Marsh AC Arrans Lake 17.10.2020

It seems like only yesterday we were lining up in a civilised order to pay our pools at Puddledock Snake lake for the first match of the Marsh AC season. That was the back end of June and now in mid October the season finale is upon us. Marsh's last match of the season is a rearranged match from March. 

Both Mick and Vic were able to attend this one and we arranged to meet up at Micks for the journey to Arrans Lakes near Chelmsford. A nice steady journey down until we reached the Essex countryside and Vic just missed a Stag bounding out of the woods and actually hit a pigeon. Feathers everywhere. But all in one piece as we pulled into the car park. Tony and Chris were there already and were in the process of arranging the pegging. 

Slowly we all arrived, 16 plucky souls hoping for a proper days fishing to end the season. We had a far bank and the far car park pegs and it was tight pegging. 4 on the smaller car park bank and 12 along the far bank. I have been quite fortunate throughout the season, only paying for the first match out of my own pocket, section wins paying for the rest and this match was kindly paid for by Josh who I'd done a favour for previously. Many thanks Josh.

As per normal Mick dips his hand into the bag for the short walks and draws peg 2 (flyer). I go in and peg 15. far end of the lake. I had the Reverend Tony Roberts on end peg and more importantly the fallen fish holding tree. We could see the fish queuing to go in and out of it. It was that solid. Chris T to my left with Josh another peg down, Terry and Jim making up the section.

Tony before the off

Simon enjoying getting back on the bank

Clive would struggle today

After plumbing around the peg, I decided on a couple of lines. Top two plus two and 2+1 at slight angles where I had around 2ft 6inof water. I also set up a margin/shallow rig to fish in 12 inches of water to my right. I would be able to see the fish in the shallow water if they came in. I would be feeding 4mm Alders Farm pellets and fishing either a 6mm hard pellet or a grain of corn over the top.

I went for a walk before the start of the match, others had put a bit of thought into their approaches, feeder rods with both cages and methods on view, others priming long lines others with shallow rigs and float rods. Such is the diverse nature of Arrans and the fact we only fish it once a year. But which would prevail.

At the all in I started off at 5m with 6mm hard pellet and fed a small handful of 4mm sinkers. Float dips and a bite, missed it and the next 3 bites. On the fift bite I connect and a carp around 3lb comes to the net. Tony had gone off like a train with some shallow slapping fish. Over the next hour it seemed he would have one every couple of minutes. Chris and Josh were both off the mark with Chris starting off on the pole before trying the bomb and bread. Josh catching on expanders over 4mm feed pellets. I felt way off the pace and mentally shot. I did not want to be there and felt as if I was just going through the motions. A chance chat with Tony who had got up for yet another boiled egg, about floats of all things helped. I sat back down and felt the fish would switch on at some point. I decided to keep my silvers instead of throwing them back( wise move). Vic had called and said things were bleak up his end of the lake and very few carp were being caught except for Mick who was plodding away.

Vic prepping his pellets

I started working the float a lot more, lifting and dropping a couple of inches each time, fishing shorter/longer to the sides, all stuff I would normally do and slowly I would nick odd carp and they looked bigger than Chris T's. Both Tony and Josh were way in front of me and I had no chance of catching them up unless the fish came into the shallow water late on. By rotating 5m, 4m and margin and a slapping rig I was getting plenty of bites from roach and rudd but little in the way of carp. With 90 minutes left things changed in the peg. The bites stopped, no roach, no rudd, no carp. I made the decision to put 3 big handfuls in to kick start the peg. Nothing to lose. 

After 10 minutes the float dipped at 4m and a carp, followed by another carp. I was now sat on 10 carp for estimated 30lb. I had nothing all day on corn, everything coming to 6mm hard pellet. In hindsight I think I made a couple of mistakes during the match, not setting up and fishing a longer pole line, which would have allowed me to prime a shorter line better. A few more carp followed. Finishing on 13 carp. 

Tony and Josh were way out in front, but it would be close between my pellet fish and Chris's bomb and bread fish. As it happens, me saving my odd roach put 2lb on the scales to add to my 46-08 of carp. Chris's 46-00 falling just short.

Josh on his way to second place

It would be tight between Chris and I

It fished very hard throughout our match, or it was just winter fishing. Tony fished a blinder, catching those resident fish, shallow to start before going deeper to catch them on the deck. Josh chopped and changed from hybrid, to long pole to short pole and an excellent second place. Mick took third spot and an MK Nugget off me with 61-00.

Tony with part of his match winning 112lb

Jim with 13lb of roach and rudd

Overall

1. Tony Roberts             112-12      Section Winner
2. Josh Donovan             77-08
3. Mick Wright                61-00      Section Winner
4. Keith Ashby                48-08
5. Chris Thomas              46-00
6. Dave Collier                38-00

Vic and Gino shared the middle section prize with 21-00

Well done to all who have managed to stay safe and able to continue their fishing throughout these troubled times. Another season over but a new one to look forward to, hopefully a few new venues to try out next year.

On a personal note I will be splitting time between the southern matches with Marsh and a lot more matches in the West Midlands with the Yam Yams.

Unfortunately, a Yam Yam, Mark Fox with be returning home to West Bromwich and not fishing the Marsh matches again. Its been a pleasure to know you Mark and hopefully will catch up soon.

Finally to Dave and Tony for putting up with all the rubbish a committee has to put up with. You both do a great job, keeping everything simple and trying to achieve a balance. 

Mick 3 Keith 3

Marsh AC Southend Farm Damsel Lake 03.10.2020

 As a result of some repairs or maintenance work at Hartleylands Farm, we needed to change our match at the last minute. Southend Farm came up trumps and gave us use of Damsel Lake. 17 pegs and can be a bit tight if all the pegs were in, but it was a lot closer to Milton Keynes and somewhere I like, a good head of skimmers which in turn give lots of bites, a decent amount of carp to give the elastic a good stretch.

It was close enough for Mick to attend and resurrect the MK Nugget match. Vic also requested to fish and as numbers were on the low side for this match, he was welcomed back. Meeting up at Micks at 0630 we took a nice steady run down to Waltham Abbey to the lakes. A little after 0730 and we were parked in the car park and both Mick and Vic were ordering their bacon sandwiches from the site cafe. John was already sat in the cafe and after a quick chat we drove round the corner to the lake car park. Soon after Dave, Tony and Jim arrived with tales of woe on the M25 which must have occurred just after we passed. 

A chat with a few locals ensued about methods and peg numbers to use, with Vic and Tony using this info to peg out our match, knock up, gathering, call it what you like. We had 7 anglers who were going to brave the elements, winter is on its way, loads of rain and a bit of a breeze which could turn nasty at any time. Unfortunately 3 of the pegs, the better pegs according to local info, were down a set of steps or a steep slope. I ruled this out as A. I would struggle getting my tackle to the peg and back out, B. very little room to move around. If I drew one of these pegs I would fish somewhere else. Dave and Mick drew the car park bank leaving me with a choice of pegs 1 or 2. Into the draw bag and peg 1 sticks to my paw and I was grateful not to have to choose a peg from the rest of the lake. Jim on 2, Dave 3 and Mick 4. Vic, John and Tony were on the awkward pegs but at least they would have a days fishing.

On arrival at my peg I felt I had too many options, I was tucked away in a small arm, 16m across to the far bank, 14m to a set of reeds, two good looking edges but unable to go long down them plus the obligatory short lines. I had cut a couple of tins of meat (8mm) and opened a tin of corn, a mixture of hard pellets both for feed and hookers, along with around a pint of turning maggots.

I decided to start off on meat at 5m in around 5ft of water, using one of my own .4g diamonds to a size 14 kkmb hook and using the new dura elastic for the first time. A feeding a few cubes of meat and around 20 4mm pellets, a skimmer around 10 ounces graced the net then nothing. a switch to maggot saw a procession of small perch and blade roach. With the rain slowing and becoming more showers, I was able to have a look across, both at 14m to the reed bed and 16m to the far bank. Both lines only gave up a couple of small skimmers around 4oz apiece so I came back to the nearer lines where the stamp of fish were slightly bigger and the catch rate similar( why struggle when you don't have to). 

John was catching well from the middle of the 3 awkward pegs, plenty of skimmers, roach and an odd carp. Tony was also catching well with a slightly smaller stamp of fish to John, but was catching regularly. Vic I could not see through the trees but his landing net was visible going back and forth. Mick was catching carp as he does from his close lines and any hopes of me getting an MK Nugget off him were disappearing fast. Dave nicked a couple of carp and a few skimmers, with Jim like me carp less.

By rotating all my lines, I managed to keep a few fish coming throughout the day. I had a carp with around 20 minutes to go which went nearly 7lb and was quite pleased how the Dura elastic coped with it. My weight of 27-12 was never going frame but I did learn a few lessons. 

Overall

1.  Mick Wright       72-00
2. Vic Nugent          71-12
3. John Holdworth   48-00
4. Tony Roberts       32-12
5. Keith Ashby         27-12
6. Dave Collier        27-04
7. Jim Boase            22-04

John had the best silvers net with 92 silvers for 37lb Well done to both Mick and Vic on the frame places. 

Mick 2

Keith 3

Next up for me is a couple of pleasure sessions with Vic and Pete in Somerset/Devon followed by the last match of the Marsh AC season at Arrans.