Saturday 11 July 2020

Phil's Open, Viaduct, Saturday 11th July 2020

Didn't have anything booked in for today, so when Phil Hardwick messaged, did I want to fish an open he was running at Viaduct, I booked straight in.

Got there before the draw, just to get a parking place, its manic with pleasure anglers, but I got parked up, unloaded and then went to draw - well be drawn for, Matt drew me 113, I wasn't too enamoured, but it can be OK, so off to give my best shot.

With 113 set back from the other pegs, I decided there wasn't much advantage in chasing fish out to 16m, so 14m was the limit, I expected to catch a few short and down the edges, although given the depth of the edges approaching 3', I did wonder if the barometer pressure rise would see the fish preferring shallower water.

I set two lead rods up, one with an inline lead to fish T bags and one normal straight running lead, no wagglers as the wind was blowing at me and slightly from L to R.  With that and being between the two aerators ( Campbell has an extra aerator now) I just felt the waggler wouldn't be right.

A rig to fish banded pellet at 14m, but plumbing up I found the bottom was very flat, so came back a section and settled on 13m, I wonder if the new aerator is moving the silt and flattening the bottom out.

A rig to fish meat short, a shallow pellet rig and a couple of rigs for down the edges, left and right, one with a band, one without,  Simple bait tray, 6 & 8mm pellets and a little bit of 8mm meat.

Started on meat at 5m, hooked a carp 2nd put in, it came in all docile and then decided to wake up and dive under the pallet, trying to stop it saw the hook pull and the rig end up in the tree........ great start.  Luckily the rig came out of the tree in one piece, so back in on that line and all to show for 20 minutes on it was 4 skimmers.

A switch to the 13m line, toss potting 6mm pellets saw more skimmers come to the net, but no sign of a carp, Jack on 114 was fishing the lead and had had a couple of carp, whilst I had a few skimmers.  The time had come, I picked up the lead rod and a T bag with 6mm pellets in, 6mm on the hook.  First cast the tip went round and instead of the expect and desired carp, another skimmer came to the net.  Several more casts with nothing to show for it, so up the bank it went, I have no confidence in it.

I'd been dripping a few 8mm pellets down the LH edge, so whilst it was early, I did look over them, without a bite, so back on the 13m line and a couple more skimmers, but it was over 2 hours in and I'd not had a carp.  I decided to ping a few 8mm pellets in the middle and then had my first carp on the 13m line, but it wasn't followed by any of his mates.

Onto the straight lead and 8mm pellet, I had one about 8lb first chuck and then nothing.  Back on the 13m line and finally the carp showed up, I started to put a run of fish together, not hectic, but steady, with an hour to go I lost two fish at the net, whilst people were walking about, hardly social distancing at the time, whilst I was trying to move my pole (113 is the peg with the least room behind it) this pissed me off and I let it get to me and put me off my rhythm, I messed up the feeding and started to get foulers.

I put the shallow rig over the top and only had one on it, I had to go back on the deck and sit it out waiting for bites, that resulted in a slower last hour than I was expecting, with a look in the margins and short line only producing one perch.

My 119lb was only enough for a bang average half way, but I did enjoy the challenge and I feel the negative approach enabled me to beat the two pegs to my left, bu was hammered to my immediate right, as Jack had fished the lead all day to weigh 192lb - I will have to go to a couple of Costcutters and just take lead rods to try and work it out...... or maybe not!!

Another good weight by Sam, he's unstoppable at the moment.

1. Sam Powell - 357lb 14oz - peg 135
2. Ben Hagg - 227lb 7oz - peg 116
3. Jason Hales - 198lb 10oz - peg 123
4. Jack Stamp - 192lb 3oz - peg 114
5. Dan White - 153lb 11oz - peg 129
6. Martin Rogers - 151lb 2oz - peg 125
7. Greg Welsby - 140lb - peg 119
8. Phil Hardwick - 137lb 11oz - peg 110
9. Toby Burrell - 136lb 14oz - peg 131
10. Dick Bull - 125lb 8oz - peg 116
11. Chris Fox - 119lb 13oz - peg 113
12. Tim Davies - 113lb 1oz - peg 127
13. Clive Barrow - 108lb 6oz - peg 128
14. Dave White - 102lb 1oz - peg 112

1 comment:

Keith said...

Hi Chris,

We go every year for a week in the lodges, had one cancelled in May now going on 23rd for 10 days, if your about search me out. We fish our own festival between 15 of us and have a great time.

Last year all i could catch on certain pegs 113 was one of them were skimmers, 50lb of them on 8mm pellet over corn. Frustrating I know when next door is bagging and I feel your pain.

Tight lines Keith