I was really looking forward to this one after having a lovely days fishing a few weeks back, up early we met at Cartgate for breakfast before heading to the fishery. After getting some bait from the shop, it was time to draw and I was hoping (along with everybody else) to see the number 75 when I opened my ticket. Before I’d even stuck my hand in the bucket, Freddy Roberts spoilt things when he said he’d already drawn it!
Parker ‘The Pole’ got 62 on the other end, Norts was on 66, I was happy with 72 and Nick was next door so the customary side bet was placed. Conditions were lovely as we were setting up but the British weather has a habit of lulling you into a false sense of security!
Rigs for today were a Preston Innovations F1 Maggot to fish two lines at 13 metres plus a little 0.3 gram Guru F1 Slim for top two plus two. The side tray contained maggots, casters, worm, micros plus some Bait-Tech Special G F1 and Dark groundbait.
The five hours got underway and I fed a modest amount of groundbait and some casters on the short line and then some chopped worms and casters in just enough gb to hold them together straight out at 13 metres and lastly some micros angled to the right.
Starting short to let the longer lines settle, I had a small roach first chuck on maggot, after a few more, I tried caster and more roach followed including some lovely fish around 8-10oz. Nick was fishing a bit further out and had a nice tench. After about an hour I was dying to go on the longer lines, where hopefully some big skimmers would be lined up!
It was actually an anti-climax, I was getting bites but from roach and small skimbobs and it looked to be the same for everyone. Nick did have a big skimmer so I tried worm to see if I could catch some quality but apart from one around 8oz, it just wasn’t happening and two non-counting carassio didn’t help my cause. Mark Harper who was two pegs to my left was fishing a feeder across to the reeds but had been having carp problems.
With not a lot happening, I fed the longer lines again before coming short and it was a bite a chuck from roach along with the odd hybrid. Then Ade West on 71 chucked a feeder across and had a 4lb bream, Mark began getting some nice skimmers in amongst the carp and apparently, the feeder has been catching a lot of fish in recent matches.
I kept having a go on my longer lines but just couldn’t string any decent fish together, I did move the rig and foul hooked a decent fish but after having it on for ages, it came off and there was slime all up the line and a little scale on the hook. Nick was having better luck when he was into a fish which he thought was a carp but turned out to be a decent skimmer hooked in the wing!
Freddy was catching well on the end but Mike next to him was having a similar day to me, fishing short he lost a big tench at the net and also pulled out of a sizeable bream. Nick was still landing the odd better fish and along with Ade catching regularly on the feeder, I was getting a right chip-shopping!
I did manage one decent skimmer on the short line but despite catching some lovely roach I knew I would be nowhere near the top four today. At the all out, the scales started at the other end and as they worked their way up the pond, I went to have a look. Steve P had done well catching 21lb 8oz, then the next five pegs had all weighed between 12-18lb. Mark Brennan on 69 went into the lead with 29lb 10oz, Mark Harper came close with 28lb 10oz and then Ade had a lovely net of big skimmers and a decent tench for 30lb 12oz, all three had fished the feeder for most of the match. Thanks to Todber for the photos*
Parker ‘The Pole’ had a nice day weighing 21lb 8oz on peg 62*
Mark Brennan was third with 29lb 10oz*
Mark Harper weighed 28lb 10oz for fourth place*
Ade West was second with 30lb 12oz of big skimmers along with a lovely tench*
I had 76 fish for 15lb 4oz, Nick took a nugget off me with 21lb 10oz, Mike weighed 16lb 4oz and then Freddy had a cracking net of fish including two big perch to win with 38lb.
I weighed 15lb 4oz of roach and skimmers*
Nick had a nice net of skimmers, roach and tench for 21lb 10oz*
Freddy had the top weight with a brilliant 38lb of quality fish including two big perch*
It’s certainly lovely fishing and when we get some more settled weather, I think it’ll just get better and better.
Norts very kindly donated a tenner and Nick had a pound off me which he added to the pot as the total reaches £130 and continues to rise steadily.
There’s still a great offer running if you fancy treating yourself to some new fishing gear, use the exclusive discount code AgainstMenandFish10 to get 10% off when you shop online at Somerset Angling
Also I still have copies of my book available from eBay here or Amazon here
And if you could spare five minutes to leave a nice review on Amazon, it would be very much appreciated.
Next up – Dillington
Coming soon – Lots more match reports
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