Marsh AC Puddledock Farm Road Lake 21.09.2019

Sorry its a bit late but have been practising for a match to come on Friday. Our latest adventure in the Marsh AC catalogue of disasters was a match on Road Lake at Puddledock Farm. I have good memories of this lake, having won a couple of matches on there with between 60 and 90lb, so although not expecting a bagging session, I was hopeful of a few fish.
No Mick for this match as he is still recuperating. However, it was good to see Kris again, who finally got a day off from rebuilding his house. Also in attendance was his son, venturing out in his first match.
A nice steady trip to the venue and I was surprised to see no one else in the car park when I arrived. I was early as the cafe did not open for another 20 minutes, so some time in the on site tackle shop was required. A few other members arrived and after all ordering breakfasts it was time to catch up. Dave finally arrived and armed with the pools list it seemed there would be 13 of us in total.
Kris and his son would be pegged next to each other, to help junior out as much as possible.The rest of us had an open draw. Clive had drawn the peg, I had won from previously, but I fancied any peg along the straight to do well.

Clive P 

The only stumbling block would be if the wind picked up. My draw was peg 19, not the place I wanted to be, top end of the lake, hardly any ripple. For company I had Foxy and Simon on 20 and 17 respectively. Josh was on 16 and second in the league up to now, so would be more than capable.

A rare shot of Josh on the bank

Simon, as always well prepared

I set up rigs to cover 12m, both up and down. A rig for 5m and a couple of margin rigs, one under the tree in 2ft of water and another to the left with 12inches.

Home for the day

Bait would be 4mm Alders feed pellets dampened down. Hook baits were either 6mm or 8mm hard pellets and a tin of corn, left over from the Friday.
At the all in I cupped in on my 5m and 12m lines a pot of 4mm pellets with a few grains of corn. Going out to 12m with a banded 8mm saw a static float. Lifting and dropping the float a couple of inches, did nothing to improve matters. Simon had started across to the island and was soon into fish on the method, only small fish but fish nevertheless. Josh had snared a carp on his short line, but neither Foxy or myself had had a bite.
A switch to 5m and nothing. A look down both edges, nothing. Pick up a shallow rig, ping a few 4mms over the top and after 90 minutes I get my first bite only to lose it on the way back. Foxy had switched to the pellet feeder and was getting a few fish tight to the island. So tight he was landing the feeder on the island and dragging it off, PLOP. and round it went. Simon was the only one catching on the pole line, Foxy on the tip, Clive and Chris furter down were catching odd fish.

Chris was hopeful of a few

I decided to concentrate on the deck long, re-plumbing up, adding a toss pot to the pole and feeding more regularly and in a tighter area. This seemed to work as I was getting a few indications, mainly from silvers picking away at the 8mm hard pellet but after 3 hours, a positive bite resulted in a stumpy 3lb common. Out again and the little indications continued, before it goes under again and another carp of around 6lb was in the net. I felt the elastics were a bit tight playing this fish so swapped it for a black hydro kit.
I had heard Josh and Simon talking and they reckoned on 5lb and 14lb each, Foxy had around 10 fish between 2 and 3lb each for 28lb but it was slowing down for him. I was getting signs of fish so a late run of fish could boost me up the section. I managed another 4 fish and a small orfe before the end of the match all on an 8mm pellet. Chris had fished well and despite a late surge from the Chairman managed to hold him off.

Chairman Dave with a rod!!!!!

In hindsight I think perhaps a switch to expander would have got more fish, but perhaps not the size. Definitely fishing a tip rod to the island, would have got a few extra fish as I had a nice cut out opposite, but I do not enjoy fishing the tip, even if it cost me in the end.I would much sooner struggle and try to make it work than fish a method I do not enjoy.

Overall

1st Chris Thomas          65-08

2nd Dave Collier          48-00

3rd Mark Fox              34-04

4th Keith Ashby           29-08

5th Jim Boase              26-12

6th Clive Pritchard       21-08

6th Chris Withall          21-08

Well done to all the framers and section winners, Jim Mark and Chris T. At the time of writing I have not seen the league tables but Josh not weighing in and leaving a trail of dust behind him will affect the top of the leaderboard.
My next match is on Tuesday at Alders Farm, again a practice for the JJL match on Friday 27th September. My next club match is one I am really looking forward to, Southend Farm on the 5th October.