Saturday it was back to Todber for the silvers open on Ash and once again I employed the hanging back and having one of the last pegs in the bucket tactic. Nick drew 63 (the peg I didn’t want) so I felt safe to go for it and was well happy with 69 in the middle of the lake which has been a great area. Duffers was on end peg 62 and Parker ‘The Pole’ was in close proximity on 67.
It’s always a bit blowy at Todber but when I pulled up behind my peg, it was hacking down the lake which would make fishing long difficult today. I set up a little 0.3 gram Guru F1 Slim for the top two plus two along with a couple of Preston Innovations F1 Maggots to fish two lines at 11.5 metres. On the side tray were maggots, casters, worms, micros, expanders plus some Bait-Tech Special G F1 and Dark groundbait.
The match kicked off and I fed the short line with gb and casters while the longer line straight out received a sloppy, choppie mix and the right hand line got half a pot of micros. I was getting a few bites on the short line from small skimmers, roach and a 4oz perch but I also bumped a decent fish and after half an hour, it was already slowing up.
Karl on my right had a couple of better skimmers on the feeder and with the wind being a real pain, I was wishing I’d brought a tip rod with me! First look on the micros line resulted in no bites so I switched to the wormy line with maggot on the hook, a couple of small fish obliged but it was hard work. I tried double caster and had to wait ages for a bite, a big skimmer leapt out the water on the strike but it came off shipping back.
With a worm head on, I was getting very occasional skimmers but it was a real struggle, with around two hours gone, I began loose feeding casters in an attempt to make something happen as I was going nowhere fast and needed to find some of those better skimmers. Trying the light strung out rig wasn’t really the answer as the wind was blowing from right to left and the tow was going back the other way but I did have a few small fish and a couple of 6oz skimmers on it.
Another look short was fruitless and when Guy came for his usual lunchtime wander (still no cake!) he reported it was really hard going for everyone and 12lb was probably winning. At this stage I only had 4-5lb but it only takes two or three of those big skimmers to get right back in it. I fed the 11.5 metre worm line again and went straight over it which resulted in two 8-10oz skimmers which was encouraging but it was short lived and repeating the process, it didn’t work a second time.
Going past the feed added a couple more fish and heading into the last hour or so I started a new line at 13 metres which was really hard work in the wind. I did have my best fish of 1.5lb but also had a decent leaper come off and just before the end, hooked my first carp of the day that tore off and straightened the hook. At the all out, my clicker was reading 51 fish but I knew I hadn’t done any good today.
The scales started at the top end this week and when they reached next door I went to have a look. Mark Brennan who was on 75 was leading with a brilliant 27lb 1oz and looking set to make it three wins on the trot but then the weights dropped right off with several anglers recording 5-6lb, Karl had done really well fishing mainly the feeder and weighed an excellent 18lb which included some good skimmers and a tench. Photos courtesy of Todber Manor*
Mark Brennan proving once again he’s the man to beat with a match winning 27lb 1oz*
Karl had a nice net of fish for 18lb*
My fish went 10lb 14oz, Jordan on 68 had 9lb and then Parker ‘The Pole’ had a nice day weighing 12lb 6oz. The weights improved a bit towards the bottom end with the ever consistent Nicky Collins claiming second spot with 23lb 6oz of quality roach and skimmers on 65 and Duffers taking third place with 18lb 9oz from the end peg.
I weighed 10lb 14oz of skimmers, roach and a perch*
Jordan on 68 weighed 9lb*
Parker ‘The Pole’ had a nice day weighing 12lb 6oz*
James on 66 had 15lb 9oz which included a nice tench*
Nicky Collins was second with 23lb 6oz of quality roach and skimmers*
Duffers did well, finishing third with 18lb 9oz on peg 62*
1 – Mark Brennan (Todber) – 27lb 1oz
2 – Nicky Collins (Todber) – 23lb 6oz
3 – Darren Duffield (Ilminster) – 18lb 9oz
The leading weights were decent but the wind certainly hasn’t done us any favours today!
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
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Next up – Summerhayes
Coming soon – Lots more match reports
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