Catch Up -- White Acres Maver Fest and Summerhaye's Winners Match

Not blogged recently for various reasons, but thought I would give a quick round up of the last few weeks.

From the 1st to the 5th of October myself and Jamie Parkhouse fished the Maver Festival down at White Acres, I was well up for this and although not expecting to do well, I hoped I could learn a few things to take into 2019 and hopefully a couple more festivals down in Cornwall. This would be only my 2nd main 5 day festival there but you never know how things can turn out.
It all started badly when I got to Exeter and remembered I had left my roller bag at home but after a bit of Facebook help and a bit of kindness from my lovely Mother-in-Law I managed to get my rollers before the festival. Thanks to my sponsor, Dean Townshend and Jonny Kirkton for their help in this.
It was also a chance to meet a few of the DT Floats lads, nice to meet you guys.

Day One, Porth. Peg 34.

P34 Porth

My favourite day of the week, I love Porth (except the walks...)
I set up a long range method rod (mistake), a short chuck feeder and a couple pole rigs where it was top 3 plus a short 4 deep from 5m out to 14.5m.
I fed a couple balls of groundbait at 6m and half a dozen at 14m at the start before beginning short where I put a couple pounds in the net in the first half hour, it then went a bit quiet before the odd spurt of fish here and there on the pole and short feeder kept me ticking over in the first 2hrs of the match.
A dead 2hrs didn't help before I finished quite well catching a few skimmers on the long line.
I gave the method 3 spells of 20mins or so during the day for nothing, which I knew would happen but Jamie called me and said to try it as he had a couple bream on his.
My 11lb 10oz was 3rd in section, 4oz behind second and Andy Power won the section with 15lb, so I would like to think that 2nd was definitely in grasp and I could have go closer to Andy.
The lake fished well with several 30lb+ nets and a few mid 20s from the far side.

Day Two, Bolingey. Peg 8.

P8 Bolingey

I don't seem to draw on the smaller lake or the right hand arm here but tend to get in the deeper area of the back lake. So I wasn't shocked to see that same area in my mitt at the draw as it hadn't been a good area (6 to 10) for a while pre-festival and the other pegs in my section seemed better. But fish have fins.
I set up a method to the island, an edge rig for both margins (no signs of fish all day...) a deep pellet and shallow pellet rig for 14m in front and lastly a meat rig for 2+2 in two spots feeding differently.
I had Adrian Clark next to me on peg 7 so a bit of decent company.
I began on the topkit hoping for a quick carp or 2, but other than a couple missed bites (roach/carassio?) nothing was forth coming. So I tried the method to the island and soon and lost my 1st fish to a snag around 6ft off the island. A couple did follow and were netted ok.
The match was hard over our side and a lot of fish seemed foul hooked and fish losses were not uncommon.
Well I managed no fish shallow, no fish on the deep pellet but a few on meat and a few on the method to give me 81lb to Adrian's 73lb. This was worth 4th section, decent enough, but not as good as those along the back bank which had been decent.

Day Three, Pollawyn. Peg 21.

P21 Pollawyn

A good peg at times (as proved on the last couple of days and in the following Preston Fest) but it struggled on the first 2 days of the Maver with 6th in section the best it did.
I tried over to the island for 1 roach and 1 small ghost f1, but ended up catching skimmers, barbel, rudd, perch, crucians and odd small f1 mostly at 11m on worm over groundbait, I probably fed too much in hindsight.
No carp hooked in the mouth down my right edge, just one lost and one lost on the silvers rig, both foul hooked.
A few roach short and a couple barbel and skimmers on meat late gave me all of 18lb for section 6th, 23lb was worth a couple or 3 more points which was within grasp should I have stuck with the skimmers etc....but 90 mins spent carp chasing was a bad choice.

Day Four, Trewaters. Peg 37.

P37 Trewaters

This peg won the lake the first couple days, but I am not in the class of Callum Dicks etc, but the Wednesday it only gave 17lb and peg 39 won and the pegs further up did better.
Anyways I began short on pellet for a 1st drop carassio. That was it for the opening hour, but a couple carp from there at the start of the 2nd hour was good in comparison to others on my lake.
It then died and during the day I picked up only 1 carp on the long pole just off the island, 1 on the meat line, nothing down my edges (again spent too long chasing fish not there towards the end), but managed to get a few on the feeder and I was winning the lake with 15 mins to go, then Jon Arthur and the guy opposite me had 4 and 5 carp respectively on their pellet feeders to push me down to 3rd. I had 36lb, Jon 39lb and the lad across 49lb, so a 3rd, not a disaster. But a few things learned for sure.

Day Five, Trelawny. Peg 8.

P8 Trelawny

I wanted to be on Twin Oaks which is in with Trelawny, although I like Trelawny I seem to struggle as F1 fishing is something I just don't do.
Anyways I had fished this peg on the Sunday after I arrived (and several times over the years in hols),
I struggled then but caught some silvers and odd F1 while Jamie did a bit better using worms as opposed to my pellet and casters attack.
I set up a feeder, nowt on this. A shallow pellet rig (DT Pinger) for 14m, a shallow caster rig (DT Skittle) for 2+2, a deck rig for worm/caster and one for pellets on the deck to fish under the relevant shallow lines. A margin rig for both sides.....again used far too much for only a couple skimmers and one lost foul hooked carp.
The first hour was slow then I had a good couple hours catching F1s on the pellet long, I couldn't get anything but odd roach short on casters. It then died a dead so I faffed around trying to winkle out a few extra fish and hope for a proper carp. It didn't happen and I ended the match catching small F1s.
My 30lb was 5lb or so short of section 4th, instead I was ounced down to 7th. Andy Power won the section and lake with 157lb I think, brilliant to watch.
Again a few mistakes made, I should have taken meat as there were some carp caught on this bait all over the lake. Also I spent too long chasing lumps down my edges instead of keeping on doing what I was doing, but I figured I needed a couple of lumps to get top 3 in section.

I finished the week in 79th, not so bad but a couple better results would have pushed me further up the charts. I hope to rectify this next time I am there.
On the plus side I beat Jamie on both weight and position, I ended up 10lb or so and 23 places better off than my caravan buddy.

Last Sunday was the Summerhayes Winners match, with some decent money to go at I was hoping for a good day.
Anyway I will cut it ultra short, I had a mare of a day, drew 34, which was not near my favoured area and with Chris Boulton on 36 where he had won the week previous it looked like a neck ache day. Indeed it was as Chris won with 120lb, there were a couple 60lb+ nets filling the last two money places. So well done Chris and the others.
My match wasn't fun, I wanted to go home after an hour. I managed to snag my top 4 in the reeds, but got it back thanks to my cupping kit and jiggery pokery.
I lost a few fish off the hook by rushing and managed to lose a whole feeder set up when reeling in, the connector had come undone!!
But I did put 30lb on the scales as I stayed to weigh in. To my right Gareth Lennox tipped back a similar amount and Jack Billet went home with over an hour left, it had fished hard probably due to the amount of rain the day before.

Next up is Summerhaye's Silvers Winners Match this Sunday, I hope that goes better but there are some tidy silvers anglers fishing it so I will have to try my hardest....lol

Until then, take care.
Lee

Catch-Up....Mid August til End of Sept

Following on from my last blog, Tony's Float match at Sedges. I have not had the time, or inclination to get back to writing a blog each week, life issues and a much needed rest from it has suited me.
But a quick round up of the last 6 weeks or more is a pointer, I hope, for me, to get back into the swing of things.

Anyways. We had a weeks family holiday down at White Acres on Bank Holiday week, I fished the 3 matches there during the week. The Monday gold match on Twin Oaks saw me pick a less-than-good peg, peg 1. I managed a few late on and just missed out on a pick-up.
The rover saw me sit on Acorn and it never really got going, I couldn't find any carp at all. I ended up 21st. But I think that only 3 or 4 half decent carp from a top 4 finish, around 15lb.
Friday's Bolingey match put me on peg 16, an ok peg, but although I had a few carp, 14 or 15 of the smallest carp the lake holds and chucked back around 60lb.

Into Sept and I fished Todber for Pawlett's Day-Out, the whole complex switched off and I drew ok in 44, no island chuck, but had a reasonably enjoyable day and 40-something pounds. Lots of bites there, nice fishing even on the less-than-good days.
The following day I guested on PSV's match at Viaduct on Campbell, I drew 132. Didn't want to fish for carp, but it is not a great silvers peg. Had 4 carp in 4 drops on 4 different rig/lines. But tried to get some decent skimmers and tench. Didn't have any tench and strung a few skimmers and roach together for 4th in the silvers. 19lb 6oz I weighed and lost a few late 'jumpers' in the last 15 minutes. Mark Radford won overall and Matt Williams won the silvers with 25lb.

A Thursday Viaduct Cost-Cutter, after a week not fishing,  saw me fish peg 99 on Cary, I went for silvers but found no quality skimmers or tench. 15lb or so of palm sized skimmers and roach was nowhere overall, but was 3rd on the lake in the silvers and missed a pick-up by 1 place.
The following day I went to Summerhayes, the wife tagged along to keep me company, but she slept...It was a silvers match, but I managed about 40 carp on the light kit. I did scrape 9lb something for again 1 out of the money (a few roach that fell off cost me).

Saturday the 23rd saw me (and Mrs) head to Todber, a slow start for carp, for most people really, saw me spend too long fishing for them throughout the day from my peg, peg 61 on Hillview. Fished for the silvers on and off, more so later on in the match. I put 16lb+ in the net and yet again 1 place off an envelope. 2nd on Hillview in the silvers. I did manage 35lb of carp as well, my 61lb was not too bad in the scheme of things.

The 24th, last Sunday, I had a Pawlett match at Viaduct. Cary and Campbell.....wanted the latter, got the former. Didn't fancy my peg, peg 85 for either a silvers or carp placing. So a day of faffing around saw me land 2 carp in the last hour, 18lb. But I put some silvers in the net on and off, between the times I tried for a carp as only 2 guys I could see were getting them. I had 23lb of roach and skimmers short and 3rd in the silvers with Cary giving the top-3 in the silvers (paid one only). Shawn Kittridge won the silvers with 31lb mostly on 6mm pellet over 4's from peg 78. The top-2 overall came from Campbell, which never gave much in the way of silvers.

So that leaves me to this point in time. After a frustrating few weeks where I haven't had my mind in the game properly, I do hope to get back into a clearer head situation and get back to my simple basics.

This Sunday sees me fishing the 1st round of Viaduct's Silvers League. I have never fished this series and it has 54 of the area's best anglers taking part and me.........My aim is to finish 54th or better!!

Until next time, take care.
Lee

Acorn Saturday Series, 27-5-17...........plus White Acres for a few days.

An update of the last week's fishing for me.
It started last Saturday at Acorn for the 2nd round of the Saturday Series, I managed a 2nd in section in the 1st round and suffice to say will need at least a 2nd in section for each round to have a chance of an overall framing chance come the end of it.

The usual suspects were there and a full house of 21 fishing, including a couple welshies who'd be running late due to bank holiday weekend traffic.
Trolley loaded, on with the draw, Nick Harvey drew the 2 missing welsh guy's pegs, 9 for Barry Richards and 34 for Neil Morgan, good pegs.
Well I managed a bridge peg in the form of peg 33, which I thought would be okay, but fancied the pegs along the entry road, pegs 6 round to 12ish, peg 9 looked great with plenty of fish in that area.

Peg 33 Acorn

Same rigs as last time, edges, tight over and a rig for down the middle. Baits were casters, 6 and 8mm pellets and some expanders.
The match began and it was slow for myself, Neil and Paul Preston on peg 31, in fact the only person catching was Barry on peg 9.
I slowly, very slowly, picked up the odd fish from across and Neil was getting plenty of those baby carp and some silvers (goldfish included).
I lost a few throughout the day to the concrete leg on the bridge, I believe they were foul hooked fish which made me less irritated. Oh Keith Ray on peg 3 saw his peg collapse into the lake along with him and all his kit, but Mark Bartlett helped in the fact he got in the lake and rescued all his kit and pulled out the structure of the platform. Keith went on to win his section and come 2nd on the day with 90lb, so no massive harm done.

The match went by quite quickly, even quicker for Nick Harvey whom left early, come the end of the match I think I ended up with a crucian, a roach and 8 carp. Probably 30lb. I reckoned Neil had similar of those little fish, Paul struggled and so had all the peeps going anti-clockwise around the lake from me to Mark Bromsgrove on peg 21. The only bridge peg I knew had done ok was Steve Sewell on peg 6 who was admitting to 60lb.

The weigh in done and Barry on peg 9 had walked the match, mostly catching shallow, he had 155lb. Keith was 2nd with 90lb from peg 3 and Steve Sewell 3rd with 67lb.
As for my section, it was tight for the places 2nd and lower with Steve winning it. I managed 32lb on the button along with Brian Slipper on peg 40. But Mark Bromsgrove on peg 21 had an 8lb carp last knockings to knock equal 3rd in section. So 4.5 points for me on the day.

Results sheet:

The overall standings sees Keith Ray in 1st place with 14 points ahead of Brian Slipper on 11.5 points, I have 10.5 points and am in 5th, but you drop one result so the standings don't mean too much at this point.

The next round is next week on the 10th June.

So after that match it was half term and we had a Monday to Friday booked down at White Acres, so it was up and leave the house at 7am so at least I could have a day fishing.
Trelawny peg 4 was my session for the afternoon. I managed a few fish, maybe 70 or 80lb of assorted species and had a nice few hours.

Next day was spent in the morning playing football golf with the family, which was actually quite fun, so it was then lunch and a few hours fishing.
I fancied fishing Eery, but it was full so looked at Pollawyn, I found a few fish in the area down the first leg, the leg had loads of surface crap so I went on peg 2, which apparently isn't great, Nathan Watson called me a 'saddist'. But I had a great few hours with 8 or 9 lumpy carp to 15lb-ish, over 30 f1's that probably went 3lb each and maybe 25lb of skimmers/roach and a solitary barbel. Most were caught on meat at 5m with a few caught shallow at 14m.

Wednesday I fished on Eery, peg 8, and had a nice 4hrs catching a few shallow and deep on pellets, nothing big, maybe 4lb the largest, but I did catch plenty of roach down the edge on meat. These roach were 4 to 8oz each and came one a chuck, I couldn't feed them off.... I had over 80lb I would think easily.

Thursday was the Rover match, 61 fished,  and at the draw I bumped into Jim Jenner. Word was Twin Oaks had been hard for 2 weeks and it was expected to be a low-ish weight match with 80lb needed to frame (top 6 paid).
I pulled 11th pick out and after my earlier look around, Eery had a few on there pleasure fishing, one or 2 pegs on Twin Oaks were taken by pleasure guys. Pegs 28 to 31 looked nice on Pollawyn as did 20, but that had the aerator in and on and I wasn't too sure if I wanted to be there.
I looked at the map when it was my turn and saw the pegs I liked the look of had gone so plumped for peg 13 on Acorn, the lake had been patchy but can do 80lb+ if you get things right and the lumps turn up early enough,

They didn't until 5 mins before the end, when I had tails waving at me down to my left.....I managed an eel in amongst them.....but no carp!! Up until that point I had managed a few f1's and small carp on pellets at 14m, lifting and dropping mostly, none on caster or meat lines, which surprised me, oh and a few late on the pellet feeder. I had 62lb and a few ounces which put me 10th on the day. 149lb won from Twin Oaks (peg 1 with the wind pushing in and loads of space) with 94lb 2nd off there also. A couple weights from Pollawyn high bank and peg 20. But an enjoyable day with lots of bites.

Friday was home day, but I had booked in to the Bolingey match, I have only ever drawn on the back lake and with 36 or 38 fishing most pegs were in. But the left hand leg wasn't used due to spawning.
I drew 31, I was told it was reasonable but with only 4 empty pegs free it would be pressured and the fish had other things on their minds......

Well I didn't catch on corn short (no meat or gb allowed) I managed 2 late carp down my right edge and the rest of my 75lb came at 14m up and down in the water on pellets. Oh I did get 5 small grass carp and 1 carp on the lead chucked on the pole line. I also took way too long to land a 13lb common, it just wouldn't give up. My weight was 6th or 7th on the day I think.
Only 3 nets topped 100lb with 130lb winning from peg 38. But I enjoyed it.

So a nice few days away and it has defo convinced me to get onto a few more festivals on the complex, whether they will be one of the 'big 5' or one of the couple 4 day ones they have depends on holiday allowances!!

Tomorrow is Pawlett's All-Winners match over at Trinity Woodlands, a nice peg full of fish waiting to be caught would go down nice, thank-you please.

Until next time, have fun and tight lines.
Lee

Bolingey, White Acres' Residents Match, 14-10-16

A match on Bolingey finished my week off nicely, not a venue I have really been, so in reality another new venue. Around 40 or so fishing, maybe a few more, so the pegging would be tight for sure.

I woke to a pretty hard frost and the tops of the caravans were white and I had to scrape the ice off the windscreens, a bright sunny day with a slight easterly breeze was the prediction. I reckoned that it'd be tricky to get a big week and that 120lb would win.
I drove the 20 minutes to the lakes and there was a whole bunch of anglers there, the keepnets (x2 each) and landing nets were all nice set out for us, bonus.
I had a natter with a couple guys, some of whom fish venues local to me, some had good week, most had not so good weeks.

Trolley loaded and queued for my peg of dreams, going from what I know about the lakes, pegs 7, 10, 11, 27, 29 and 38 appealed.
Into the hat about halfway along and I drew peg 13, I was not too happy, summed up my week, it is set in a corner with no island chuck, very tight to the fence behind to make shipping the pole kind of tricky to say the least. Peg 11 and peg 14 were in so not massive amounts of room but you never know maybe the fishies would be sat in the corner waiting to be caught.

I went about sorting the kit and bait for the day, a small method feeder for an awkward cast to the end bank, this went unused.
A topkit rig for corn over corn, it was 7ft deep there.
A rig for 5m and 13m down to my right where it was a couple feet deep, I did hope the munters would move in later on.......but they remained fishless.
A depth pellet rig (9ft or so deep) was coupled by a shallow/slapping rig both at 13m in front.
Lastly a worm and caster rig for 13m off in the 2 o'clock direction.

Peg 13 at Bolingey

Starting at 12pm, I went straight in on the topkit and around 10 minutes passed and 3 or 4 fish had been caught down to my left when I had a bite and found me playing a decent fish. Safely netted, the 8lb mirror had managed to tangle me in someone's lost topkit, sadly it didn't fit my pole. Someone will be pleased.
I stayed on this line for another 10 minutes before I fed the two long pole lines.

Out on the worm line and I soon had some roach averaging around 6oz each, nice fish to catch, but not getting enough to help me along.
Half an hour without a sign of a carp in my peg and switched to the pellet line as I had seen the odd bit of fizzing.
15 minutes here and only a few liners saw me switch to the shallow rig, 1st slap and it was fish on. A spirited scrap saw another 8lb fish join it's buddy in the net.
An hour or so blanking came and the lad on peg 14 had a nice 15lb fish from his edge, but the wasn't catching much. Further along to my left I could see fish getting caught pretty regular as were pegs 8 and 11.

Looking left from p13, Bolingey

My left edge, Bolingey peg 13

So we were now at the halfway stage and it wasn't exactly busy fishing, but I was soon into another fish on the shallow rig, another fish around the 8lb mark, it certainly gave me a battle as it was a ghostie, I would have thought it was double the size it was.
20 minutes later I was connected to a lump that took an age to get in but was worth it at about 14lb, my clicker was showing 42lb.
An hour an a half to go and I had 2 quick fish from the deep pellet rig, only 4lb carp but they were welcomed. I also lost a couple foul hookers so it was back shallow and I was playing a fish after a couple minutes.
When I was playing this fish I could see a few boils and colouring up down to my left and decided that would be my next drop in. It was also at this point that a guy from down to my left decided to wander up to get another keepnet. The margin fish left my swim and other than 1 foul hooked carp I never had a bite for the last hour. So my clicker showed 52lb, plus the few roach. So guessed on 54lb total.
Peg 11 had been catching well in the last 90 minutes and the lad to my left had 3 or 4 late fish on his short line using worm over pellet. Generally though it hadn't been a prolific day for most.

I packed up my gear and waited for the scales, when they arrived there was a 80lb weight and 93lb from peg 11, other than that I could see some 20lb and 30lb nets plus a couple low 50's.
I tipped my fish into the bucket, then took one out as it went over 55lb, but my 2 weighs together gave me 55lb 2oz. My clicking was accurate enough.
Peg 14's late 3 or 4 fished boosted him to 56lb.

I didn't follow the scales as I went and loaded my car, I knew I hadn't picked up any money as they were paying top 4 and 4 sections. So I headed back to the caravan having enjoyed the day.
The match was won by young James Allen with 129lb from end peg 50, mostly on pellet and corn at 15m or so.

So to sum up my week, of the 3 matches on the mini-fest I managed the best weight off my pegs in 7 out of the 9 weights, with Jenny's peg 14 only pipping me with the guy having 2 real lumps on day 2 but the peg was nowhere on day 3 either with 3lb the final days' net.
Peg 33 on Twin Oaks saw a 37lb net on the 2nd day also for nowhere and 7lb on the 1st day for last in section.
My Pollawyn weight was decent with 8oz and 10lb the two other weights from peg 45.
So to me it shows I didn't have the draws needed on the whole. But I feel I fished quite well all week and have learned loads and am looking forward to getting down there a few more times.

Next up for me is Shiplate tomorrow.
Take care peeps.
Lee

White Acres Winners' Week. 13-10-16. Day Three of 3 --- Twin Oaks

A day to look forward to was my dream leading into the final match of this mini festival, a couple poor/average draws in the last 2 matches had seen me languishing nearer the bottom of the pile as opposed to the top, but with a good few venue regulars fishing the event I know I mustn't be downbeat.

Today saw my rotation falling to fish Twin Oaks, but the weights have been patchy in the previous matches, but peg 35 won the open there yesterday and the wind has been blowing in to that end of both lakes for a couple of days, so a draw in the first couple pegs on either lake would be ok as would the usual 15 and 17 on the lower lake and 21 or 23 on the top lake. The middle areas of both have been patchy but the peg to avoid looked to be peg 27, it had finished plum last in the previous matches.

In to the bag, after peg 27 had gone, I plucked peg 31, neither here nor there were my thoughts, but when I mentioned to Tony Oatley on Facebook I wanted peg 5, he showed me that's what he had. I mention also that I would catch a carp, to which he replied just one?...........
Anyways by the time our section had drawn we had around an hour to get to the lakes and set up before the all-in.

Once at my peg I could see fish in the pegs 35 and 33, F1s mostly but the odd carp were putting on a display. My peg and peg 29 didn't look at all inviting but we continued.

Peg 31, Twin Oaks.

I set up a waggler, which went unused in anger due to the wind.
A small method feeder was rigged up for fishing tight across.
A few rigs remained fishless on the pole, namely the deep and shallow pellet rigs (except losing 1 fouler on the depth rig). A meat rig for 8m went biteless also.
I set up 2 rigs, one for each edge, the right side feeding groundbait and the left just loose fed meat.

Now is the interesting bit.........It was 3.5hrs before my 1st fish, a 2lb F1 from my left edge, shortly followed by a bite and a number 4 section broken....got the fish in though, a similar sized F1 to the 1st.
A barren spell, missing the odd quick bite down the left edge, lost a foul hooked carp before a small F1 fell to the method feeder.

Elsewhere peg 29 was getting the odd F1 but had taken nearly 2hrs before his 1st fish, he said the couple of guys to his right weren't catching either. Pegs 33 and 35 had been getting plenty of action since the start and looked well set.

With maybe an hour to go I began to put a few more small F1s in the net, none of the 3lb fish that are quite common, but most between 1 and 2lb.
I fed the right edge, which was shallower than my left, with a few cups of groundbait and hoped that some of the lumpier carp move in for the remainder of the match.....
I stayed left and picked up a few F1s and with 20 minutes to go I was doing okay, too late, but I was busy. Noticing the odd swirl and colouring up of the right edge saw me drop my rig in and connect with a few more F1s.....no carp!!! Could I go the 3 matches without a proper carp? All I have had this week in the matches is 4 scales from carp....none in the net.

Into the last 5 minutes and I was on around a dozen F1s, maybe 13lb I thought. I was getting loads of indications and all so late....I did have one last fish.......a carp....yay!! I was pleased with that, sadly it was one of the smallest in the lake and probably wasn't even 2lb.
The all-out was called. Peg 27 had chucked 3 small fish back and left and one of his neighbours had struggled.
The scales had soon done the lower lake and by the time they had got to peg 29 it was Chris Kitchen winning our section with 114lb or so I think. The was a dnw (p27) and a 12lb weight, a 50lb net and then peg 29 popped 34lb 8oz on the scales.
My turn, well as I lifted my net and I had more than I thought as my guess of 15lb or so was well short of the 33lb 8oz that I actually had.
Peg 33 had mid-50lb mostly caught on a method across I believe and then peg 35 had 85lb+ of shallow caster fish, lots of nice sized F1s. I ended up 6th in section, never mind, it was the 2 end pegs at each end of the lake that took the top 4 spots in the section, the middle 4 pegs were less productive.

So I enjoyed the last 2hrs or so of the match, and I suppose in hindsight I may have had more by fishing casters or worms perhaps, I was missing loads of bites and maybe natural baits would have been better for connecting with bites, but as we don't get much in the way of F1 fishing in Somerset I have learnt a few things.
God knows where I finished, probably 40th or lower, but everyone gets a place, haha.
Not sure who won either, but will try and update that tomorrow or Saturday if I get the chance, will put the results in my next blog.

Tomorrow I venture to Bolingey, that venue can be peggy and I haven't fished more than twice (drew shite again) but I hope to get amongst some carp.....pretty please!! Oh and no meat or groundbait.....Help!!

Until then, have fun.
Lee

White Acres Winners' Week. Day Two of Three. 11-10-16. --- Pollawyn

Right, with a non-existent chance of framing in this mini festival I was hoping for a really good draw on Pollawyn, a peg on the high bank (22 to 29) or perhaps 13 which had won the lake yesterday with 36lb.
The lakes have switched off and looking at the weights for the lake from yesterday we had a 8oz from peg 45, there was a 7oz total from peg 14 along with another 5 weights under 10lb.

Pollawyn Peg Layout

At the draw we gathered, Clint dished out the winnings from yesterday and all the relevant draws were made. I managed to squeeze into my queue around halfway along and my had entered the bag.....bugger peg 45. Not impressed to be fair, it can be a nice peg though but knew it wouldn't compete against the rest of the section. None the less I loaded the barrow and set off on my way. A quick chat with Jason Fay who fished peg 28 yesterday informed me he had 2 carp including one of 12lb or so, and a couple small silvers for 18lb. The wind was gusty and could prove awkward at times as it was blowing sort of down the arm peg 45 is set in. The reeds opposite were being buffeted all over the place.

Arriving at my peg and found I had Chris Kitchen next to me on peg 19. I surveyed the peg and went about sorting my bait and rigs.
A pellet feeder for across at 18m or so, but the reeds are tall and some are hanging over, it also resembled a tackle graveyard with several floats and feeders visible.
A few pole rigs were made up, all on pretty light set-ups with the mindset taking into account yesterday's weights.
A topkit rig for casters as per the norm.
An edge rig for down to my left, carp were the target there, but this rig remained fishless.
A rig for 9m just off centre in front of me using meat over a pinch of micros.
A rig for 9m off to my left to fish chopped worm and caster, no groundbait today as I didn't think it'd be much good.
Lastly a pellet rig for 16m in front, but the wind put paid to fishing this.  
Bait was simple worms and caster, damp micros, some 6mm pellets and some meat.

Pollawyn p45 lhs, worm line was in the middle tree reflection

Peg 45, Pollawyn. White Acres.

The all-in was called and I actually made a nice cast, missing a stray reed and landed around 12 inches off the main reed structure. I turned to grab my flask and pour me a cuppa when I felt my rod wrench round.....then I saw the reeds shake, then the line went slack.....I reeled in the feeder minus a hook....bugger. A few more casts saw me not avoid the stray reed and I gave that up as a bad job, the reed left a gap of around 12" and with the gusty wind the feeder was lobbed up the bank.

Onto the topkit rig and a few roach and a couple perch came to my nets over the next half hour or so, but it was very very slow.
After an hour I decided to pot in a small helping of meat on the relevant spot and a half pot of well chopped worm and caster on that spot.
I spent 10 minutes on the topkit but no fish were forthcoming.
Onto the worm and as the rig was lowered in the elastic was pulled from my pole, sadly the carp didn't hang around but left me with a souvenir scale, but it was a positive sign.......... I thought.

Chris on peg 19 had landed a carp and some skimmers from his 16m line and along with peg 27 and 28 (I think) had landed some fish.
Over the next hour or so I managed to put some roach and small skimmers in the net, nothing big but it was bits and bobs each drop in, though a 6oz perch was my largest fish. So at the halfway stage I had perhaps 2.5lb of bits, so at least I had managed more than the day previous' weight.
A look on the meat line, which I had kept topping up with 4 or 5 pieces of meat every 10 minutes, saw me connect with something that pulled back, after a short scrap a 1lb barbel was landed, this was followed up by a nice 6oz roach and a skimmer of 12oz. But I was getting loads of missed bites, shallowing up didn't see any improvement, well not even a bite, it was like the fish were mulling around about a foot off bottom.
Another look on the worm saw me net a 2lb F1 and then the micro perch arrived knocking back my heightened hopes!!
At this point I looked like being last in section as the chap on peg 20 had landed a couple nice skimmers and a 12lb+ carp on the lead while he was faffing around on the internet. Chris was doing well and putting a few carp and F1s in the net. Along with the pegs on the high bank catching carp it was looking pants for me, other than the foul hooked one earlier, I hadn't seen a carp in my area.

So on to the last hour and I was getting more bites, but my connection ratio wasn't great and various attempts to remedy this never worked, but a few more barbel and 3 more F1s around 2lb graced my keepnet. With 20 minutes to go the lad on peg 20 had another carp, this time while he was packing up his kit, he was behind his box when I saw the rod bouncing and being pulled round.

The all out was signalled and I slowly began to pack away, I even managed to lose a keepnet arm into the lake.....bugger!!
Chris asked what I had, maybe 12lb or just over, he reckoned on 25lb and the lad on peg 20 had 20lb or so was his guess. Elsewhere I could see Tony Oatley on peg 13 catching a few in the second half of the match plus most of the pegs on the high bank had at least 25lb each and they were in my section.
The scales arrived and I saw that my section had a 3lb weight, I wouldn't be last in section, yay!! But the rest of the section over there all had 22lb+.
I tipped my assorted fish onto the scales and it settled at 22lb 1oz. I didn't see exactly what Chris had, but I think it was around 30lb and a section 3rd. Peg 20 had 18lb and ounces, so I had managed a lowly 6th in section. But it was a close contest.

In hindsight I think I should have maybe converted my meat line to a pellet line and set up a shallow pellet rig, but I am not completely convinced that the bites I was missing were the F1s or just roach. I should have moved or at least set up a couple of pellet rigs for the same distance in a new spot. But I could see the reeds opposite moving around and was hoping the wind would drop.
But it was another match that I was pretty happy with how I fished and that fishing for anything was enjoyable, not sure if I could have had carp but I figure I should have had a few more F1s.

Next up for me is Twin Oaks on Thursday. Not sure which area I fancy, I will look at their scores.

Until then, have fun.
Lee.

White Acres Winners' Week. 10-10-16. Day One of Three --- Jennys

So a 3 day festival thingy for those who have won at the venue in the year preceding the event.
The fishing is set across 3 of the venue's lakes, Jennys, Pollawyn and Twin Oaks and you have 1 day on each, sections of 8 (I think we have 48 fishing) and you really need 2 section wins and a 2nd in section to stand a chance of a top 3 finish, no droppers and a grand to fish for.

I arrived on Saturday just as the Parkdean Masters had finished in which Jon Whincup took away 25 grand from peg 11, an unfancied peg. He has won £100,000 in the last few weeks.....who needs work?
Anyways I had a practice/pleasure session on Jennys on Sunday, peg 6, and managed to struggle to around 30lb of fish, this was more than others on the lake, this weight would be a good weight for the section points if the temps drop and the fishing remains hard like the lakes at the complex have been for the last few weeks.

On to today and I wanted the rotation of Pollawyn, Twin Oaks then Jennys, but an open 1st day draw and with the weather to turn windier from Tuesday afternoon I figured that I could handle scratching on Jennys as opposed to doing the same on the other lakes.
I managed to squeeze my way into the queue around 12th and plucked Jennys peg 14, 1st peg in my 8 peg section, sadly I looked at the peg's result from Saturday's match and Bradley Gibbons had 6lb or so, hmmmm. With favoured pegs 15 to 19 in the section I hoped that last nights really cold night had pushed the fish into the narrower pegs where I would be fishing.

Jenny's Lake, Peg 14. White Acres. (island point is peg 15's)

At the peg I sorted my kit out, 8 pints of bait is the limit plus 2kg of groundbait and 1kg of worms allowed. I had 2 pints of micros, 6mm pellets, 6mm meat and 2 pints of caster. I mixed my groundbait and wetted my micros.
A pellet feeder was assembled for the 22m chuck to the island. A few pole rigs made up to cover all eventualities.
A margin rig for worm or meat over groundbait, in hope of a few late carp.....I did say Hope.!!
A topkit rig for casters with mostly roach in mind, but you never know what you may hook here.
A couple of pellet rigs, one deep and one shallow for at 14m in front.
A worm/caster/groundbait rig for at 11m in front.
A meat rig for 7m slightly to my right.

Peg 14 Jenny's, White Acres, looking left towards peg 11 and the other half of the lake.

At the all-in I started on the pellet feeder, but 25 minutes of nothing occurred while I fed the casters on the topkit line.
Before I tried the topkit I fed a small helping of meat on that particular line, a small ball of groundbait with a bit of cw&c added went in at 11m. I refrained from feeding the long pellet line for now.
On the topkit I started to get some roach and odd small perch, not manic but it kept me happy for now, then after 20 minutes I had a 6oz skimmer which was welcome. A few more roach came and before I knew it we were 80 minutes into the match, I probably had 4lb.
The guy on peg 15 had lost a foul hooked carp and had 1 small skimmer. Hot peg 16 had landed a couple carp but they were the only people I could see.
Out on the meat line and a couple skimmers came before they vanished.
On to the worm line and again a couple small skimmers along with a couple roach were put into the keepnet.

So we were now at the halfway stage and I had started to ping pellets on to the 14m line but I had a couple friendly ducks and a couple of more friendly moorhens, they wouldn't flinch even with the pole tip under their beaks.
Peg 15 managed to land a lumpy mid-double carp, which he got lucky with, it jumped from his landing net, rolled along his feeder arm then fell into his keepnet....oh so lucky, we had a giggle.
I needed carp for sure, but hadn't even seen one in my peg or to my left. Somebody walking by said a couple guys were doing well and had maybe 35lb each at this stage and were well ahead in the section.....then peg 16 had a couple more carp. Things were looking pants for me.

A few fish come to the worm line, but although it was fizzing like mad I didn't feel that many fish were present. A few bumped fish and it was back to the meat line, but only 1 skimmer and a nice 6oz roach happened to join their mates in my net.
So out to the pellets, which I had been pinging for around an hour, this had worked, well nearly worked as I managed a run of 4 carassio on the depth rig and one shallow, all in the space of 40 minutes maybe.

It was now around 2pm so 90 minutes left, I had maybe 10lb of skimmers/roach/crucians/perch and my 5 carassio, so perhaps 16lb and probably not very high up in the section. Defo behind the two guys I could see and further behind those 2 mentioned earlier.
I fed my left edge at 9m where I found a slightly deeper spot by a tree stump. 4 cups of groundbait went in.
A few more skimmers from the meat and pellet lines went into the keepnet, but no better stamp fish, no carp, carassio or F1s. No tench either, yet on Sunday I had maybe 5 of them.
The chap on 15 had a couple skimmers but was definitely struggling. Peg 16 was doing ok and another chap said the 2 guys further down were admitting to 45lb with half an hour to go.

The final 30 minutes was mostly spent down the edge, hoping for a couple carp, only trying the meat line when I re-fed the edge. I managed zero on the carp front but a couple nice roach and a couple skimmers found the keepnet in the last minutes. I reckoned I had around 19 or 20lb.
The all-out was called and as quick as lightening the scales were up to peg 16. So I moved my kit and went to see what peg 15 weighed. 18lb and a few ounces was his total. A look at the sheet saw a couple 50lb+ nets and a 37lb. 24lb 4oz was 4th in section. 6lb was last.
I tipped my fish into the sling and watched as the needle settle at a couple ounces under 24lb. So a section 5th and festival over......

I packed up and made my way to the car, Tony Oatley had come 3rd in the other section on the lake with 32lb and he'd lost a decent carp late on at the landing net, costing him second, maybe 1st in section. He also informed me that Pollawyn had been won with 39lb......Great!! A few 5lb or less nets were recorded.... I am so looking forward to that tomorrow...!!
No match on Wednesday, I don't fancy the open match, but I am fishing Bolingey on Friday, no meat or groundbait allowed so I best buy some corn and/or maggots.

Until tomorrow.
Have Fun.
Lee

White Acres. August 2016.

A busy week passed this week, myself and the family had a 6 night stay down at White Acres, sadly the weather was awful pretty much for the first 4 days with only a few hours free each day, Saturday to Tuesday, to grab a few hours fishing. I fished Eery and had a good few carp, I had plenty of 4oz f1s and some barbel from Trelawny but struggled for more than a couple 'proper' carp.
An evening on Sycamore was met with another struggle on the carp side of things, I had 4 or 5 but it was the mental fighting barbel that I was pleased with, I had around a dozen to 7lb, they are the hardest fighting fish I have had on the pole, oh and I had loads of 8oz-1.5lb roach/bream hybrids on the pellet wag, it was a nice session.
On the Tuesday afternoon/evening I had a spell on Pollawyn where I had a 14lber hooked in the wrong end 1st cast, then some skimmers and more barbel, again I struggled for the carp despite others catching a good few. I think I had 4 carp, some f1s and a barbel on the method and around 50lb of mostly skimmers and barbel down the edge.

The Wednesday match was on Twin Oaks, where I got lucky in the draw bag and pulled peg 16, and with no 15 or 17 in the bag, signs were good.

Twin Oaks peg 16

I did fancy peg 5, but everyone commented how I should do well etc, but when I got to the peg I had fish right over and down the edge, tails waving (not always great).
To sum up my match, I had a few on the method, f1s and carp, a couple lumps down the edge along with some f1s and skimmers and the rest of my 124lb 8oz was caught in the pellet wag (until I snagged up and didn't re-tackle).
This was enough for the win and an invite to the Preston Festival in October and a free week at the All-Winners week, which I will be taking in 2016. So not a bad day there.

Thursday's rover wasn't great, I plucked 20 out of the bag and saw the hot pegs on Twin-Oaks taken and then Chris Davis chose Eery peg 13, which would have been my choice, I looked at the map and settled on peg 13 on Trelawny, more in hope than anything, at least a few bites would be had.
I arrived at my peg to find 2 guys after me chose pegs 14 and 12.....so I had no room, not good as that's what is needed for better weights.

Trelawny peg 13

The match started ok with a carp of 4lb right away on the method, but then it went dead, so I tried my lines with only a couple skimmers and a baby crucian.
In the end I went out to 14.5m (double-shipping due to the path) and caught plenty of 4oz f1s, only 1 decent one of 2lb. That's pretty much how I spent the last 2hrs of the match, I did lose a carp to a snag of carp-anglers line and I did bump a few off the hook, but I weighed a touch over 43lb for 20th.
Twin-Oaks won the match with 179lb from p17, Chris Davis was 4th, I think, with 120lb-ish from Eery p13.

Friday was home day, but I decided to spend the day, in the end, on Acorn.
It was a very productive day as I put myself on peg 13, 1st chuck on the method feeder saw the feeder snagged, I re-tackled and chucked it out again and it didn't even have time to settle before I had an f1, then a carp and another f1. I chucked the rod up the bank and decided to try an bag a few f1's at 13m shallow (I made an effort with these fish as I don't get to fish for them locally).
I clicked 150lb of mostly f1s to 3lb and a few small-ish carp. All the while I had carp under my feet and down my right margin, I didn't target these initially but after I got bored of slapping.
I went down the edge and under my feet to had another 350lb+ of mostly carp, including no less than 11 doubles to 18lb-ish, it was ridiculous, I even caught on a bare method feeder dangled under the rod tip by my feet. A hectic day. A rough vid that shows what it was like for around 3hrs, one after the other to 18lb.... (my facebook page has better quality video)

So a decent week down in Cornwall and although the weather was, in the main, appalling, I managed a few fish, a match win and learnt some stuff for future reference.

Next up is my write up on today's match down at Shiplate Hawthorn with the PSV guys.

Until then, take care.
Lee

The year that was 2014........Part 1.

Well I wish all my readers a Happy New Year and hope you all stay healthy and enjoy the coming 12 months.

So I am just about to give you all a quick overview of the last 12 months on the bank, how my match fishing went and ending with what I am hoping to look forward to in 2015.

January, February and March
The year started off by mostly fishing the Avalon Teams of 3 series, my Woolavy Wanderers had began the series well enough and were towards the top of the pile. Myself, James Withers and Paul Wharton had all picked up some money in several rounds, but as the series went on things got tougher and my side drifted down the table to somewhere more 'realistic'. It was an enjoyable though and the winning side were The Sedges (Jamie Cook, Phil & Keith Clapp). My best individual result was a 3rd overall.
In the meantime I fished a match, my 1st and only match in fact, at Summerhayes. I dnw'd on a tough day on Sellicks.

My Sellicks peg at Summerhayes

Other notable matches came in the form of a 3rd placed finish at Lands End, mostly perch and F1's caught on prawns, plus the odd bonus carp in my 47lb net. This qualified me for the Silvers Winners Final with Pawlett Legion AC..
A February match on Shiplate's Main Lake with Clevedon AC was enjoyable and went to plan, catching 13lb+ of skimmers on soft pellet and added 3 margin caught carp to this, securing 2nd spot in the match. Shiplate Main Lake is one of my favourite venues.
Pawlett club also had a match on the Bridgwater/Taunton canal, where I didn't weigh but it was won with over 66lb of mostly tench.
March ended with a PSV match on Plantation's Main lake, where an enjoyable, but sort of frustrating day saw me string a run of edge caught lumps boost my pellet waggler caught bag to 66lb 8oz to secure 2nd spot but take the 1st money prize by default.
Here's my post of the match Plantation PSV Match, March 2014.

April, May and June
The month of April started off with a week at White Acres for the Dynamite Baits Festival, my 1st ever experience of such an event. Myself and Withers were in the caravan next to Keiron Rich, and plenty of 'names' were fishing as well as a good influx of Somerset based anglers including Dan White, Jamie Parkhouse and Ben Hagg to name a few.
I could go into loads of details of the week, but simply I found it a massive learning curve and learned loads throughout the week, especially with F1 fishing and the need to catch silvers in quiet spells.
I did manage a pick-up during the week, at what I thought may be my strong card, Porth Reservoir.
You can read the daily updates from the drop downs on the right hand side of this page.
I do hope to get onto a festival in 2015.
On returning from the festival I had a few matches over the following weeks, starting with a Clevedon match on Trinity Waters' Woodland lake, only half a dozen of us fished but we averaged over 82lb per man with myself taking the honours with 117lb+ and my 1st Clevedon match win.
I then picked up section money during the Pawlett Silver's match at Sedges before a few blow outs at the same venue.
A trip to Larford Lakes for a Fishomania qualifier was a new experience for me and I did ok from a not-so-great area, just missing out on a pick-up due to an angler bagging a last gasp munter from his margin. A similar story at Viaduct for the MMT and Fisho qualifiers, drawing non-competitive pegs hindered further progress in the competitions.
May began with a Clevedon match at Avalon, I drew peg 1 and true to form I didn't trouble the opposite end of the lake where the warm wind was heading.
I redeemed myself on Shiplate's Westpool during a blind pairs match with the same club, 2nd on the day and 1st on the lake was how it ended with myself and partner Adie Baker securing 3 points, though we lost out on weight!! Here's how.....
An MFS 2-day event followed, with me winning my section from peg 86 on Cary on the 1st day with 142lb 3oz. The 1st day was won with nearly 300lb by Dan White from peg 110 on Campbell.
The 2nd day gave me a nice 90lb bag from Campbell, but that would never compete with the top 5 catching over 180lb each on the 2nd day
The last 2 matches of the month were PSV matches at Trinity Woodlands and Landsend Match + Speci lakes. The 2 matches gave me good draws and I somehow managed to convert them into successive wins.
June was a busy month with plenty of matches including a MMT match at Viaduct, but I didn't draw any good at that match, but did get suntanned feet!!

Sun Tanned Feet.......

The rest of the month saw me not pick up at Sedges, Viaduct and Trinity (Pawlett all winners final) as well as on Hawthorns lake at Shiplate.  My draws were not the best, maybe my luck had run out in the previous couple weeks?
My last match of the month gave me an envelope at Avalon, with PSV, where the defaulted 3rd place money helped top up my holiday funds.


So that was the first 6 months of the year briefly covered.

Lee

White Acres - Day 5, Pollawyn Match Lake

The final round saw me down to fish Pollawyn, the original match lake, it has loads of fish in it with carp being the main weight builders in the results, they run to over 20lb so sensible kit is needed. There are also plenty of skimmers, roach, perch and F1's, plus a few barbel to spice things up.

The half past nine draw saw me pull peg 45, a good peg if the wind wasn't awkward, it had won the section on Thursday with 90lb-ish.

Once I found my peg (the pegging is kind of random!!), I set about sorting my kit.

Peg 45, Pollawyn Lake

 



I didn't want to fish the method, or any tip fishing for this match, so I set up a small pellt waggler to fish over at 17m, 4 pole rigs were made too.
The 1st pole rig was to swing a bait across to the reeds, should the wind allow, this was for banded pellet (6 and 8mm). The second rig would do two lines at 11m, one for meat and the other for chopped worm and caster. The 3rd rig would be for tight against the bank in 2.5ft of water, but this only gave me a 1oz perch so no more on that. The 4th rig was for topkit length in the 10 o'clock direction for fishing worm and caster mush over bits of groundbait.

The whistle blew and I potted bits and bobs into their swims, I started in the topkit and put a pound of bits in the net. I  then shipped to 16m and swung my bait (as best I can) at the far bank, this resulted in a 4lb carp straight away, I followed this up with a F1 of 2lb and then roach of 6oz.
Half an hour into the match and I hooked a carp which tore through a reed bed to my left on the far bank, but despite it's attempts to get rid of me, I somehow managed to free it from a snag (tree roots full of pole floats...drifted off in the wind) and the carp managed to find it's way to my keepnet.

A few F1's and skimmers followed and by the 90 minute stage I was doing ok against the few pegs in my section that I could see.
Elsewhere, Keiron Rich and the other anglers with open water in front of them were catching well on the pellet wag and lead/method. Some lumpy fish were netted by them.
The angler to my left on peg 47 had landed a few carp by long lining to the island.

By the 3rd hour the wind had got up and the fish were well in the reeds and I was only picking up the odd one, the angler next door had been fishing for silvers and was putting a nice net together, I managed to put a few pound of these in the net but I wasn't getting the quality he was.
A look on the meat line gave me 2 nice skimmers of a pound each, but the 11m worm line never gave me a bite .

The last 2 hour were generally spent struggling with 16m of pole and a brisk side wind. I managed the odd F1, but didn't do great.
The all out was called and I began to pack up, soon the scales were at my peg and I had clicked 36lb, so probably had 40lb, but it grew into 46lb+.
The lad on peg 47 had put plenty of silvers in his net, I told him he'd got 42lb, he actually weighed 48lb+. There was a 55lb weight, but that was it  in my section pegs, so 3rd in section wasn't a bad end to the week.
Elsewhere on the lake there were plenty of 100lb weights and I was inpressed by the lake.

I headed back to the caravan and loaded the car before heading home.

I did learn loads from my week there and will definitely help my angling, the F1 fishing, the method feeder fishing and the fact that knowledge of the lakes/pegs is really important, but the draw is crucial.

I managed my top 100 target, I finished 99th and had over 185lb of fish over the week, I am looking forward to the next one for sure.

Until next time, take care.
Lee

P.S, today (saturday) saw me fish the Viaduct Fishomania qualifier, I drew peg one on Spring lake, not a bad draw, but I was hemmed in somewhat, and all I could muster was 2 carp around 8lb each and around 15lb of mostly skimmers (which look to be getting ready to spawn). I have another qualifier in  a few weeks at Larford Lakes (I haven't seen it, so could be fun).

White Acres, Day Four, Bolingey

Thursday was my trip to bagging venue Bolingey. Well I should say possible bagging venue.

Looking at the full results for the week shows plenty of weights of 25lb or less,  some blanks and several weights under 10lb.

At the draw I pulled peg 9. Not a great peg, and 24lb came off it on Wednesday for 5 points!

The day began well, I got in the car and left for the venue,  but remembered that I didn't have a clue where it was,  so after a bit of guesswork I arrived 30 minutes after I left....I did the same on the way back!!!!...Numpty.

Peg 9, Bolingey

 

 

At the peg I set up a method feeder,  pellet wag and three pole rigs.
The pole rigs were one for meat at top kit plus one, this will do for 10m where I planned to feed gently via a tosspot.
Lastly I set up a margin rig and a shallow rig for pellet in the band.

 

I won't go into too much detail as me and the angler to my left struggled for most of the day. I had a 3lb carp on my second cast of the method. Nothing for an hour before 2 F1's from the longer line.
I then lost a lump which broke 0.18 hooklength.
The third hour gave me a 5lber from the short meat line.
I had a blank forth hour before two late carp were landed from the short line,   but only after losing 3 foul hooked margin fish,  I did get some scales as parting gifts!!!.

 

Else where the first lake looked like it had fished well with them all netting fish regularly.  On my lake the chap to my left and the angler to his left both caught a few mugged fish on the pole but it was hard for them.
Otherwise people were doing okay in spurts.

 

The scales arrived at my peg.  A look at the board showed that the other lake gave everyone 100lb+.
My 30lb weight was the best off  the peg this week and would probably be the section last. But I am pleased despite this. At least I didn't blank.
Next door weighed 46lb thanks to 3 late lumps.

Actually my weight was worth 5 points...which was not too bad, so not second last in section!!

 

Next up.  Pollawyn on the last day.

White Acres Part 3...Porth Res.

Wednesday was the day I was looking forward to....as long as the weather stayed semi sensible.

The draw saw me pull peg 37, it was mid way in the section on Tuesday. 4lb or so was caught from it. But the peg lends itself to using a platform out in the water.

I made the pain of a walk and arrived at my swim a bit sweaty and knackered.

Peg 37, Porth Reservoir

After a five minute rest I set about sorting the tackle.

The platform assembled and box and trays etc sorted.  Groundbait was mixed so I set up 2 feeder rods and three pole rigs.

Bait was simple maggots, hemp, caster and worm. 
One feeder was for around 60 turns and another for 25 turns.
The two pole rigs were for use at 14.5m in 8ft of water and at 6m in 4ft. Neither were used other than a couple quick look now and then. Neither produced a bite.

 

I started on the long feeder line with half a dendra on the hook.  Fish first chuck,  bargain.  It was a skimmer around 2lb, sadly a pike took a liking to it and the fish was gone. Another Hook length attached and the rest of the first hour gave me a few ounce roach and a 4oz skimmer.

 

Meanwhile next to me on my left, the angler had been using the waggler and had plenty of bites from small roach.  I hadn't even set one up,  I had said all week that I was gonna fish the waggler. Numpty.

Another twenty mins saw the lad catch a few more fish. I was off the box and my waggler rod sorted.
First cast at 25 turns saw a little fish in the net,  several more followed.  After a few fish the bites slowed so I started firing wet balls of groundbait at the float to keep the fish in the swim.
This coupled with trying shallower and deeper kept odd fish coming,  but myself and the lad next to me were missing a good few bites.

 

I kept at this until the 3rd hour when I had a quick look on the feeder over the waggler line gave me a roach.  The long feeder and pole lines not a bite.

So I stayed on the wag, catching the odd 4oz fish, unlike my neighbour who had five decent 1lb+ skimmers in five casts,  putting him well clear.

 

The all out sounded and I thought I had 5lb which would be good. I guessed peg 36 had 13 to 14lb which may win the lake. The scales arrived and top weight on the far bank was around 11lb. The anglers to my right weighed between 2 and 4lb.
My 8lb 5oz was nice,  but the guy next to me had near 13lb. The next two had 2 to 3lb and then Keiron Rich had 4lb+.

 

I proceeded to pack up and make the long hike back,  which was bloomin hard work. It turned out there was a 10lb weight from the end peg on my bank (different section).
It turned out I came second in section and joint 4th on the lake and 8 points to my tally,  so my first festival envelope.

 

I had a great day fishing, doing something I enjoy and am capable at.

Thursday sees me at Bolingey...

White Acres part two - Twin Oaks/Trelawny

Day two saw me and James draw on Twin Oaks, so again no vehicle faffing.....

I drew peg 13 which had done 40lb for nowhere on Monday and with the car park end pegs doing best as the wind was pushing that way, it could be tricky.

Peg 13, Twin Oaks

 

 

I set up a method rod, a pellet wag rod (but didn't get a fish,  so no more on that) and 3 pole rigs.
A meat line at 2+2, a depth rig to be fished at 10m with banded 6 and 8mm pellets plus the standard margin rig.

 

The match started ok with a fish first chuck on the method,  but a flurry of fish hooked and pulled out of, with the odd one landed, meant that the first hour saw me have about 15lb in the net. I also landed a rock of a pound or so, this was thanks to a carp transferring the hook....the hook was weakend, but like a wally I didn't realise until I lost the next fish!!

The second hour was quieter with only a couple fish netted, F1's.
Around me saw the guy on p11 have around 30lb and the chap on 15 landed a couple lumps plus some silvers from his 5m/meat line.

The third hour was ok, I couldn't get a bite at 2+2, but the 10m line gave me a run of F1's on banded 8's. Plus I had a couple carp on the method.

Into the forth hour and I guessed I was 2nd last in section but hoped for a massive run of lumps.  This never occurred. But I did get some more F1's and some skimmers on the meat line.
I just could not get a sensible run of fish, more importantly,  carp,  from that line.
The guy on the right of me had a good few lumps along with some smaller ones and F1's.

Into the last hour and I could see peg one catching carp each drop so perhaps the lumps were mostly that end?

I had an ok last hour, probably landing 20lb of carp including a nice 8lb+ fish from 6 inch of water, plus 10lb of skimmers/F1's.  But I was well behind.

The all out was shouted and we all packed up.

What I do like at the lakes so far is the efficiency of the weigh in. But I also get odd looks at to why I don't mix carp with other species in our nets..... I guess it's to do with fishery rules and silvers pool.

 

Anyways the weigh in showed me hit just over 80lb,  but my section had a good few 100lb+ weights. There was a 50lb net and another 80lb+. So I had 3 points for the second day running.

James on the other lake had weighed enough to pick up five points.  But their weights were generally lower than ours.

 

The evening saw us head home as James was unwell.  So it was a matter of loading all the kit into the van,  he would drop me home and I would drive back to finish the festival. I also made a point of taking everything back to make sure I could fit in the car everything I needed.
I stayed home and left to arrive back here by 9am, the draw for Porth being at 9:30.

 

Until part three,  take care.
Lee

White Acres Dynamite Baits fest 2014, part one.

This week has seen me and my matey James Withers heading off in search of fish at the White Acres Dynamite Baits festival.
It would be our first festival of this type,  and the first time i had fished the lakes.

A top 100 finish would be a massive achievement really and would be my aim for the week.

The previous week had seen the Bait Tech festival,  won by Steve Ringer.  Local angler (to Somerset) Dan White had come third with some decent angling. 

Anyways,  Saturday arrived and after work we loaded Mr Withers' van and made the uneventful two hour trip.
We done our shopping and sorted the digs, went to the bar for a couple drinks and got an early night.

Sunday saw us have a day fishing on Jennys lake, it was a nice days angling.  I was in peg two,  the numpty in peg three.

Peg 2 , Jennys.

The day was decent.  I had easily 60lb of silvers and a couple late lumps down the  edge. James had less silvers but did well catching half a dozen doubles down his edge late on.  We would be happy to draw Jennys on the first day...

Our sections would run:
Jennys/Trewaters on Monday.
Twin Oaks/Trelawny on Tues
Porth on Weds
Bolingey on Thurs
Pollawyn on Friday.

Monday saw us at the draw in the club and we both duly picked Trewaters....saved having to faff with the van.  Both pegs were not the best.
I was on P21 on the top lake,  half way along the bank.

Withers had 41 which was another duff area but on the lower lake.

Peg 21 at Trewaters

 

Fish to target, from what we gathered, would be small carp,  F1's and maybe some skimmers.
With bait allowances in place I had with me.  1 unit of each caster and corn.  2 units of micro,  the same of 6mm pellets and 2 units of 8mm meat.  Plus some worm and groundbait.

Rigs were simple.  A shallow rig and deep rig for worm/caster. This was at 13m as the wind was iffy.
A meat rig for 2&2. Last of all a rig for the margins to fish over groundbait late on.
I also had a method rod and waggler set up.

The all in sounded and the various baits were potted into the swims.

The rain started as the whistle went and my peg had a left to right wind.  I started on the method and had to wait half an hour for a fish.  The guys along my bank had all caught skimmers and odd carp/F1. My first catch was a carp of maybe 2lb,  soon followed by another.
90 mins into the match I came over the worm, fishing 1/4 of a dendra I had a flurry of perch and small skimmers. Bites were regular but the double shipping and the fact that they were that small meant I switched back to the method.

By the end of the second hour I was on four carp,  I pulled out of a couple as they didn't seem ferocious in their feeding.
I switched to the wag with a banded 6mm on the hook and had a flurry of 5 or 6 carp,  but had to be close to the island. This was a bonus really as nobody else had set up a wag.

The guy on the end peg had been catching a few decent carp fishing along his end bank,  the chap on the next peg to my right was struggling and the nice man on flyer 19 had landed a few. But I reckon I was winning the lake after three hours.

At 3pm i looked over the meat line and had a fish right away.  This was a bit of a false dawn and was only one of two bites off that line all day.  The worm line was only giving very small fish.
The last two hours saw my swim die and everyone else started to catch,  p19 had half a dozen fish in the last 40 mins.  The end peg had kept plugging away.

Meanwhile I could just make out keiron rich bagging a few on the peg more or less opposite me.

Between 4 and 5pm I had whole two skimmers.  Nobody caught anything of note from the margins,  just odd fish.

The all out sounded and I guess I had 25lb. I had more than peg 23 but beaten by 19 and end peg 25 .
The scales tipped my weight to 30lb 6oz.
P19 had 46lb for section 2nd. K.Rich had 49lb for section win.  P25 had 39lb.

The lake James had produced a 120lb+ weight and a couple 40lb+ nets.

I got 3 points for my result, as did James,  it was a tricky day but the peeps who know the lake said we didn't have great pegs and the expected ones did well.

The evening was spent in the bar for a couple drinks then in the caravan eating....

Day two sees us on Twin Oaks or Trelawny.