I haven’t been to Summerhayes for a few weeks so phoned Pete to book in for the silvers match on Saturday which was on my favourite lake, Sellicks. After meeting Nick for a Greggs brekkie, we made the short trip to the venue. Only five of us fishing today so more of a knock up but at least we’d all have plenty of room. Pete said it would be draw and choose and I was the last name on the list and got second choice, Dan went for 24 which meant I could have my favourite peg number 16 while Nick was on 19, Alex choose peg 3 and Tom was on 12.
Initially it was looking like being a lovely day but as we were setting up, there were some ominous black clouds behind us and it started to get pretty windy! Rigs for today were a Preston Innovations F1 Maggot to fish two lines at 11.5 metres plus a couple of little 0.2 gram floats for the far side at 14.5 metres. The side tray was nice and simple with lots of maggots and some Bait-Tech Special G F1 and Dark groundbait.
On the whistle I fed two lines at 11.5 metres, one angled to the left with half a pot of loose groundbait and a few maggots and then fed a line to the right more positively before pinging some maggots across to the island either side of the little alcove (see photo above).
Nick was into a decent fish straight away on his short line and from all the elastic on show, I thought it was probably a carp but turned out to be a nice tench which got him off to a great start. It was somewhat slower for me, nothing from the left hand line and it was twenty minutes before I finally had a bite on the more positive swim from a 8oz skimmer.
A roach followed and I was getting a few indications but then disaster struck when I had a bite and a big skimmer went airborne but shed the hook and worse still, the rig spangled round the pole tip! It took me an age to untangle the mess during which time, Nick went further ahead with several more skimmers and roach.
Going into the second hour, I was getting a few fish without really bagging but then Nick went across and had two more decent fish in quick succession. Dan was also landing fish regularly and although my view of Tom was obscured because of the little island to my right, I could see him shipping in and out, netting fish.
With Nick still catching on his long line, as the second hour came to a close, I added two more sections and went to 14.5 metres. I had to wait a little while for bites and the wind was playing havoc with feeding and presentation but I started catching some nice skimmers along with the odd decent roach.
It was all going quite well although at one point I hooked a big skimmer that leapt several times and went through the hole in the island and over some vegetation! Everything was solid and I had no idea what I was going to do, with no other real choice, I gave it a yank and hoped for the best. The rig came free and I never even lost my hooklength, better to be lucky than good!
By swapping between the two long lines, I was getting regular indications and really enjoying myself, I did pull out of one decent skimmer and missed a few bites (which I’m blaming on the blustery wind). Even better, I only briefly foul hooked two carp all match and I don’t think they were too much of a problem for anyone.
I normally have quite a good idea of who’s done what but I honestly didn’t have a clue today as I knew Nick and Tom had caught well, Dan had been netting some decent fish and I couldn’t see how Alex was doing over on 3 and he had loads of room. With an hour to go I was up to 42 fish and had a really good last sixty minutes to finish with 51 skimmers and roach.
After packing up, I went round to watch the weigh in, Alex had 20 big skimmers plus roach for 22lb 8oz and I didn’t think I had that, Tom had another cracking net of fish for 19lb 14oz and then it was me, as I pulled my net out, it felt like it might be closer than I’d originally thought and Pete called it at 24lb 4oz. Nick had also done really well with 18lb 8oz and last but not least was Dan who was admitting to 4lb but weighed 14lb 8oz!
Alex had some big skimmers for 22lb 8oz on peg 3
I weighed 24lb 4oz of skimmers and roach
Nick had 18lb 8oz which included a nice tench
Dan on 24 weighed 14lb 8oz of skimmers, roach and an eel
1 – Jamie Rich (Bait-Tech/Colmic) – 24lb 4oz
2 – Alex Kerr (Summerhayes) – 22lb 8oz
So really close weights and just lovely fishing, if the wind had been a bit more favourable, I’m sure somebody would have done over 30lb. I picked up £40 for winning and loved every minute of that, it’s just a shame a few more don’t fish as it’s a cracking lake for silvers.
Pete had also been busy during the match and the footbridge that used to be behind the hut has now gone and been replaced by ‘Tom’s’ road, complete with yellow lines and everything!
‘Tom’s’ Road
Nick P and me both added our usual £2 (for today and tomorrow) plus a pound off Dan took the Nugget-O-Meter up to £274.
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 – Hebditch’s Pond
Coming soon – Lots more match reports
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