Last weekend I had a fabulous time with my wife in the New Forest. We walked 15 miles over 2 days and I got to see some great birds that I haven’t seen for years, best of the lot a lesser spotted woodpecker. Will definitely be going back.
I was keen on fishing again but I had two things to contend with 1) the weather forecast for Sunday strong winds and storms. 2) Saturday at the gas with some friends from Huddersfield who drink cider like it’s water!
Sunday morning I felt fine when the alarm went off, I’d survived the Northern drinking session 🙈. A breakfast at Wetherspoons set me up for the day and I was soon at the fishery having survived the drive down the track. 17 fishing today and with the wind blowing down to pegs 11 and 12 I guessed the fish would be down that end. I managed to draw peg 25 which is the opposite end of where I thought the fish would be. However, 24 and 25 would be the most sheltered pegs, and last week Gerry Welsh came 3rd from peg 25 with 97lb.
There’s an island chuck on 25, but it can be cramped with 24 and peg 1 able to cast here, I set up a hybrid feeder for here.
Down to my left margin is a reed bed, this is where Gerry caught last week, simply slapping a hard pellet. I set up a 4x10 carp shallow with 0.15 to 16 KKM B.
Also set up a rig for fishing about 7m tight to the margin to my left, with 0.17 to 12 XSH B.
I began the match by slapping a pellet by the reeds at 13m, no signs, went to 14m still no signs by slapping by the reeds. By going to 14.5m and slapping into a gap in the reeds I managed to hook my first carp. Landed a common carp about 4lb. 15 mins later had a 5lb common, and by the end of the first hour I had 4 carp.
Into the second hour and I had a visit from Leighton Palmer who sat with me for a long part of the match. I wasn’t getting many indications, just an odd bite out of the blue, Leighton suggested I went to 16m, I tried it but never had a bite. It was fish in the gap and pull like mad if you hooked one. Slapping with an 8mm was best and three hours in I had 43lb on the clicker and had lost 2 carp in the reeds. All was good it seemed, as all the anglers I could see were struggling with the wind and not catching much. However, the carp deserted the reeds and I only hooked one more here but it did me.
I tried the feeder to the island on and off but never had a fish on this, I don’t think I put a fish in the net for at least 90 minutes and I could see the anglers on 14 and 16 now catching. I’d fed maggots and micros in my margin line and had to wait a while but finally caught a carp on a bunch of maggots. It was a long wait for a bite but at least I was putting something in the net. Think I had 5 carp here in the last hour and 15 mins for 30lb, my clicker read 73lb for my total catch. I was happy I had survived the day without and tackle damage or loss, though one gust of wind blew two top kits into the lake I managed to get them.
After packing up I had the scales so went down to peg 10 to start weighing in. Bobby Moore on peg 9 had 70lb 7oz and was the best weight until I weighed in, and I just pipped him with 73lb 10oz. But it turned out that the other side of the lake fished better.
1st Ian Barker 114lb 15oz peg 16, caught on method feeder and some on short pole late on.
2nd Steve Venn 100lb 13oz peg 14, caught in his RH margin.
3rd Tim Ford 73lb 10oz
I was last in the frame so a handy pickup.
Silvers was won by Bill Knight with 9-9lb and Jason Pitman second with 7lb 7oz. Andy Gard did have more than this but as he carried on fishing after the match (for fun) he was disqualified. I don’t believe for 1 minute Andy cheated, but the only time I’d fish on after a match is when I’m not weighing in. Bad luck Andy.
Weigh sheets below, still hoping for an improvement in the weather!
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