For once the weathermen have got it right, on Monday they predicted rain and lots of it and although it was scheduled to run into Tuesday I was hopeful that it would have stopped before going fishing. I was wrong and they were right, it was still raining as I drove to Alders Farm for the affordable open. Today was on the Specimen lake (Oaks).We had fished it last week and I managed my first 100lb weight from it and still came fifth. There are plenty of small carp in the 8oz to 2lb mark and if you are brave enough and fish for them carp up to 30lb+.
I got there nice and early to avoid the traffic and was surprised to see only Trevor Price's car in the car park. So I had a good chat with him before unloading the car. Paul and Terry soon turned up so it looked as if the knock up would go ahead. Personally I think the numbers were down due to the rain and holidays. A cup of tea in the café confirmed it was only going to be the four of us on the lake, so we looked out of the window, decided which way the rain was going and selected the most sheltered bank to fish on. This was in the trees.
Terry had drawn peg 11 I was on 14 with Paul on 15 before Trevor had secured 17. I was going for it today. I had mixed up 2 kilo of 3G groundbait and this was going in down the edges. One side would be fed with corn the other micros over the top of the 3G. I also set up a line at 2+2 to start the match with.
At the all in I potted in 3 soft balls of 3G down both edges and fed heavily with both corn and micros, I also started feeding the 2+2 line with just corn. Baiting up with a grain of pineapple Gel-it corn I was soon into small carp to around 2lb with an odd Rudd intercepting the bait on the drop. After an hour and with around 25lb in the net and not a fish over 2lb, I decided to have a look in the left hand edge. A standard grain of corn was impaled on to a size 14 and lowered tight to the reeds. A few missed bites before red hydro came out of the pole. Another small carp around 3lb started off my second net. Next drop in and his brother followed, before it went quiet. I re-fed the swim and switched to the left hand edge, nothing over the GB and micro line.
Back out to 2+2 and after a skimmer around 2lb came to the net I decided to pot in a few micros half a section closer, as I thought the fish may be feeding on the edges of the feed and I wanted to hold them there. I was still getting a few small carp on this line but occasionally a decent skimmer would put in an appearance. My small fish net was growing. I stuck with this line until around the 3 1/2 hour mark when I thought it was time to try the left hand edge again. I reckoned on having around 75lb and was hoping a few lumps would boost me up to the ton again.
I had been drip feeding the swim throughout and with only an hour and a bit left I decided to up the pace. Feeding around 20 grains every minute or so started to see a few bites. A couple of 7lb fish before the elastic came out and stopped on one bite. A large paddle of a tail broke the water and I thought I was in trouble. The fish careered to the left further down the peg before coming back towards me and crashing through every reed along its route. Out in open water it got no better, bottoming out the elastic on a couple of occasions. The pole was now at top kit stage and with a gentle lift I realised I could not get its head up so added a few sections to gain more leverage. Slowly I was getting control and after 5 minutes of playing the leviathan the fish rolled in front of me and straight over the hook length and snap. It was off and I was left cursing. Gutted at losing such a large fish I re-fed with more corn and hoped to have another chance, however it was not to be. I did have a few more 4-5lb fish from the swim to bolster my weight.
After 5 hours the all out was called and I reckoned on 120lb in the nets. Terry was first to weigh and placed 96lb on the board. My 120lb went 130lb to lead, Paul put 30lb of small carp on the scales before Trevor placed 79lb and rued a few lost lumps. I had secured the win and a new PB on the lake.
My next match is a club match at Coleman's Cottage on Saturday and the MK Nugget will be up for grabs.
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