I arrived at the car-park 15 mins before the draw, we would draw at 9, fish 10:30 - 16:30. I paid my fee and unloaded the kit onto my trolley. The weather was due to be warm and sunny with a north/north-easterly wind blowing for the day. We had 18 on the list to fish and expectations were high as the fish had spawned and they were all over the lake, swirling, jumping, blowing etc.
After a quick walk around half of the lake (I still have not been any further around than peg 9!), it was time fro the draw. Pay-outs were 1st, 2nd and 3rd with a couple silvers pots. I picked the 2nd to last ticket in the hat, revealing a peg I really was not wanting, Peg 5a, a new peg it seems, but with 5 and 6 in the match it would be kind of close knit. I had Kev Perry on my right in 5 and Les? who had a decent island chuck from peg 6, loads and loads of carp were around the island, but still a few in open water as well.
I actually had some rigs made up, which is kind of unheard of for me, but being home alone on Friday night and yesterday saw me knock up 8 or so new rigs.
So for today I had a 0.4 Nick Gilbert XT Decker for 13/14.5m, this would be my bream/silvers rigs and consisted on 0.12 hooklength to a B611-f1 pattern. I had prepared some groundbait and decided to pot in 8 balls along with some caster and micros. But I only had 1 drop with this, resulting in a 4oz skimmer. My only silverfish of the match.
I also had, but didn't use an NG Margin float for my left hand edge swim, 0.18>14 B911 for corn and meat. I fed this throughout the match but no signs indicated for me to try, although I did have a couple looks without a response.
My final pole rigs was a long lined dibber type float (0.2g) for banded 8mm pellet, to be fished over the silvers line, as there were loads of carp in the upper layers. Line was 0.20>0.18>14 B911. This would be used in the 2nd half of the match (in theory).
I also rigged up a pellet waggler for 30-35yrds or so and a small method feeder for the same line and searching, both rigs had 0.20 hooklengths and 14 B911's. Cast was lined up with left hand tall tree opposite.
View from Peg 5a
The whistle went and everyone started cupping bait, and within 10 seconds the chap in peg 6 had attached himself to a carp, this he landed, looked around 10lb, he was fishing the method to the island.
After I had put baits where I wanted, I began to fire 8mm pellets out to my wag line, casting my loaded Middy float in the area of the pellets, I stuck at this for nearly 2 hours, occasionally dropping the method over the line, but bites were not forthcoming, as it seemed for everyone else, it was dire really.
Still I had a look over my groundbait line with soft pellet and didn't get a knock, though I did have my solitary skimmer. So this wasn't used again. I think it was too bright for the proper bream and no doubt all the silvers were well spread with spawn.
2 1/2hrs in and I was connected to my 1st carp, on the pellet waggler, and a 5lber was netting after a little bit of a scrap.
In the meantime, not much was occurring, the swim 1-5 were not doing anything, with some not even getting a bite, peg 6 was struggling and Brian Slipper next to him was finding the odd carp, either properly or not, he was also doing well on landing ducks too, I think he had 4 or 5 during the day. The bloomin birds didn't learn.
By 2pm everyone was moaning how hard it was, and reality was that 2 or 3 quick carp could be a result as other than Andy Hembrow on the far bank (who was catching ok-ish), nobody had more than a couple carp in the nets and silvers were pretty absent for everyone.
I did hook and land a 2nd carp, banded pellet on the method bought me a 6lb fish, and I did lose a couple, possibly foul hookers.
At the 3 o'clock stage I did hook a proper lump of a fish on the wag, it bow waved on the take and looked like a defo upper double at least, but alas it came off after 10 mins and a hard fight. I did leave me a nice scale though!!
A look on the long pole/shallow rig, after seeing the odd swirl at the loose feed, saw me connect and land a 6lb fish, a massive tangle on the pellet wag saw me waste 10 mins re-rigging, but other than a lost foul hooked carp, it didn't bring me any more fish. The wind was iffy all day and consistent presentation was hard, as was feeding accurately.
So a busy half hour had passed, Brian on Peg 6a was on 5 carp now and Nick Harvey had landed a few fish, but he had lost a load during the match so far. A few guys had packed up and left, including a couple venue regulars, it must have been hard!!
With less than an hour to go my clicker showed 17lb, but I am pants with the counter, as my Thursday evening match on Sedges saw me click to 18lb, when it weighed 25lb!! I am crap at guessing carp weights.
Anyways, I went back on the shallow pole line as there was some fizzing and odd fish swirling at the freebies. A few minutes later I was connected to another carp, and after a spirited fight, a 5lb fish was landed.
Anyways, I went back on the shallow pole line as there was some fizzing and odd fish swirling at the freebies. A few minutes later I was connected to another carp, and after a spirited fight, a 5lb fish was landed.
The all out soon sounded and it was hard to decide if I had done ok or not. I had clicked 22lb on the carp and 1 pound on the silvers(but knew only it would only be 4oz).
All in all I had landed 4 carp, lost a lump and also lost 3 others, but all the lost fish, I believe were foul hooked. I had fed 4 pints of 8mm pellets and 3 of 6's to at least keep some activity in my swim.
I loaded the gear on to the barrow, had a quick ask around about what had been caught, and my 4 carp might do ok. With the weigh in taking a while due to the Shiplate summer series on the other 2 lakes, I loaded the car while waiting.
By the time the scales got to me, Andy had weighed 54lb, there were a couple low 20 pound weights and Brian's 5 carp and few silvers weighed 35lb, so with only me and Kev Perry to weight I knew I could either just miss or just make 3rd spot as Kev was weighing for silvers.
So onto the scales went my 4oz skimmer, followed by 4 carp, totalling 23lb 12oz, taking 3rd spot......just!
Make shift weigh sheet...on 9 weighed in!!
So all in all it was a tough day, as you can see from the weights, or lack of. But I do like the venue and will defo return, there are plenty of fish and not all carp either.
I also used a pulla on a carp for the 2nd time today, after using it on for the 1st time on Thursday at Sedges, and is defo something I need to practice, but the 14-16 Middy lacy is soft, which when shallow, has done me ok getting back to the top-kit. Whether or not it'll be ok at Viaduct remains to be seen......
Results:
1st - Peg 14 - Andy Hembrow - 54lb 12oz (14lb 4oz of silvers plus 40lb 8oz of carp)
2nd - Peg 6a - Brian Slipper - 35lb 6oz
3rd - Peg 5a - Lee Williams - 23lb 12oz
Silvers:
1st - Peg 14b - Paul Faiers - 7lb 6oz
2nd - Peg 13 - Nick Harvey - 4lb 12oz
Next up for me is 2 days on Viaduct, Campbell and Cary, this Friday and Saturday. Maybe Sedges on Thursday evening,
Take care and have Fun
Lee
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