Saturday 25 January 2020

Acorn Winter League R5, Saturday 25th January 2020

Round 5 and I was still in with a chance of getting in the overall frame, so a bit of prep making sure I had hooks and rigs, bait would be simple, bread, maggots and pellets.

As the sections rotate, I knew which one I'd be in this round, the 'middle' section as regards weights, three sections of 7 and one section is way out in front on average weights, then the section I was in today and luckily, the lowest weight section is behind me, having been in it last round.

The drawbag was, quite unusually, feeling benevolent towards me today and I couldn't complain when I drew 40, it's been a good section peg.  I thought I might catch on pellet, so set up a rig to fish banded pellet across, another to fish maggot, this was in approx. 18" of water.  A rig to fish down on the 'second' shelf. this would do for maggot or pellet and another for bread, which I would search the depths with.

Finally two rigs to fish down the track by the bridge, one a standard bulk and one dropper, and a Chianti with strung 11's.  All rigs had size 20 hooks and either 0.14 or 0.12 hook lengths.

Optimistically on the all in I started across on pellet, banded 6mm toss potting 4mm, but after 20 minutes without an indication, switched to maggots.  This brought two fish off the 18" shelf, but no other indications, I had 2 carp and a small F1 fishing on the second shelf, one carp on maggot, one and the F1 on bread.

I then had 2 hours without a bite, trying single maggot, soft pellet and even pinkie on all lines, varying the depths, on the deck and slow falling, not so much as a liner o
r other indication.

Finally the deeper water by the bridge produced a run of fish in the last 90 minutes, no big fish, not hectic action, but enough to put 34.07 on the scales and win the section, so mission accomplished and a reasonable pick-up as this league only pays sections, not overall places in the match.  Had to keep a small drip off feed going in, micros and maggots, to keep bites coming.

I did hook a decent fish right on the death, it went under the bridge and it felt as if it was snagged, it then came free with a jerk and then came off.  Mark Broomsgrove on peg 6 was fishing tight to the other side of the bridge and he told me the fish had gone into his rig and snapped the hook length, I think that's what knocked the hook out.

I'm certainly not knocking Mark, as ever since the fishery has opened, peg 6 has fished to the bridge, but I wonder if that's right? as that is well over halfway to the next peg (40).  It undoubtedly affects peg 40 when peg 6 fishes to the bridge, its not a moan or a complaint, just an observation.

Well done to those in the best section, as the won and framed with good weights for a cold January day, hope it fishes like that next round when I am in it!!!



And here is how the pegs are performing...






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