Saturday 30 June 2018

Marsh AC Alders Farm 30.06.2018

There are a couple of matches that I really look forward to each year. The Yam Yams at Viaduct Fishery, Hartleylands Res, the JJL Match at Alders and the Marsh matches at the same venue. I have been spoilt this year as I can also add the Maggotdrowning Pairs event at Alders Farm to the calendar.
The good thing about all of these matches is the craic, I have been known to give out some stick to individuals on some of the matches I fish, but I do receive a fair bit of provocation as well.
I had not been to Alders Farm since November, but I had an idea of what was working and where I fancied to fish. Believe me this fishery is going places, and developing extremely well. The owners are welcoming, helpful and polite. If they can help you they will.The matches are under the guidance of Trevor Price who runs the fishery side for the owners. The balance works well with plenty of banter in the shop as well.
As this is a local event for both Mick and I, we decided to make our own way to the fishery. Mick having had to take two days holiday looked refreshed and vitalised and ready to take up the MK Nugget challenge.

What a beautiful venue

A full English breakfast was soon devoured, all washed down with a proper mug of tea. Monies paid and it draw time. We had pegs 1 to 10 and 25 to 30 leaving  the dam wall to any pleasure anglers. As is the norm, Mick goes into the bag and out pops peg 1, believe me I have never in twenty odd years of knowing Mick seen him run until today.


Kris another of the MK anglers, had drawn well in peg 29, a shallow peg but does normally hold a few better fish. Me, well I go into the pot and draw end peg 10, with the wind blowing out of it and a couple of pleasure anglers in the corner pegs. However, I am a new man and have a PMA, belief that there is no such thing as a poor peg, just a poor angler fishing it.So with my head firmly being firmly held up by my belly, I trundled off to the corner of shame.
So I was going to be up against it. My section was a collection of reprobates from within the angling fraternity, Mugger Morton on peg 25 all on his lonesome.

Me on 10, Dave " the Paste" Pontin on 8 and the Reverend Tony Roberts on 6.
I set up a top four bottom rig, a top three bottom rig, a top two bottom  rig which doubled as a margin rig. A shallow rig completed the set up. Fishing long was not going to happen today. Bait was to be corn down the edge, pellet on the longer lines 4mm fishery pellet for feed with 6 or 8mm hookers.
At the all in I threw a handful of corn down the left edge on a topkit and a handful of 4mm sinkers on the top three line. I then started fishing the top four line. I know this sounds strange but I have found this works if you want the fish to come closer. I can then follow then in rather than out.
I had a fish straight away with a banded 6mm hard pellet but then things got strange, I felt fish were in the peg as there was some clouding up of the water but I could not get a bite. Lifting and dropping, switching to a 4mm banded or 6mm expander made no difference. Changing to a top three, I could only foul hook fish and the elastics were too tight, changed them over and landed a couple but still only the first fish was hooked in the mouth. by the end of the first hour I was going no where with 4 fish.  I tried fishing around the feed and this improved things a little with a few more hooked fish in the mouth. After 2 hours I had 12 fish for around 30lb. Dave Pontin was admitting to 4 fish but there was a lot of splashing noises coming from his peg. I could not see Tony or Peter but knew they would come good at some point. Word was though that it was fishing slow. Things may work out if I could keep those fishy things coming. A couple of quick looks down the edge brought a single carp around 2lb. Back out to top four and a run of fish every other put in. The bites though were very slight, so I dotted it right down and greased the bristle to help with surface tension. When that slowed I came in closer and again a few more fish for the nets. The only line that did not produce was the top two line. A switch to the margins with 90 minutes to go, saw a few better fish show and I managed another 60lb in that time. On a harder than most day it was very welcome.
At the all out I could not really put a weight on my catch, it was a strange one, I thought I had done a ton twenty but doubt crept in when I started the weighing in.
Starting at Peg 1 Mick was grinning like a cheshire cat, He had caught well all day and had 4 nets in place. The scales settled on 143lb. That would take some beating.
Jim lost out to his son in the father and son battle on pegs 2 and 3 with Mikey taking the honours 80lb to 68lb. Chris was on peg 5 and although he enjoyed his day was never in it, he is on the mend from a serious injury and with time will get back to full strength. Tony used his holy licence to sneak in with 96lb and another near ton. Mr Sparkle Dave Pontin was up next and was looking quite confident. However the scales confirmed a different story and 92lb.
Dave with part of his 92lb catch

I was up next and with three nets in and Mick in attendance I managed to scrape 145-08 for a sneaky MK Nugget. The section though was still up for grabs, only Mugger to go, and despite his best efforts could only muster 125-12. 


Clive as always is a danger, and by all accounts had caught well from the off, there were rumours he was standing on his box to land fish but 141lb was good enough for his section. Dave unfortunately was struggling  with arthritis and 38lb. Onto Kris, giggling his way around the weighing in, looking for every little plus point to take with him. 104lb and another ton for a genuinely nice man. John was last to trouble the scalesman with a good 89lb.
Overall 
1st Keith Ashby Peg 10 145-08
2nd Mick Wright Peg 1 143-00
3rd Clive Pritchard Peg 27 141-04
4th Pete Morton Peg 25 125-12
5th Kris Old Peg 29 104-00
6th Tony Roberts Peg 6 96-12.
Overall a good day for me, A hard won win, good banter with Dave Pontin next door. A MK Nugget off Mick  a good fair match, with no one running away with it. I cannot make the next match so that will have an effect on the league but that is the price I must pay for a week with the Yam Yams and a few rarely drunk beers.

Mick 5 
Keith 6

And a quick poll on Facebook says that peg 1 is a preferred choice of the dozen anglers responding.

Saturday 16 June 2018

Marsh AC Southend Farm 16.06.2018

Another new venue for me, Southend Farm. By all accounts it is stuffed with fish, plenty of carp with a few horses in amongst them, add in good skimmer weights and it was a day not to be missed. Despite work offering a good package to go in,  I could not let those around me down..
I had spoken to Andy Gregory over Facebook and I had a game plan for the day, I had shared this with a club.It had worked before and I was confident in it working again. Meat at top four, a shallow meat rig and a margin rig would see the pole only used if I was not catching on the Pellet Waggler. I had brought two rods with me and set up a Drake 4BB Waggler to fish around 30m at a depth of 2ft. I also set up a 3AAA Drake to fish the same line but I had this set at 5ft and was hoping they would stay still long enough for bites.I also set up a bomb rod in case the wind was too bad.
It was my turn to drive and due to the fact that it was a new venue and we were going to be trusting Tom Tom and Mick Mick to direct us Troy decided on following us down.
Leaving Mick's at 0600 we made good headway, entering the fishery at 0650. This was the closest we have ever fished with Marsh barring Alders Farm. A good breakfast was soon devoured, it was a nice set up, plenty of lakes, plenty of parking available, tackle shop and cafe.

With monies paid it was time for the draw.I was hoping for a low number, we had all the pegs along the far bank and round the corner to about 14 so anywhere between 2 and 6 would be beneficial. In goes Mick peg 9, Troy goes in Peg 8 I go in peg 4, happy days. This Positive Mental Attitude thing is working.


 Three rods Unheard of !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At the all in I started on the pellet waggler using the 4BB drake I was able to reach 30m comfortably but the wind was blowing right to left and creating a significant bow in the line. I was feeding 3 or 4 8mm pellets regularly and despite swapping between long and short up or down all I had to show for it was a solitary skimmer after an hour. Tony Watkins on the next peg  was also on the waggler and had hooked and lost two good carp. So with fish in the area I persevered. The second hour was just as bad with a smaller skimmer on the waggler line( I was warned they may take a while to turn up). I had however started feeding my pole lines. I needed to put some fish in the net, even if it was only for an hour. Gino was getting a few fish so silvers were a distinct possibility for a weight if the carp did not show. 

Looks Fishy
I started on a top four at depth dripping in 4 8mm cubes of meat each put in and was getting a few small skimmers and some chunky roach on the drop. I probably had around 15lb of pole caught skimmers after 3 hours but a look down the sides changed things. I was getting a few better skimmers around 2 to 2.5lb mark from the right hand edge and was starting to get into a rhythm when John appears behind me and says I think I need to weigh this one, a double figure fish and it would mean having to catch around 6 good skimmers to catch that fish up. Next thing I know Tony on peg 3 has hooked a carp and although not as big as John's would still need matching.
Never did ask why Mick had a cross in his keepnet. Divine intervention.

I had been catching a lot of skimmers to the right hand side all on meat and going well but felt it needed a rest, so I switched to fishing a top two ( same depth) to the left this time with an 8mm hard pellet. I stayed on this for around 10 or 15 minutes with no bites, until the float buried and a proper fish was on 14.5lb of mirror carp for my first Southend Farm lump.
Back over to the right and a few more skimmers and roach on meat, another look on left hand swim, nothing no bites.John pops his head round the corner again with another even bigger carp. 16.5lb, Tony was in again but lost it along with the whole rig. Out he goes again with another rig and the same thing happens, no one likes to see that happen. During my chuckles I managed to pinch another carp from the left hand swim, a stunning Ghostie tipping the scales at 11lb 4oz. Tony had now got his act together and had placed a couple of smaller carp in his net. I was now getting a skimmer nearly every put in and going well. I had started another keepnet at 1430 and during the last 90 minutes I managed to put 35lb in it all skimmers.
At the all out I was confident I had 50lb of skimmers and roach, Added to the 25lb of carp I reckoned on having 75lb of fish. I knew John had caught carp and had a few in a keepnet, the Reverand Tony Roberts was keeping quiet so I knew he had caught, whilst Troy and Tony were saying it was close.
Overall
1st Keith Ashby          97-12
2nd John Holdsworth  54-04
3rd Tony Roberts        42-00
4th Tony Watkins        38-00
5th Troy Hillyer           31-12
6th Mick Wright          31-08
Another new venue, well worth another visit, even if it is just to break the ton mark. Another section win for Troy. My silver's nets went 72lb.Another MK Nugget for me.

Keith 5
Mick 5









Sunday 3 June 2018

Marsh AC Hartleylands Peartree 02 06 2018

The last couple of matches have been a bit of a mystery, I have caught plenty of fish but no real weight. Another pound on each fish would have seen dramatic changes in my fortune. However, it is very hard to choose which fish will take your bait. Older and wiser spring to mind and I am currently getting the kindergarten stamp at present.
Mick's turn to drive and a long one to boot. Hartleylands means a 0500 start to get to the Knoxbridge cafe in time for opening at 0700. A full English washed down with a couple of cups of tea always goes down well and to meet up with a couple of others fishing the match sets the tone.
The short trip to Hartleylands was soon done and I was pleased to see a lot of work has gone into refurbishing the venue. Proper car parks, new lakes, solid platforms and good signage as well as a bailiff on site to answer any queries all looks good for the future. We were on Peartree Lake, having not fished it for a few years, I can vaguely remember fishing on the edge of one of the islands and catching late on, close in.
This lake has also changed and another island created and with the wind blowing into it and a lot of scum being created congregating into the corner I fancied it for a few fish. We had the far bank and the car park bank to play with and with only 12 in attendance, it was decided to peg out four pegs, miss one, four pegs miss one, four pegs.
As is the norm Mick drew first and peg 25 down the far end of the lake, close to where I was last time and the furthest away from the fish. My turn and peg 27, a bit further down and in the same section as Mick. Tony" the Reverend" ( Due to the amount of exorcising he was doing) Roberts was in between us with Chairman Dave on the end peg in the corner, no short walk for him today!!!!!!!!
I must admit I still fancied the peg for a few fish, they were cruising around without a care in the world. I set about setting up to fish 3 lines, 2+2 with a DT Diamond .3, size 16 B911X to .17. I had the same depth at 11m so would double up on this if required. A couple of margin rigs Derek Smith Diamonds .2 with same hook and line. I also set a light rig for up in the water and a heavier slapping rig. Bait was corn, pellet and meat.
At the all in I potted some feed down both sides and started off on corn 2+2. After 10 minutes I had a couple of liners to show but no fish. Tony had a couple of small fish but Dave and Mick were both fish-less. A switch to a shallow rig on the same line saw a small common around the 1lb mark. A few more followed before the line dried up. I re-fed and went out to 11m. Again the same sort of reaction a couple of fish before the line dying. Ten minutes down both sides saw a single mirror around 1.5lb. Others were catching further up the lake, and it seemed the further you went the better the fishing got. Still a section to win. Birthday boy Troy and Kris were neck and neck, both fishing the pellet waggler towards the island. Sometimes only feet apart according to the rumours.Simon and Gino were having their own private battle on the new island whilst John was bagging down the edge into the scum. I knew Mick was struggling despite him spending a whole 12 hour night shift making rigs. Tony was just picking off odd fish and still on the small side. By half way Dave was admitting to 10lb and although I had that already I was not too far ahead. I decided to just keep rotating and working my baits to try to keep fish coming to the net. They may have been small but they all count. It seems as if my run of small fish would continue. Mick's fortune did not change and he was destined to finish down the field. Dave's did though with a run of late carp pushing up his weight.

Overall
1st John Holdsworth 160-04
2nd Gino Exell 74-12
3rd Troy Hillyer 64-12
4th Simon Watkins 60-08
5th Clive Pritchard 56-00
6th Kris Old 52-08

My weight of 50-04 was enough for 7th overall, but I felt I had worked hard for the section win. Again another day full of small fish with nothing over 1.5lb. Well done to all the framers and section winners. Mick's weight of 11lb cost him a MK Nugget and a little bit of abuse at work. Dave's long walk never paid off  with John having the remaining peg in the bag and winning the match. Ouch. Next match is in a fortnight at Southend Farm and another new venue for the satnav  for both Mick and I. 

Mick 5
Keith 4