Sunday 21/12/2008 Carps AC - Christmas Match - Viaduct - Campbell - Cary and Spring Lakes

We now find ourselves in a mild spell, forecast up to Christmas day. Light SW winds with temperatures 11 degrees.

I criticise match organisation at much as anyone - but I always give credit where its due. Today, the match was run extremely well by Paul Garrett, ably assisted by Gordon Cannings (he's the quiet one - who just gets on with it) and Martin Preston. The pools options were spot on (£5 Section - £5 Silvers - £5 Carp - no default - excellent) as was the prizes which were purchased and made up in to seasonal hampers by Mike West. Well done Mike - Professional job. Its these touches that make matches bench mark , as was the Bathampton AA Christmas matches of years gone by.

Sorry Steve, forgot to take my camera - catch you next time).

At the draw John Bennett handed me cheques for the following:

• £50 for the highest number of Silvers win over the year (seven wins)


• £30 for the third lowest winning weight

I was also informed that I needed to come at least third in the Silvers to win another £50 for the four monthly Silvers aggregate - John Bradford was currently a head of me by seven points (how did get all these points!!)

I could not believe my draw today - Spring Lake peg 2 - this is the fourth time in five consecutive matches that I have drawn this peg. It surely must be a flyer!! However, experience was telling me not to expect much, I took consolation in that I could try out my new pole. I set up a 3AAA waggler, a Skimmer rig and the four metre whip. I was undecided about feeding ground bait, but none the less fed two testicle size at the start at 12 metres. I started on the whip to see if the Ronnies were having a go, whilst the Skimmers settle over the GB. Straight away I started to catch small Ronnies on caster and decided to keep them coming for the first hour - in which time I caught 75 (per hour). On the hour I tried the Skimmer line for five minutes - nothing - the GB wasn't working - I couldn't see anyone catching opposite on the Skimmer pegs either. Um! I potted another GB testicle and resumed on the Ronnies. I tried another two times for the Skimmers - however, my new pole remains a virgin (I will discuss my new pole, etc... in my "End of year report and lessons learnt" journal - watch out for it over Christmas. I carried on to the end of the match catching small Ronnies. At the weigh-in I had 15lb 14oz (I estimated this to be 375 fish). I was surprised to learn that this gave me first in the Silvers and sixth overall (plus second on the Lake) and a pick up of £60, plus a lovely hamper. This also won me the four monthly Carps AC Silvers prize of £50 (John Bennett can now put my name on the cheque).

The match was won by Steve Denmead with 88lb 8oz from Cary peg 78.

Full result:

1. Steve Denmead 88-08-0 peg 78
2. Barry Fitchew 85-08-0 peg 134
3. Tim Pallant 70-12-0 peg 110
4. Ray Hayward 27-10-0 peg 8
5. Joss Garrett 18-07-0 peg 85
6. Mike Nicholls 15-14-0 peg 2

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 15-14-0 peg 2
2. Paul Garrett 15-12-0 peg 24 (unlucky - 2oz the difference)