I’ve only match fished the venue once, last year on canal lake, and was told this would be the lake being used this time. Martin always fishes hard pellet normally and so I thought I would try that too. A couple of hours Saturday afternoon got my rigs and hook lengths sorted, removing all my river stuff.
Sunday morning and breakfast at Wetherspoons Kingswood was very hot and set me up nicely. Arrived at the fishery to see a few old faces including Phil Coolham who I used to fish against on the commercial house many years ago. Mark Taylor, Martin McMahon and Mike Nicholls were deep in conversation. After what seemed an age and a few raised eyebrows they decided on the pegs, payout and start time. Both lakes were now in, to spread everyone around. I drew peg 11 on the canal lake, and was told it was a good one.
The lake had been recently transformed by removing many trees and brambles and it was looking great. As I began to get things set up a mothers meeting started opposite me, turned out there was a peg number in twice on the other lake, well organised 😂😂. Lucky for me no redraw, Mike Nicholls stayed on the peg whilst Martin McMahon went to peg 4 on my lake.
I got set up quite quickly, a rig for dobbing with 16 GPM to 0.13, a 4x12 F1 with 18 KKMB for fishing hard pellet, and a 4x14 F1 maggot for fishing maggots at top set plus two.
Match started at 10:15, I was ready, and I started by dobbing bread across to the island to my left. I guess it took me no more than 5 minutes to get a bite and hook a carp, 5lb in the net. Another 20 minutes and no signs other than snotty roach which were messing up everyone’s bread dobbing. I put 3 red maggots on and managed to get another carp of about 3lb. The roach then took the maggots no matter where I tried, made me think there was no carp about. Nobody was catching and Mark Taylor and John Osbourne either side of the bush on pegs 1 and 2 were struggling, this has been a decent area. I fed the ends of my islands with very small amounts of micros to see what response I got. Trying the hard pellet rig I remained biteless and went a good hour plus with nothing.
I deepened off the dobbing rig and used this to try red maggots on the bottom as a change bait and also bread again, neither worked. Marcus on peg 9 landed an 8lb carp whilst fishing for silvers and other than that not a lot was being caught. I then managed to get a couple of F1’s and a 2lb carp from the RH island on 6mm pellet over micros. A few more bites but no fish and then nothing. I tried the LH island and it wasn’t showing any signs, I tried feeding maggots here instead now but nothing doing.
I felt the RH island was where I needed to concentrate, and I got another carp and an F1. With an hour to go I felt I was winning the lake, but then venue expert Martin started to get the odd carp. I started pinging 4mm pellets to make something happen, thinking the fish might be waking up. It didn’t harm it and I had a few more fish here. I did get 1 F1 on maggot at 5m but no more. As the match ended Martin had finished with a flurry, indeed he fished on and had 3 in 3 chucks. I had 22lb on my clicker, and hoped that was enough to win the lake.
It took a while for the scales to get to me as I was last to weigh in. On the other lake Ryan and Vince Shipp were at the right end of the lake and only 1lb separated them, Ryan just winning with 52lb 1oz. Back on my lake and Mart was top with 21lb till I weighed, my fish went 27lb, clicker malfunction, and so I won the lake which was handy as each lake was ran like a separate match. Picture courtesy Mike Nicholls.
A tough day, the fish felt seriously cold, so I guess the ice melting a few days before caused the slow down. I enjoyed the match and had to work hard, a good peg helps. Back on Newbridge next week for the last round of the teams of 4, could do with some rain.
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