Marsh AC Puddledock Farm Road Lake 15.08.2020

After missing the last round of Marsh AC matches due to being away with the Yam Yams, I was looking forward to catching up with a few of the lads at a venue I have done well at before, albeit I only fish it once maybe twice a year. Still Puddledock must like me. Mick was away for this match cruising the Midland Canals on a barge, with his sense of direction, I feel for the other canal users.
It takes around 70 minutes to get to Puddledock, just outside Havering, Essex from Milton Keynes so started off at 0615 to allow plenty of time for breakfast and a quick look in the on site tackle shop. Unfortunately, I never got to do either, for some reason I got talking to a total stranger and the time just passed, Marsh anglers arriving regularly, all wanting to laugh at my exploits from my trip away. Still it was all in good faith and nothing was meant.
At the draw I was given peg 22, not really where I fancied as the wind was blowing up into the high teens and generally the fish follow the wind. Still on arrival at my peg I was pleasantly surprised, there were a few fish cruising around that hopefully would succumb to the slap, 

My plan was to go across on the waggler to start with and nick a few early fish, then come onto the 5m line and sack up, following the fish back across the lake to 12m, before coming down the edge in the last hour to empty it again. Never bloody worked.

For company, I had Josh on 23, Gino on 20, Kyle on 19 and Terry on 17, the latter three were all in my section. I decided to start off on the waggler, as per plan but after struggling with the left to right breeze, I felt I could not present the bait correctly. I stuck it out for 20 minutes and one bite or it could have been line drag but importantly no fish.A look onto the 5m line feeding 4mm pellets and fishing a 6mm over the top brought bites at dead depth but again no fish, changes to shotting patterns and depths did not work and I was stumped as to why, I tried a shallow rig over the to top, no bites. steadily going deeper til the bottom where bites started again. I could only get a bite on the deck but still could not hit them. Putting it down to small silvers pecking away at the 6mm pellet, I gave up earlier than expected and went out to 12m. 

Gino and Kyle had both caught a carp each, Terry had sneaked one in, All three were in my fancied pegs area. Both Josh and I were both struggling, I could get bites but not connect with them. Swapping hook lengths for lighter ones made no difference. Then out of the blue a small stockie around 12oz graced my net, before another around 2lb. Both caught on 6mm pellet, Josh then had a carp. We were both suffering a fair few foul hookers. But it was getting us positive and connecting bites, so it was a case of sticking with it and hopefully they would get there heads down and feed properly. 

I started pinging around 15 4mm pellets around the float, spreading the shotting and fishing a small, 6mm pellet. Lifting and dropping a couple of inches would get odd bites and I started putting a couple of fish in the net. I was sure my three keepnets were not going to get used to their full potential today. With an hour to go I dropped into my margin line, fed with groundbait and a few grains of corn, nothing. 

Kyle was getting a few late down the edge and I thought he would win the section with myself or Terry second. Gino had really struggled and was admitting to 6lb. I thought I had between 20 and 30lb. Josh although not in my section was doing the same, it was close. Fortunately I sneaked home in the section. That's all you can do to start with.

Overall

1st Tony Roberts        74-00         Section Winner

2nd Chris Thomas      62-00

3rd Mark Fox            37-08

4th John Holdsworth  32-08         Section Winner

5th Keith Ashby         25-04         Section Winner

6th Kyle Deane          22-08

A very frustrating day was had by all, the top three anglers all coming from one the opposite side bank where the wind was blowing in. And if you put good anglers in good pegs they will perform well. Well done to the framers and section winners.

Next Marsh match is at Claygate Lakes on Eva, not one of my favourite venues, but it has a good head of fish, both carp and F1's. Hopefully Mick will be there and the MK Nugget can resume.