Viaduct Holiday day 4

 It was Tuesday and we were fishing the open match on Campbell lake. The night before we had been debating where a good draw would be, and believed the wind would be blowing into 132 so that was the favourite. I was close to this when I pulled out 131 and with 130 left out (as only 16 fishing) I had a bit of room, also the lad on 129 “Rocky” was fishing for silvers. Howard Webb inventor of Sillybait was the one who got 132, a good angler and I already had him down as the winner in my head.

The day started badly for Woody when the axle on his motorised trolley snapped, meaning he had to borrow wheels of another angler once they had got to their peg.

The only downside to my peg today would be sitting in the sun with no shade, so a hot day ahead. I had now discounted fishing for silvers due to my previous attempts and it was all out carp. Only a few rigs, a mugger rig, paste rig 0.17 to 12 XSH and margin rig 4x12 edge with 0.17 to 12 XSH. Howard set up two lead rods and was clear on his approach, and he started well with a carp first cast! My paste approach appeared to be not so good as I had no fizzes and no bites for 35 minutes or so before a skimmer got me off the mark. Howard had another carp but wasn’t flying but then he kept nicking odd carp. I joked with him that I was known as the comeback kid but honestly I was just expecting a battering.

Two hours into the match and after a decent run on skimmers the carp started to slowly put in an appearance. But it seemed every time I hooked a carp so did Howard, and though I was catching I couldn’t make in roads on his lead of about 60lb (Howard’s estimate). About this time there was a load bang as Glenn’s 13m section snapped in half, ouch!

My peg got stronger as the match went on and I was really enjoying catching on the paste, I’d not had many foulers or lost fish, and had changed one hook length all match. Howard got snapped up twice and it did allow me to gain a couple of fish back. When the match finished I was really happy about the day, not only the fishing but the company as Howard was great to talk to.

Howard was first to weigh and had an impressive 197lb 14oz. My silvers went 25lb and when added to my carp I was surprised and a little gutted when I weighed 197lb 4oz, just 10oz between us. This lead Howard to say I was very nearly the comeback kid lol. As it turned out we were first and second on the day with Dave White 3rd with 180lb from in form peg 116.

Howard buying a new landing net after one of his broke.

Silvers weights were way lower today, with Luke Broderick needing just 36lb 13oz to win by just 11oz! Close all around today then!

All lodge mates were feeling a little jaded today and it was a much quieter night where we debated many things including snoring, some lodge mates were having their ears and sleep affected by unnamed snorers lol. Unfortunately for me I have been having some strange issues with my heart of recent, an was wearing a special heart monitor, during the night and early morning I suffered with a pounding and irregular heartbeat which caused me to be awake as it makes me breathless and feel uneasy. Hopefully the monitor will have picked that up and help the consultant to get to the root cause.