Avalon Silvers, Final Round, Saturday 3rd December 2016

Last round of this enjoyable league, still possible with a decent draw to win it, or take second place from my third place going into this match, as the weights weren't more than about 6 or 7lb difference. Also had to defend the attack from Ken Rayner in 4th place and last in the money.

I couldn't believe my bad luck when I drew peg 12 again, for the second match in a row, no island gap and a peg either side, I would have my work cut out to hang onto 3rd place here, let alone make in roads into the top two, unless the big skimmers had moved into the area since the last round.

 

The wind was making a waggler pointless, but I did set one up just in case it dropped, I also set up a small cage feeder, but felt it wouldn't have a part to play,  3 topkits, a 1g AS3 with a 1.3 fluorocarbon hooklength and a 18 gamma green hook, a 0.6g version of the same float with a 0.08 hooklength and a 18 6313  and finally a homemade diamond float with a carbon stem, 0.5g this with a 1.3 fluorocarbon hooklength and a 20 gamma green - i was expecting a tough day!!

Two lines fed at 14m, one with two large balls of GB with a few dead maggots casters and squatt in, the LH line fed with one small ball of GB with just casters in.  I also fed a line at 11m with micros and a little GB.  10 minutes on the feeder at about 3/4 the way across without an indication was enough and I switched to the pole.  The rest of the day was spent rotating round the 3 lines, taking 3 or 4 fish over the micros and  it looked like that was going to be a decent line, but that was it, nothing else from there.  The RH positive fed line produced a couple of small skimmers and a few roach, the LH negative line just a few skimmers. I didn't have a fish over 4oz and the squats seemed to pull in the roach. The 1.0g rig was by far the most productive, the trip that was there was with the wind, so far from ideal skimmer fishing conditions.

At the all out I knew I hadn't been able to make up any ground on the top two when the scales got to me, Ken had weighed 3lb odd and my 4.13 ensured I kept 3rd place overall and a welcome pick up.

Thanks to Mosella boss Vic Bush for running the league and work permitting I'll fish next years, but one plea, can everyone have an empty peg to one side, as the weigh sheet shows, having a bit of space was essential today and last match in the colder conditions.

Congratulations to Vic and John for holding onto their respective 1st and 2nd places and to Ken for pushing me right to the end.