Last year the weather wasn't too clever and I promised to try and organise better weather this time around
A waggler to fish at depth was soon assembled, followed by a lead rod, then 3 topkits, one to fish meat short, one for pellet long and a strung out rig, that would do for either, fishing through the water, I did also set up a margin rig, but it never got used.
Bait tray was as simple as it gets, Burt Baits Polony pellets ( I will admit to being a bit sceptical about flavourings and colours, but these pellets have caught me fish, I have some confidence in them working.)
I started short on meat, but had nothing to show for that, so switched to the lead and 8mm Polony pellets, I had a liner, but that was it for the lead, so onto the waggler, again a 8mm Polony pellet under the waggler. I had a few indications, but no bites, so I switched to 6mm Polony pellets on the pole at 14.5mm, this brought a burst of action, 3 carp and few skimmers, but it was fairly short lived, this was 13.15, 2 hours into the match, I reckon both carp and silvers went 30lb.
My next bite was at 16.15, one hour to go, this was on meat short, it was followed by more bites, skimmers and carp, I tried toss potting the meat, but throwing 15-20 pieces by hand was much more effective. I ended up with 103.14, for second in section and one out of the superpool money.
Day 1 Top 12
1. Rob Street - 132lb 10oz - peg 115
2. Phil Morris - 131lb 9oz - peg 112
3. Clayton Hudson - 123lb 1oz - peg 81
4. Jon Newton - 105lb 7oz - peg 114
5. Chris Fox - 103lb 14oz - peg 102
6. Darren Coates - 101lb - peg 110
7. Steve Hutter - 100lb 5oz - peg 85
8. Roland Lucas - 94lb 5oz - peg 132
9. Matt Chapman - 93lb 14oz - peg 129
10. Martin Rogers - 92lb 14oz - peg 116
11. James Evans - 91lb 11oz - peg 80
12. Keith Deaner - 85lb 15oz - peg 94
Onto day two, the weather still set fair and my turn on Campbell, the separate draws were done and I took the last ticket in the tin, it wasn't what I'd have wanted, 119, but I was determined to give it a go.
Even simpler today, as it was pole only, so 4 topkits set up, the same Roob on 0.20, with a 14 LWG and a 0.18 hooklength for meat short, another Roob for pellet long and a MW float whose name eludes me for a strung out rig. A HillBilly Grizzly on 0.22 for the edge, as I suspected I'd have to go to the willow tree and Adrian who was on the peg yesterday told me he'd lost a few in there.
Bait tray was simple, 6 & 8mm Polony pellets and 8mm meat, in reserve I had some maggots and worms, but never used them, so no more to say about them. Cap and skimmers both love these pellets and I have used them to effect to eke out meat where there are meat limits.
On the all-in I started at 2+2 with meat and first drop in had a 13lber - nice, then a skimmer, but that was it nothing else from there, so out long - 14.5m and pinging 6mm pellets over it, a couple of skimmers, but no carp.
I decided to look up the edge into the corner, toss potting 8mm pellets, I had a nice run of 5 or 6 fish averaging about 8lb, before this went quiet, so a switch back to the long line and I then started catching well, at 14:15 I reckon I had a ton, at 15:15 getting on for 140lb with the skimmers, Jon Darby on 118 said "You're having a bit of a red letter day Foxy", well not sure how words could affect fish, as Jon started catching and I stopped.
I'd said to Adrian Jeffery before the start, "I need 200lb of here today to win this" and I thought I was on the cards for it, but the last hour and three quarters, I had 4 more carp and a few skimmers, by switching between the long line and short meat line. I had a bite on the meat line at 2 minutes to 17:00 (the all-out) and that was a 10lb common, that fish was the won that edged me past Phil Morris to take the overall win. Great feeling to win my own mini-festival after some middle of the road results in it.
1. Andy Lloyd - 205lb 7oz - peg 132
2. Lewis Ray - 183lb 15oz - peg 110
3. Chris Fox - 179lb 2oz - peg 119
4. Steve Hutter - 172lb 12oz - peg 130
5. Gary O’Shea - 170lb 9oz - peg 116
6. Gareth Lennox - 163lb 13oz - peg 128
7. Matt Chapman - 160lb 14oz - peg 80
8. Phil Morris - 141lb 13oz - peg 81
9. Adrian Jeffery - 109lb 10oz - peg 85
10. Clayton Hudson - 94lb 8oz - peg 114
Below is the overall top 20, it was close at the top and a fish or two could have easily seen places changed round, special mention for Gareth Lennox, at late couldn't fish Friday, but fished Saturday and managed 9th place, also Andy Lloyd, was third from bottom on the first day and ended up last in the money overall, Gary O'Shea was also close in pulling back a huge deficit. Andy and Gary were on 74 and 105 the first day, pegs that had been throwing up weights all week, but just switched off for this match. It just goes to prove that a bit of belief and perseverance can pay off.
A big thanks to Steve, Helen & Matt at Viaduct for their help and advice and to all those who fished and make the match what I hope it is and stays, a friendly mini-festival, with the chance to win some decent money.
Next year is booked, 4th and 5th of September, Friday and Saturday, same format, contact me to book on and £20 (non refundable) deposit secures place.
