Friday 02/04/2010 - Viaduct Pole Only Open - All Lakes

My son mark was planning to go camping in the Lake District over the Easter weekend, but because of the atrocious weather he decided to visit home instead. So I cancelled my Sunday Match. But knowing I would need a “fix” before the weekend I booked in to fish the Viaduct Pole only on Good Friday. Well it was my Birthday.

I wasn’t surprised that this match was well attended, with nearly 70 fishing. I believe this was only partly due to it being a bank holiday but primarily because it was pole only – which was the reason I booked in. I know Steve and Paul mix and match a variety of formats on their Lakes – pairs, silvers, etc…but for me today’s format and payouts were spot on.

Bela and I started the morning with a breakfast in the public toilets on the A38. Well it use to be public toilets, now converted in to a small café (12 seats) – It’s been named the Airport Café. We rated the breakfast - below average.

The matches are; draw 10 am fish 11-30 to 17-30. I much rather see a 9 am draw, especially today as my son’s were taking me out for a curry. So it was to be a rush to get home – thanks to Bela I arrived home spot on the planned time of 19-45.

I drew peg 98 on Carey. I wasn’t unhappy about the draw but would have preferred one of the Silvers (Greens) swims on Campbell. At least I had the wind off my back. Peg 98 has some Silvers form – mainly Skimmers/Bream. However, it tends to be a lead/waggler peg for the Carp. On the other hand peg 96 is a very good Skimmer peg, so not far way then. I wanted a Carp slayer to be on the peg really – but that was buggered when Nick Collier arrived and put his kit on it, at least he wasn’t in my section. Two pegs the other way on peg 100 Des Shipp arrives, which was in my section. I set up three rigs; 1 – Ronnie rig for four metres with caster, I thought the water to be a bit clear for this and I was right; 1 – 4x14 Jolly to be fished at 13 metres at 1-o-clock where I had a slim chance of seeing my red topped float in all the changing, reflected background colours. I also set up a paste float to fish over the same line. I started by cupping in 125ml of wetted micro at 13 metres and started loose feed caster at 4 metres by hand. I started on 3 mm expander and started to catch small 3 oz Skimmers – as did most around me. I then caught a “double” Carp, followed quickly by a 3 lb Tench. I had started kinder potting in some wetted 4mm pellet and subsequently foul hooked a Carp which straightened my hook. My swim died for a while, but having stopped feeding I had another run of 3 – 6oz Skimmers. As expected I could see Nick catching bigger Skimmers up to 1lb and so was Des. Both I and Gary O’Shea on next peg 99 had similar weights of Silvers. However my swim had died again. As I didn’t think I would catch Nicky or Des on the Silvers I made the decision to fish paste for Carp and go for a section win or outside chance of a frame, especially as the angler on peg 97 had caught a couple of Carp and no Silvers. The wind made it difficult to present the paste, particularly when the lake towed. However, I soon had a 2lb Skimmer and hooked another Carp which I played for some while, only for the hook to pull free with the landing net in my hand. The fish in Carey are renowned for being big as my next Carp proved; it was getting close to 20lb if not over. I do get bored whilst playing Carp of this size, but I was really careful with this one, having learnt the lesson with the previous one. With half hour to go the Carp had moved over my 4 mm wetted pellet and I landed another two decent Carp, one on the whistle. My four Carp weighed in at 41lb 3oz and the Silvers 13lb 4oz for a total weight of 54lb 7oz. This put me 10th in the match and a section win and a pick up of £50. The Carp I lost cost me a framing position. The lesson on Carey is to take your time with these fish as you don’t need many to frame – lesson learnt.

The match was won by Clint Wojtyla (pictured right) with 118lb 3oz from peg 127. Clint caught initially at 5 metres with soft pellet over loose fed 6mm pellet then later switching to 14 metres where caught the loins share, fishing banded 6mm, again fished over 6mm pellet. Clint fed about 2 pints throughout the match.

The Silver weights surprised me as the Greens on Campbell Lake didn’t really feed. It only took 38lb 14 oz to win the Silvers, which was again surprising to find it came from peg 70 on Lodge by Dave Campbell (pictured right). Dave fished hard banded pellet for a good net of sizable Skimmers.

Full Result:

1. Clint Wojtyla 118-03-0 peg 127
2. Jamie Smith 98-12-0 peg 126
3. Dan Williams 86-5-0 peg 94
4. Phil Cardwell 83-0-0 peg 85
5. Matt Parsons 74-02-0 peg 77
6. Dave Campbell 64-06-0 peg 70

Top Silvers:

1. Dave Campbell 38-14-0 peg 70
2. Nick Collier 33-02-0 peg 96
3. Des Shipp 31-02-0 peg 100
4. Paul Homewell 28-09-0 peg 119