Sunday 12/07/2009 - Tony Rixon Float Only Individual League - Round Four - Landsend Fishery

Afghanistan; a lot of news this week, at last we have decided to attack; However there is a lot of politics from the opposition that are troops are not equipped well enough. For once I agree, but not about the lack of Helicopters!! We spend billions of ponds at Aldermaston on nuclear weapons. We know where the Taliban insurgents are why on earth don't we pull our troops back and nuke the lot - job done. Apologies to Chris Davis for getting this one off my chest.

Back to Landsend! During my usual walk around the venue I decided that peg 5 or opposite peg 19 would be a good bet. However, I had already decided to draw last with the expectation that all the pegs on Specimen Lake would be drawn (I just didn’t want to draw there again). Can you imagine my horror to find three draw tickets remaining and one of them was Specimen 25!! However, my plan worked (to a degree), I drew peg 72 on the fourth Lake. I was well pleased (now I don’t know why). I thought as the fish in this Lake are relatively juvenile my small soft pellet approach may bring in some more coin. I was drawn against Gary Etheridge in the Knockout and Gary had drawn peg 1. It was now down to which Lake fished the best. Best and best Gary’s peg should always win, simply because of the size of fish. However if….!

I walked down to my peg with Shane Shaun Caswell (ask Shane). The water was a milky colour, which can indicate that the fish had been feeding hard overnight. Not the best colour I thought. Plumbing up revealed a relatively flat bottom from ¾ metre from my bank to ¾ metre from the opposite island. I was told that the aerator between my peg and peg 71 would be switched on a noon. Because of this I chose to fish to my left more so away from the aerator, which proved not to be the best decision. I dump feed 4mm hard pellet down the track at 7 metres at 10 clock, but started on the soft pellet on the top set, over lightly loose fed 4mm pellet. I quickly had a Rudd, two tiny Skimmers and a small Carp. It then went dead. I then went out to the 7 metre line and didn’t even have any indication of a bite. Liam Barrett next to me on peg 71 was bagging on hard banded pellet. Then bang on time the aerator came on. As it was a fountain type it wasn’t too bad (except for the noise). The aerator was creating a bit of flow past a bush on the end of the island, which was about 13 metres away, so I set up a banded pellet rig and loose fed 4mm pellet. I had a little run of small Carp. I then, potted in some 4mm’s because I decided to give paste a try. I started to get bigger fish but fewer of them. Liam on 71 was still catching well. I found that after feeding the fish backed off, and subsequently would have a run of fish. I felt as my swim was on the edge of a shoal camped on peg 71 and was pulling the odd Carp away. With an hour to go the aerator was switched off and so were my fish. For the rest of the match I only could muster one more Carp and was pestered by small uncatchable Skimmers (unless you foul hooked them). I weighed 28lb 14oz for 4^th in the section with Liam winning the section and Lake with 54lb. All in all it was a very frustrating day. Gary Etheridge weighed in 87lb 7oz (fishing 18 metres in to peg 2) dumping me out of the knockout. I was in good company though; Tony Rixon was also knocked out by Andy Lloyd fishing a peg on Match Lake. I didn’t mind being knocked out by such a good angler as Gary, well done mate I hope you now go on to win it, my money’s on you. I can now concentrate on winning some coin with the Silvers.

The match was won by Eddie Wynne (pictured right) with 127lb 11oz from peg 19. Eddie started close up to the opposite island fishing about 12 inches deep but found by fishing the same depth 1 metre away caught quicker with fewer foul hookers. Eddie used haired rigged 6 mm pellet loose feeding about two pints of 6mm pellet. A well deserved win as Eddie puts a lot of effort in to his fishing.

I must mention Rod Wotton who once again framed at his favourite venue. Rod always seems to make the most of his pegs at Landsend. I think will have to sit with him through a match if I’m going to visit the venue more often!!

Full Result:

1. Eddie Wynne 127-11-0 peg 19

2. Craig “Trigger” Edmonds 112-07-0 peg 22

3. Anton “Bruno” Page 111-0-0 peg 30

4. Bryan Shanks 91-09-0 peg 35

5. Gary Etheridge 87-07-0 peg 1

6. Rod Wotton 85-09-0 peg 36

Top Silvers:

1. Colin Dyer 16-01-0 peg 37

2. John “The Gimp” Bradford 14-12-0 peg 27

3. Stu Foale 13-09-0 peg 65

Overall League position (weight order):

1. Tony Rixon 27 points

2. Anton "Bruno" Page 25 (my hero x)

3. Gary Etheridge 25 (nearly had his car written off)

4. Alan Oram 25 (Aerated out)

5. Craig "Trigger" Edmonds 24