Todber Manor Winter League R2, Sunday 26th January 2020

My turn for Homeground, apparently the peg to draw is 90, so no need to put my kit anywhere near that....

The draw put me on 86, there are two sections on the lake and I was told that 86 was the best peg in the worst section, so even though it was dire in there yesterday and team mate Mark Poppleton had one carp from 85, I was hopeful that with the wind giving a ripple, it would be better today.

I had waggler rods with me, they stayed in the bag, the wind was straight into me, so I wouldn't be able to feed with a catapult.  Two lead rods set up, a bomb and bread and a maggot feeder, three pole rigs, one for 2+2, and two for 14m, one with a band, one without.

On the all-in I started on bomb and bread, gave it a good shot and never had as much as a liner, a quick look on the short pole line after feeding some micros and maggots, one bite one skimmer after an hour of the match had gone.

Time to switch to the maggot feeder, I stayed on this most of the match with a couple of looks on the pole, I had one more skimmer on the short pole and that was it for the pole.  First cast on the feeder, it went round, a good fish, had it under the rod tip when it lunged and snapped the 0.16 hooklength - bugger!!  Shortly after I had another, smaller this time but safely landed, I then hooked another decent fish and after a nervy tussle landed a fish about 10lb, which was hooked in the tail.  I'd normally feel guilty and put it back 😊😊😊, but as I'd lost one I took it as good fortune and put it in the net.

I had another, then a long spell without a bite, I should have changed to a GB feeder or method to try something different, but I must admit I was wet, cold, my fingers weren't working properly and I stayed wrapped in my Gortex and persevered with the maggot feeder, I did get a couple more by chucking along the island and lost another, I felt it wouldn't be enough to beat Mark Wynne on 85, who had 3 or 4 decent bream to go with his carp, his 12lb odd of bream with his carp proved enough by 2oz for the section win, so I took 2nd in section and default section money, as Mark won the silvers.  And peg 90 did win the lake as predicted, well done Ben Hagg, you still have to catch them and with the pressure of expectation.....

Cold and wet (on the outside, the Gortex did its job) it was frustrating to lose out by 2oz, probably my fault for not changing things around, but as a team we did end up equal first on points, dropping to second on weight, so not too bad a days work.