Sunday 26/10/2008 Carps AC - Wednesday's Silversmania Final - Landsend Fishery

With Thirty Six Anglers qualifying there was not much scope for leaving the worse pegs out. My hope was that I did not have an end (corner) peg. My preference was a mid peg on Specimen Lake. I was delighted therefore, when I drew peg 35 on Specimen (where my good friend Darren Gillman was second from in the Wednesday practice match with 18lb 3oz). Was this my target weight? Darren and I had developed a plan based on ground bait and maggot. So I mixed one pint of Sensas Lake Black with one pint of Gimps Gold. This I fed at 11.5 metres with a little red maggot. I also fed chopped worm and caster at 4 metres for the Perch (and anything else). I also set up two whips one elasticated with a PB14 at 3 metres (caster line) and one at 4.5 metres with one of my home made wagglers. I started over the CW&C line with worm tails on the hook which resulted in two 1 oz Perch and one 4oz Roach - very slow though - so out on the 11.5 metre line over the GB which resulted in being "bitted out" by small Ronnies. So I decide to fish the caster 3 metre whip to see if I could catch quicker. This resulted in no bites! So on to the 4.5 metre whip (I am in effect fishing at 8 metres) using single maggot over loose fed maggot. This resulted in a number of quick Ronnies to 4oz, two Skimmers and one small Crucian. After re-feeding the GB line tried it again, but indications were that Carp had moved in over it (this GB mix produces a very attractive cloud just above bottom). So I spent the rest of the match on the 4.5 metre whip for a weight of 18lb 8oz for first overall and a pick up of £500.

Through the grape vine I had heard that Darren was third overall, which was pleasing news (plan worked then for someone). Alas, Darren was pushed in to fourth place and first out of the money!! Bad luck matey.

Full Result:

1. Mike Nicholls 18-08-0 peg 35 (£500)
2. John Green 17-12-0 peg 27 (£300 - pictured top right)
3. Mike Owens 17-08-0 peg 22 (£200 - Pictured right)

4. Darren Gillman 14-13-0 peg 5
5. Bob Gullick 14-09-0 peg 17
6. Gary Wall 13-06-0 peg 5