Open, Shiplate Farm, Easter Monday, 5th April 2021

 Nice to see a venue not afraid to have a sensible pool, making this match £30, all three lakes in paying top 3, one in the silvers and £70 every 6 pegs, pools definitely haven't kept up with the cost of living.

Rolling draw from 07:30, with fishing from 10:30 - wow, that's a lot of time to sit at your peg, so we didn't get there and draw until 09:00, shortish walk for me, peg 6 on the main lake, with a cold wind blowing across and at me - great.  I suspected I'd be be pushed to beat the pegs at the 'house' end of the lake and to try would mean sitting on a method or bomb and pellet most of the match.  

I did set up a method, but it went away again at the end, unused.  I decided to fish for silvers, bit of a gamble with just the one payout, I plumbed up at 13m and 6 joints, rigs with a 18 F1 hook on 0.10 fluorocarbon, one with a bulk and two droppers, one with a spread bulk.  Also a feeder rod, cage feeder and a 0.10 hooklength / 18 F1 hook.

Bait was to be GB, pinkie and maggot, with a few micros to put in if it felt right.  Started on the feeder and it was slow, 5 skimmers in the first hour, I'd fed the 6 joints pole line (wind was too strong to fish 13m) and had a look - nothing, back on the feeder and one more skimmer, but it had died right off, I took the clip off and went out seven more turns, but still nothing.

Another look on the 6 joins pole line and the skimmers started to show, I switched to feeding nuggets of GB through a toss pot, this seemed the best way, rather than larger cups,  it wasn't hectic and finding the trip against the wind was essential, as most bites came as the float was just held and the bait lifting in the tow,

Pinkies were by far the best bait, I had fed a some meat at the bottom of the shelf and did have a quick spell trying it, when the bites tailed off, cupping in a bigger ball on that 6 joints line before I  I did.  No indications on the meat, so back over the GB, odd indications and I did bump a couple, I suspect were liners, then with 15 minutes to go, the peg started fizzing, I thought it was a carp, but I had three decent skimmers in tat last 15 minutes, they had got there heads down right at the end.... typical!!

Scales came round and I put 27.04 on the scales, which proved enough to win the silvers, so the right decision, as the payout was more than a section win. it stopped a poor run over the Easter weekend and was far more enjoyable than sat on a method praying fo0r a pull from a carp.  Roll on next week!!