Now I am first to admit I like Alders Farm and have over the years spent a lot of time there, fishing the midweek opens and guesting on various leagues if time allows. So a match on Ash should be right up my street, but looking back through the blog reports I have not been there since early April, a long time in the fishing world. Mick was in the same boat so the MK Nugget should be interesting. Mick was leading 7-3 going into today, but the sun was out and not a ripple to be seen. Could be good all round or the kiss of death.
Arriving at the fishery I was surprised by the amount of cars by the shop, everyone getting in early for breakfast. The Alders Farm breakfast is right up there with the best we have, good clean surroundings, smiling faces and plenty of scrag to get you through the day. I was asked to place the pegs into the tin and with 17 anglers, mostly members plus a few guests in worked out to leave a few of the lesser pegs out and give everyone a bit of room.
Dave started taking the pools money and I took the names and peg numbers, second or third name in and Mick is grinning like a Cheshire cat, peg 30, probably the most consistent peg on the lake. I do not know how he does it.
I was left with peg 20, which I was quite happy with, plenty of room, as no one on 19. Peg 18 was home to Tony Roberts, Clive was on 21 but was planning to fish around and in the fallen tree.
My highlight of the day was whilst talking to the Tony about life in general a Red Admiral butterfly settled onto my nose, strange and something that has never happened to me before.
I set up a margin rig to the right for maggot late on, a rig for fishing top three with corn on the deck, a shallow rig with a bulk to fish top two to hand with pellet, a deep 12m rig and another shallow rig for fishing long.
Fishery pellets would form the bulk of my feeding on the long lines both via a cup, toss pot or catapult. Corn by hand on top three and pots of maggots late on down the edge.
At the all in I cupped in around a quarter pot of 4mm fishery sinkers and went straight over with a 6mm banded pellet on the hook, float settles and within a minute I had my first fish around 3lb, another followed around 10 minutes later but nothing else after 30 minutes. I had started throwing a few grains of corn to top three line and went over it quite early, a couple of quick carp and after an hour I reckoned on 6 fish for around 15lb. Clive was picking up odd fish from his open water lines rotating them to keep fish coming but they were smaller fish. I was impressed with his jungle skills today, complete with his "Tenko" hat
Tony was nicking odd fish on corn at 2 plus 2 whereas my line had dried up. I had a quick 10 minutes in the margin to my right but geese were climbing in and out disturbing it every time I had a look and no fish were forthcoming. A look shallow and pinging a few pellets I was able to slap my way to a few fish. All peas in a pod, 2.5lb to 3lb fish.
I could see Foxy catching on peg 4 and Madd was getting a few fish.
Nick Pringle had come off his long lines and was now concentrating on his short line towards peg 27. Chris T was suffering on peg 25 but soon worked out a method to eliminate foul hookers and was catching well. Both Mick on peg 30 and Pete Morton were catching well with both having over 40 fish each.
Gino had been exiled into peg 12, a good peg when the wind blows in, but even with no wind there seemed to be a lot of resident fish in the peg.
I was still getting regular bites on the shallow rig but missing a lot, regular changes to depth allowed me to keep in touch with a few fish. Each time I fed I would get a lot of fizzing in the peg, and I suspected they were skimmers up in the water, and this proved correct with a couple of fish around 12oz falling to the banded pellet.
At the all out I felt as if I had done as much as I could from the peg on the day. A ripple would have helped as I am sure fish were sometimes backing off, with a pole over their heads. I need to practice shallow fishing without the "slap" as I think this may have nicked a couple of extra fish. Clive had caught a few fish but it was hard for him down the edges. Lost fish had cost Tony and it was a case of pinch a fish from one line then move to another, rotation seemed to be the key.
Talking about Tony, He was heard to be cursing a lot during this match, missed bites, lost fish, treading on his top kits, heart going out of sync ( Beta blockers sorted it out) then losing his car keys. Jim come back soon as he needs his carer.
Overall
1st Mick Wright 153-08
2nd Pete Morton 144-00
3rd Nick Pringle 133-00
4th Phil Young 103-04
5th Chris Thomas 93-08
6th Gino Exell 88-08
My weight of 72-08 was nowhere near, I am getting close to where I want to be, but am thinking of going back to what I know. Decisions. We shall see. Well done to all the framers and section winners, Mark Fox, Phil Young, Chris T and Mick. Mick has now taken his lead to 8-3 and the sun had come out to play. Boy, can he draw.
All photos have been supplied by Pete Morton who took 30 minutes out of day to capture the moments possibly costing him the match win.
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