To counter the last, a first as well, amiable Auto Electrician Tim Clark contacted me earlier in the week and offered a lift, which I gladly accepted, the journey down was somewhat extended by our 50 minute wait for breakfast at Cannards Well, apparently the breakfast chef didn't show up and then they had to wait for an egg delivery. They were profusely apologetic and knocked 33% off the bill, but they didn't say call in on the way back for a free pint!! This made us late for the draw, but as Tony had kindly paid our pools, match organiser Mark Poppleton wasn't too grumpy....
As this was only my third visit to the venue the draw didn't mean much to me, peg 17, but as I didn't get any of the usual banter about it being a flyer or terrible, I guess it is just an average peg. The overnight frost, then bright sunshine and no wind was not going to be conducive to a bagging session, so I intended a fairly negative approach, at least to start with.
Fout top kits set up, a standard edge rig to fish at 8m along to a small bush, where I had 2' of water tight to the bank, a rig to fish maggot across on the shelf which was 18" deep and a couple of rigs to fish down the track, just hook size and line dia the difference. the method feeder stayed in the rod bag, but I had brought a few slices of bread and set up the straight lead just in case.
Starting across on maggot, I had 7 carp and a couple of roach in the first hour, before the bites completely dried up, a look down the track was equally fruitless, even when dropping down to 0.08 and a 22 hook, I think that when the fish shut up shop on this venue, it doesn't matter what line and hook you are using, nothing seems to bring a bite.
At 12.15 I tried searching along the far bank with the lead rod and bread popped up 6", two bites, two foulers lost, so the fish were still there, just had to work out how to get them to open their mouths. I swapped between the far shelf and down the track, taking odd fish until 14.00, when I had a look in the inviting margin, this produced an 8lber first drop in and then a 4lb fish, before the margin went the way of the other lines, which was to produce a fish or maybe two, before having to rest the line and try and catch a fish from elsewhere. In the last hour I managed several fish from down the track and lost a 3lb bream and a 5lb carp which would have won me the section, the hook was just losing is sharpness, not sure if that the reason, but if so, bad angling/laziness on my part not to change it.
I was admitting to 70lb and put 77.07 on the scales for fourth overall and second in the section, by 5lb, lets hope a 10p hook doesn't end up costing me ££££'s come the end of the series. Second in section meant a pick up, so still managing to keep the run going and Chauffeur Tim also picked up second in his section with 73.01, so a content van on the way home. I'm not back out until the next round in two weeks time, far too much work.......
Oh, the casters..... well I fed a few, caught a roach on double caster and donated most of them to Help the Aged - the Silverfox, Mike Nicholls, for him to use at Emerald later this week.
1: Roland Lucas 118.10 peg 38
2: Ash Tomkins 82.12 peg 14
3: Nick Merry 81.09 peg 9
4: Chris Fox 77.07 peg 17
5: Tim Clark 73.01 peg 7
6: Tom Ince 64.04 peg 9
The league is tight at the top and I doubt anything but a section win next time will keep me in touch with the framing positions.
1: Ash Tomkins 3 1/2 points 168.14
2: Nick Merry 4 points 140.00
3: Fred Roberts 4 points 128.02
4: Calum Craig 4 points 117.00
5: Steve Tucker 4 points 111.02
6: Ken Rayner 4 points 95.14
7Chris Fox 4 1/2 points 163.09
2 comments:
The casters you gave to The Silver Fox won him coin at Emerald. I'm sure he will be giving you half his winnings --- not!
I won't be holding my breath Mike..... :)
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