Tony Rixon's Open, Trinity Waters, Sunday 25th September 2016

After a night out in town I was glad for the lift today from Tony Rixon, as I would have been over the limit for driving, Copper Kettle in WSM for breakfast and very nice it was.

The usual cheery welcome at Trinity from Misha and Tom, even Lily smiled at me, although I wasn't quite so chuffed when I drew peg 6, its not the worse draw on the lake, but I'd rather be further up that bank.  Tackling up I fancied the pellet waggler for a few fish, so set that up, I did consider a straight lead for the waggler line, but I settled on a method feeder.  4 toplkits, a paste rig, a margin rig and two pellet rigs, one for banded pellet and one for soft pellet/corn/worm.

The lake has seen an instant response to pellet feed with paste over the top and today the fizzing stared as usual, but instead of two fish in the first 20 minutes then nothing, it took me the best part of an hour to get the two fish. I had been pinging pellets at 25 yards or so and after an hour went over them with a small pellet waggler set about 4' deep,  after persevering with this for nearly an hour, I gave up and unusually I hadn't had a bite on the wag.

Back on the paste after trying pellet on the pole and I could get a fish if I was patient - never my strong point - but they weren't exactly coming fast and furiously, although they were a decent size.  I was hoping for some fish in the margin, but whilst I was biding my time before going in there, I tried the method down to the end bank, within a couple of minutes, another 10lber was hooked and landed, then a slightly smaller fish and 10 minutes after a third about 5lb.  Then the indication and liners stopped and that was the end of that 'mini' run of fish.

I'd love to describe how the margin kicked in and saved the day, but one lonely 2lber was the sole carp from there, no matter what bait I put on the hook, the float would not stay still, even an 8mm pellet as the roach whittled it down.

Back on the paste and the patient weight for a bite saw another couple of fish, but it was getting longer and longer between bites, the more the match wore on.  In the end I managed to put 79.15 on the scales and that was enough for fourth and one out of the money.  Match won by my Chauffeur Tony Rixon from the opposite corner, with 124lb, close on his heels was Tom Mangnel with 122lb.