With just under 70 anglers fishing this one, a draw was important and the top end of Campbell was on virtually everyone's Xmas list....
Nice and early into the tin, Colin Dyer in front of me pulled 131 - nice, me 15 on Spring, a peg I have yet to catch a carp from this peg and I was informed the tree that overhung the margin down to the right has been taken out.
Got to the peg and there was some branches in the water, looked more like a fallen branch (and huge snag) than a feature, but I felt it was the only option for carp, as 15 is somewhat hemmed in, as peg 12 stops you fishing more than 16m in front, whilst 16 next door has an island chuck. I must admit, I was a bit fed up that the peg had been put in when there was only one peg on the other end bank, drawn by Trigger - 24.
The peg decided my options, a rig to dob bread down to the sunken branch, the rest of the gear was just aimed at silvers - my best bet at a pick up, three topkits, one with a HB Frostie and some spread 11's to fish caster at 5/6m and two rigs, a 0.3g and a 0.5g, Frostie and Gimp, respectively, for 14m. I did set up a waggler, but it could only be fished on the pole line, so no more about that.
With a couple of good anglers on 11 and 12 (Nick Chedzoy and Dave Brittain) also looking like they were targeting silvers, I was grateful when peg 16 set up two lead rods and nothing else. I started down the edge dobbing bread, after feeding the 14m line with GB and dead maggot/caster, not a sign of a bite and I switched to the short caster line, that was not much better, one roach in 15 minutes.
30 minutes gone and out to 14m, this saw a few roach, hybrids and small skimmers come to the net, but I was behind Dave on 12, 16 had a carp early on the lead, but I ignored that, as I was 100% concentrated on silvers. By topping the line with a tangerine sized ball of GB I kept the odd fish coming, including a couple of better skimmers approaching a pound. This line did slow up, as did Dave's, I tried fishing past the GB, and either side, but it was if the fish had vanished.
Luckily, the 5m line came to life and I had a run of dumpy roach, including one about 12oz and a skimmer just over a lb as well a s some 4oz hybrids, this pulled me ahead of Dave and I ended with 18.02, more than I thought. That was enough for 3rd in the silvers overall (and 3rd on the lake) and a brown envelope. Enjoyable days fishing, some good banter with Dave and Chedz.
Thanks to Steve, Helen & Matt at Viaduct for a good match, great prizes, mince pies and beer and all they have done through the year.
As expected the winners came from the top of Campbell and Trigger used all that space to take the silvers hamper.
Looking forward to the two day silvers pairs at Viaduct on 27th/28th now. Happy Xmas to anyone who has been stalwart enough to read this far.....
Overall
1. Stu White - 93lb 10oz - peg 132
2. Dick Bull - 70lb 4oz - peg 110
3. Roland Lucas - 60lb 10oz - peg 70
4. Mark Hayman - 59lb 5oz - peg 129
5. Colin Dyer - 51lb 8oz - peg 131
Silvers
1. Craig Edmunds - 20lb 7oz - peg 24
2. Rob Eagle - 19lb 2oz - peg 102
3. Chris Fox - 18lb 2oz - peg 15
4. Robert Parker - 17lb 8oz - peg 61
5. Pete Ziemniak - 16lb 3oz - peg 85
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