Not sure if this was a match or knock-up, twelve fishing, I guess in this day and age that's somewhere near the border of what constitutes a match or knock-up.
The weather was forecast to be dry, but a bit windy, with only 12 on, there was a bit of room for everyone, wasn't expecting huge weights thought low teens might be enough, unless the Tench fed in any numbers.
Out of the ping pong bag came 34 for me, a bridge peg, so a chance of Tench, but also the risk of carp muscling in on the action. No need to set anything but a pole up, so with plenty of time I set up 4 rigs, one with a wire stem and a bulk, one with a carbon stem and strung shot, another bulk - but heavier in case the wind got worse and finally a really light rig with strung 11's for roach.
Decided to fish 3 lines, against the bridge at the first stanchion and a line at the third stanchion, with another line in open water. On small ball of GB with not too much loose feed in in open water and on the third stanchion, with just loose fed caster on the first stanchion.
Started against the bridge, but no indications, switched to the open water line and had a couple of small roach, then that died off. Back to the third stanchion and I had a Tench, not quite the size I wanted, this one was going to struggle to register 4oz on the scales, back in the open water and a better fish, a skimmer just over 1lb, bit of loner though.
Kept rotating lines, even started a new line further across feeding micros and fishing expander, two bites, missed one, 4oz skimmer from the other. I did have a look on the short line (first bridge stanchion) and had a couple of decent roach from there, it also housed a few small carp, which were a nuisance, but small enough not to be a problem.
That line went quiet, I switched to double fluoro pinkie and the float buried, I hit a decent fish, the way it ran off, I was convinced it was a carp, so gave it a bit of stick, not enough to break the 0.10 hooklength, when I saw it I eased off and played it to the net a little more nervously, it was a Tench around 4lb - safely netted , phew.
Had a run of decent roach ( not many, but a good size, biggest was at least 10oz) from the same line and a skimmer, as well as a couple of rudd. Fishing into the bridge had me a bit blinkered as to what was going on around me, so had no idea what and been caught (and I wasn't sure what I had, thought it was low double figures). When the scales got to me 16.09 was winning, with 14.04 second, didn't think I had 16.09 and so it proved, my 15.09 giving me second place. 3 roach of the stamp I was getting would have done the job, but can't complain about 2nd, Mark who won had 4 decent Tench, well done to all the framers.
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