On Saturday the ‘Ilminster Massive’ headed down to Todber for another silvers match on Ash. We had breakfast in the Lakeside Diner which wasn’t fully open the last time I was here and I have to say if was really nice, the service and food was spot on. Then it was into the shop to get some bait and pay our pools. Along with the usual suspects it was great to see Marco Smith and Neil Muir for the first time in ages.
Guy announced the draw and I was hoping for a nice peg in the middle of the lake but after opening my ticket, was disappointed to see number 64 staring back at me. The near end isn’t normally the best of areas but in recent weeks only 10lb has been enough to frame with a few better skimmers making the difference.
My neighbours for the day were Chris Martin on my right with Marco on 63 who suggested we have a nugget on it. The lake was flat calm but there were quite a few fish topping which was hopefully an encouraging sign.
I set up a little 0.3 gram Guru F1 Slim for the top two to hand, a 0.2 gram Guru AR to fish through the water and a Preston Innovations F1 Maggot for fish two lines at 13 and 14.5 metres. Lots of options on the side tray with disco pinkies, maggots, casters and worms plus some Bait-Tech Special G F1 Dark.
We got underway and I fed the top kit line and 13 metres with a little groundbait and a few pinkies while the 14.5 metre line angled to the left was fed with chopped worm and groundbait. Starting on the top two to hand, I had a bite first chuck from a tiny roach but after ten minutes and five fish for a combined weight of less than an ounce, I was going nowhere fast.
I went to 13 metres and had a small roach followed by a 2oz skimbob but then pulled out of a slightly better one. From what I could see around me, it was a slow start, Chris next door and Pete Neate on 62 both had a couple of small skimmers on the feeder while Marco was getting the odd little roach on the pole.
After an hour or so I had a quick look on the worm line but it wasn’t really happening there either. In a bid to try and make something happen, I picked up the little strung out rig and started loose feeding a few casters. It wasn’t fast and furious but I started getting the odd roach along with a couple of 6oz skimmers.
Guy came for his usual lunchtime wander/piss take and when he got to Chris next door who was admitting to 1.5lb, he said that probably put him second! In form Andy Akehurst up on 68 was leading the way with around 6lb. I knew Pete had a few skimmers and must have at least a couple of pounds but at the halfway point I probably wasn’t that far off the pace.
With nobody really catching, I plugged away putting odd little fish in the net but then going into the last hour some better skimmers began to show. Chris had a brilliant spell catching five or six and Pete landed a couple more so I felt I needed to try and catch some bigger fish on my worm line.
I was getting the odd bite and had two 4-6oz skimbobs and then a leaper around 12oz but Marco threw a spanner in the works when he landed a big ‘un around 2.5lb to make things very close for the nugget. A few minutes before the all out I missed a good bite but didn’t add to my modest catch.
An ‘action’ shot of me landing a decent skimmer (thanks to Marco!)
The scales started at the top end and as they reached Chris, I had a look at the weigh board and Andy had weighed an excellent 12lb 3oz but it had been a struggle for most, Nick, Part Time Priv (who did stay ’til the end) and Steve P only had a few fish and didn’t weigh, Nick V weighed 1lb 12oz and Norts had 2lb. Chris then went into second place with some decent skimmers for 9lb. Photos courtesy of Todber Manor*
Andy continued his great run of results with 12lb 3oz*
Chris had some decent skimmers for 9lb*
Norts weighed 2lb*
Nick Veale had 1lb 12oz*
My fish went 4lb 5oz which surprisingly put me third with just two pegs left to weigh, Marco pulled his net out and it was going to be very close but his weight was called at 4lb 3oz so I claimed the nugget. Last but not least was Pete who weighed 5lb 8oz to take third spot.
I weighed 4lb 5oz of skimmers and roach*
Marco had a big skimmer and some bits for 4lb 3oz*
Pete was third with 5lb 8oz from peg 62*
1 – Andy Akehurst – 12lb 3oz (68)
2 – Chris Martin – 9lb (65)
3 – Pete Neate – 5lb 8oz (62)
Thanks to a fiver from Norts and a pound off Marco the Nugget-O-Meter is now at £494 and within touching distance of £500 again.
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 – Summerhayes
Coming soon – Lots more match reports
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