I had considered my options for this match and decided to just take meat, pellet and corn, so any sort of silvers coin was not going to be a factor. Arriving at the venue I notice that they have now banned keepnets, another one to tick off my list of venues I won't pleasure fish (not that I have been pleasure fishing for ages). As it was my Birthday on the Friday, I went steady on the celebratory London pride and felt in fine fettle arriving in the car park in time for a walk round the lake before breakfast.
There was also a net dip, but I must admit, it didn't smell too strong, I do fully understand the owners trying to protect their fish stocks though, so complied with the request to dip nets. Karen from Bullock Farm Cafe has taken over the catering and bar side of Plantation, so for the first time in a while I had a Breakfast there.
19 of us fishing the two days, so 2 sections of 10 and pot luck which peg wasn't drawn, we'd have a free draw the first day and fish the other section the next day. A decent bit of banter and piss taking before the draw and it was a delight to see Darren 'Nuddy' Vowles face light up when he heard there was a fresh tub of goose fat gently warming.............
In fact for me, the banter and catching up with a few old friends was the best bit of the weekend, into the draw tub and out comes peg 3, immediately I was deluged with commiserations - "how do you do it, it's the worst peg on the lake".... "you won't win F all from there".... etc etc.
Off the the peg a bit down hearted, but still determined to give it a good go, I set up 3 rigs, a pellet rig to fish banded pellet on the deck at 14m, a meat rig to fish at the bottom of the slope and a rig to fish, what really isn't a margin, it's too short and too deep, but you never know...... ( that's bullshit, I knew I wouldn't catch carp from it, but I was being positive and optimistic). I also set up a straight lead and a waggler to fish at depth, both to be fished out as far as I dare without interfering with 'Nuddy' on point peg 38.
I cupped in a few pellets at 14m on the all in and some meat, starting on the pole, to no avail, all the positivity and new found confidence was still in place, but the lack of any sign of fish activity was chipping away at its thin veneer. Paul Nicholls on peg 1 and Rich Lovering on peg 4 were suffering the same fate. I started fishing the waggler further out, and feeding 8mm pellet did see some signs of fish, it wasn't exactly effervescent bubbling, but was at least some sign of life. The final tally was margin nil bites, meat nil bites, pole a couple of dinks, no fish, waggler 3 carp, one of which was 10lb and straight lead 1 carp, all on 8mm pellet.
The usual pegs produced fish, but weights were down on what is usually expected, talking to Rod Wootten afterwards, he struggled to catch on pellet as well, Rod usually teases a decent weight from most pegs on pellet, so perhaps it wasn't me. My 4 carp went 27.14, beating the two pegs either side of me, but as expected the 'flyers' trumped the less favoured pegs.
Paul Faiers and Steve Mayo had a good head to head on silvers, both catching over 40lb, it did make me wish I'd taken groundbait and caster, but I still think that would have been an impossible ask from peg 3.
Saturdays Results.
1) Simon Jones 83.02 peg 7
2) Kev Perry 74.08 peg 39
3) Lance Tucker 67.00 peg 31
4) M Warne 56.14 peg 26
5) Glenn Calvert 55.05 peg 8
6) Paul Faiers 54.02 peg 23
Silvers
1) Paul Faiers 48.00 peg 23
2) Steve Mayo 45.00 peg 25
So, onto Sunday, same MO today, except I didn't waste my time taking meat, today would be all about fishing pellet. Into the tub and peg 29 reveals itself. It has an island chuck, probably the longest one on the lake and it is set back behind its neighbours, by virtue of the shape of the lake and bank erosion. (I notice that the day tickets for Plantation are now £8, for that I do feel that the swims should by now have some nice solid platforms installed).
Two pole rigs today, a pellet rig for on the deck and a margin rig, although I had the length of margin, it was again, deeper than I'd like and I didn't get a bite there, so no more about it. I also set up a pellet feeder to fish to the island ( and Fairzy had given me some white chocolate band 'ums, which apparently is the bait to use - at least if it was crap they might taste nice...). As I had time, I set up two wagglers, one at depth and one to fish 18" deep.
Starting on the pole, it wasn't long before I had a bite and a foul hooker charged off into peg 28, which had Glenn Calvert in as my neighbour today, it swirled next to his float and led me a merry dance, before I landed it and found the hook snugly nestled in the RH pelvic fin, a welcome bonus that was touching double figures. It also started a day that became more and more frustrating, I could not get another bite on the pole, so tried the feeder to the island, this resulted in 3 small carp in an hour, my first fish on white chocolate bait!!
Back on the pole as Glenn was catching and also hooking, if not landing, fish steadily now. I had been feeding the pole line all the time I'd been on the feeder, but still could not get a bite. This carried on and as the frustration built, I walked up to Glenn to see what he was catching on - 8mm pellet was the answer. Glen was a couple of metres further out, but surely that alone couldn't be the reason for him catching and me not even getting a bite??
I had tried both wagglers, but a left to right wind was skimming round the island making presentation so bad it wasn't worth persuing. So with 2 hours to go, I was virtually ready to pack up, put the gear on ebay and search for the golf clubs, then the wind dropped and I could present a float to the island and I managed a few fish, but was too far behind to catch up, as the wind toyed with me for the 2 hour period, I did give the pole another go for 15 minutes, as I was in virtual disbelief that I couldn't get a bite, whilst Glenn was getting a fish or a fouler most put in's.
I had somewhat disinterestedly clicked 42lb and I thought I had missed a fish or two, but knew I was a long way behind Glenn. At the end I took my topkit up to his peg and laid it along side his, different float patterns but, virtually identical depths, shotting pattern and banded hook. he'd been feeding about 10 pellets regularly through the catty, so had I. He did say, " did you see that float, it spent all day circling between Paul (Nicholls on peg 27) and out to the point of the island" I hadn't seen the float, but it did suggest the main body of fish seemed to spend the day circling between the boundaries of pegs 27/28 and I managed to catch a few when conditions let me get to the point of the island, where they turned and headed back.
My fish went 52lb for a mediocre mid section finish, my positive and optimistic adventure ended in tatters, I am still at a total loss to explain why I couldn't draw any fish from Glenn's peg onto my pole line, which apart from the very early foul hooker, produced nothing for the second day running.
This has to be one of the peggiest venues in the South West, I think that at least 75% of matches I have fished on here have been won or the the peg has framed from 7. It won both days this weekend again, is there a more consistent peg (all year round) than peg 7 on this lake?
The silvers again produced two 40lb+ weights for Paul Faiers and Steve Mayo, with Paul taking the crown again.
Sundays results.
1) Lewis Walker 107.6 peg 7
2) Paul Nicholls 107.00 peg 27
3) Glenn Calvert 96.12 peg 28
4) Simon Jones 71.00 peg 38
5) Darren 'Nuddy'( "is the goose fat up to temperature yet?") Vowles 69.00 peg 5
6) Kevin Perry 56.13 peg 1
Silvers
1) Paul Faiers 42.08 peg 19
2) Steve Mayo 41.12 peg 8
Overall Result:
1) Simon Jones 4 Points 154.02
2) Glen Calvert 4 Points 152.01
3) Kevin Perry
Silvers
1) Paul Faiers 2 points 90.08
2) Mark Broomsgrove 2 points 52.02
Monday, 30 September 2013
Friday, 27 September 2013
Viaduct Open, Silvers Only. Wednesday 25th September 2013
I must admit to not knowing much about Spring lake, which was the venue for todays silvers match, so apart from knowing the high teens are considered the best skimmer pegs, at least I couldn't get too depressed by the draw..... which saw me sat on peg 24.
I had spoken with Tony Rixon and he was fairly convinced that pellet would be the best bait for amassing a winning weight of skimmers, so I took 4 and 6mm pellet, some micros's, a few soft pellets, as well as worm and caster, topped off with a handful of maggots.
I set up a small cage feeder, a waggler and 3 top kits, one to fish banded pellet at 14m, another to fish worm/caster at 11m and a small Colmic pencil to fish caster short. On the all in I put 4 balls of groundbait with CW&C in at 11m to the right, 3 balls of groundbait with a few micro's and 4mm pellets in at 14m and loose fed caster short.
Starting short on caster, saw a couple of roach in the net, then a perch, but it was slow going, they weren't there in any number and no fish visible coming up in the water for the casters. After 15 minutes I had a look on the CW&C line, no fizzing on either long pole line and the lack of skimmers was evident as the first couple of fish on worm were perch. A look on the 14m with banded 6mm pellet resulted in a totally motionless float and no signs of fish over the groundbait.
Back on the short line and more perch, then the float buried and the single caster had accounted for an unseen large cypry, which tore off at speed, round the point of the spit and the Colmic pencil exploded as it returned at full stretch of doubled 4 elastic. Another rig went on and now the short line was as quiet as the long lines, so back out of the worm and two tiny skimmers were netted before another vermin took a liking to the worm and also the hooklength.
A switch to the pellet line saw the float dip and a 2lb+ skimmer netted, then 2 3oz skimmers before a double figure carp latched onto the pellet and instead of taking the hook, he decided to come in and wreck my small Drennan landing net, bending the arms completely out of shape.
This was then the way of things for the rest of the match, I am now 4 Colmic floats light in my float collection as they really don't stand up to the rigours of carp fishing and one Colmic thats had some surgery, I think I've saved it. I lost about 20 hooks, as I managed to hook one or two silvers, small ones at that, before a double figure carp muscled in. At 16.50 (match finished at 17.30) I had re hooked all my rods and kits and put the feeder out over where I had been loose feeding caster, this resulted in two small roach, before a vermin took the hook. Next was the waggler, by now the vermin were swirling on the top for the loose fed caster, second cast, another large double hooked and hook gone, so both rods down. Next was the banded pellet rig, that didn't see any silvers action before a carp trashed it. The worm rig managed a 2oz skimmer before being relieved of its hook and tangled beyond repair, last rig with a hook on was the short caster rig, so a single maggot on that and it landed 2 roach before it too was hookless. The time now was 17.10, so 20 minutes to hook and lose 5 carp and that was enough, I really couldn't be arsed to put another hook on any of the rigs or rods that were still in a fit state, so packed away all my sodden gear - they didn't forecast the 2 hours of pouring rain!!
My section was won from another lake, I really do think that sections should all be on one lake, as my 14.13 was a long way from the section winning 42.12, maybe a few more silvers might have got their heads down if there weren't so many carp about, but three of the lowest weights were me and the pegs either side of me, so it appears that the skimmers weren't in residence.
1) Scott Russell 46.01 peg 18
2) Mark Poppleton 42.12 peg 38
3) Dave Romain 29.14 peg 1
4) Tim Pallant 29.12 peg 5
5) Steve Kedge 29.09 peg 19
6) G Skarba 27.10 on peg 37
I had spoken with Tony Rixon and he was fairly convinced that pellet would be the best bait for amassing a winning weight of skimmers, so I took 4 and 6mm pellet, some micros's, a few soft pellets, as well as worm and caster, topped off with a handful of maggots.
I set up a small cage feeder, a waggler and 3 top kits, one to fish banded pellet at 14m, another to fish worm/caster at 11m and a small Colmic pencil to fish caster short. On the all in I put 4 balls of groundbait with CW&C in at 11m to the right, 3 balls of groundbait with a few micro's and 4mm pellets in at 14m and loose fed caster short.
Starting short on caster, saw a couple of roach in the net, then a perch, but it was slow going, they weren't there in any number and no fish visible coming up in the water for the casters. After 15 minutes I had a look on the CW&C line, no fizzing on either long pole line and the lack of skimmers was evident as the first couple of fish on worm were perch. A look on the 14m with banded 6mm pellet resulted in a totally motionless float and no signs of fish over the groundbait.
Back on the short line and more perch, then the float buried and the single caster had accounted for an unseen large cypry, which tore off at speed, round the point of the spit and the Colmic pencil exploded as it returned at full stretch of doubled 4 elastic. Another rig went on and now the short line was as quiet as the long lines, so back out of the worm and two tiny skimmers were netted before another vermin took a liking to the worm and also the hooklength.
A switch to the pellet line saw the float dip and a 2lb+ skimmer netted, then 2 3oz skimmers before a double figure carp latched onto the pellet and instead of taking the hook, he decided to come in and wreck my small Drennan landing net, bending the arms completely out of shape.
This was then the way of things for the rest of the match, I am now 4 Colmic floats light in my float collection as they really don't stand up to the rigours of carp fishing and one Colmic thats had some surgery, I think I've saved it. I lost about 20 hooks, as I managed to hook one or two silvers, small ones at that, before a double figure carp muscled in. At 16.50 (match finished at 17.30) I had re hooked all my rods and kits and put the feeder out over where I had been loose feeding caster, this resulted in two small roach, before a vermin took the hook. Next was the waggler, by now the vermin were swirling on the top for the loose fed caster, second cast, another large double hooked and hook gone, so both rods down. Next was the banded pellet rig, that didn't see any silvers action before a carp trashed it. The worm rig managed a 2oz skimmer before being relieved of its hook and tangled beyond repair, last rig with a hook on was the short caster rig, so a single maggot on that and it landed 2 roach before it too was hookless. The time now was 17.10, so 20 minutes to hook and lose 5 carp and that was enough, I really couldn't be arsed to put another hook on any of the rigs or rods that were still in a fit state, so packed away all my sodden gear - they didn't forecast the 2 hours of pouring rain!!
My section was won from another lake, I really do think that sections should all be on one lake, as my 14.13 was a long way from the section winning 42.12, maybe a few more silvers might have got their heads down if there weren't so many carp about, but three of the lowest weights were me and the pegs either side of me, so it appears that the skimmers weren't in residence.
1) Scott Russell 46.01 peg 18
2) Mark Poppleton 42.12 peg 38
3) Dave Romain 29.14 peg 1
4) Tim Pallant 29.12 peg 5
5) Steve Kedge 29.09 peg 19
6) G Skarba 27.10 on peg 37
Monday, 23 September 2013
Avon Angling Open, Trinity Waters, Woodland. 22nd september 2013
I was looking forward to this match, but on the morning, with the warm still conditions, I wasn't convinced it would fish too well, this lake benefits from a ripple, as the fish do stay shallow for large parts of the year and with 25 anglers and no ripple, it was unlikely that the fish would stay feeding shallow for long.
I wasn't too bothered where I drew, except for 3 pegs on the top bank ( I have won and framed from both sides and the bottom bank, but have never won so much as a section from pegs 16-21). My heart sunk as 19 stared back at me from the swimcard, slap bang in the middle of the top bank. All of my instincts told me to go on one of the other lakes pleasure fishing, but I decided to give it a go and fish positively for carp.
The very slight skim on the water had pushed the algae bloom up to this end and there were far less signs of fish showing than the opposite half of the lake. I set up a rig which would suffice for the LH and RH margin, which due to the set back nature of the peg, is short, too close on a day without ripple and so it turned out, I didn't have a bite from either margin, not even a liner.
I set up the now obligatory meat rig, but decided to fish this at 11m, which was the bottom of a very slight slope. This didn't produce a bite either.
A shallow rig - no bites on that........
A full depth rig, to fish soft pellet over softened 4's, this produced a 4lb carp second drop in and that was it for carp, a couple of foulers which came off, but very little in the way of indications, even liners. The line did produce a few skimmers, but most were dropping off due to having to break down twice. With 2 1/2 hours to go, I swapped topkits and landed a couple of skimmers before fouling a carp, which took the rig so far into the rushes to my right, that pulling to get it back, snapped the elastic.
With that, I packed up with an hour and 15 mins to go, went to the pub and the Indian, which was much more enjoyable than being sat on a peg which I knew I shouldn't have bothered with. I spoke to Rich Lacey on peg 21 as I went, he had a carp, a tench and two skimmers, these pegs really benefit from a wind into them (but not in the winter) so as usual when he draws near me, we're in a poor area.
Listening to Rich and Tim Ford, returning to the rivers is becoming an attractive proposition, if only it wasn't for the long walks and fence climbing!!
With any luck, the weather will start to turn colder soon and the silverfish fishing will start to become viable, but at the moment its not consistent.
See Tony's blog for the results.
I wasn't too bothered where I drew, except for 3 pegs on the top bank ( I have won and framed from both sides and the bottom bank, but have never won so much as a section from pegs 16-21). My heart sunk as 19 stared back at me from the swimcard, slap bang in the middle of the top bank. All of my instincts told me to go on one of the other lakes pleasure fishing, but I decided to give it a go and fish positively for carp.
The very slight skim on the water had pushed the algae bloom up to this end and there were far less signs of fish showing than the opposite half of the lake. I set up a rig which would suffice for the LH and RH margin, which due to the set back nature of the peg, is short, too close on a day without ripple and so it turned out, I didn't have a bite from either margin, not even a liner.
I set up the now obligatory meat rig, but decided to fish this at 11m, which was the bottom of a very slight slope. This didn't produce a bite either.
A shallow rig - no bites on that........
A full depth rig, to fish soft pellet over softened 4's, this produced a 4lb carp second drop in and that was it for carp, a couple of foulers which came off, but very little in the way of indications, even liners. The line did produce a few skimmers, but most were dropping off due to having to break down twice. With 2 1/2 hours to go, I swapped topkits and landed a couple of skimmers before fouling a carp, which took the rig so far into the rushes to my right, that pulling to get it back, snapped the elastic.
With that, I packed up with an hour and 15 mins to go, went to the pub and the Indian, which was much more enjoyable than being sat on a peg which I knew I shouldn't have bothered with. I spoke to Rich Lacey on peg 21 as I went, he had a carp, a tench and two skimmers, these pegs really benefit from a wind into them (but not in the winter) so as usual when he draws near me, we're in a poor area.
Listening to Rich and Tim Ford, returning to the rivers is becoming an attractive proposition, if only it wasn't for the long walks and fence climbing!!
With any luck, the weather will start to turn colder soon and the silverfish fishing will start to become viable, but at the moment its not consistent.
See Tony's blog for the results.
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Avon Angling Open, Landsend. Wednesday 18th September 2013
The title says Avon Angling Open, but it was more a knock up really, with just 7 of us there, its madness really, 3 matches within a 15 mile or so radius, although one is a series.
I had both options covered today, i.e. to fish for silvers or carp, the silvers would be my preference, but if the peg was full of hungry carp I'd fish for them. The draw seemed to settle it, as in form Craig 'Trigger' Edmunds drew peg 11, with me as his nearest neighbour on 7, so a silvers attack it was.
I did set up a rig to fish pellet across, just in case, and a meat rig that would suffice for 5m and by shallowing up a float length, the near margin. A simple silvers rig consisting of a NG Gimp, with a 0.14 hooklength and a 16 Red Carp Maggot, with a bulk and two droppers to fish worm over groundbait/CW&C at 8m. The same rig would also let me fish short, where a couple of bonus fish usually come from during the match.
On the all in I fed two balls of groundbait with a few casters and chopped worm in at 8m, loose fed caster just in front of the keepnets and catapulted 6mm pellet to the far shelf (which was about 14" deep). Second lay in of the rig and a 2½lb skimmer graced the net, taking half a small dendra. It was a bit of a false dawn as it took a while for the next bite, a small perch. By now there were signs of carp on the far shelf and all through the match a huge mouth kept coming out of the water and sucking pellets from the mudline, the fish was a very big double.
It did tempt me and the pellet rig was swung into action and as the pole approached the far bank, the fish disappeared, I foul hooked one, that came off almost immediately and I knew that my island pellet dangling skills were no where near good enough to beat Trigger who was catching a few fish on peg 11.
Back to the silvers and swapping between the 8m line and the topkit kept a few small perch and roach coming. I topped up the 8m line with another ball of g/bait and left it 15 minutes, first drop in saw a big ide in the net, next put in another 2lb+ skimmer, then the vermin moved in, blowing and bubbling over the groundbait, I hooked and landed two who took the worm and foul hooked some. I spent the rest of the match short, catching perch and roach.
It was an interesting experiment to see how the fish reacted to groundbait, but it might just too early for the worm and caster to work properly, as my hard work for silvers was wiped out by Rod Wootton who managed to get a decent net of skimmers on 8mm pellet. I did pick up the silvers by default, as Rod took second place behind....... do I need to say, Trigger!!
The results board had disappeared by the time I got back to the car park, but it was something like this:
1) Trigger, 140lbish peg 11
2) Rod Wootton 63lbish peg 21
3) Ron Hardiman 53lbish peg 5
4) Alan Oram 52lbish peg 15
5) Chris Fox 27.04 peg 9
6) John Bradford 15lbish peg 17
Silvers
1) Rod 28lbish
2) Chris Fox 18.04
3) John Bradford 15ishlb
I had both options covered today, i.e. to fish for silvers or carp, the silvers would be my preference, but if the peg was full of hungry carp I'd fish for them. The draw seemed to settle it, as in form Craig 'Trigger' Edmunds drew peg 11, with me as his nearest neighbour on 7, so a silvers attack it was.
I did set up a rig to fish pellet across, just in case, and a meat rig that would suffice for 5m and by shallowing up a float length, the near margin. A simple silvers rig consisting of a NG Gimp, with a 0.14 hooklength and a 16 Red Carp Maggot, with a bulk and two droppers to fish worm over groundbait/CW&C at 8m. The same rig would also let me fish short, where a couple of bonus fish usually come from during the match.
On the all in I fed two balls of groundbait with a few casters and chopped worm in at 8m, loose fed caster just in front of the keepnets and catapulted 6mm pellet to the far shelf (which was about 14" deep). Second lay in of the rig and a 2½lb skimmer graced the net, taking half a small dendra. It was a bit of a false dawn as it took a while for the next bite, a small perch. By now there were signs of carp on the far shelf and all through the match a huge mouth kept coming out of the water and sucking pellets from the mudline, the fish was a very big double.
It did tempt me and the pellet rig was swung into action and as the pole approached the far bank, the fish disappeared, I foul hooked one, that came off almost immediately and I knew that my island pellet dangling skills were no where near good enough to beat Trigger who was catching a few fish on peg 11.
Back to the silvers and swapping between the 8m line and the topkit kept a few small perch and roach coming. I topped up the 8m line with another ball of g/bait and left it 15 minutes, first drop in saw a big ide in the net, next put in another 2lb+ skimmer, then the vermin moved in, blowing and bubbling over the groundbait, I hooked and landed two who took the worm and foul hooked some. I spent the rest of the match short, catching perch and roach.
It was an interesting experiment to see how the fish reacted to groundbait, but it might just too early for the worm and caster to work properly, as my hard work for silvers was wiped out by Rod Wootton who managed to get a decent net of skimmers on 8mm pellet. I did pick up the silvers by default, as Rod took second place behind....... do I need to say, Trigger!!
The results board had disappeared by the time I got back to the car park, but it was something like this:
1) Trigger, 140lbish peg 11
2) Rod Wootton 63lbish peg 21
3) Ron Hardiman 53lbish peg 5
4) Alan Oram 52lbish peg 15
5) Chris Fox 27.04 peg 9
6) John Bradford 15lbish peg 17
Silvers
1) Rod 28lbish
2) Chris Fox 18.04
3) John Bradford 15ishlb
Monday, 16 September 2013
MFS CL Match, Viaduct Campbell lake. Sunday 15th September 2013
Working what feels like 24/7, 7 days a week at the moment meant no preparation for this match, just as well the last match I fished was on the same lake, hopefully the same rigs would suffice and the waggler rod was already set up.
I assumed that it would be a bit of a fish race, so took 8mm, 11mm pellet, 8mm and 10mm meat. As an after thought, I chucked a few slices of bread into a plastic bag. It just goes to show that a bit of up to date information is essential, as the colour had dropped out and the fish had reacted to this.
I managed to pull out a short walk and I wasn't too upset with 112, although the match had been won from 125 the day before, for company on my left I had Roland Lucas who was also pleased with his draw, especially when 110 wasn't drawn.
I set up a lead rod, I had a few chucks with it in the first couple of hours, had a couple of tentative liners and one lost fish that I think was foul hooked, so it went where it usually does, up the bank and was forgotten about. I set up 4 topkits, one for the margin, which didn't produce a bite, so no more about that. A meat rig to fish at 6m, 0.2g MW slim to fish pellet at depth, but with a slow fall, at 14m and a paste rig, that did not get used, A full depth waggler completed the set up.
I started on the waggler and it took 15 minutes before my first fish was netted, a lively common about 4lb, another half an hour on the wag produced nothing, so a quick look on the meat line produced a 7lb fish, but that too was a lone fish. After 2 hours I had another 4lber on the wag, making 15lb in two hours, not a good start, but I wasn't alone in struggling.
I got off my box, had a rummage in my gear and found a box of 6mm pellets, staring a new line at 14m towards 113, the 6mm produced an almost immediate result, 2 fish in two put ins, I had a run of fish taking me to about 60lb, before this line died off. it was if the fish had moved through the peg, feeding as they went. By now there was the odd bubble from the meat line, so I dropped in on that, feeding 4 pieces of meat through a tosspot, this produced several 8lb fish before a fouler killed the line off. Back on the waggler and a fish straight away, then another, before a fouler (I assume) ripped the rod round, snapping the main line just above the hooklength ( I think it went over a sharp fin or something). With 15 minutes left, I went back on the 14m line and tangled the rig, so it was the meat line left, which saw another 8lb fish take the meat seconds before the whistle, being safely netted a couple of minutes after.
I had clicked 55lb for one net and 51lb for the other, once again I was out on this lake, but not by too much, as my fish went 114.10 for third and a section win. It was a close match, one of the closest I think I have fished on this lake, which is how it should be. Some of the names below are MFS forum usernames, as I don't know their real names. I have gone down further than the usual 6 just to highlight how tight the match was, no silvers payout, but even so the top weight was 3.03, they didn't feed.
1) Snoose 122.01 peg 125
2) Roy Worth 115.08 peg 116
3) Chris Fox 114.010 peg 112
4) Dave Britain 110.03 peg 119
5) B Richards 106.15 peg 131
6) Poolfodder 106.10 peg 127
7) Roland Lucas 105.04 peg111
8) Maver Callum 105.01 peg 114
9) Merce 104.09 peg115
I assumed that it would be a bit of a fish race, so took 8mm, 11mm pellet, 8mm and 10mm meat. As an after thought, I chucked a few slices of bread into a plastic bag. It just goes to show that a bit of up to date information is essential, as the colour had dropped out and the fish had reacted to this.
I managed to pull out a short walk and I wasn't too upset with 112, although the match had been won from 125 the day before, for company on my left I had Roland Lucas who was also pleased with his draw, especially when 110 wasn't drawn.
I set up a lead rod, I had a few chucks with it in the first couple of hours, had a couple of tentative liners and one lost fish that I think was foul hooked, so it went where it usually does, up the bank and was forgotten about. I set up 4 topkits, one for the margin, which didn't produce a bite, so no more about that. A meat rig to fish at 6m, 0.2g MW slim to fish pellet at depth, but with a slow fall, at 14m and a paste rig, that did not get used, A full depth waggler completed the set up.
I started on the waggler and it took 15 minutes before my first fish was netted, a lively common about 4lb, another half an hour on the wag produced nothing, so a quick look on the meat line produced a 7lb fish, but that too was a lone fish. After 2 hours I had another 4lber on the wag, making 15lb in two hours, not a good start, but I wasn't alone in struggling.
I got off my box, had a rummage in my gear and found a box of 6mm pellets, staring a new line at 14m towards 113, the 6mm produced an almost immediate result, 2 fish in two put ins, I had a run of fish taking me to about 60lb, before this line died off. it was if the fish had moved through the peg, feeding as they went. By now there was the odd bubble from the meat line, so I dropped in on that, feeding 4 pieces of meat through a tosspot, this produced several 8lb fish before a fouler killed the line off. Back on the waggler and a fish straight away, then another, before a fouler (I assume) ripped the rod round, snapping the main line just above the hooklength ( I think it went over a sharp fin or something). With 15 minutes left, I went back on the 14m line and tangled the rig, so it was the meat line left, which saw another 8lb fish take the meat seconds before the whistle, being safely netted a couple of minutes after.
I had clicked 55lb for one net and 51lb for the other, once again I was out on this lake, but not by too much, as my fish went 114.10 for third and a section win. It was a close match, one of the closest I think I have fished on this lake, which is how it should be. Some of the names below are MFS forum usernames, as I don't know their real names. I have gone down further than the usual 6 just to highlight how tight the match was, no silvers payout, but even so the top weight was 3.03, they didn't feed.
1) Snoose 122.01 peg 125
2) Roy Worth 115.08 peg 116
3) Chris Fox 114.010 peg 112
4) Dave Britain 110.03 peg 119
5) B Richards 106.15 peg 131
6) Poolfodder 106.10 peg 127
7) Roland Lucas 105.04 peg111
8) Maver Callum 105.01 peg 114
9) Merce 104.09 peg115
Tuesday, 3 September 2013
Float Only Round 6, Viaduct. Sunday 1st September 2013
I've had a little break from blogging, it has been impossible to get up any enthusiasm after some pretty disastrous days, that combined with working far too much. The disasters were drawing peg 119 on Campbell at Viaduct in a short pole match, no matter what bait I put on the hook (even 11mm pellet) it was ravaged by tiny roach and rudd. I managed just 5 carp before packing up with an hour to go.
Next match was worse, Trinity Wildmarsh, I drew peg 20, a poor draw, but I had plenty of water to attack. I had decided to fish for carp, so set up a waggler for 8mm pellet, a lead rod complete with Preston pellet feeder and a rig to fish meat in the margin. After 3 hours without a bite or liner, I had a walk, went back to the peg and set up a rig to fish caster, 0.06 and a 22 hook, under a 0.3g pencil float, this also resulted in a motionless float. A blank, on a commercial in summer, another early bath as I packed up an hour early again.
Third depressing outing was the last in Clevedon's Saturday series, to be fished on a lake I like, the top lake at Acorn. A match win could see me win the series, after a win and a 3rd, but Mark Broomsgrove and Rod Wootton were also right in contention. Acorn had been suffering with low oxygen levels and had pumps and aerators running on all lakes. As soon as I drew, I knew that my series was over, as Mark drew one end peg and Rod the other, as for me, peg 6 by the bridge in the narrowest part of the lake. I managed about 15lb, mostly skimmers, which is a poor weight from this lake, I only had 3 carp, they just didn't want to feed.
Anyway, back to the match in the title, I drew 114 on Campbell, in a strong section (of 5) with in form Tom Thick on 112, league contender Shaun Townsend on 111, Lewis Greenwood-King on 115 and Bela Bakos on 110. I can't recall drawing this peg before and I think Mike Nicholls took pity on me after my recent torrid times and gave me some advice on fishing the peg. As I haven't got to Viaduct nearly as much as I would have wanted to this summer, I wasn't sure exactly what would work, so set up two wagglers, one shallow (not used), one full depth. 5 topkits, two for banded pellet shallow and full depth (not used), a meat rig for 5m, a paste rig and a margin rig for banded pellet.
My back has been playing up lately, so 6 hours of slapping a shallow rig, especially competing against youngsters like Tom and Lewis, was not on the cards. I started on the full depth waggler and in the first 45 minutes had 37lb on the clicker, it slowed down, just as I was thinking it wouldn't be too difficult to do 40lb an hour........ Lewis on my right was struggling, whilst I could see Shaun catching consistently, Tom was taking odd fish.
I had an early look into the LH margin and had one fish, an early look on the meat line was a waste of 10 minutes, so back on the waggler and I managed a couple more fish, but by now was falling behind Shaun and Tom had a run of fish from his margin. I rested the waggler line again and first dob in with paste had an 8lb fish, that was it, every other put in on the paste resulted in a liner. I tried the shallow pellet rig over the paste line, to no avail. By now Lewis was losing his head as he foul hooked a fish virtually every put in, as was Paul Elmes behind him on Cary, as the whole venue was aware via Triggers running commentary.
I spent most of the last couple of hours in the LH margin, each time I was thinking 2 more minutes and I'll try the waggler again, the float buried. Tom thick by now was getting a fish a chuck fishing shallow and long, Shaun had been steadily catching, whilst the rest of us had quiet spells. I didn't catch a fish on meat, not sure why, plenty of others did and Shaun caught 50/50 pellet long and meat short, I didn't even have any 'bonus' silvers, my carp went 145.04 for third in section, behind match winner Shaun and match second Tom, for a double default section pick up.
Next match was worse, Trinity Wildmarsh, I drew peg 20, a poor draw, but I had plenty of water to attack. I had decided to fish for carp, so set up a waggler for 8mm pellet, a lead rod complete with Preston pellet feeder and a rig to fish meat in the margin. After 3 hours without a bite or liner, I had a walk, went back to the peg and set up a rig to fish caster, 0.06 and a 22 hook, under a 0.3g pencil float, this also resulted in a motionless float. A blank, on a commercial in summer, another early bath as I packed up an hour early again.
Third depressing outing was the last in Clevedon's Saturday series, to be fished on a lake I like, the top lake at Acorn. A match win could see me win the series, after a win and a 3rd, but Mark Broomsgrove and Rod Wootton were also right in contention. Acorn had been suffering with low oxygen levels and had pumps and aerators running on all lakes. As soon as I drew, I knew that my series was over, as Mark drew one end peg and Rod the other, as for me, peg 6 by the bridge in the narrowest part of the lake. I managed about 15lb, mostly skimmers, which is a poor weight from this lake, I only had 3 carp, they just didn't want to feed.
Anyway, back to the match in the title, I drew 114 on Campbell, in a strong section (of 5) with in form Tom Thick on 112, league contender Shaun Townsend on 111, Lewis Greenwood-King on 115 and Bela Bakos on 110. I can't recall drawing this peg before and I think Mike Nicholls took pity on me after my recent torrid times and gave me some advice on fishing the peg. As I haven't got to Viaduct nearly as much as I would have wanted to this summer, I wasn't sure exactly what would work, so set up two wagglers, one shallow (not used), one full depth. 5 topkits, two for banded pellet shallow and full depth (not used), a meat rig for 5m, a paste rig and a margin rig for banded pellet.
My back has been playing up lately, so 6 hours of slapping a shallow rig, especially competing against youngsters like Tom and Lewis, was not on the cards. I started on the full depth waggler and in the first 45 minutes had 37lb on the clicker, it slowed down, just as I was thinking it wouldn't be too difficult to do 40lb an hour........ Lewis on my right was struggling, whilst I could see Shaun catching consistently, Tom was taking odd fish.
I had an early look into the LH margin and had one fish, an early look on the meat line was a waste of 10 minutes, so back on the waggler and I managed a couple more fish, but by now was falling behind Shaun and Tom had a run of fish from his margin. I rested the waggler line again and first dob in with paste had an 8lb fish, that was it, every other put in on the paste resulted in a liner. I tried the shallow pellet rig over the paste line, to no avail. By now Lewis was losing his head as he foul hooked a fish virtually every put in, as was Paul Elmes behind him on Cary, as the whole venue was aware via Triggers running commentary.
I spent most of the last couple of hours in the LH margin, each time I was thinking 2 more minutes and I'll try the waggler again, the float buried. Tom thick by now was getting a fish a chuck fishing shallow and long, Shaun had been steadily catching, whilst the rest of us had quiet spells. I didn't catch a fish on meat, not sure why, plenty of others did and Shaun caught 50/50 pellet long and meat short, I didn't even have any 'bonus' silvers, my carp went 145.04 for third in section, behind match winner Shaun and match second Tom, for a double default section pick up.
Full Result:
- Shaun Townsend 228-14-0 peg 111
- Tom Thick 196-05-0 peg 112
- Keith Masheder 180-06-0 peg 105
- Mike West 172-0-0 peg 125
- Tony Rixon 164-08-0 peg 95
- Scott Puddy 161-03-0 peg 116
Top Silvers:
- Gary Etheridge 44-11-0 peg 86
- Leon Hubbard 26-03-0 peg 99
- Keith Masheder 22-13-0 peg 105
Sunday, 4 August 2013
Float Only Round Five, Sedges, Sunday 4th August 2013
Not knowing this venue very well, I didn't have any preconceived idea of where I wanted to draw, so I was neither disappointed or elated when peg 31 revealed itself. I had tried to keep things simple and had brought 6 and 8mm pellet, 8mm meat and some paste ( I did weaken as I was loading the car and put 2 pints of dead maggots in as well, but fed them to some grateful ducks).
I set up two wagglers, but in reality, for the second match running, a strong left to right wind was going to affect my fishing, so they saw little use and not a bite was had on them. 4 topkits set up, a MW diamond to fish pellet on a shelf which is just under 12" shallower than the lake bed, it's in front of a willow tree that comes out into the peg off the end bank at about 11m. A MW cookie for shallow, but that didn't get used, a Daiwa paste float, with a .75g olivette about 18" from the hook, as the wind was causing a considerable tow in the opposite direction and a rig to fish meat in the margins and right in under the willow tree, all of which were about 3' deep.
Meat proved useless, all I had to show from trying it was two tiny skimmers, I tried it regularly throughout the match, to no avail, likewise the margins, they produced nothing except the previously mentioned two tiny skimmers. I started on the shallow waggler out towards the aerator, but the wind rendered it a pointless exercise. I dropped in over the shelf in front of the willow with the pellet rig and a 8mm banded pellet and managed several small carp, before landing an eel which was well over 1lb, a first for me catching an eel on pellet. As the fish were up this shelf, I assumed they'd be in the shallower margins under the tree, but this was a lesson in not assuming, as I only had two fish from here, on a hastily assembled shallower paste rig, as meat was so unproductive.
I had a run of better fish up to 10lb on the bulk down paste rig, but the wind was making it difficult, I tried a couple of lines closer in, drawing a blank on all of them. With an hour and a half to go, I had 82lb on my clicker, so made the swim killing decision to put another net in...... For the next 35 minutes the wind increased and made presentation on the only line I was catching over, virtually impossible, I went back on the 8mm pellet and had another small carp, a wait and then another one touching 10lb, the wind dropped in the last 25 minutes and I managed one more small carp on paste, before hooking and losing one (which trashed the rig) right on the death.
I had clicked 95lb, which proved to be unusually accurate, as with 4lb odd of silvers, most of which was the eel and another first, a lb+ Perch on paste, my total was 100.11, which I think was 7th on the day, not managing a pick up, due to the quiet last hour and a half - a total contrast to the last couple of matches I've fished.
I didn't get the results, so it's Tony Rixons blog for the full details, but Craig 'Trigger' Edmunds won with 160ish, Des Shipp was second with a high 140 and Scott Puddy was third with a lower 140.
Most bites and fish of the day went to Dave Haines, who weighed in 23lb odd of tiny silver things, smaller than the lumps of paste I was using, he must have been busy!!!
I set up two wagglers, but in reality, for the second match running, a strong left to right wind was going to affect my fishing, so they saw little use and not a bite was had on them. 4 topkits set up, a MW diamond to fish pellet on a shelf which is just under 12" shallower than the lake bed, it's in front of a willow tree that comes out into the peg off the end bank at about 11m. A MW cookie for shallow, but that didn't get used, a Daiwa paste float, with a .75g olivette about 18" from the hook, as the wind was causing a considerable tow in the opposite direction and a rig to fish meat in the margins and right in under the willow tree, all of which were about 3' deep.
Meat proved useless, all I had to show from trying it was two tiny skimmers, I tried it regularly throughout the match, to no avail, likewise the margins, they produced nothing except the previously mentioned two tiny skimmers. I started on the shallow waggler out towards the aerator, but the wind rendered it a pointless exercise. I dropped in over the shelf in front of the willow with the pellet rig and a 8mm banded pellet and managed several small carp, before landing an eel which was well over 1lb, a first for me catching an eel on pellet. As the fish were up this shelf, I assumed they'd be in the shallower margins under the tree, but this was a lesson in not assuming, as I only had two fish from here, on a hastily assembled shallower paste rig, as meat was so unproductive.
I had a run of better fish up to 10lb on the bulk down paste rig, but the wind was making it difficult, I tried a couple of lines closer in, drawing a blank on all of them. With an hour and a half to go, I had 82lb on my clicker, so made the swim killing decision to put another net in...... For the next 35 minutes the wind increased and made presentation on the only line I was catching over, virtually impossible, I went back on the 8mm pellet and had another small carp, a wait and then another one touching 10lb, the wind dropped in the last 25 minutes and I managed one more small carp on paste, before hooking and losing one (which trashed the rig) right on the death.
I had clicked 95lb, which proved to be unusually accurate, as with 4lb odd of silvers, most of which was the eel and another first, a lb+ Perch on paste, my total was 100.11, which I think was 7th on the day, not managing a pick up, due to the quiet last hour and a half - a total contrast to the last couple of matches I've fished.
I didn't get the results, so it's Tony Rixons blog for the full details, but Craig 'Trigger' Edmunds won with 160ish, Des Shipp was second with a high 140 and Scott Puddy was third with a lower 140.
Most bites and fish of the day went to Dave Haines, who weighed in 23lb odd of tiny silver things, smaller than the lumps of paste I was using, he must have been busy!!!
Avon Angling Open, Trinity waters, Woodland. Sunday 28th July 2013
I was disappointed when I drew peg 17, its a peg that I have failed miserably from every time I have drawn it, I have won and framed from all the other three banks, but the 'top bank' 16-20 hold some voodoo over me. Still, attack the peg and maybe all that could change, I was convinced there would be a few fish caught up in the water. I hadn't reckoned on the wind, which was left to right across my peg, making it impossible to control a pole at 13m, let alone the 16m where I felt would be the place to catch. I had three fish shallow, before even 13m became too difficult, 7m being about the best I could manage. True to form, I struggled on this peg, only catching late, a few fish at 5m on meat for 55lb. It was frustrating watching guys on the car park bank fishing 16m and having the wind off their backs, but why should it come as any surprise that I draw the most wind affected peg on the lake. another day where it was too little to late.
1) Shaun Townsend 163.11 Peg 11
2) Tony Rixon 115.1 Peg 20
3) Adrian Jeffery 113.01 Peg 15 15
4) Alan Oram 107.06 Peg 31
5) Glenn Bailey 106.00 Peg 6
6 Gordon Cannings 101.15 Peg 13
MFS Match, Viaduct Campbell, Sat 27th July 2013
My first time fishing a MFS match and they seem a friendly bunch of guys. I wasn't too concerned where I drew, I had 8mm pellet and meat, with some paste as a stand by, but for me it hasn't worked on Campbell this year, I had also picked up a loaf of bread, just in case...... Peg 116 came out of the dustbin lid (used in lieu of a cap, as non of them looked too hygienic). I'd rather have had 115 as it sits further out in the lake, but it should still produce some fish. Ken Rayner was on 119 and I had Mark Poppleton on 115 for company.
I set up a lead rod, two wagglers one full depth, one shallow, although it is difficult to catch on the shallow wag now, unless you have an end bank to cast to. A margin rig, a shallow and full depth pellet rig and a meat rig for a line about 6m. Starting on the waggler at depth, I managed 4 fish in the first 30 minutes and then the wheels came off, the bites on the waggler stopped, I tried the pole shallow and depth with pellet, to no avail. The 6m meat line was full of roach and rudd, pecking away at 8 or 10mm meat, as was the margin, I had one small carp on meat from the margin and was now falling behind Mark Poppleton who was taking odd fish shallow on the pole, but out beyond where I could reach.
I switched to feeding 8mm pellet in the margin and a new 5m line with pellet to the left of the meat line, it took a while, but I had a run of fish from the margin before it went quiet and then had a bite every put in on the 5m line for the last 40 minutes. My fish went 107lb odd, should have been a little more, but was slightly over in my first net, I seriously misjudged the weight of those fish, as I had clicked 55lb!!!
With hindsight, I should have left the meat at home and just fished pellet all day, but even given that, the virtually barren 41/2 hours cost me any chance of a pick up, this now seems a regular occurrence, I struggle until the last hour or so, when my catch rate seems to be bang on, shame about the rest of the match.
Thursday, 25 July 2013
Float Only, Round 4, Shiplate Farm, Sunday 21st July 2013
All three lakes in for this match, with 20 pegs on the main lake and 10 each on Hawthorn and Westpool. I fancied a draw on the main lake, Tony Rixon offered to draw for me, but I took my own ticket and ended up on Hawthorn peg 1. I have only drawn this lake once before and that was peg 2 in winter, I won the lake that day with 50ish lb. I wasn’t so confident today, even though the peg has a pipe with water running into the lake, providing some aeration, as the wind was blowing down the lake away from my peg. Also whilst its an end peg, you cannot get to the end bank and with no real margin to speak of (due to rushes) it at least concentrates your mind on the option available.
I set up 5 rigs, a paste rig which would do for anywhere except tight over, as the depth only varied about 6”. A MW slim to fish banded pellet across, a MW pea just in case there were any cruisers , a rig to fish meat at 4m off to my right and a rig for maggot down the track.
Bait tray was simple, 6mm pellets, 8mm pellets, meat and maggots. The paste was left in the bag for now. The peg had shown some signs of life when I arrived, with a few bubbles coming up, these had completely gone 15 minutes before the all in and the signs of fish were few and far between. Shortly before the all-in was called, that most frugal of anglers, Mike Nicholls came over with an enquiry, “did I have any groundbait he could have – oh and a bowl to mix it in” I had brought a bag of mixed gimps gold/Sensas lake, but didn’t intend to use it on this lake, so off he went with it and the bowl – before the end, he brought the remnants of it back, proclaiming it jinxed…….
I fed some 6mm pellet over at the start and meat at 4m, before starting on maggot down the track, this was painfully slow and after 20 minutes without a bite, I switched to the pellet across, this was equally as non-productive. A bad start!! Back down the track with maggot saw a skimmer and a roach, which made up my sum total of silvers, weighed as a very generous 8oz. The rest of the match saw me rotating between the meat line, a paste line just up the far slope, a close paste line ( not even a bite) and the pellet tight to the far bank grasses.
This produced an occasional fish, but it was hard going. The far bank has a lot of overhanging grass, this makes it impossible to get tight to the bank. I saw Leon Hubbard on peg 3 take a short run of fish from the far bank and as peg 2 was empty I got the 16m section out of my rod bag and went to the bare bank on the far side of peg 2 This produced four fish in four put ins and then that died as well (same as Leon’s peg). The remainder of the match saw me take two more on meat and wasn’t disappointed when the final whistle went. 11 carp for 25.04 and my ‘bonus’ silvers saw me weigh 25.12, 6lb of silvers would have seen me take second in section, but as it was I was a resounding last in section. It was a pretty even section, apart from Paul Elmes who nearly quadrupled everyone else’s weight. His 108lb being section winner with the other 4 weighing between 25.12 and 32.09. See Mike Nicholls blog for actual section weigh sheets.
This hot weather seems to have the fish either cruising round not feeding, or shoaled up like winter fish and not moving from where they are happy.
1) Tom Mangnall, 140.08 peg 6 on West Pool
2) Paul Elmes, 108.4 on peg 6 Hawthorn
3) Adrian Jeffery 103.04on 9 Hawthorn
4) Craig Edmunds 94.4 peg 11 Main Lake
5) Dean Malin 77.14 peg 4 Main Lake
6th Bela Bakos 69.5 peg 15 Main Lake
Silvers
Joe McMahon, with 19.7 on peg 8 Main Lake
I set up 5 rigs, a paste rig which would do for anywhere except tight over, as the depth only varied about 6”. A MW slim to fish banded pellet across, a MW pea just in case there were any cruisers , a rig to fish meat at 4m off to my right and a rig for maggot down the track.
Bait tray was simple, 6mm pellets, 8mm pellets, meat and maggots. The paste was left in the bag for now. The peg had shown some signs of life when I arrived, with a few bubbles coming up, these had completely gone 15 minutes before the all in and the signs of fish were few and far between. Shortly before the all-in was called, that most frugal of anglers, Mike Nicholls came over with an enquiry, “did I have any groundbait he could have – oh and a bowl to mix it in” I had brought a bag of mixed gimps gold/Sensas lake, but didn’t intend to use it on this lake, so off he went with it and the bowl – before the end, he brought the remnants of it back, proclaiming it jinxed…….
I fed some 6mm pellet over at the start and meat at 4m, before starting on maggot down the track, this was painfully slow and after 20 minutes without a bite, I switched to the pellet across, this was equally as non-productive. A bad start!! Back down the track with maggot saw a skimmer and a roach, which made up my sum total of silvers, weighed as a very generous 8oz. The rest of the match saw me rotating between the meat line, a paste line just up the far slope, a close paste line ( not even a bite) and the pellet tight to the far bank grasses.
This produced an occasional fish, but it was hard going. The far bank has a lot of overhanging grass, this makes it impossible to get tight to the bank. I saw Leon Hubbard on peg 3 take a short run of fish from the far bank and as peg 2 was empty I got the 16m section out of my rod bag and went to the bare bank on the far side of peg 2 This produced four fish in four put ins and then that died as well (same as Leon’s peg). The remainder of the match saw me take two more on meat and wasn’t disappointed when the final whistle went. 11 carp for 25.04 and my ‘bonus’ silvers saw me weigh 25.12, 6lb of silvers would have seen me take second in section, but as it was I was a resounding last in section. It was a pretty even section, apart from Paul Elmes who nearly quadrupled everyone else’s weight. His 108lb being section winner with the other 4 weighing between 25.12 and 32.09. See Mike Nicholls blog for actual section weigh sheets.
This hot weather seems to have the fish either cruising round not feeding, or shoaled up like winter fish and not moving from where they are happy.
1) Tom Mangnall, 140.08 peg 6 on West Pool
2) Paul Elmes, 108.4 on peg 6 Hawthorn
3) Adrian Jeffery 103.04on 9 Hawthorn
4) Craig Edmunds 94.4 peg 11 Main Lake
5) Dean Malin 77.14 peg 4 Main Lake
6th Bela Bakos 69.5 peg 15 Main Lake
Silvers
Joe McMahon, with 19.7 on peg 8 Main Lake
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Avon Angling Open, Sedges, Sunday 14th July 2013
Another hot day with carp cruising and not looking interested in feeding. I would have preferred a draw where there was some ripple, but it wasn't to be, peg 9 which was flat calm with cruising fish out of pole range.
I set up two waggler rods, one to fish shallow and one at full depth with no shot down the line. Neither of these produced a bite, the fish doing their disappearing act as soon as the float hit the water. I tried every trick I know, 4" deep and firing pellet at the float, 4' deep with all but the last 6" of line greased, to give a very slow sink to the pellet, and every depth in between.
The pole rigs were a shallow/stalking rig - this produced nothing. A paste rig for the margin, this again didn't see anything resembling a bite and a full depth paste rig to fish over the pellet line at 13m. This saw me hook a lump that shed the hook after 5 mins, I think it was hooked under the chin, that was its only action. A rig to fish pellet on the deck, this produced two fish, a solitary skimmer in the first half an hour and then a carp about 6lb at 13.45. Finally a meat rig for 6m, this was as actionless as all the other lines, until the last hour, which saw two carp and a run of skimmers netted to take my final tally to 38.11, a resounding nowhere (or 8th if that sounds better) on the day, but the best weight from peg 5 - peg 10, if only the other 5 hours had produced 30lb an hour!!!!
No surprise for me to be in the worst area, not sure why this seems to be a running theme on matches run by Tony Rixon. That's not any sort of slur on someone who has helped me out and works hard organising the matches, but it does seem to be a recurring nightmare, quite how to shake it off, apart from not fish his matches, I'm not sure.
By the magic of the internet, save and copy, paste etc. I've nicked the results from Mike Nicholl's blog
I set up two waggler rods, one to fish shallow and one at full depth with no shot down the line. Neither of these produced a bite, the fish doing their disappearing act as soon as the float hit the water. I tried every trick I know, 4" deep and firing pellet at the float, 4' deep with all but the last 6" of line greased, to give a very slow sink to the pellet, and every depth in between.
The pole rigs were a shallow/stalking rig - this produced nothing. A paste rig for the margin, this again didn't see anything resembling a bite and a full depth paste rig to fish over the pellet line at 13m. This saw me hook a lump that shed the hook after 5 mins, I think it was hooked under the chin, that was its only action. A rig to fish pellet on the deck, this produced two fish, a solitary skimmer in the first half an hour and then a carp about 6lb at 13.45. Finally a meat rig for 6m, this was as actionless as all the other lines, until the last hour, which saw two carp and a run of skimmers netted to take my final tally to 38.11, a resounding nowhere (or 8th if that sounds better) on the day, but the best weight from peg 5 - peg 10, if only the other 5 hours had produced 30lb an hour!!!!
No surprise for me to be in the worst area, not sure why this seems to be a running theme on matches run by Tony Rixon. That's not any sort of slur on someone who has helped me out and works hard organising the matches, but it does seem to be a recurring nightmare, quite how to shake it off, apart from not fish his matches, I'm not sure.
By the magic of the internet, save and copy, paste etc. I've nicked the results from Mike Nicholl's blog
Saturday, 13 July 2013
Clevedon Saturday Series, Plantation Horseshoe, Sat 13th July 2013
I didn't fish in the week, I decided to go to Landsend and sit behind Tony Rixon on Wednesday, to try and work out why I seem to fair so dismally there. I couldn't see much difference in my rigs or feeding, but confidence in the fish coming to the pellet was a big difference, Tony persevered, he just knew they would come and they did. I would have changed to caster/soft pellet/paste etc. and missed out on the fish Tony caught. An important lesson leant, now I have to put it into practice.
Back to today, I wasn't too confident the lake would fish well due to the heat, plenty of carp moving round, but more interested in sunbathing than feeding by the look of them. The fishing times might help, 13.45-19.45, 15 fishing today so plenty of room. I drew peg 8 which today was the first over the bridge on the left, no island or bar in front of me, that might not help, but I did have a rush lined end bank to target.
I bought a new pole this week, just for carp fishing, a Garbolino G Max Power, so I had to try it out today, as I had only brought hard pellet, meat and paste, so carp were the target. The first rig to be made up was a long line mugging rig, as there were plenty of cruisers. A paste rig, and 2 MW slims, one for meat and one for banded pellet.
On the all in I went straight out on the mugging rig and all the cruisers disappeared, put the rig away and they come back...... Repeat this several times throughout the match, I managed to get one fish on this rig, so no more about it. The banded pellet and meat lines were worse, not so much as a bite between them.
This left the paste line to the end bank at 13m, which did produce a couple of small fish, which had made every effort to get in amongst the reeds, so a good test of the new pole in dragging them out. The float wasn't right for this, so I set up another rig with a blob to fish the paste tight to the rushes, which produced an immediate fish in the net. Then a quiet spell, before another couple of fish, one of them a better size about 9lb. I then foul hooked a big fish that took off towards the island to my right and tried to get round the back of it, I wondered what was going to break first, but the pole handled it fine and the 0.19 powerline was the weakest link.
This led to another quiet spell, so a look round the other lines and they produced as already said, nothing. Back on the paste and an odd fish fell to it, but it was a long wait between fish, one took me into the reeds and slipped the hook into them.
It was with an hour to go that the cruisers looked more likely to feed and I did get one slapping the mugging rig, as previously mentioned, but they soon melted away again after that. I had one more take me into the reeds before the end, another hook firmly fixed into the reeds, although with the elastic pulled to the point I couldn't believe something wasn't breaking, it all came flying back with the rig and hook intact.
I wasn't sure what had been caught round the lake, at the all out I had 33lb on my clicker and assumed that it wouldn't be enough to do any good, but it turned out that most found it hard and my hard won fish were enough for third and I wasn't too far out with the clicker as they went 34.12 So not too bad a day and I'm pleased with the new pole, it feels more powerful than the Tournament.
1. Mark Broomsgrove 59.08
2 Andy Hembrow 41.00
3. Chris Fox 34.12
4. Kev Perry 31.08
=5. Rod Wootton 28.08
=5. Rich Heatly 28.08
Back to today, I wasn't too confident the lake would fish well due to the heat, plenty of carp moving round, but more interested in sunbathing than feeding by the look of them. The fishing times might help, 13.45-19.45, 15 fishing today so plenty of room. I drew peg 8 which today was the first over the bridge on the left, no island or bar in front of me, that might not help, but I did have a rush lined end bank to target.
I bought a new pole this week, just for carp fishing, a Garbolino G Max Power, so I had to try it out today, as I had only brought hard pellet, meat and paste, so carp were the target. The first rig to be made up was a long line mugging rig, as there were plenty of cruisers. A paste rig, and 2 MW slims, one for meat and one for banded pellet.
On the all in I went straight out on the mugging rig and all the cruisers disappeared, put the rig away and they come back...... Repeat this several times throughout the match, I managed to get one fish on this rig, so no more about it. The banded pellet and meat lines were worse, not so much as a bite between them.
This left the paste line to the end bank at 13m, which did produce a couple of small fish, which had made every effort to get in amongst the reeds, so a good test of the new pole in dragging them out. The float wasn't right for this, so I set up another rig with a blob to fish the paste tight to the rushes, which produced an immediate fish in the net. Then a quiet spell, before another couple of fish, one of them a better size about 9lb. I then foul hooked a big fish that took off towards the island to my right and tried to get round the back of it, I wondered what was going to break first, but the pole handled it fine and the 0.19 powerline was the weakest link.
This led to another quiet spell, so a look round the other lines and they produced as already said, nothing. Back on the paste and an odd fish fell to it, but it was a long wait between fish, one took me into the reeds and slipped the hook into them.
It was with an hour to go that the cruisers looked more likely to feed and I did get one slapping the mugging rig, as previously mentioned, but they soon melted away again after that. I had one more take me into the reeds before the end, another hook firmly fixed into the reeds, although with the elastic pulled to the point I couldn't believe something wasn't breaking, it all came flying back with the rig and hook intact.
I wasn't sure what had been caught round the lake, at the all out I had 33lb on my clicker and assumed that it wouldn't be enough to do any good, but it turned out that most found it hard and my hard won fish were enough for third and I wasn't too far out with the clicker as they went 34.12 So not too bad a day and I'm pleased with the new pole, it feels more powerful than the Tournament.
1. Mark Broomsgrove 59.08
2 Andy Hembrow 41.00
3. Chris Fox 34.12
4. Kev Perry 31.08
=5. Rod Wootton 28.08
=5. Rich Heatly 28.08
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
Tony Rixon's Float Only, Landsend, Sunday 7th July 2013
If this match wasn't part of a series that I'd committed to, I wouldn't have fished it. For whatever reason, I seem to draw on lake three everytime its in, I hung back at the draw hoping to get a peg on Match or Specimen lake, so I could fish caster foe silvers.
I couldn't believe it when peg 66 (lake 3) was the peg I pulled, not only no chance of silvers, but also a poor peg on the lake. I was very tempted to no bother going to the peg, but decided to go and give it my best shot. I set up a NG Gimp, 0.2g that would suffice for caster, although I didn't expect to catch much on it. A Preston pencil float that would do for Devils Spawn and meat, a paste rig and a MW slim on a long line to fish banded pellet, although the lack of cruisers in the peg meant that it saw little action.
I fed some micros and 4's at 11m, caster down the track and short, meat at 5m. Starting on the devils spawn at 11m saw a couple of tiny skimmers netted, but that soon died off. The caster short line produced a couple of perch, which were stuffed with caster, not a good sign, before that died off.
I did get a couple of rudd down the track, so in desperation set up a greased loop rig, to try and pick up a few silvers, this produced two rudd before becoming as barren as every other line. Just before 3 o'clock I walked to Fabio on the next peg and he said he'd be packing up and going if he had his van, so I wasn't the only one suffering.
I went back to my peg and had 4 bites in 20 minutes on paste, 2 foul hookers that shed the hook quickly, a common that was low doubles was netted after a tough fight and to cap off my day, I played a double figure ghostie for nearly 10 minutes, before the hook pulled just as I was going to net it. That summed up my day.
I didn't bother to weigh in as I had the one common about 12lb and 2lb of silvers. Fabio had a couple late on meat giving him 26lb, and Dick Bull the other side weighed 22lb making the section of 5 the worst of all 8 sections, quite how to change my luck at the drawbag, I don't know.
See Tony's or Silverfox blog for the results, as I didn't hang around at the end........
I couldn't believe it when peg 66 (lake 3) was the peg I pulled, not only no chance of silvers, but also a poor peg on the lake. I was very tempted to no bother going to the peg, but decided to go and give it my best shot. I set up a NG Gimp, 0.2g that would suffice for caster, although I didn't expect to catch much on it. A Preston pencil float that would do for Devils Spawn and meat, a paste rig and a MW slim on a long line to fish banded pellet, although the lack of cruisers in the peg meant that it saw little action.
I fed some micros and 4's at 11m, caster down the track and short, meat at 5m. Starting on the devils spawn at 11m saw a couple of tiny skimmers netted, but that soon died off. The caster short line produced a couple of perch, which were stuffed with caster, not a good sign, before that died off.
I did get a couple of rudd down the track, so in desperation set up a greased loop rig, to try and pick up a few silvers, this produced two rudd before becoming as barren as every other line. Just before 3 o'clock I walked to Fabio on the next peg and he said he'd be packing up and going if he had his van, so I wasn't the only one suffering.
I went back to my peg and had 4 bites in 20 minutes on paste, 2 foul hookers that shed the hook quickly, a common that was low doubles was netted after a tough fight and to cap off my day, I played a double figure ghostie for nearly 10 minutes, before the hook pulled just as I was going to net it. That summed up my day.
I didn't bother to weigh in as I had the one common about 12lb and 2lb of silvers. Fabio had a couple late on meat giving him 26lb, and Dick Bull the other side weighed 22lb making the section of 5 the worst of all 8 sections, quite how to change my luck at the drawbag, I don't know.
See Tony's or Silverfox blog for the results, as I didn't hang around at the end........
Sunday, 30 June 2013
Viaduct Short Pole Match, Sunday 30th June
If you had asked me to bet on which day this weekend I'd have the biggest weight, I would have placed a decent wedge on todays match on Campbell being the one. I'd have been wrong, today was a real struggle for some, me included.
I drew 132 - typical, can't draw it in a 'normal' match - and thought it should be good for a few fish. I set up a rig to fish banded pellet, a meat rig, a paste rig and a margin rig. First put in I had a skimmer, then a carp, that was it then until 13.40, when I had 3 small carp on the pellet at 6m, before another long spell without a bite. The last hour I had a couple of fish on meat, but by now I knew I was a long way behind those catching. I wasn't alone, Steve Seager, and Roland Lucas on 130 and 131 also struggled, worse than I did, making 3 of us in a row DNW. I put back about 45lb of carp and 5lb of skimmers.
See Tony's blog for results.
I drew 132 - typical, can't draw it in a 'normal' match - and thought it should be good for a few fish. I set up a rig to fish banded pellet, a meat rig, a paste rig and a margin rig. First put in I had a skimmer, then a carp, that was it then until 13.40, when I had 3 small carp on the pellet at 6m, before another long spell without a bite. The last hour I had a couple of fish on meat, but by now I knew I was a long way behind those catching. I wasn't alone, Steve Seager, and Roland Lucas on 130 and 131 also struggled, worse than I did, making 3 of us in a row DNW. I put back about 45lb of carp and 5lb of skimmers.
See Tony's blog for results.
Saturday, 29 June 2013
Clevedon Club Match, Acorn Top Lake, Saturday 29th June 2013
A 12.30 draw for this match, so a lie in this morning, I'd be happy to fish a few more summer matches with a later start, as we often seem to pack up just as the fish start feeding. 11 fishing so the whole length of the lake used, including the newly dug area.
I wasn't too concerned where I drew, but with a gusting wind blowing down the lake, towards Paddock lake, peg one had the wind blowing into the end bank, so looked favourable. Remarkably, peg one found its way into my usually unreliable drawing hand. We could drive round, so no walk and that meant that I was actually ready at the start. I set up a Malman winter wire on 0.14, with a 18 Drennan Carp Maggot hook to fish maggot short. A MW slim to fish hard pellet, that had a 18 B960 with a band to 0.14, a NG Gimp to fish soft pellet, tthat had a 16 63-13 to 0.14 and finally a Big H paste float on 0.16 straight through to a 14 Mustad paste hook.
The wind was going to make presentation tricky so I fed 4mm pellet at topkit+4 along the end bank, the same into open water with groundbait and caster and a short line with maggot. I dropped into the short line to let the others settle and had a couple of 6oz roach, before getting a couple of skimmers. I had a look over the pellet line with a 6mm banded pellet and had a small carp, before catching skimmers on the pellet, but not as quickly as the short line. The groundbait line in open water only peoduced a couple of rudd, so I binned that and concentrated on the two lines. I had a few more skimmers off the short line, but as there was no silvers payout in this match, I needed some carp to go with the skimmers.
I had a decent run of fish on paste from the pellet fed line, fishing tight to the end bank, which is the same depth as the open water, no margin shelf here. When this went quiet, I had some more skimmers short, on maggot, before taking a few more carp in the last half an hour from the paste line. The carp are small and its not easy to estimate, I had clicked 42lb and thought I had low double figures of silvers.
The scales started at the opposite end and Mark Broomsgrove had struggled in the new area, weighing 15lb, the ever consistent Rod Wootten weighed 64.12 which looked good for the win, as the wind had made things tricky for everyone. Rod stayed top weight until the scales got to me, my clicked 42lb went 47.10 and the skimmers were a better stamp than they looked, as they (and some nice roach up to 12oz) went 19.04 to pinch the win from Rod. Some consolation for the fact that the wind took my pole off the roller and blew it into my car, snappingthe No7 section with a clean break, Nissan X Trail 1 Tourny Pro 0. It had to be an expensive section as well.....
1) Chris Fox 66.14 peg 1
2) Rod Wootten 64.12 peg 10
3) Brian Slipper 55.06 peg 3
4) Kev Perry 52.04 peg 4
5) Paul Faiers 43.04 peg 8
6) Phil Deacon 34.13 peg 2
Silvers
1) Adie Baker. 30.00 peg 6
2) Chris Fox 19.04 peg 1
I wasn't too concerned where I drew, but with a gusting wind blowing down the lake, towards Paddock lake, peg one had the wind blowing into the end bank, so looked favourable. Remarkably, peg one found its way into my usually unreliable drawing hand. We could drive round, so no walk and that meant that I was actually ready at the start. I set up a Malman winter wire on 0.14, with a 18 Drennan Carp Maggot hook to fish maggot short. A MW slim to fish hard pellet, that had a 18 B960 with a band to 0.14, a NG Gimp to fish soft pellet, tthat had a 16 63-13 to 0.14 and finally a Big H paste float on 0.16 straight through to a 14 Mustad paste hook.
The wind was going to make presentation tricky so I fed 4mm pellet at topkit+4 along the end bank, the same into open water with groundbait and caster and a short line with maggot. I dropped into the short line to let the others settle and had a couple of 6oz roach, before getting a couple of skimmers. I had a look over the pellet line with a 6mm banded pellet and had a small carp, before catching skimmers on the pellet, but not as quickly as the short line. The groundbait line in open water only peoduced a couple of rudd, so I binned that and concentrated on the two lines. I had a few more skimmers off the short line, but as there was no silvers payout in this match, I needed some carp to go with the skimmers.
I had a decent run of fish on paste from the pellet fed line, fishing tight to the end bank, which is the same depth as the open water, no margin shelf here. When this went quiet, I had some more skimmers short, on maggot, before taking a few more carp in the last half an hour from the paste line. The carp are small and its not easy to estimate, I had clicked 42lb and thought I had low double figures of silvers.
The scales started at the opposite end and Mark Broomsgrove had struggled in the new area, weighing 15lb, the ever consistent Rod Wootten weighed 64.12 which looked good for the win, as the wind had made things tricky for everyone. Rod stayed top weight until the scales got to me, my clicked 42lb went 47.10 and the skimmers were a better stamp than they looked, as they (and some nice roach up to 12oz) went 19.04 to pinch the win from Rod. Some consolation for the fact that the wind took my pole off the roller and blew it into my car, snappingthe No7 section with a clean break, Nissan X Trail 1 Tourny Pro 0. It had to be an expensive section as well.....
1) Chris Fox 66.14 peg 1
2) Rod Wootten 64.12 peg 10
3) Brian Slipper 55.06 peg 3
4) Kev Perry 52.04 peg 4
5) Paul Faiers 43.04 peg 8
6) Phil Deacon 34.13 peg 2
Silvers
1) Adie Baker. 30.00 peg 6
2) Chris Fox 19.04 peg 1
Monday, 24 June 2013
Short Pole Match, Landsend, Sunday 23rd June 2013
After a week away from work and fishing in Cornwall, which was as relaxed as always, why is the pace of life slower down there? Reminds me of Ireland, it was back to try and vanquish my demons with Landsend. I wanted a draw on the match lake and to fish for silvers, but as usual, when its in, lake 3 was to be my home for the duration of what turned into another struggle. I drew peg 70, which had it been a normal match, i.e. not restricted to topkit + 3 sections, I might have fancied, so I decided to fish positively, a rig for caster short and 'long' (as long as the restrictions allowed), a rig for meat, another the same as the caster rig, but heavier and with a hair rigged band on, finally a paste rig to fish towards the weedbed which is to the right of this peg.
I fed some meat towards the end bank, but not too close as it looks like a potential tackle graveyard, as the prevailing wind had undercut the end bank exposing tree stumps and a gothic looking maze of gnarled root stumps. I also fed caster short and at full length, with a big pot of micros and softened 4's going in towards the weed bed. Nothing apart from a lonesome roach on the short caster line - not a good sign, but the line out to the weed bed was producing some fizz. I dropped the paste rig into this and had 3 carp in 4 or 5 put in's, but that was, as seems all to familiar of my matches lately, all the carp action from that swim.
The long caster line produced nothing and it seemed as if the silvers weren't in residence today, preferring to be out in the main body of the lake, rather than the 3 sided pool that is peg 70. I had a couple of F1's on soft pellet, a couple of decent skimmers short and another 3 or 4 small carp down the edge on paste, meat was a waste of time, not one bite coming to it. I could see Joe McMahon opposite struggling and he joined a few DNW's on the lake, it seems looking at the weigh sheet, the fish were more concentrated in the middle of the lake, rather than either end, with none of the favoured pegs on the lake producing. My meagre efforts went just over 30lb for a resounding nowhere.
See one of the other bloggers for the results, as I couldn't get near the weigh sheets for David 'silverfox' Bailey and his camera.
I fed some meat towards the end bank, but not too close as it looks like a potential tackle graveyard, as the prevailing wind had undercut the end bank exposing tree stumps and a gothic looking maze of gnarled root stumps. I also fed caster short and at full length, with a big pot of micros and softened 4's going in towards the weed bed. Nothing apart from a lonesome roach on the short caster line - not a good sign, but the line out to the weed bed was producing some fizz. I dropped the paste rig into this and had 3 carp in 4 or 5 put in's, but that was, as seems all to familiar of my matches lately, all the carp action from that swim.
The long caster line produced nothing and it seemed as if the silvers weren't in residence today, preferring to be out in the main body of the lake, rather than the 3 sided pool that is peg 70. I had a couple of F1's on soft pellet, a couple of decent skimmers short and another 3 or 4 small carp down the edge on paste, meat was a waste of time, not one bite coming to it. I could see Joe McMahon opposite struggling and he joined a few DNW's on the lake, it seems looking at the weigh sheet, the fish were more concentrated in the middle of the lake, rather than either end, with none of the favoured pegs on the lake producing. My meagre efforts went just over 30lb for a resounding nowhere.
See one of the other bloggers for the results, as I couldn't get near the weigh sheets for David 'silverfox' Bailey and his camera.
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Viaduct Thursday Cost Cutter 13th June 2013
Down to Viaduct today, hoping that it bucked the recent trend that seems to be affecting all fisheries, of the fish seemingly not interested in feeding.
31 fishing, Campbell and Cary both in, so I wanted a draw on Campbell, perhaps I should be careful what I wish for, as I picked out 131, after Matt Tomes handed Paul Greenwood 132. I tried to cover all bases, with a straight lead set up, full depth and shallow waggler, a margin rig, a 5m meat rig and two pellet rigs, one full depth, one shallow.
I started on the waggler, with meat, but Paul had landed three fish before I had my first bite and fish (and the ratio didn't change much during the match). A switch to the lead brought a couple of fish, but in what was to become a pattern for the day, that was that for the bites on the lead. A switch to the pole saw the pellets being whittled down and eventually eaten by 3oz skimmers, the 5m meat line, although being primed for later, gave up nothing on an early look in. By now Paul was catching tight to the rushes between 133/134 on the shallow waggler. The margin gave me a small tench and a bream, repeating the now familiar 2 fish then nothing of all the other lines/methods, except the 5m line which remained biteless.
Coming into the last couple of hours another look on the 5m line produced the one and only fish caught from it (unless a 3oz roach on 10mm meat counts!!). The margin gave up a bream and small carp, but then bucked the trend, a 3rd bite and a carp was foul hooked, this took 10 mins to get to the net and finally snapped the 0.18 hooklength when I had the elastic fully stretched via the pulla bung. What I hoped would be a decent last hour, was dire, Paul's peg was getting stronger and stronger, whilst mine gave up one tench in the whole of the last hour.
I even managed to drop the last carp I caught into the wrong net, so I had an empty net and one over by 7lb or so, giving me 70lb carp and 15.11 silvers for 10th on the day, only 6 weights over a ton, including Pauls double ton, which gave him the win by a wide margin. With hindsight, the meat was a waste of time in open water, it might have paid off to fish a pellet line and stick to it, hoping that the carp moved in over it.
1) Paul Greenwood 229.14 peg 132
2) Glenn Bailey 111.14 peg 115
3) Phil Harding 109.01 peg 112
4) S Russell 104.05 peg 129
5) Matt Tomes 101.03 peg 114
6) Peter Thompson 100.00 peg 88
Silvers
1) Roland Lucas 34.00 peg 123
2) Howard Webb 26.11 peg 105
31 fishing, Campbell and Cary both in, so I wanted a draw on Campbell, perhaps I should be careful what I wish for, as I picked out 131, after Matt Tomes handed Paul Greenwood 132. I tried to cover all bases, with a straight lead set up, full depth and shallow waggler, a margin rig, a 5m meat rig and two pellet rigs, one full depth, one shallow.
I started on the waggler, with meat, but Paul had landed three fish before I had my first bite and fish (and the ratio didn't change much during the match). A switch to the lead brought a couple of fish, but in what was to become a pattern for the day, that was that for the bites on the lead. A switch to the pole saw the pellets being whittled down and eventually eaten by 3oz skimmers, the 5m meat line, although being primed for later, gave up nothing on an early look in. By now Paul was catching tight to the rushes between 133/134 on the shallow waggler. The margin gave me a small tench and a bream, repeating the now familiar 2 fish then nothing of all the other lines/methods, except the 5m line which remained biteless.
Coming into the last couple of hours another look on the 5m line produced the one and only fish caught from it (unless a 3oz roach on 10mm meat counts!!). The margin gave up a bream and small carp, but then bucked the trend, a 3rd bite and a carp was foul hooked, this took 10 mins to get to the net and finally snapped the 0.18 hooklength when I had the elastic fully stretched via the pulla bung. What I hoped would be a decent last hour, was dire, Paul's peg was getting stronger and stronger, whilst mine gave up one tench in the whole of the last hour.
I even managed to drop the last carp I caught into the wrong net, so I had an empty net and one over by 7lb or so, giving me 70lb carp and 15.11 silvers for 10th on the day, only 6 weights over a ton, including Pauls double ton, which gave him the win by a wide margin. With hindsight, the meat was a waste of time in open water, it might have paid off to fish a pellet line and stick to it, hoping that the carp moved in over it.
1) Paul Greenwood 229.14 peg 132
2) Glenn Bailey 111.14 peg 115
3) Phil Harding 109.01 peg 112
4) S Russell 104.05 peg 129
5) Matt Tomes 101.03 peg 114
6) Peter Thompson 100.00 peg 88
Silvers
1) Roland Lucas 34.00 peg 123
2) Howard Webb 26.11 peg 105
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