Sunday 14/11/2010 - Carps AC Autumn Silvers League - Viaduct Fishery - Round Five

Bela and I stopped at Budgens for breakie, 1 ½ breakfast baguettes each – scrummy. Unfortunately the drinks machine was broke again, so we had to wait until we got to Viaduct before we had a wet. The BBC weather people are now really pissing me off, forecast the odd light shower --- and it rained all day with the occasion heavy down pour!!! I was surprised to find that we were to fish a full six hour match finishing in the dark and cold at 16:15 – too late for me.

Once I had heard that Spring Lake was to have three sections I was sure I would draw either pegs 2 or 3. these pegs seem to stick to my hand. And out comes peg 3!! I have yet to fish Campbell in this league. I was told by Steve and Paul that pegs 1, 2 and 3 were fished the day before and all caught Ronnie’s up to 1 ½ lb, with 25 lb being the highest weight – lovely me thinks, that will do me. I set up two Ronnie whips – 4 metre and 3 metre to solely fish the caster, plus a 4x12 Jolly with a yellow tip to fish just in to the dark zone for Skimmers at 11.5 metres. On the whistle I cupped in three Tangerine balls of GB laced with live Pinkies on the Skimmer line. I started by fishing the 3 metre whip shallow with single caster over loose fed caster and immediately had a swirly indication – umm some Ronnie about then - under the float goes and I am latched into Carp which I hung to for 1 minute in case it was a 10lb Ronnie, that was until it broke me!!! Tried the 4 metre whip at full depth, but with no further indications I gave up on the Ronnie’s. Out to 11.5 metre with double dead red and I caught twenty or so small Skimmers (2 to 4 oz). After an hour the swim completely died, so out with some more Pinkie laced GB. But it really didn’t turn it back on – I wish now I had fed more at the start. Looking around my section no one was catching. So the only option left for me was to set up the waggler. I knew it would be important to keep the loose feed tight so decided to fed six casters regularly for accuracy (any more casters would flare off in all directions). I fished double dead red on the hook and had an 8oz Skimmer first cast so I upped the feed, which was a mistake as I hooked and landed a 10 lb Carp. I eased off the feed and kept the odd Skimmer coming to the end. I reckon I had 5lb on the pole, with a similar amount coming on the waggler. I weighed 10lb 5oz (no Ronnie’s) for a section win and 10th overall.

By the time the all out was sounded it was so dark and the only thing I could see was Chris Davis on peg 20 with his fluorescent coat on!!

The Silvers van went home happy (£120 happy) as Bela also won his section from peg 9 with 14lb 3oz (nearly 10lb clear of runner up Mark Broomsgrove). Oh yes Bela broke his pole again (no six section this time) I will have to get some special foam gloves for him.

The match was won by Matt Parsons (pictured right) from peg 19 with 33lb 11oz. Matt caught the majority of his Skimmers on the pole fishing caster, maggot or pinkie over GB – FI and Gimps Gold. Matt occasionally rested his pole line by adopting the waggler off the end of the island, picking up the odd bigger Skimmer with a smattering of Carp!!

Isn’t it amazing, Spring Lake was drained down, fish removed, dredged out and refilled with water and the same fish, only for them all to return to the same pegs.

Full Result:
1. Matt Parsons 33-11-0 peg 19
2. Steve Jackson 22-07-0 peg 127
3. Rich Coles 19-06-0 peg 123
4. Steve Long 16-13-0 peg 18
5. Chris Davis 16-0-0 peg 20
6. Nigel Easton 15-11-0 peg 128