Sunday 14/03/2010 - Landsend Individual League - Round Seven

As it has warmed up slightly I was able to leave off the “Woolly Bear”. But the North Westerly wind was still a bit sharp (this is the same wind and direction that spoiled last summer). You wouldn’t want this wind blowing in to you today!!

It was my turn on Specimen Lake. I didn’t mind which peg I drew so long as it wasn’t a corner peg. Out came peg 32 – a corner peg and the wind into the face at 10-0-clock. Nick Collier and Anton “New Blog” said the peg should be good for a few Silvers – Ronnie’s and Perch. However, if I fished long (these boys mean 17+ metres when the talk long) I could expect to catch Carp – short and Silvers it was then. I set up three rigs; 1–4x14 Jolly at 13 metres pointing directly at the point of the island in open water for Skimmers and F1’s; 1-4x14 Jolly set just down the shelf into the end margin at 7 metres for the Perch and anything else that might want caster. Only because I had time I set up a 4x12 Jolly at 14.5 metres again in to the end margin up to the overhanging tree for Carp. I was hoping not to fish this rig because the wind was too gusting (the real reason was that Rod Wotton was opposite me on peg 33 and I didn’t expect to beat him on Carp off our draws – and I didn’t)! I started by feeding 30 or so casters on the 7 metre line, followed up with half a pot of Micro with a few casters on the 13 meters line. I followed this up half heartedly by feeding half a pot of 4mm hard pellet with a few grains of corn at 14.5 metres. I started on the 7 metres with double caster and had indication straight away – followed by a 2 oz Ronnie. I swapped to a single caster and had a long run of Perch to 10 oz and Ronnie’s to 3 oz. I kept topping up with caster through the kinder pot – but did try dump feeding caster, which wasn’t so productive for some reason. I kept the small Silvers coming for the first two hours when the Perch dried up. So out on the 13 metre line with 3mm expander – three put-ins and three 2oz Ronnie’s, as the wind was so strong I decided to throw this line away and open a new one at 7 metre to my left away from the end margin with potted micro pellet and caster. Whilst this settled I went out on the 14.5 metre line with corn for about two minutes, the wind was stronger than me. Apparently this is the first tome Rod Wotton had seen my Butt – but not for long!! Out on the new 7 metre line and I kept Ronnie’s coming until three minutes from time when I hooked and landed a 6lb 11oz Common Carp on caster. My Silvers weighed in at 26lb 12oz, giving a total of 33lb 70z for first in the lake Silvers, second in section and lake third for a pick up of £45. Throughout the match I fed half of pint of immature casters.


A different sort of flyer this week. My pole roller blew over in the wind and in my rush to get it back up again I forgot about the Polish trip wires (Mike Ducketts say's there for Otters - but we know differently). Any way I went a "flyer" in to the bushes. I was only glad not to land on my pole.

The lake was won as expected by Rod Wotton (pictured right with the largest of his Carp) from peg 33 with 72lb 5oz of Carp to 14lb. This also put Rod runner up overall to Vince Shipp who won the match with 91lb 1oz from peg 13. Vince caught seven Tench for 29 lb and the rest of his weight made up of Carp.

Full Result:

1. Vince Ship 91-01-0 peg 13
2. Rod Wotton 72-05-0 peg 33
3. Tony Rixon 69-10-0 peg 42 (again)
4. Nick Duckett 66-11-0 peg 16
5. Mark Popplewell 52-0-0 peg 21
6. Dave Westcott 46-08-0 peg 68

Top Silvers:

1. Vince Shipp 29-02-0 peg 13
2. Mike Nicholls 26-12-0 peg 32
3. Tim Clark 19-12-0 peg 26