After last week I was keen to put the events behind me. I had to work all over the Easter period as was shifted on and missed out on all the opens at Oakfield and Alders Farm. This match suited as both Mick and I finished work Tuesday morning and as Wednesday was free we booked on to the midweek match at Oakfield.
Mick had done well last week with 45lb from peg 33 whilst I had to swallow my pride and admit to not having a bite. Some kind words from a few other anglers softened the blow and I have realised there were not the numbers of fish up that end of the lake. But today is a different day and fish swim so hopefully a good day was going to be had.
Arranging to meet up in time for breakfast at Chez Stratty we were both pulling into the car park around 0745. Mick ordering his normal full English, whilst I care about my body and opted for a simple Bacon Sandwich and a mug of tea. As is always the case, it was good to meet up with Storming Norman, looking well and healthy after all his heart problems throughout the years. Pacing himself for the Stafford Moor Veterans Festival with the MK Lads in a few weeks time.
I had enough fishery pellet left over from the previous week so did not need to purchase any. I still had a couple of tins of corn and some maggot for the edge.
At the draw Mick pushed his way past me and plunged his mitt into the tombola barrel and out comes peg 33 again (did he hand it back last week?), a big grin across his face said it all. For my sins, the hand went in and out comes peg 20, two pegs further away from the fish than last week. And a peg that at the weekend the owner had left after two hours muttering he had not had a bite. Oh dear, another grueller was expected.
Still I had with me a positive mental attitude with me, I had no one next to me either side, plenty of room, I could chuck a feeder to the right hand bank. I also had Barry Eddy and Pete Alland opposite me, and they always have fish.
At the all in I started off on the pole in front of the platform of 19. I did not feed it at all just hoping to mug a fish early. After 10 minutes I fed the line with a pot of pellet and a few grains of corn. I would fish maggot later on it but wanted a bait that would not sink into the bottom. Onto the maggot feeder and only a couple of liners to show for 30 minutes work and I needed to touch the grass to get them, anything away and nothing. Switching to the long 12m line with pellet and my first bite at Oakfield for seven hours, missed it. Feeding again with a toss pot and a good carp around 7lb was soon making its way to my net.
Out again and nothing, I added a couple of grains of corn to the feed to see if this made any difference. Impaling a grain of corn on the hook and shipping out, the float settled before sliding away, fish on and another 5lb carp. Barry had one fish, whilst Pete was on two. the pegs in the middle of the lake were catching well, Brian on peg 23 was nicking odd fish and I thought my were slightly bigger.
Plugging away I managed a couple more good sized carp on corn feeding a mix of corn and pellet before the fourth hour went very quiet. A switch to the 5m line saw a couple of carp for around 12lb before this line also died. I noticed a lot of anglers, starting to catch on a line around 9m. I tried it with both maggot and pellets but only had one bite but is something I may need to focus on in the future. My margin line never produced a bite all day, so I stuck it out at 12m for another couple of corn fed carp.
My highlight of the day was seeing a Red Kite hovering over the lake, seems absolutely effortless and I never realised how big they were.
At the all out I was pleased with eight fish for 50lb 7oz. I had a few more bites and although I could not get all the lines to work it kept me interested. I probably spent too much time on the long line trying both up and down in the water in hindsight.
Mal Talbot won the match with 133lb 13oz from 29 Neil Reid also had a ton plus weight with 105lb and Pete Alland sneaked into 3rd place with 84lb.
Mick could only muster 48lb 8oz from his flyer, so another MK Nugget found its way into my pocket. Mick still leading the way though 3-2.
Our next match is on Saturday at Claygate Lakes near Maidstone.
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