This was my first visit to Landsend for ages, not a conscious decision, just too much work and other matches taking precedence. Since I was here last, the empty portacabin has been turned into a homely little cafe and I was quite happy with the quality and cost of the breakfast, fortunate timing in opening the fishery cafe for Mike and Diane I think, as the cafe at Shipham was closed when I drove past at 07.36. I was standing in for the absent Roland Lucas and it was to be Specimen lake for me today, I went into the draw tub and was a little disappointed to draw 38, I had spent all the previous day picturing 31,32, 33 or 34 being revealed when I opened the swimcard, but it wasn't to be.
Off to my peg and with ages to set up, had a chat or two on the way, before setting up 4 topkits, one to fish banded pellet just off the island, not sure if it wasn't a little too deep, there was a little flat area just off the island, but it was about 3' deep. Another rig for caster or soft pellet, I intended to fish one line down the track at 10 o'clock and the other at 2 o'clock, feeding softened 4mm's on one line and caster on the other, a rig to fish meat at 5m and finally, one for the RH and LH margin.
The plan was scuppered when I opened my bait bag and realised that my casters were still in the fridge at home.... Doh, great start. Also I was buggering about trying to get my pole rollers in a decent position to get up the bank behind me. I needed a higher roller, I did have a V roller in the van, but have shied away from using V rollers having broken a couple of sections when the roller has blown over and with the wind forecast today, I was going to be content with breaking down the pole.
Venue owner Mike Duckett was chatting as I was doing this and kindly offered me the use of his brand new Preston roller, which certainly towered over my Matrix rollers. Top man Mike!! He even revealed some plans for the fishery, I hope he manages to pull them off, as it's a great place, just a shame I don't ever catch many carp here........
Not only did he lend me his shiny new roller, he also brought me down a pint of caster, which I must rather red facedly admit, that I forgot to pay him for in my haste to get home and have an hours kip before work. If you read this Mike, you know I won't forget and will pay my dues.
Onto the match, on peg 36 to my left, I had Rod Wootten and to my right, Octbox display merchant and genial chappie, Adrian Jefferies on 40. I had a chat with Rod before and he said I'd catch over early, then the fish would disappear - would you like to pick my lottery numbers next weekend Rod?
I fed the 10 0'clock line with some pellet and the 2 o'clock with caster, before picking up the catapult and pingng a few 4mm's to the island, first dob-in with a 6mm pellet, the float buried, fish on, but it was a 6oz roach. Next put in a 4lb carp, then a liner and with 20 minutes gone I had another carp and a roach, before any signs of activity stopped.
I'd love to wax lyrical about the rest of the match, but there isn't much to say. We had a rainstorm, I struggled to get bites on any of my lines, nothing in the RH margin where I had been feeding meat, nothing in the LH margin (down by the pallet of 37) where I fed 6mm pellet and dead maggot. One sole, solitary bite on the short meat line - a 6oz roach, these were also present on the pellet line - although it was a long, long wait for a bite and I didn't have a bite over the 2 o'clock caster line. I did managed two other carp from the pellet line by the island, I did set up a shallow rig and tried that up tight to the island, but that too remained biteless.
At the end I wasn't too disappointed to have the all-out called, as it was one of those days where there seemed to a lack of fish in the peg create any competition for feed. As I was guesting for someone not needing league points, I did try and force the peg more than I would have, had I been after section points and it didn't work, my handful of decent roach went 5lb odd and the carp just over 26lb for a fairly dismal 32lb odd.
My result aside, it was good to get back to the peace of Landsend, hopefully it won't be too long before I get back there.
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