Monday, I say that as it seemed hard for all of us to keep track of what day it was, most likely down to us not watching any news or TV and just chillin. Today's match was on Match Lake and it was just our group of 8 anglers, Matt Long put 3 pegs on each side of the lake and 1 at each end, this time we drew our pegs off the table and I pulled out peg 42 for me, really happy with this peg! I have fond memories of this peg with two lake wins on it before, one in the summer on pellet wag, and one in the winter fishing into the right hand margin.
For company on my left on 43 was once again Glenn
and on the bank on his own Gordon Cannings on 39. As I studied the peg with the noisy aerator on I considered what to set up, Martin Reyat said the lake was rammed with F1's and he would be fishing pole shallow for them as would Gordon. Not something I do, and so didn't think I would compete with those guys, I set it up but it was a last resort really. I had two major features to aim for at some stage, firstly the island which I could see looked tricky to get tight to due to some trees, so I set a straight lead up for this and not a waggler as casting would have to be mega accurate.
Secondly the margin, I had seen an angler catching about a metre out from the bank the day before in deeper water, and when I plumbed up it was really shallow next to the bank and then a steep slope to deeper water a metre out, just out past the end of the pipe you can see in the picture.
However, I began the match fishing banded 6mm pellet over toss potted 4mm pellet at top set plus one, this seems to be a distance that Mike always catches on so I thought I would try it. Well it never it worked for me lol, and with Glenn soon latching in to his first carp on paste at 13m I had to go out further. As the aerator on full blast the water was moving and I only went to top set plus 3 sections, even here there was a tow now and again. Started feeding and fishing the same way, it was slow to start with a couple of 6oz roach and a small skimmer and I was wondering where were all the F1's? Eventually I got a carp, and then had regular bites from the small 1 - 2lb carp. At the end of the first hour I had 20lb on my clicker. A 4x12 with 18 to 0.13 powerline was the rig I used here.
Like a switch was flicked both Glenn and myself both found our swims died, and we surprised but this. It was really hot and I was drinking plenty of water, and as I grabbed a drink Glenn changed to the lead and had a small carp by the island and had another indication. I followed suit and had 4 stockies and an F1 in as many casts then nothing again. Glenn never had another fish on the lead when I cast out here. I came off the lead as it was not happening, and once again it appeared the fish were being moody, with Gordon really struggling to catch anything and Martin Reyat on 52 having to change from pole to wag to try to get odd fish. I had an early look in the margin where I was throwing in the odd dozen 6mm pellets, but nothing here this early. Back onto my short pole line, this was slow again and I was just about to give up when a few stockies and a better carp showed before once again it just stopped.
Glenn was only getting the odd bite on the pole, and I cast the lead back out to the island, the rest had done it really good as I probably had a good 40 minutes of catching here, but as soon as I had a cast with no bite or indication I came off it to rest it. Bankside info was that I was "pissing it" with many of the lads struggling, so I just had to try to keep something going in the net for the last two hours, as we all know the margins can transform one anglers result. My next look in the margin gave me bites, two F1's and then a carp, but then foulers and missed bites, I was fishing too deep. I re plumbed up the margin and came up on the slope for fishing now inside the pipe. But I wanted to feed and rest it first, so back on the lead. I had a couple of stockies straight away and then disaster, my hook caught on a branch the far bank and I lost the lot, here endeth the lead fishing. It was time to concentrate on and make the margin work, and thankfully moving into shallower water was a good move. It was never hectic but I had a couple of near 4lb F1's and when I caught a carp it was generally 5lb plus. I had had another enjoyable day working at the peg catching on three lines.
My final tally was 122lb 14oz, and certainly my best ever weight from this lake was enough to win. Woody came 2nd with a late surge of margin fish on end bank peg 47, and Glenn was third with 74lb 11oz which included a lump that had a new home in Spring. Mike won the silvers at a canter with 22lb 10oz.
Two days, two picks ups, lovely start in lovely weather. We retired to the Unicorn Hotel for a nice meal and a few pints and sat outside all evening, what a bonus bit of weather.
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