Sunday 1 February 2015

Sunday 01/02/2015 - Viaduct Winter League - Round Two - Campbell, Cary, Lodge, Match and Spring Lakes

Bela and I were the first to arrive a Canards Well with Bela first to the buffet. Mark Poppleton arrived shortly after and was horrified to see “Two Chews” Bela ahead of him, obviously worried that there would be nothing left for him. Luckily Bela left sufficient.

After a good start in the first match the team was hoping for another good draw, plus we had super sub Tim Ford standing in for Steve Skelton who was climbing in the Lake District.

Bela came back with the draw – not too bad I thought but who can tell this time of year especially with the temperatures being up and down. As it was my turn on Spring Lake I found myself on peg 19 I was happy with this as historically it has held plenty of Skimmers plus the chance of a Carp over to the end of the island. However, I did have the icy North wind blowing into my face albeit the island giving some shelter.

I decided to set up just three rods – a Carp straight lead rig for over to the island with either bread or corn hook baits, a Silver feeder for Skimmers and finally a waggler. No pole!!

For team sake I started on the straight lead with three pieces of 10mm punched bread slung tight to the island. It sat three for ten minutes. I started to loose feed casters at ¾ distance (as far as the wind would permit). Straight away I got liners. I recast the lead but with double corn this time and again after loose feeding caster I got liners and had a pull round sufficient to strike at and foul hooked a Carp some distance from where I had cast. It didn’t take long for us to part company.

I realised that my reel line must be at about half depth where I was feeding the caster which was attracting the Carp, so I immediately picked up the waggler and with double caster cast it at three quarters loose feeding over the top. I did have one indication but it was a question of after the “Carp” had bolted. That was it after trying the straight lead, Silvers feeder and the waggler I arrived at halfway without a fish. So I decided to set up a 4x14 Jolly to be fished at 11.5 metres, at the same time Dave Romain who also was blanking on next peg 20 went off to the shop for some maggots both of us hoping to save a blank.

I fed some GB laced with Pinkie and with dead red on the hook I had 29 Ronnie’s in 29 put in’s plus a 1lb Skimmer. The sun then made an appearance which totally killed the swim. I decided to stay with the pole until the end adding a couple more 1oz Ronnie’s.

I ended the match with 2lb 11oz for a meagre 6 points. Where are all the Skimmers that use to live on these teen pegs?

I do admire the angler that can sit all match on the lead for two bites and two Carp for good team points – unfortunately, something I just haven’t the mentally to do.

The team didn't fair well with 36 points and Bela blanking, our decline has started!

The match was won by Nicky Ewers (pictured right) with 141lb 2oz from peg 86. Nicky caught on the straight lead casting long with either meat or maggot hook bait. The Carp are tightly packed as proven by the angler each side of Nicky – a blank and a 7lb!!

The Silvers was won by Clint Wojtyle (pictured lower right) with 17lb 15oz from Middle peg 37. Clint caught at 13 metres down to the tree on the left catching big Skimmers and Perch on caster fished over GB laced with caster and maggots.

Finally on the way home Bela and I stopped in Shepton Mallet’s Winstones chip shop for a sit down dinner. Bela went for 8oz burger and fries plus a stack of onion rings that were at least 12 inches high. It was a first today for me, to witness Bela not devouring all his dinner, leaving 3 inches of onion rings – hope he’s not coming down with something.

Full Result:

  1. Nicky Ewers 141-02-0 peg 86
  2. Gary O’Shea 127-03-0 peg 119
  3. Ron Hardiman 70-12-0 peg 90
  4. John Howell 67-09-0 peg 96
  5. Adrian Jefferies 67-03-0 peg 115
  6. Lewis Greenwood 59-04-0 peg 127
Top Silvers:

  1. Clint Wojtyle 17-15-0 peg 37
  2. A Crocker 14-08-0 peg 2
  3. Des Shipp 9-09-0 peg 3

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