If you had asked me to bet on which day this weekend I'd have the biggest weight, I would have placed a decent wedge on todays match on Campbell being the one. I'd have been wrong, today was a real struggle for some, me included.
I drew 132 - typical, can't draw it in a 'normal' match - and thought it should be good for a few fish. I set up a rig to fish banded pellet, a meat rig, a paste rig and a margin rig. First put in I had a skimmer, then a carp, that was it then until 13.40, when I had 3 small carp on the pellet at 6m, before another long spell without a bite. The last hour I had a couple of fish on meat, but by now I knew I was a long way behind those catching. I wasn't alone, Steve Seager, and Roland Lucas on 130 and 131 also struggled, worse than I did, making 3 of us in a row DNW. I put back about 45lb of carp and 5lb of skimmers.
See Tony's blog for results.
Sunday, 30 June 2013
Saturday, 29 June 2013
Clevedon Club Match, Acorn Top Lake, Saturday 29th June 2013
A 12.30 draw for this match, so a lie in this morning, I'd be happy to fish a few more summer matches with a later start, as we often seem to pack up just as the fish start feeding. 11 fishing so the whole length of the lake used, including the newly dug area.
I wasn't too concerned where I drew, but with a gusting wind blowing down the lake, towards Paddock lake, peg one had the wind blowing into the end bank, so looked favourable. Remarkably, peg one found its way into my usually unreliable drawing hand. We could drive round, so no walk and that meant that I was actually ready at the start. I set up a Malman winter wire on 0.14, with a 18 Drennan Carp Maggot hook to fish maggot short. A MW slim to fish hard pellet, that had a 18 B960 with a band to 0.14, a NG Gimp to fish soft pellet, tthat had a 16 63-13 to 0.14 and finally a Big H paste float on 0.16 straight through to a 14 Mustad paste hook.
The wind was going to make presentation tricky so I fed 4mm pellet at topkit+4 along the end bank, the same into open water with groundbait and caster and a short line with maggot. I dropped into the short line to let the others settle and had a couple of 6oz roach, before getting a couple of skimmers. I had a look over the pellet line with a 6mm banded pellet and had a small carp, before catching skimmers on the pellet, but not as quickly as the short line. The groundbait line in open water only peoduced a couple of rudd, so I binned that and concentrated on the two lines. I had a few more skimmers off the short line, but as there was no silvers payout in this match, I needed some carp to go with the skimmers.
I had a decent run of fish on paste from the pellet fed line, fishing tight to the end bank, which is the same depth as the open water, no margin shelf here. When this went quiet, I had some more skimmers short, on maggot, before taking a few more carp in the last half an hour from the paste line. The carp are small and its not easy to estimate, I had clicked 42lb and thought I had low double figures of silvers.
The scales started at the opposite end and Mark Broomsgrove had struggled in the new area, weighing 15lb, the ever consistent Rod Wootten weighed 64.12 which looked good for the win, as the wind had made things tricky for everyone. Rod stayed top weight until the scales got to me, my clicked 42lb went 47.10 and the skimmers were a better stamp than they looked, as they (and some nice roach up to 12oz) went 19.04 to pinch the win from Rod. Some consolation for the fact that the wind took my pole off the roller and blew it into my car, snappingthe No7 section with a clean break, Nissan X Trail 1 Tourny Pro 0. It had to be an expensive section as well.....
1) Chris Fox 66.14 peg 1
2) Rod Wootten 64.12 peg 10
3) Brian Slipper 55.06 peg 3
4) Kev Perry 52.04 peg 4
5) Paul Faiers 43.04 peg 8
6) Phil Deacon 34.13 peg 2
Silvers
1) Adie Baker. 30.00 peg 6
2) Chris Fox 19.04 peg 1
I wasn't too concerned where I drew, but with a gusting wind blowing down the lake, towards Paddock lake, peg one had the wind blowing into the end bank, so looked favourable. Remarkably, peg one found its way into my usually unreliable drawing hand. We could drive round, so no walk and that meant that I was actually ready at the start. I set up a Malman winter wire on 0.14, with a 18 Drennan Carp Maggot hook to fish maggot short. A MW slim to fish hard pellet, that had a 18 B960 with a band to 0.14, a NG Gimp to fish soft pellet, tthat had a 16 63-13 to 0.14 and finally a Big H paste float on 0.16 straight through to a 14 Mustad paste hook.
The wind was going to make presentation tricky so I fed 4mm pellet at topkit+4 along the end bank, the same into open water with groundbait and caster and a short line with maggot. I dropped into the short line to let the others settle and had a couple of 6oz roach, before getting a couple of skimmers. I had a look over the pellet line with a 6mm banded pellet and had a small carp, before catching skimmers on the pellet, but not as quickly as the short line. The groundbait line in open water only peoduced a couple of rudd, so I binned that and concentrated on the two lines. I had a few more skimmers off the short line, but as there was no silvers payout in this match, I needed some carp to go with the skimmers.
I had a decent run of fish on paste from the pellet fed line, fishing tight to the end bank, which is the same depth as the open water, no margin shelf here. When this went quiet, I had some more skimmers short, on maggot, before taking a few more carp in the last half an hour from the paste line. The carp are small and its not easy to estimate, I had clicked 42lb and thought I had low double figures of silvers.
The scales started at the opposite end and Mark Broomsgrove had struggled in the new area, weighing 15lb, the ever consistent Rod Wootten weighed 64.12 which looked good for the win, as the wind had made things tricky for everyone. Rod stayed top weight until the scales got to me, my clicked 42lb went 47.10 and the skimmers were a better stamp than they looked, as they (and some nice roach up to 12oz) went 19.04 to pinch the win from Rod. Some consolation for the fact that the wind took my pole off the roller and blew it into my car, snappingthe No7 section with a clean break, Nissan X Trail 1 Tourny Pro 0. It had to be an expensive section as well.....
1) Chris Fox 66.14 peg 1
2) Rod Wootten 64.12 peg 10
3) Brian Slipper 55.06 peg 3
4) Kev Perry 52.04 peg 4
5) Paul Faiers 43.04 peg 8
6) Phil Deacon 34.13 peg 2
Silvers
1) Adie Baker. 30.00 peg 6
2) Chris Fox 19.04 peg 1
Monday, 24 June 2013
Short Pole Match, Landsend, Sunday 23rd June 2013
After a week away from work and fishing in Cornwall, which was as relaxed as always, why is the pace of life slower down there? Reminds me of Ireland, it was back to try and vanquish my demons with Landsend. I wanted a draw on the match lake and to fish for silvers, but as usual, when its in, lake 3 was to be my home for the duration of what turned into another struggle. I drew peg 70, which had it been a normal match, i.e. not restricted to topkit + 3 sections, I might have fancied, so I decided to fish positively, a rig for caster short and 'long' (as long as the restrictions allowed), a rig for meat, another the same as the caster rig, but heavier and with a hair rigged band on, finally a paste rig to fish towards the weedbed which is to the right of this peg.
I fed some meat towards the end bank, but not too close as it looks like a potential tackle graveyard, as the prevailing wind had undercut the end bank exposing tree stumps and a gothic looking maze of gnarled root stumps. I also fed caster short and at full length, with a big pot of micros and softened 4's going in towards the weed bed. Nothing apart from a lonesome roach on the short caster line - not a good sign, but the line out to the weed bed was producing some fizz. I dropped the paste rig into this and had 3 carp in 4 or 5 put in's, but that was, as seems all to familiar of my matches lately, all the carp action from that swim.
The long caster line produced nothing and it seemed as if the silvers weren't in residence today, preferring to be out in the main body of the lake, rather than the 3 sided pool that is peg 70. I had a couple of F1's on soft pellet, a couple of decent skimmers short and another 3 or 4 small carp down the edge on paste, meat was a waste of time, not one bite coming to it. I could see Joe McMahon opposite struggling and he joined a few DNW's on the lake, it seems looking at the weigh sheet, the fish were more concentrated in the middle of the lake, rather than either end, with none of the favoured pegs on the lake producing. My meagre efforts went just over 30lb for a resounding nowhere.
See one of the other bloggers for the results, as I couldn't get near the weigh sheets for David 'silverfox' Bailey and his camera.
I fed some meat towards the end bank, but not too close as it looks like a potential tackle graveyard, as the prevailing wind had undercut the end bank exposing tree stumps and a gothic looking maze of gnarled root stumps. I also fed caster short and at full length, with a big pot of micros and softened 4's going in towards the weed bed. Nothing apart from a lonesome roach on the short caster line - not a good sign, but the line out to the weed bed was producing some fizz. I dropped the paste rig into this and had 3 carp in 4 or 5 put in's, but that was, as seems all to familiar of my matches lately, all the carp action from that swim.
The long caster line produced nothing and it seemed as if the silvers weren't in residence today, preferring to be out in the main body of the lake, rather than the 3 sided pool that is peg 70. I had a couple of F1's on soft pellet, a couple of decent skimmers short and another 3 or 4 small carp down the edge on paste, meat was a waste of time, not one bite coming to it. I could see Joe McMahon opposite struggling and he joined a few DNW's on the lake, it seems looking at the weigh sheet, the fish were more concentrated in the middle of the lake, rather than either end, with none of the favoured pegs on the lake producing. My meagre efforts went just over 30lb for a resounding nowhere.
See one of the other bloggers for the results, as I couldn't get near the weigh sheets for David 'silverfox' Bailey and his camera.
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Viaduct Thursday Cost Cutter 13th June 2013
Down to Viaduct today, hoping that it bucked the recent trend that seems to be affecting all fisheries, of the fish seemingly not interested in feeding.
31 fishing, Campbell and Cary both in, so I wanted a draw on Campbell, perhaps I should be careful what I wish for, as I picked out 131, after Matt Tomes handed Paul Greenwood 132. I tried to cover all bases, with a straight lead set up, full depth and shallow waggler, a margin rig, a 5m meat rig and two pellet rigs, one full depth, one shallow.
I started on the waggler, with meat, but Paul had landed three fish before I had my first bite and fish (and the ratio didn't change much during the match). A switch to the lead brought a couple of fish, but in what was to become a pattern for the day, that was that for the bites on the lead. A switch to the pole saw the pellets being whittled down and eventually eaten by 3oz skimmers, the 5m meat line, although being primed for later, gave up nothing on an early look in. By now Paul was catching tight to the rushes between 133/134 on the shallow waggler. The margin gave me a small tench and a bream, repeating the now familiar 2 fish then nothing of all the other lines/methods, except the 5m line which remained biteless.
Coming into the last couple of hours another look on the 5m line produced the one and only fish caught from it (unless a 3oz roach on 10mm meat counts!!). The margin gave up a bream and small carp, but then bucked the trend, a 3rd bite and a carp was foul hooked, this took 10 mins to get to the net and finally snapped the 0.18 hooklength when I had the elastic fully stretched via the pulla bung. What I hoped would be a decent last hour, was dire, Paul's peg was getting stronger and stronger, whilst mine gave up one tench in the whole of the last hour.
I even managed to drop the last carp I caught into the wrong net, so I had an empty net and one over by 7lb or so, giving me 70lb carp and 15.11 silvers for 10th on the day, only 6 weights over a ton, including Pauls double ton, which gave him the win by a wide margin. With hindsight, the meat was a waste of time in open water, it might have paid off to fish a pellet line and stick to it, hoping that the carp moved in over it.
1) Paul Greenwood 229.14 peg 132
2) Glenn Bailey 111.14 peg 115
3) Phil Harding 109.01 peg 112
4) S Russell 104.05 peg 129
5) Matt Tomes 101.03 peg 114
6) Peter Thompson 100.00 peg 88
Silvers
1) Roland Lucas 34.00 peg 123
2) Howard Webb 26.11 peg 105
31 fishing, Campbell and Cary both in, so I wanted a draw on Campbell, perhaps I should be careful what I wish for, as I picked out 131, after Matt Tomes handed Paul Greenwood 132. I tried to cover all bases, with a straight lead set up, full depth and shallow waggler, a margin rig, a 5m meat rig and two pellet rigs, one full depth, one shallow.
I started on the waggler, with meat, but Paul had landed three fish before I had my first bite and fish (and the ratio didn't change much during the match). A switch to the lead brought a couple of fish, but in what was to become a pattern for the day, that was that for the bites on the lead. A switch to the pole saw the pellets being whittled down and eventually eaten by 3oz skimmers, the 5m meat line, although being primed for later, gave up nothing on an early look in. By now Paul was catching tight to the rushes between 133/134 on the shallow waggler. The margin gave me a small tench and a bream, repeating the now familiar 2 fish then nothing of all the other lines/methods, except the 5m line which remained biteless.
Coming into the last couple of hours another look on the 5m line produced the one and only fish caught from it (unless a 3oz roach on 10mm meat counts!!). The margin gave up a bream and small carp, but then bucked the trend, a 3rd bite and a carp was foul hooked, this took 10 mins to get to the net and finally snapped the 0.18 hooklength when I had the elastic fully stretched via the pulla bung. What I hoped would be a decent last hour, was dire, Paul's peg was getting stronger and stronger, whilst mine gave up one tench in the whole of the last hour.
I even managed to drop the last carp I caught into the wrong net, so I had an empty net and one over by 7lb or so, giving me 70lb carp and 15.11 silvers for 10th on the day, only 6 weights over a ton, including Pauls double ton, which gave him the win by a wide margin. With hindsight, the meat was a waste of time in open water, it might have paid off to fish a pellet line and stick to it, hoping that the carp moved in over it.
1) Paul Greenwood 229.14 peg 132
2) Glenn Bailey 111.14 peg 115
3) Phil Harding 109.01 peg 112
4) S Russell 104.05 peg 129
5) Matt Tomes 101.03 peg 114
6) Peter Thompson 100.00 peg 88
Silvers
1) Roland Lucas 34.00 peg 123
2) Howard Webb 26.11 peg 105
Landsend Wednesday Open 12th June 2013
I had booked into Viaduct, but a phonecall at 5pm on Tuesday night with news that the Viaduct match was cancelled, due to low numbers, saw me with the option of pleasure fishing or having another bash at Landsend. A quick call to Tony Rixon and he kindly brought round a couple of pints of caster Tuesday evening.
So the plan was to fish for silvers, caster and meat being the two main lines of attack, with some pellet in reserve. I drew 15 and listened to the rest of the field bemoaning the fact that Trigger had drawn peg 19 and the match was won before we left Mike's cabin.
I set up a NG Gimp to fish caster and it would do for short and at 10m just before the lake bed started shelving up to the island. A rig to fish meat at 5m, a margin rig and a rig to fish banded 6mm pellet up the shelf - which didn't produce a bite!!
Loose feeding caster and meat at the start and I dropped in on the short caster line and had two F1's and a small perch, before the bites dried up. Out to the 10m line and there was little action here either, just one skimmer after an hour. I decided to mix up some groundbait and fed it on the 10m line in quite tightly compacted balls, to get it and its caster content to the bottom. This brought an immediate response and several decent skimmers fell to double caster over it.
A look on the 5m meat line produced a lift bite and the one and only fish on it, a 1½lb skimmer. The short caster line produced a run of small perch, the hoped for Tench, conspicuous by their absence. I had feed a meat line into the LH margin and this produced 3 small carp, before a much bigger specimen took the rig right up to the elastic into the tree by peg 14 - one of my favourite, no longer made, MW margin floats.... As sport was quiet, I set up another one and added a 1lb+ chub to the silvers net.
Back on the 10m line and it was a long wait between bites for decent skimmers, I didn't catch a single roach, so nothing to keep weight going in the net. The last half hour saw me land a carp on the caster rig and lose a couple more, as they started to have a munch after 4pm.
My carp went 14lb or so and the silvers 24.04 which was joint second in the silvers, so I may as well have saved the caster money and fished pellet. As was the common prediction at the start, Trigger won and Tom Thick was second, only 3 pegs in on the car park side, 1 - 5 - 11, whilst every other peg was in on the opposite side.
1) Trigger 106.08 peg 19
2) Tom Thick 96.01 peg 11
3) Clint W 79.00 peg 5
4) Martin Lenaghan 48.12 peg 1
5) Matt Tomes 41.05 peg 21
6) Nick Brown 40.01 peg 23
Silvers
1) Phil 'Fabio' Harding 25.00 peg 17
=2) Chris Fox (peg 15) and Trigger (peg 19) 24.04
So the plan was to fish for silvers, caster and meat being the two main lines of attack, with some pellet in reserve. I drew 15 and listened to the rest of the field bemoaning the fact that Trigger had drawn peg 19 and the match was won before we left Mike's cabin.
I set up a NG Gimp to fish caster and it would do for short and at 10m just before the lake bed started shelving up to the island. A rig to fish meat at 5m, a margin rig and a rig to fish banded 6mm pellet up the shelf - which didn't produce a bite!!
Loose feeding caster and meat at the start and I dropped in on the short caster line and had two F1's and a small perch, before the bites dried up. Out to the 10m line and there was little action here either, just one skimmer after an hour. I decided to mix up some groundbait and fed it on the 10m line in quite tightly compacted balls, to get it and its caster content to the bottom. This brought an immediate response and several decent skimmers fell to double caster over it.
A look on the 5m meat line produced a lift bite and the one and only fish on it, a 1½lb skimmer. The short caster line produced a run of small perch, the hoped for Tench, conspicuous by their absence. I had feed a meat line into the LH margin and this produced 3 small carp, before a much bigger specimen took the rig right up to the elastic into the tree by peg 14 - one of my favourite, no longer made, MW margin floats.... As sport was quiet, I set up another one and added a 1lb+ chub to the silvers net.
Back on the 10m line and it was a long wait between bites for decent skimmers, I didn't catch a single roach, so nothing to keep weight going in the net. The last half hour saw me land a carp on the caster rig and lose a couple more, as they started to have a munch after 4pm.
My carp went 14lb or so and the silvers 24.04 which was joint second in the silvers, so I may as well have saved the caster money and fished pellet. As was the common prediction at the start, Trigger won and Tom Thick was second, only 3 pegs in on the car park side, 1 - 5 - 11, whilst every other peg was in on the opposite side.
1) Trigger 106.08 peg 19
2) Tom Thick 96.01 peg 11
3) Clint W 79.00 peg 5
4) Martin Lenaghan 48.12 peg 1
5) Matt Tomes 41.05 peg 21
6) Nick Brown 40.01 peg 23
Silvers
1) Phil 'Fabio' Harding 25.00 peg 17
=2) Chris Fox (peg 15) and Trigger (peg 19) 24.04
Sunday, 9 June 2013
Shiplate Farm, Sunday 9th June 2013
A Clevedon club match today, 18 fishing and we were on the main lake. I had taken the advice and gone into this match with a positive mental attitude and once I'd drawn and seen the peg, I was fairly positive that I didn't fancy it. Peg 10, it is a narrow peg, about 18-20yds to the island. The way the wind was whipping through, I decided to leave the waggler rods in the hardcase and walked back to the car to get the lead rod, which was there as a last resort.
I set up the lead rod, with 0.19 hooklength and a 16 QM1 to fish to the island, 4 topkits, one for meat at 5m, a margin rig and two pellet rigs, vitually identical, but one with a banded hook and one for soft pellet. I fed the margin, 5m line and some micros and 6's at 11m (too windy to realistically fish further) and finally some 8mm pellets fed tightto the island. I managed 22 minutes on the lead, before the motionless tip had me chucking it up the bank.
Out to the 11m line and 6mm Devils Spawn saw a couple of small skimmers in the net, a switch to hard pellet was a fruitless one, as I didn't have a bite on a banded pellet all match (pole or lead). After two hours of persistently trying the pellet and meat to no avail, I gave in and got the maggots out, this saw me net a few more skimmers, but the 0.16 and green Vespe was too harsh for them and a few were lost.
By now, it was apparent that the lake was fishing hard, I had tried the island again amd it remained biteless and no sign of fish, not even any liners. I could see Rod Wotton bank walking and the comments about how hard it was were coming thick and fast.
With half an hour to go, my float buried and I was attached to what felt like a big bream, but the it woke up and a dogged battle was fought, before a 14.06 carp was landed. Back out and I hooked another, mistakenly I tried to bully the fish and it came off, just as it was coming to the surface - a costly mistake. With 15 minutes ro go, what had been a barren island, was now home to rolling carp, I decided to stick it out on the pole, which was now producing bites, I managed ro lose another carp and a big skimmer, both possibly foul hooked amd all too soon came the all out.
My few accidental skimmers went 4lb dead, the late single carp went 14.06 for a total of 18.06, which was enough for 7th, the lost fish most likely costing me third place. I think, not taking caster and setting my stall out for silvers cost me any sort of pick up today, as I think a full six hours targeting them would have seen me catch enough to frame.
1) Andy Hembrow 54.12 peg 14
2) Brian Slipper 35.06 peg 6A
3) Lee Williams 23.12 peg 5A
4) Paul Faiers 22.06 peg 14B
5) Dave Smart 21.08 peg 13
6) Mike Owens 21.01 peg 15
Silvers
1) Andy Hembrow 14.04 peg 14
2) Paul Faiers 7.06 peg 14B
I set up the lead rod, with 0.19 hooklength and a 16 QM1 to fish to the island, 4 topkits, one for meat at 5m, a margin rig and two pellet rigs, vitually identical, but one with a banded hook and one for soft pellet. I fed the margin, 5m line and some micros and 6's at 11m (too windy to realistically fish further) and finally some 8mm pellets fed tightto the island. I managed 22 minutes on the lead, before the motionless tip had me chucking it up the bank.
Out to the 11m line and 6mm Devils Spawn saw a couple of small skimmers in the net, a switch to hard pellet was a fruitless one, as I didn't have a bite on a banded pellet all match (pole or lead). After two hours of persistently trying the pellet and meat to no avail, I gave in and got the maggots out, this saw me net a few more skimmers, but the 0.16 and green Vespe was too harsh for them and a few were lost.
By now, it was apparent that the lake was fishing hard, I had tried the island again amd it remained biteless and no sign of fish, not even any liners. I could see Rod Wotton bank walking and the comments about how hard it was were coming thick and fast.
With half an hour to go, my float buried and I was attached to what felt like a big bream, but the it woke up and a dogged battle was fought, before a 14.06 carp was landed. Back out and I hooked another, mistakenly I tried to bully the fish and it came off, just as it was coming to the surface - a costly mistake. With 15 minutes ro go, what had been a barren island, was now home to rolling carp, I decided to stick it out on the pole, which was now producing bites, I managed ro lose another carp and a big skimmer, both possibly foul hooked amd all too soon came the all out.
My few accidental skimmers went 4lb dead, the late single carp went 14.06 for a total of 18.06, which was enough for 7th, the lost fish most likely costing me third place. I think, not taking caster and setting my stall out for silvers cost me any sort of pick up today, as I think a full six hours targeting them would have seen me catch enough to frame.
1) Andy Hembrow 54.12 peg 14
2) Brian Slipper 35.06 peg 6A
3) Lee Williams 23.12 peg 5A
4) Paul Faiers 22.06 peg 14B
5) Dave Smart 21.08 peg 13
6) Mike Owens 21.01 peg 15
Silvers
1) Andy Hembrow 14.04 peg 14
2) Paul Faiers 7.06 peg 14B
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Acorn Tuesday Open, 4th June 2013
It promised to be a warm and sunny day, the one thing I wasn't expecting was the wind whipping across the lake when I arrived. Into the cafe to pay and it now turns out the Tuesday Tenner match is actually £13 if you want to go in the golden peg. As there was £360 in the golden peg kitty, there was 6 golden pegs, each worth £60.
I think my peg was one of them, but I wasn't at all convinced that it would give up enough to pocket the cash, peg 14 on cyanide straight was to be my place of penance today, I have no idea who or what to sacrifice to the draw gods to change my luck. I had intended to fish for silvers, but setting up, with the wind off my back, I did go round and clear an area to fish banded pellet tight across. Four rigs set up today, a rig for banded pellet right across, a rig for the far shelf, a skimmer rig for down the track and a meat rig, that would do for across and at 3m to my left.
The meat did not produce a bite, so no more of that, the banded pellet saw a 3lb fish in the net first put in, then a 20 minute wait for the next one and that was just a lb. The wind changed round and blew straight down the lake from L to R, that saw me reverting back to plan A, I had fed a groundbait line down the track, but this produced nothing, on either caster or maggot for most of the second hour, I then had a few skimmers and some decent roach, best one 14oz, but they wouldn't keep coming.
The usually productive short maggot line gave up half a dozen decent skimmers and then a carp snaffled the maggot and killed that off. it was hard work, swapping and changing between the short line, the track and the far shelf. This put a few carp in the net that weigh heavier than they look, as I thought I had 28lb ish of carp and they went 46.10, the reluctant skimmers went 12.09, making me 7th overall and 4th in the silvers, one out of the silvers money by default. The only consolation I had was being the top weight by about 12lb from peg 10 to peg 21, cyanide straight living up to its name.
Peg 8 was a golden peg and with Dave Wride on it, as expected he trousered the golden peg cash and the match win. Interesting to see the top two silvers weights come from bridge pegs.
1) Dave Wride 142.11 (and he was over in one net, but only by 12oz) peg 8
2) Mike Owens 82.10 peg 2
3) Kevin Jefferies 74.10 peg 34
4) Gabriel Skarba 66.12 peg 22
5) N Coles 66.04 peg 6
6) Mike Chapman 59.04 peg 30
7) Chris Fox 59.03 peg 14
Silvers
1) Kevin Jefferies 20.14 peg 34
2) Gabriel Skarba 19.04 peg 22
3) Andy Gard 16.06 peg 4
4) Chris Fox 12.09 peg 14
I think my peg was one of them, but I wasn't at all convinced that it would give up enough to pocket the cash, peg 14 on cyanide straight was to be my place of penance today, I have no idea who or what to sacrifice to the draw gods to change my luck. I had intended to fish for silvers, but setting up, with the wind off my back, I did go round and clear an area to fish banded pellet tight across. Four rigs set up today, a rig for banded pellet right across, a rig for the far shelf, a skimmer rig for down the track and a meat rig, that would do for across and at 3m to my left.
The meat did not produce a bite, so no more of that, the banded pellet saw a 3lb fish in the net first put in, then a 20 minute wait for the next one and that was just a lb. The wind changed round and blew straight down the lake from L to R, that saw me reverting back to plan A, I had fed a groundbait line down the track, but this produced nothing, on either caster or maggot for most of the second hour, I then had a few skimmers and some decent roach, best one 14oz, but they wouldn't keep coming.
The usually productive short maggot line gave up half a dozen decent skimmers and then a carp snaffled the maggot and killed that off. it was hard work, swapping and changing between the short line, the track and the far shelf. This put a few carp in the net that weigh heavier than they look, as I thought I had 28lb ish of carp and they went 46.10, the reluctant skimmers went 12.09, making me 7th overall and 4th in the silvers, one out of the silvers money by default. The only consolation I had was being the top weight by about 12lb from peg 10 to peg 21, cyanide straight living up to its name.
Peg 8 was a golden peg and with Dave Wride on it, as expected he trousered the golden peg cash and the match win. Interesting to see the top two silvers weights come from bridge pegs.
1) Dave Wride 142.11 (and he was over in one net, but only by 12oz) peg 8
2) Mike Owens 82.10 peg 2
3) Kevin Jefferies 74.10 peg 34
4) Gabriel Skarba 66.12 peg 22
5) N Coles 66.04 peg 6
6) Mike Chapman 59.04 peg 30
7) Chris Fox 59.03 peg 14
Silvers
1) Kevin Jefferies 20.14 peg 34
2) Gabriel Skarba 19.04 peg 22
3) Andy Gard 16.06 peg 4
4) Chris Fox 12.09 peg 14
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Tony Rixon's Float Only, Landsend, Sunday 2nd June 2013
After the last match, where but for my stubborness in not wanting to venture in the bramble ridden margin, I felt I should have done better, on to the venue where I have never won or framed, except in silvers.
I never seem to catch much from lake 3, so where do I draw, 58 on lake 3 and for good measure it was the longest walk. Several people were glad to bend my ear and tell me what a good peg it is, but as this seems to happen no matter where I draw, I tend to ignore the obvious windups. But, I do recall drawing thos once before and not doing too badly inthe section with it. Before the all in Tony Rixon came down and expressed his belief it was a decent draw, saying I'd need to go downthe RH margin to the brambles.
I set up 4 rigs, one for banded pellet over, one for meat at 5 m, but with the peg pretty much the same depth (not a lot over 3') it would do for a look round if necessary. A paste rig, as this has worked on this peg before and a margin rig to fish meat down to the brambles.
Starting on the pellet rig over, with a banded 6mm over cupped in 4's, first put in saw the float dip and a near 2lb cruciany/F1thing was in the net, this was quickly followed by one of the small (14oz) carp that came out of lake 4, this was followed by a 3 oz roach. A flash in the pan, as that was to be the last of the fish acrossmon pellet. The meat and paste lines proved to be fruitless, so an early look down the RH margin to brambles. This gave two, fish in 3 put ins, both small (2lbish) and a lost foul hooker, so, perhaps it wouldn't be too bad a day....... Nope, that was the only fish taken from the margin, despite regular drop ins and feeding.
I hadn't taken the caster out the bag at the start, but a couple of hours in, out they come along with another rig, this time a malman winter wire with an 18 on 0.12. The caster produced an instant response, but a couple of fish were lost due to the 0.12 hooklength, with a couple landed, including two 1lb or so Perch. It really was pergatory, hours 4 and 5 being fishless, despite sitting for half an hour on maggot over the two caster lines and trying single, double and triple down the margin.
The last hour saw another fish on caster and a couple on meat, but they were small, whereas Tim Clark was catching at an equally slow rate, but his fish were 4 or 5 times the size.
My meagre efforts went 39lb odd of carp and just over 5lb for the two perch, 2 F1's and solitary roach, so just over 45lb total, which was enough for 3rd in section and the end of my series.
I can see little point in returning to Landsend, whilst I have no problem with Mike Duckett and I like the location and solitude, it seems to have plenty of fish, but at least as a summer venue, thats me finished with it, as its a total waste of pools and petrol money, from a personal perspective.
For the results see Tony's blog.
I never seem to catch much from lake 3, so where do I draw, 58 on lake 3 and for good measure it was the longest walk. Several people were glad to bend my ear and tell me what a good peg it is, but as this seems to happen no matter where I draw, I tend to ignore the obvious windups. But, I do recall drawing thos once before and not doing too badly inthe section with it. Before the all in Tony Rixon came down and expressed his belief it was a decent draw, saying I'd need to go downthe RH margin to the brambles.
I set up 4 rigs, one for banded pellet over, one for meat at 5 m, but with the peg pretty much the same depth (not a lot over 3') it would do for a look round if necessary. A paste rig, as this has worked on this peg before and a margin rig to fish meat down to the brambles.
Starting on the pellet rig over, with a banded 6mm over cupped in 4's, first put in saw the float dip and a near 2lb cruciany/F1thing was in the net, this was quickly followed by one of the small (14oz) carp that came out of lake 4, this was followed by a 3 oz roach. A flash in the pan, as that was to be the last of the fish acrossmon pellet. The meat and paste lines proved to be fruitless, so an early look down the RH margin to brambles. This gave two, fish in 3 put ins, both small (2lbish) and a lost foul hooker, so, perhaps it wouldn't be too bad a day....... Nope, that was the only fish taken from the margin, despite regular drop ins and feeding.
I hadn't taken the caster out the bag at the start, but a couple of hours in, out they come along with another rig, this time a malman winter wire with an 18 on 0.12. The caster produced an instant response, but a couple of fish were lost due to the 0.12 hooklength, with a couple landed, including two 1lb or so Perch. It really was pergatory, hours 4 and 5 being fishless, despite sitting for half an hour on maggot over the two caster lines and trying single, double and triple down the margin.
The last hour saw another fish on caster and a couple on meat, but they were small, whereas Tim Clark was catching at an equally slow rate, but his fish were 4 or 5 times the size.
My meagre efforts went 39lb odd of carp and just over 5lb for the two perch, 2 F1's and solitary roach, so just over 45lb total, which was enough for 3rd in section and the end of my series.
I can see little point in returning to Landsend, whilst I have no problem with Mike Duckett and I like the location and solitude, it seems to have plenty of fish, but at least as a summer venue, thats me finished with it, as its a total waste of pools and petrol money, from a personal perspective.
For the results see Tony's blog.
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