After a hearty breakfast Bela and I were soon at the draw. Bela was first in the queue and pulled out peg Woodpecker’s 3. I was about sixth to draw and drew peg Woodpeckers 4 – next to Bela – what are the chances of that!
Dave Downton thought 43lb to 45lb was going to be needed to win the match (a bit precise from someone that caught 15 lb the day before pleasure fishing!!). However, I thought 25 lb would be sufficient to frame, which I made my target weight.
The weather had dramatically changed - for the better and both Bela and me had plenty of shelter from the wind as it was off our backs and with the high bank behind us made it was quite comfortable. However, we had a tree lined spit between us that extended out about 16 metres, so we couldn’t see each other but could still manage a chat. I must say I thought the peg more of a Carp peg that a Silvers peg, but I guessed it was pegged because of the shelter from the elements that it gave. I set up two Ronnie Rigs, one for fishing elasticated top set distance and the other a 4 metre whip. I also set up a Skimmer rig for 10 metres at 11-0-clock. The lake map promised me 8 foot of water, but only provided 6 foot (I shouldn’t buy anything down this way measured in feet and inches)!! As I thought Carp might be an issue, possibly effecting the Silver fishing I decided to fish ground bait over the Skimmer line (Carp tend not to like ground bait – especially the GB’s that have no fish meal content). I feed three Satsuma’s size balls through the cup. As I like the Skimmers to settle over the GB I started on the Caster and top set, which resulted in one ½ oz Ronnie. I then tried the 4 metre whip and found this very slow. So an earlier start on the Skimmers then! First put in and a 6lb Carp was soon stretching the hell out of my Skimmer rig. Umm!! Out again and I started to catch Skimmers in the 2-3oz bracket (what big eyes they have). In between I started to catch some good size Crucians on 3mm Pellet or caster. At the half way stage I started to top up through the Kinder pot, which kept the Skimmers and Crucians coming. I had a rest bite and came back on the top set and found that a few Ronnie’s had moved in, but I couldn’t make up my mind whether the Ronnie’s would weigh more than the Skimmers, even taking in to account it was much quicker on the Ronnie’s – difficult decision, but I was swayed to go back out on the Skimmers in case I caught more Crucians – which were going to be a real bonus today. I didn’t have any more carp trouble and finished the match with ten Crucians and a shed load of “peas in the pod blades”. I was amazed when I weighed 24lb 8oz achieving my target weight. This put me third overall and a pick up of £50.
The match was won by Tom Pallent (pictured right) with 34lb 3oz also from Woodpecker peg 34. Tim caught decent Skimmers to 2lb on chop worm or maggot hook bait over neat chop worm with a pinch of red maggot.
Bela weighed 11lb plus 4 Carp!!
Full Result:
- Tim Pallant 34-3-0 peg 34 Woodpecker (W)
- Steve Kedge 32-08-0 peg 32 Tanners (T)
- Mike Nicholls 24-08-0 peg 4 W
- Gary Webber 23-09-0 peg 5 T
- Adam Palmer 22-05-0 peg 26 W
- Darren Waite 20-09-0 peg 8 T
4 comments:
I expect you would have caught more on chopped worm Mike, but you're too tight to buy it!
i will second that
What's that now, 20 years you have been trying to sell me a Kilo!! Keep trying matey!!
you are the only customer i got who buys a kilo in installments
Post a Comment