Saturday Open, Acorn, Saturday 12th February 2022

 Title says open, numbers fishing could be construed as a knock-up.  Not sure if it's the weather, the cost or the format keeping numbers down, but if it's cost, I'm not running a Saturday cost cutter, I'd rather go and fish elsewhere.  The format sees a decent percentage of the field paid out, it is winter after all, so the summer format of only one silvers place and being able to win both returns.

I took the last ball from the bag, 9, not too disappointed with that, it's in the right area.  The wind was getting up as I set up, but I was able to easily reach the far bank, it's an easy 13m to get along to the right to an even bottom.  I'd brought bread, but put that back in the van, as the colour didn't look right for bread.  So two rigs across, on at depth, one set 6" off bottom to dob maggots.  Two rigs for open water, I've been using the Des Shipp Maggot floats, the fish quite well, so one of those, I also set up a wire stemmed slim RW pattern in case I ended up fishing for silvers.

Started across, has a fouler around 3lb first put in, but that was it, for the rest of the match, fishing across was impossible after that, just couldn't hold the pole still enough, I tried a few times when the wind dropped a bit, inevitably, by the time I got the pole back in, swapped topkits and got across, the wind had resumed its relentless ruining of the match.

I fed a line at 6 joints just off to my left, this produced a carp and two tench, before dying off, I switched to the same length of pole (same rig, same depth) off to my right, lining up with peg 5, this produced a tench, a couple of carp and then died, added a section, had a couple of carp, it died, added another section, had a decent fish and then looked down to the pallet of peg 8.  This produced a fish first put in, but nothing else, had one more from the longer line towards 5 and that was it.  Every fish came to single red maggot tipped with a pinkie.

My 37.07 was enough for the win and the wild roller coaster of inconsistency this winter continues.  Thanks to those who support the matches and let's hope the weather is kinder on the next match.