Obviously this would be peg dependant, so a peg on Campbell would be needed, and pegs 123, 125, 126 and maybe peg 111 would be the picks. I was really hoping to avoid Cary, especially for the silvers, but on the carp front only pegs 74, 80, 81 85, 86 and 102 would float my boat.
After giving Nigel Hull some nice pellets to try on the hair and discussing the pegs and options with a few of the guys it was down to the draw, we had 4 golden pegs with 123 and 115 being those with a very good chance of emptying a pot. So when Steve Fouracre drew 123 and Eric Fouracre on peg 115, the chances went up a touch. Though Steve was planning on fishing for silvers, peg 123 is THE draw to for non-carp catches but plenty of carp usually reside up there.
Back to the draw, I waited until there were only 3 or 4 pegs left to pluck and I soon found myself with Campbell peg 128, a spit peg, a peg I haven't ever fished before, but I wasn't displeased to be honest.
I arrived at my peg, after being prodded for peg info by various peeps. I had Kev Crouch to my right on the other side of the spit on p129. To my left, and simply fishing for silvers, was Mike Levy on peg 126. I would have my work cut out to pinch the single silvers pot today.
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| Viaduct Campbell peg 128. |
I set up a lead rod so I could waste a few minutes here and there.
3 topkits were assembled, 1 for the silvers at 13m in the 11 o'clock direction. The other 2 were were with carp in mind, one for 2+2 in front for meat over hemp. The 2nd rig would be for 3 spots in the peg, against the spit at 13m, over the silvers line and just off some marginal grass, all 3 spots were the same depth.
Bait wise I had 8mm pellets, 8mm meat, hemp and some worm and casters for silvers.
Hookbait for the carp was 8mm meat on the pole. 8mm pellet on the lead.
The groundbait would be for the silvers and down the edge to my left.
After I had set up I went and had a chat to Mike on p126, he was using micros and expander and cw&c. I did mention that the better skimmers seem to like meat and occasionally come right into the edge where its only 3 inches shallower.
The all in was soon called and a little bit of feed was fed before starting on the lead........that lasted 25 minutes before it went up the bank, only a lost foul hooked lump was my only action in this stage of the match. A few carp had been caught by Mike Davis on peg 112, on the lead, maybe 30lb already.
Eric on peg 115 and Chris Higgs on 125 all had landed carp on the lead.
I went onto the long silvers line as there was plenty of blowing and the bottom being turned over, but all I managed over the next half hour was a couple 6oz skimmers and a 8oz tench.
Up against the spit gave me a 3lb carp but small roach and blade skimmers were holding the bait up.
So a look on the short meat line was made at around 90 minutes into the match and a 3lb skimmer was landed before a lost foul hooked carp ruined the skimmers fishing here.
At the 2hr stage I probably had 6lb of silvers and a couple squeaker carp from by the spit. Mike Davis hadn't stopped catching on the lead and was probably nearing 80lb. Mike was doing well on the skimmers and tench. Everyone else who I could see were not doing great, but I could hear that Chris Higgs on p125 was landing a few carp.,
It was at the halfway stage that I had a flurry of activity, netting a couple 2lb skimmers, a small tench and a carp all from the longer silvers line, all on double dendra.
Back to the spit and action was very slow, I plucked another 3lb carp, but generally it was just 2-4oz roach trying to take the bait, frustrating.
I chucked the lead out again while I opened a new tin of hemp and chopped up some more meat and low and behold I wangled a 5lber, that was my only fish of the day on the lead.
The next couple hours was poor though with only a few small skimmers and a couple baby tench netted. I wasn't the only one mind, Eric, Colin Haggett, Crouchy and the lad on pegs 118 and 119 too were struggling for consistency.
Just as we approached 3:30pm I had around 15lb of silvers and maybe 20lb of carp, but I was hoping that the meat line should kick into life.
And with that thought I had a bite on the meat and a 8lber was landed after a spirited battle.
The next look in gave me a 5lber and a couple nice skimmers came over the next 15 minutes or so.
Into the last 45 mins to an hour and I rotated the lines to find another couple of 3lb carp from the spit and the left edge. Mike Davis was still bagging and had put his 4th carp net in..!! I reckoned on him having around 180-200lb. He'd stuck on the lead all day.
By now my meat line was definitely showing signs of carp as a few swirls and plenty of fizzing was kind of obvious to their presence.
I had a run of 7 or 8 more carp to around 12lb and was hoping to get once each drop for this last period of the match. It didn't prove out that way but I did manage a few more, the last 3 all coning 12" shallow/deep. My clickers showed 44lb on each, but the second net hadn't added my last 2 carp as I knew I was well off the limits. I supposed I had 15 or 18lb of silvers.
The all out was called and it seemed Mike had won from p112 and from what I could see Chris Higgs had done well. But I had no idea about the guys I couldn't see, pegs 129 down and around and back to peg 111, plus Steve Fouracre up on peg 123.
I packed my kit away and waited for the scales to arrive.
Once Steve had arrived the best net was from John Dursley with 130lb, Pierce and Crouchy both had mid 40lb nets.
My turn to weigh and my silvers looked around 20lb and so they proved with 22lb 3oz, which I knew would be well behind Mike Levy and possibly Steve on peg 123.
My 3 weighs of carp was slightly higher than the clickers showed in total, with a combined value of 105lb 9oz (1 clicker showed 44lb and that net had 43lb). It wouldn't be enough to win a bean today unless Higgsy had lost all his fish and Cary hadn't produced any weights of note.
I watched Mike tip 46lb+ of silvers on the scales, nice. Before I went and loaded the car.
I managed to catch up with the scales at peg 116, where I got to do Mark Sweeting's tally, his was a shade over 103lb.
Next to weigh was Mike's catch, so some maths was needed by me, but all went well as his tally grew into 261lb 11oz, and he was 6 or 7lb over in one net. Great weight. He also never had any lumps, most of his fish were around the 6lb mark and like peas in a pod.
Kev Lock weighed in his carp, 42lb+ was his total from p111.
Big Nick Selway on peg 110 had a productive end to the match and recorded a weigh of 121lb+.
Back at the lodge and the results were sorted, with Cary being won by Jamie Cook with 165lb or so, he only had 15 fish I think he said, from peg 102 all on the lead.
Results:
1st, Mike Davis, p115 Camp. 261lb 11oz
2nd, Jamie Cook, p102 Cary. 165lb 8oz
3rd, Chris Higgs, p125 Camp. 152lb 5oz
4th, John Dursley, p132 Camp. 130lb 12oz
5th, Lee Williams, p128 Camp. 127lb 12oz
6th, Nick Selway, p110 Camp. 121lb 2oz
Silvers: all Campbell.
1st, Mike Levy, p126. 46lb 14oz
2nd, Steve Fouracre, p123. 37lb 6oz
3rd, Eric Fouracre, p115. 24lb 6oz
4th, Lee Williams, p128. 22lb 3oz
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| Campbell sheet |
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| Cary sheet |
It was a shame I couldn't fish for the silvers properly, but I honestly don't think I would have competed with 123 and 126. As for the carp, Mike Davis pretty much had it in the bag after 3hrs or so, he kept the fish coming to his lead and meat tactics.
I was pleased to get a new peg and avoided p130, and maybe I should have tried banded pellet by the spit, something to keep in mind for next time I get there,
Next up is Wednesday's match at Sedges, on Tile lake. I may try the Viaduct saver on Thursday.
Next week I am at White Acres from Saturday to Friday so I may sneak a bit of angling in there.
My next Sunday match is with PSV at Shiplate in a couple of weeks.
Until then, Take care and have fun
Lee
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