We have 11 teams for this series. With pay outs pretty well spread and quite generous, we wanted to do well. But there are 30 other anglers who are very capable. The likes of Rich Coles, Vic Bush, Tom Mangnall and Eric Fouracre were in attendance. Coupled with some of the guys who fish with either Clevedon and Pawlett clubs and a few regular framers at Avalon it was going to be tough...
Anyways, after a rainy, windy, stormy and nippy night, I arrived at the fishery at around 8:10, plenty of time before the half past 8 draw. The lakes looked 'weathered' and we were unsure what to expect.
I took my team-mates' pools money off them and went and paid our dues.
After a bit of banter and chitter chat about how we expected it to fish, the draw was made.
Now it was down to the team captains to pick their section and this, coupled with pre-determined pegs, saw an angler from each team in the corresponding peg of each section.
I drew section B, peg 2. Meaning that James had C section peg 2 and Paul was in A section peg 2.
These translated into permanent pegs 19, 32 and 3 respectively.
We all made our ways to the pegs, well wishing each other, hoping the 'team' does well.
I arrived at peg 19 and surveyed the scene, a slippery platform of decent size (phew), some far bank cover and ok-ish looking margins. I had to my right Keith Clapp, who was the 1st peg in my section. To my left I had silvers specialist Ron Stark, then Vic Bush and Rich Coles (another silvers angler), finally I had John Dursley as the last peg on this bank, the rest of the section were the other side of the island and out of sight.
My peg....Peg 19
The corner of the island - Peg 19
I had made up a few rigs on Saturday and went about setting up my tackle, the usual 3m whip was assembled, a lead/8mm pellet rod to cast to the point of the island as I could not get close out in front due to the overhanging trees. I also assembled 3 top kits.
1 for down towards the reeds in the edge to my left, this was for chopped worm/caster. The same rig was also used for 7m in front slightly to the left, again using chopped worm and caster.
Another rig was for soft pellet fished half depth or so. This was to be used over the 13m line where I set up a 0.6g NG decker float for soft pellet over wetted micros, but fish will often come off bottom when using micros as feed.
I also set up a pellet wag as a few fish were moving near the surface in other swims. But alas I cast this up a tree, re-tackled with a lighter float and promptly hooked a carp of 12 or 13lb on a bare hook, before the whistle....not a good sign..!!
The all in sounded at 10:15 and I potted various baits to the designated swims and loose fed some caster for the whip line. My 1st half hour was spent on the lead, with no joy. There was not even any swirls from small fish on the whip line. No blowing on the pole lines and the weather was all over the place, windy, calm, rain and sun. The fish looked to have been put off by the multi-seasonal conditions.
Meanwhile Keith on peg 17 was landing a few carp by fishing into the calm off the end of his island.
Vic had landed a carp. Me and Ron were struggling.
For the next couple of hours I rotated tactics, only picking up odd roach and rudd on the whip. The lead and waggler tactics never produced a bite, and the pole only gave 2 little fish over the 7m worm line. At around 12:15 I had a look over the 13m line with a 4mm Bait Tech expander and the float went under, a carp was hooked, and after a spirited scrap a 7lb fish was netted. Soon after a second carp followed, though this one was around 3lb. Then things died again.
The next couple hours was spent rotating swims, though there was a little more blowing over the long line. I picked up the odd small fish on the 7m and whip lines. I couldn't buy a bite down the edge and gave that up.
2pm came and I reckon I had around 2.5lb of bits and 2 carp for about 10lb. But I was well behind Keith who had a good few fish early on in the match and possibly had 30lb in his net. I was maybe a little ahead of Ron who wasn't catching consistently either. Vic had landed a few carp, maybe 5 or 6, plus some silvers, but by my reckoning he was plenty behind Keith.
Another look over the long line produced my 3rd carp, a 4lb fish. I had also figured that by firing a few 4mm pellets over the float bought a response. The last hour bought me 3 skimmers of maybe 12oz each and I did lose 2 foul hooked carp in 2 drops, both were of a decent stamp.
Things died for me in the last hour, but Ron did land a carp, as did Keith. Vic also had a few fish and I could hear Rich and John had landed some fish. It was going to be close on my bank, in my section, for 3rd and lower, as I guessed Keith and Vic were possibly the 2 tops spots.
I did see my team-mate James land a couple carp on the pellet wag over on peg 32 (you can make him and Jonny Page in my 2nd photo), but I was unsure on how he was doing.
The all out sounded and I was really unsure on what I had, 3 carp and 4lb of silvers were what I guessed at being 18lb.
I packed up and waited for the scales. I was unsure of the weights in section A, but Keith weighed 35lb 11oz to go into the lead overall and obviously top spot in B section.
After Keith it was my weigh, my 3 carp went 15lb 7oz and silvers weighed 6lb 4oz. 21lb 11oz total.
I loaded my car and headed back for the results.
It turned out it was a low-weight match, but pretty fair and lots of close weights.
1st on the day was Keith Clapp with 35lb 11oz peg 17
2nd was Matt Harris, 34lb 7oz from Peg 42
3rd was (by default) Paul Wharton with 32lb off peg 3
Silvers winner was Eric Fouracre, 17lb 13oz of mostly skimmers, from peg 7. He did have 15lb 4oz of carp for a total of 33lb 1oz, which was 3rd top weight.
2nd Silvers was Keith Builder from peg 16, his silvers weighed 10lb 5oz.
The top team on the day (by weight) was Sedges, the team of Jamie Cook plus Keith and Phil Clapp.
2nd team on the day was my team Woolavy Wanderers.
Both teams had 26 points from a total of 33.
Pay Outs and Team Results
Section Results.
So all in all it wasn't a bad day for me, 4th in section and my team came joint first on points, losing out on weight to the Sedges team. Paul Wharton also picked up £40 for his efforts, well done buddy.
The next round of the series is December 29th, maybe it'll be tougher, but given this country's weather conditions, you can never be sure it will actually be much colder.
Next up for me could see me at Plantations Match lake with the Clevedon Club next Sunday.
Until next time, take care and have fun
Lee
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