As I had not fished Stafford Moor previously, Bela Bacos and I decided we would fish the Friday open. This meant getting up at 4am ready for pick up at 5am. We had a steady drive down arriving at 8am, which included a stop for a McDonald's breakfast - this is serious junk food.
Bela was staying at one of the Lodges on site and gave me a quick tour before the draw. I must admit they are really nice and spacious. Very much different than the Royal Oak where the Angels were staying.
I drew peg 25 on Tanners. Information was, that it was not that good a peg - shallow. Also, it would not be featuring in the League. I must say after all the hype with regards this fishery I was a little upset to hear that there were such poor pegs in the draw!! With a £2 Silvers pool I decided to focus most of my attention on them. The upshot was that I had 12lb 2oz of 2oz Roach and Skimmers on soft pellet - maggot - caster - etc... I came fourth in the Silvers, but with hind sight I could have came very close, by staying with the Ronnies, rather than chasing the bigger Skimmers.
The match was won by fellow Angel Rich Coles (pictured right) from peg 36 with 119lb 9oz. With the lake being flat calm all day Rich was able to fish the waggler dead depth with 10mm banded pellet. Rich fished in to open water towards peg 1. Rich red about a quarter of a pint of 8mm pellet.
Full Result:
1. Rich Coles 119-09-0 peg 36
2. John Lacey 95-0-0 peg 35
3. Adam Palmer 60-15-0 peg 30
4. Eric Fouracre 43-03-0 peg 11
5. Vince Shipp 42-03-0 peg 16
6. Ryan Shipp 39-10-0 peg 5
Top Silvers:
1. Steve Fouracres 20-13-0 peg 32
2. Vince Brown 18-08-0 peg 4
Back to the hotel - a few beers - steak and chips and early to bed.
Saturday 29 November:
The talk at the draw was that Pines Lake was fishing bad, with Tim Pallant catching only 2lb the day before - pleasure fishing! Charlie arrived at the draw dead on 8-30 and we were last to draw again. The draw was conveniently at the Royal Oak, where we were staying. Charlie, informs me that I had drawn Pines 16! After a quick chat with Tony Rixon and a few others (apparently it's Nick Collins favourite peg - good enough for me), it therefore seemed I had one of the better draws on the lake, albeit it being shallow (three foot). When I arrived at the peg I had a very cold wind blowing directly in to my right hand cheek - it was bitter cold. As I was informed that there were only a few Carp in this Lake, I decided to fish it light (0.o6 Ignesti). I plumbed around and found the deepest part at 9 metres. I decide on three lines out in front (pellet) - 2 o clock (chopped worm) and 11 o clock (maggot/caster). The pellet line was the most productive. The first eight fish were all of different species - not usually a good sign. Mel King was on adjacent peg 14 and was struggling to get bites. However, Steve Mayo was opposite to me, on peg 13 and was getting the odd fish. I could hear the odd chattering suggesting that it was fishing really hard - some confessing to ounces. I fished it hard to the end and weighed 12lb dead for a lake win and a pick up of £40. Bela also drew Pines 26 and was last on the lake with 15oz!
The overall Carp winner was Vince Shipp (pictured right) with 61lb 12oz from Woodpecker Lake peg 20. Vince's little known brother Des (I have included Des's picture underneath for those who may not have seen him before) won the Silvers from Tanners peg 30 with an impressive 36lb 11oz of Skimmers and Roach on chopped worm and caster.
Full Result:
Carp:
1. Vince Shipp 61-12-0 Peg Woodpecker 20
2. Jon Green 58-02-0 peg Woodpecker 22
3. Paul Garrett 46-05-0 peg Tanners 16
4. Tim Clark 36-01-0 peg Tanners 6
Silvers:
1. Des Shipp 36-11-0 peg Tanners 30
2. Tony Rixon 18-0-0 peg Tanners 26 (an excellent Silvers weight from this peg)
3. Martin Pettifor 17-12-0 peg Tanners 9
4. Brian Slipper 15-04-0 peg Tanners 35
On the Team front Charlie's Angels move up one position from fifth to fourth. Charlie was well pleased - promising to be first in the draw the next day!
It was announced that with today's lake win I was now top overall league individual with 60 points.
As the result was in our hotel we had already downed a few pints. Charlie is not a great drinker and after a couple and a hearty meal Charlie (pictured right) dozed off in the corner by the fire. Apparently only to revive later and keep everyone entertained with his endless joke telling.Sunday 30 November:
Charlie nearly lived up to his word by being third in the draw - only after Rich Coles got him out of bed!
Charlie drew peg 36 Tanners for me, an excellent peg for Carp and Silvers. When I got to the peg the wind was blowing straight in to me, so the waggler for the Carp was out, so set up the straight lead. I set up two pole rigs one for four metres and the other to serve two swims (pellet/cwc) at 10 metres for Silvers. On the whistle I fed my three swims and then chucked the lead out. I counted to 120 - no indications so up the bank it went. I decided to focus on the Silvers until the last thirty minutes (this decision was reversed later). I had a steady run of Skimmers, Crucians and Roach. I then had a 7lb 1oz Carp and one lost foul hooker on pellet. However, I could not keep the fish concentrated and didn't work out the feeding pattern until the last half hour (I suspect Des Shipp worked it out after his first fish). I weighed 17lb 3oz of Silvers and the one carp for 24lb 4oz. This gave me a lake second and fourth in the Silvers and a pick up of £60.
Vince Shipp was two pegs away and weighed 23lb 3oz of Silvers. We discussed the feeding and Vince suffered the same as me, even though he had full instructions from Des. Des even gave Vince the rig he used the previous day!!! More to this fishing than meets the eye.
Full Result:
Carp:
1.Chris Davis 44-0-0 Josephs 17
2. Brian Slipper 43-12-0 Woodpecker 24
3. Rich Coles 43-02-0 Woodpecker 10
4. Bela Bakos 42-03-0 Woodpecker 20
Silvers:
1. Vince Shipp 23-06-0 Tanners 34
2. Steve Mayo 21-12-0 Tanners 5
3. Ryan Shipp 18-0-0 Pines 3
4. Mike Nicholls 17-04-0 Tanners 36
Top Teams:
1. Westerleigh 79
2. Sedges Mosella 62.5
3. Charlies Angels 61.5
4. Sarfix South West 57
Top Individuals:
1. Mike Nicholls 74
2. Chris Davis 73
3. Rod Wootton 64
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