Wednesday 31 March 2010

Wednesday 31/03/2010 - Carps AC - Cider Farm - Shepherd's Lake

Plenty of FRESH Sea air today, back to ten layers of clothing. Gale force, freezing North Westerly wind. The air temperate was 4 degrees all day, but feeling more like zero. Rain, hale stones the lot. The man of the match was undoubtedly Dave Bacon who managed sixth with the wind directly in his face.

How lucky can you be I wanted either peg 13 or 14 so was pleased to draw peg 13 again. However the conditions were totally different. The water had coloured up to a greyish colour, similar to the local clay. Luckily the wind was blowing over my left shoulder (thats why I wanted to draw around this part of the Lake) so not in the face today. I set up three rigs; 1 – 1 gram Jolly at 3 metres out in front in 9 foot of water; 1 – 4x14 Jolly for the LH margin for corn in 6 foot of water; and a Gerry of Nottingham Corn and Paste float for the paste in to the RH margin. I started by cupping in a small amount of corn and caster in to the LH margin and a pot of 50/50 wetted micro and caster out in front at 4 metres, I also started to sparingly loose feed some wetted 4mm pellets in to the RH margin. Starting out in front with 3mm expander on the hook I had a small Tench (1lb 8oz). Then nothing so tried double caster, then double red maggot nothing, Umm. On went a piece of corn and whilst pulling it up the slope it sailed away and a 2lb Skimmer was in the Mossella net. I kept on the corn and had a run of Skimmers, but re-fed using wetted micro compressed with a ground bait punch so I could get it to the bottom quicker, preventing the fish intercepting the feed up in the water. I also started loose feeding the 4mm wetted pellet on this line. This kept the odd Skimmer coming. It was now two hours into the match and no one had caught a Carp. So I decided to try the LH margin (this is where I caught the 80lb last match here). However, the wind was blowing the 5 foot high Sedges over in to the Lake and it was difficult to get close in, it also meant I had to turn my left cheek in to the wind. On first put in there was a gust of wind which took my glasses off and dumped them in the lake at 2 metres. I had a spare pair in the car but I couldn’t be bothered, I can just about see corn enough to hook it. On the second put in I had a bite which I missed. Out again a small Rudd took the corn but couldn’t hold on long enough for me to land it. I was subsequently pestered by small fish. Back out on the Skimmers and another couple found their way in to the net. Due to the bad weather it was decided to reduce to match to 5 ½ hours (thank Goodness). So with an hour to go I decided to see if my investment of 4mm wetted pellet would pay off. On went the paste and first put in I hooked and got broke by a Carp. Went for a walk down to Bob Price whilst I ate my Banana Bob had caught four Skimmers and three Carp – I believed this to be the best weight. I returned to my peg feeling a lot colder. I decided to stay on the paste and caught two Carp before the end, one I estimated to be 8lb. My Skimmers weighed in at 12lb 7oz for first in the Silvers, with my Carp weighing 10lb 7oz, giving a total of 22lb 14 for first overall and a pick up of £45.

Runner up overall was Bob Price with Andy Gard (pictured right) taking the Silvers by default. I think Bill Ferris was disappointed with himself for loosing out to Andy by a mere 3oz, especially off the next peg.

Full Result:

1. Mike Nicholls 22-14-0 peg 13
2. Bob Price 17-04-0 peg 10
3. Andy Gard 11-07-0 peg 9
4. Bill Ferris 11-04-0 peg 9
5. Colin Golding 9-0-0 peg 14
6. Dave Bacon 7-04-0 peg 18

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 12-07-0 peg 13
2. Andy Gard 11-07-0 peg 10
3. Bill Ferris 11-04-0 peg 9 (Just 3oz Bill)

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