Pawlett Match, Viaduct Campbell and Cary. 19-02-17

After visiting on the Thursday costcutter at the venue, I knew that Cary would be unlikely to be the lake of the 2 that would provide the match winner, and although possible, I presumed Campbell would also give the silvers winner. Campbell would be a bit more fair and when Saturday saw Paddy Curry win from 132 and 130 was second, my inclination was confirmed.

Anyways, 32 fished after a couple of drop-outs in the previous day or 2. Spirits were high with the warming of the weather, it did look good for a few bites, too cold to be properly hauling, but slowly we shall get there, this winter seems to have been the coldest for an age.
A bit of banter, some chit chat and the usual 'hello' to all was done, PSV were on Lodge lake, so loads of familiar faces, and better chances of a good few laughs.
I waited until near the end of the queue, I wanted to be on Campbell, I was prepped for silvers mostly so 123-127 please!!, but wouldn't have been upset to land on the near end of that lake to catch some carp, indeed looking at Cary, there were carp around 105 to 109 and 74, just the odd show further up the lake.
I did not get my wish, instead I found myself on peg 100, I wasn't too despondent, it can be a good peg at times, but Thursday's match along that bank never gave up any carp and only peg 96 produced some decent silvers throughout the day,

I made my way to the peg, found I had an in-form Jamie Parkhouse on peg 99 and he had Keith Clapp on 97, Ziggy on 96 and Mike Davis 94. I didn't get any photos of the peg.
I began to sort my kit out, and was only setting up for carp as I hoped for 10 fish from the 6hrs ahead.
A lead rod for corn/meat/bread. A waggler for corn and reluctantly a couple of pole rigs for meat (one to empty 101 and one at 13m in front) but these pole rigs never gave a bite.
Behind me, on Lodge Lake, I had Ryan Radford, Matt Williams and Adam Caswell in the PSV match.

I began on the lead, tried that for 40 minutes without a bite, then I gave the pole lines a quick look and went on the waggler, which was towing through a touch fast at times, so back on the lead.
I managed a couple 4oz skimmers and a roach on double corn, but that was my opening couple of hours or so. Elsewhere Phil Clapp on peg 105 had 4 or 5 carp and a few small silvers. Big Nick Selway on peg 90 had a carp, so had the others on the top bank, only 1 each at that point.
Next to me, Jamie, he had a few pounds of silvers on the pole, maybe 3 or 4lb of mostly skimmers.
Keith had a tench and a nice skimmer and I could just make out Mike Davis getting small silvers.

So it was up and off my box to get a topkit out for silvers, if only to get some bites.
I cupped a couple balls of groundbait at 14.5m and one at 6m, both with minimal loose feed in. I let these rest for 20 minutes while fishing the waggler.
Soon enough I was on the pole and had a couple of 4oz skimmers and roach, but after 20 minutes it seemed a touch hard work, sort of going nowhere fast. Jamie was still getting a few in spells and Keith the odd better silver on the waggler.
I came in on  my 6m line and started putting silvers in the net quick enough, and I was happy getting bites.
So after around an hour on the pole for silvers I had put maybe 3lb in the net, I needed to at least treble that rate to get 30lb, which may be close to winning the silvers, I needed bigger stamp skimmers/bream or a few tench. I couldn't see that happening. So back onto the waggler and lead for the rest of the match, hoping a massive ball of carp had arrived.....they didn't. Neither did the big silvers.
With around an hour to go I did manage a 3lb skimmer/bream on the waggler, it was a stray as I never had any more like that. Though a few bits on the pole and a 12oz skimmer on the lead while waiting for carp was all I managed before the all out.

Elsewhere, come the end of the match it was obvious that Eric Fouracre and Mark Leader were batting the silver pot over on Campbell, probably over 20lb each, according to Ziggy that is, and our Polish friend packed up early after a 20 minute wander. 
Phil Clapp had won Cary, 6 carp and a few silver before 12:30, then nothing after was his effort. But he had around 60lb. Jamie Parkhouse, Keith, Mike and Jason King, whom was on 78 catching decent silvers, all had over 10lb of silvers. Carp-wise, a few guys had 1 and a few guys had 2, nobody except Phil had more.

I packed up and weighed in a shade under 9lb, which was fine given the others had a couple hours silvers fishing before I got off my arse to make a rig for them.
I feel that on Cary we were fishing for a section win, at a push one guy may be lucky and get top 3. It felt like a match in which we were going nowhere to get somewhere, sort of making all the right noises and efforts for an unlikely prize. Unlikely to win the silvers or overall, but not really struggling for silvers bites either.
Jamie had 12lb+, Keith 11lb+, Mike 12lb+ and Jason 14lb+ on the silver front on the lake, the carp weights were 57lb then a bunch of 8 to 25lb nets depending on if the guy had 1 or 2 carp.

Campbell produced the Winner from peg 130, Jamie Cook and indeed Eric Fouracre continues his little bit of form (coupled with being a bit good) winning the silvers from peg 125.
Lodge never fished great for the PSV guys with just under 30lb top weight.
So despite the relative mildness, the lakes never switched on as were considered, perhaps they are not warm enough as yet.

Results:
1st. Jamie Cook, 81lb 12oz, p130 (Cam)
2nd. Phil Clapp, 60lb 10oz, p105 (Cary)
3rd. Pete Manning, 57lb 6oz, p118 (Cam)
4th. Chris Higgs, 54lb 7oz, p123 (Cam)

Silvers:
1st. Eric Fouracre, 27lb 3oz, p125 (Cam)
2nd. Mark Leader, 23lb 3oz, p127 (Cam)
3rd. Robb Dodd, 15lb 8oz, p111 (Cam)

Weigh Sheets.

So another match gone, next up for the club is on the Kings Sedgemoor Drain in March, hopefully that will fish well like we know it can.
Not sure what my plans are this coming weekend, so until next time, take care.

Lee