Thursday 29/07/2010 - Carps AC Evening Series - Boyd Valley Lake - Round Six

A different approach was needed here today as there is no Silvers pool. However, that doesn’t mean a Carp only approach will get the most out of your peg. I was hoping for pegs 11, 12, 1, 2 or 3 as the wind was blowing that way. Not to be, as I pulled peg 8, well that will have to do then! With the water so low you now have to fish from the Lake bed. This is OK once you’re settled in the peg, but can be difficult shipping back. It was like being back on the river again. There was little to no sign of any fish feeding, umm. I set up two paste rigs, one for 3 metres half way up the inside shelf and ditto for 7metres down the shelf. I had to set up the usual Ronnie rig – just in case. As I had brought the pre made up small pellet waggler (2 ½ AAA) rod, I assembled it, this time without any tangles! However, the wind was blowing slightly too much for this to be a starter. I started by feeding a full pot of a mix of 4mm pellet and 8mm pellet (I discovered tonight that it takes about six years for pellet to start floating). I started on the Ronnie rig with caster hook bait fished over 4 mm hard pellet and as you would expect on this venue caught small Ronnie’s one a bung. I have learnt how to tell if Carp have infiltrated the swim, but after ½ hour no signs. So out on the longer line with paste expecting a few Skimmer to start with and was surprised to land two small 1 ½ Carp, I was then pestered by Ronnie’s – not recommended when using paste. I came back on the inside to try the paste and no sign of the Carp. Mike Jones on the next peg 7 was fishing the conventional waggler with pellet hook bait and had eight Chub. I decide to get my head down on the Ronnie rig, occasionally testing for Carp on the paste. On the three hour mark and with the wind dropping I grabbed the Waggler and with 8mm hard pellet, banded using the Mosella pellet grabbing thingy I had my first cast - where was the float – too much shot perhaps or something else? Well I was always told by Dad to always strike – just in case – which I did and had a Chub. Just like Mike I had nine chub in a row. I was enjoying this, it felt like being back on the river. I then foul hooked a Carp, landing a reasonable sized scale which went in the Silvers net. I then had a couple of Carp also loosing a decent one for pulling a little bit too hard. I then had a period of missing bites and all though my plan was to fish the last hour and half short on the paste I got preoccupied with the waggler, telling myself “one more cast” this cost me as it happens. It wasn’t until the last ¾ hour that I finally surrendered to the paste at 3 metres only to find the swim full of Carp. I had a torrid time foul hooking, loosing fish due to too much haste, the final straw being an Environment Agency Girl arriving 15 minutes before the end wanting to check my licence. I did manage eight decent Carp during this time – bloody waggler. I weighed 14lb 12oz of Silvers and 30lb 12oz of Carp for a total of 45lb 8oz for fourth overall, but most importantly a section win and 6 points edging out Bill Ferris by 3lb 4oz, so the Silvers made the difference for me again – it’s just a question of when to stop fishing for them.

Kev Dicks won the match again (six in a row) from his usual swim peg 6 with 66lb 8oz. I must give credit where credit is due; Kev caught most of his fish on the waggler. Now with six section wins Kev has won the series, leaving the rest of us to fight it out for the remaining places. Well done matey.

Mark Tanner on peg 5 landed one Mallard and one Moorhen before breaking his “Duck” with one Carp. Well done Donald.

I was talking to John “Turkey” Thompson at Cider Farm on Wednesday and he was telling me how his three close friends that fish the series had asked him to stand in for one of them to show them how to fish it (The Method). Well it looks as if it worked as Bob "MD" Feltham was runner up and John Baker (both pictured right having a cuddle in the dark) a close third. Even more important Phil “Pointless” Coulam managed one more point than usual – two. Better buy Turkey a pint!!

Full Result: (League pacing can be found on Carps AC Website)

1. Kev Dicks 66-08-0 peg 6
2. Bob Feltham 52-01-0 peg 2
3. John Baker 51-02-0 peg 1
4. Mike Nicholls 45-08-0 peg 8
5. Bill Ferris 42-04-0 peg 9
6. Tom Coulson 33-12-0 peg 11