With a week off from fishing due to having to work in Newcastle last week. I was really looking forward to this match. The wind and rain had all stopped and driving to the fishery it was a pleasant 5 degrees rising to about 11 during the day. And to make things even better it was going to be on the Silver Lake.
For company we had 10 other willing anglers including Mick who being 4-0 down was determined to start putting the record straight. After stocking up on some fishery 6mm pellets it was down to the café and the all important draw. Mick had decided to go into the bucket after me, hoping to change his luck. This tactic seemed to work as I pulled out peg 3 and Mick drew 15. The same peg he had his personal best weight of 279lb from last year.
I had Lee Cox on peg 1, Charlie Lancaster on 5 and Warren Downing on peg 31 in our corner of the lake. Polish Paul was on 26 with Gary Page on 21 and Vic Nugent on 19. Del Smith had pulled out peg 16 and was hoping the fish would come down the kerb. Trevor Price was peg 13 with Carpet Roy on 9. Madd was on peg 8 with John Price on 6 finishing off the pegging.
I opted to fish 4 lines today. One at 10m with corn over pellet. one at 2+2 with corn over corn. A line to my right in a 18inches of water and a line to my left in a foot of water. These were really just lines to have 10 minutes on if I was struggling. Feed was either 6mm pellet or corn dependant on the swim. Hook-baits were 6mm Expanders, stinky corn or glugged corn.
Starting off at 10m I cupped in a pot of 6mm fishery pellets followed by my rig. A MW.3g diamond dotted down to .16 Stroft and a size 16 PR36. I set this up onto black hydro. In the first 10minutes I had one bite which was a common around 4lb. A nice start. A couple of missed bites and an inch off the depth. Another 4lber in the net followed. I had been feeding 3 or 4 grains of corn every minute and decided to have a look half hour in. First put in a carp around 6lb but nothing followed. I re-fed the line at 10m and had a look down both edges. I was now back out to 10m and another couple of carp. With an hour gone I reckoned on 5 fish for 20lb.
I decided to have another look at 2+2 and a run of fish put another 20lb in the net before going quiet. I persevered on this line for an hour and was getting fish but had to wait and move the bait around. I would catch a couple of fish on glugged corn before it would die. A switch to the stinky corn and another couple of fish. Expanders caught me one fish all day.
I was now three hours in and reckoned on around 80lb. Word was that a few people were catching. Warren was getting a few down the edge but they were small, Lee was getting a couple of fish before having to switch lines to keep his fish coming. Charlie had been fishing long but was doing ok but I thought I was just in front due to the size of my fish. Paul had a few fish on the method before moving onto the pole. I could not see anyone else doing well on my bank so thought it best to just get my head down.
Hours four and five were probably my best in regard to catch rate however the fish were getting smaller at around 2-3lb. I was still building weight but getting more bites so one off set the other. Going into the last hour Lee and Charlie were catching well and I thought it was going to be close. Vic and Gary opposite were getting a few as was Del. My fish were getting smaller and by the end I was on pound fish and the bites were drying up.
I was happy with how I fished today, my tactics had worked and for once got the feeding right on the day. I only lost one hooklength and never trashed a rig. I also managed to take another MK Nugget off Mick to make it 5-0.
Overall
1st Keith Ashby 187-14
2nd Trevor Price 166-12
3rd Phil Young 139-06
4th Vic Nugent 123-12
5th Charlie Lancaster 123-06
6th Del Smith 118-13
My next match is next Tuesday again at Alders Farm before starting to venture further afield with Marsh AC and the start of our club season.
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