mike’s or
Clayton’s blogs.
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