Sunday 03/10/2010 - South West Teams of Four - Avalon Fishery - Round 3

Heavy rain slowed us packing the gear in to Bela’s van, which was forecast to stay with us for most of the day. Luckily by the time we got to our pegs the rain had eased but the wind had picked up. Walking around the venue the water looked a strange grey colour. I put this down to the heavy rain and wind, plus the fact that the lake is in a peat area. However, there were signs of plenty of Carp feeding.

Captain Charlie handed me peg 19 on Match Lake. I was delighted as it had won the last two Silvers pools. I was also glad it wasn’t wasted on an out and out Carp Slayer! That said I also fancied it for Carp off the end of the opposite island, because of this I untangled my pre-made up feeder rod and got a feel of the bottom with straight lead attached. I decided not to clip it up, to give me some flexibility. In to the rod roost it went, where it stayed for the rest of the day, where up on, I tangled it again putting it away! Because of the strong gusting wind blowing diagonally in to corner peg 23 I set up two Skimmer rigs, both to be fished at 7 metres – one 1g Jolly and the other a 4x14 series top (a Jolly with a wire stem) for if the win dropped. As the wind was blowing my float R to L and into the bank I set my kinder pot down my top set in line with the floats “settled” position to ensure accurate feeding. I set up the obligatory margin paste rig to be fished in the LH side. To my right was an Elder Tree, which was giving some cover, but for some reason you never catch much from under these trees. The margin was very deep at about 4 foot. So my dilemma was whether to feed GB of wetted micro on the Skimmer line. I chose initially to go with the micro as I have done well with it here in the past. So, on the whistle I cupped in 125ml of it. I started on the 1g Jolly with double red on the hook. The bait didn’t hit the bottom and I had a 10oz Skimmer followed in the same manner by two Ronnie’s. Then nothing - how peculiar – Predators? I switched to 4 mm expander on the hook – nothing. I had nicked a few grains of corn off Rip Off and tried that and had a run of Skimmers and Hybrids to 2lb, but it did mean waiting a fair time for each bite. After each fish I kinder potted in some micro with a few grains of corn (which meant opening one of my tins). After three hours the swim appeared to be dead, so, as I was itching to try my GB I potted in four big balls at 7 metres. And because the wind had died down I potted in some wetted micro at 13 metres as “back off policy”. I decided to have a walk up to Rip Off who was on corner peg 23 with Deano on peg 22. As I expected the fishing was slow with hardly any Silvers showing. I went back and decide to try the LH margin where I had been feeding hard 4’s. Straight away I was getting small fish attacking the loose fed up in the water – Umm. In to rod bag and I soon had my Ronnie rig set up and for the next hour or so I was adding small Perch to 4oz and the occasional Ronnie up to 6oz to the net on single red. This swim died so with the lake now flat calm I tried the 13 metre line with corn – nothing. Back over the 7 metre line but with the 4x14 Jolly with double maggot and the float sank as did my heart when I landed a 2lb Carp as I was thinking Tench. I had another 1lb Carp on maggot – then nothing. I switched back to corn and started to get preoccupied by bites I didn’t contact with, all very interesting but I wasn’t putting anything in the net, so I decided to stay with the Ronnie’s for the remainder of the match. With Vince Shipp having weighed 15lb 12oz I wasn’t sure I could beat this but might run it close. I weighed 17lb 2oz which surprised me putting me first in the Silvers. My two tiny Carp weighed in at 3lb giving me 20lb 2oz and 4 team points.

The match was won by Fishery Co-owner Vic Bush (pictured right with the Silvers winner - yes this is Vic smiling) from peg 5 on Specimen Lake with 128lb 5oz. Vic caught all his fish on the feeder crammed with softened pellet with various hook baits.

I must say that the fishery probably fished as well any any other in the SW under the same weather conditions.

I have said this before, it amazes me how Tony and Deano not only organises the matches and results, but does most of the weighing in as well, which is unlike other organisers who sit back moaning about the delay in the weigh sheets - well done matey's - impressed.

Full Result:

1. Vic Bush 128-05-0 peg 5 Speci
2. Ron Hardiman 104-0-0 peg 11 Speci
3. Steve Mayo 85-14-0 peg 30 Match
4. Craig Edmonds 81-11-0 peg 9 Match
5. Jamie Brown 76-09-0 peg 12 Speci
6. Dean Mallin 73-05-0 peg 22 Match

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 17-02-0 peg 19 Match
2. Vince Shipp 15-12-0 peg 13 Match