Wednesday 23/02/2011 - Carps AC Plantation Winter League - Round Two

I travelled with Leyton Palmer today and I can confirm that he is a much better angler than he is a driver. I was amazed we got to the draw at all especially after nearly getting totalled by a lorry. After my car sickness had subsided I had a Plantation breakfast sandwich for the first and last time I was left with heart burn all day. Not a good start which surely can only get better. It was extremely mild with the temperature in low double figures, the penalty of this was that it rained on and off all match.

Colin Golding doesn’t miss many matches but did today, because he was off to the hospital for a check up.

With twenty one pegs in I didn’t mind where I drew. Third in to the draw bucket and out comes peg 25. Interestingly it stated on the top of the draw card “Island chuck”. That wasn’t going to happen, but I was pleased because the anglers around me who also had an island chuck might leave the Silvers alone and keep the Carp well away from me.

I set up one Skimmer rig (a 4x14 - PB14 body with a heavier wire stem and plastic bristle taking 4x12’s) to be fished at 11.5 metres and three Ronnie rigs; one for shallow at 6 meters, one for 7 metres at depth and one for the top set. The latter didn’t get used because the Ronnie’s weren’t keen to come that close, probably because the colour had fallen out somewhat since last match. The shallow rig was a nightmare because it was nearly impossible to hit the bites. So I was down to the two rigs. I started by feeding three balls of Skimmer based GB at 11.5 metres. Starting on the 7 metre rig and caught Ronnie’s to 12 oz on the caster over loose fed caster. However, they weren’t exactly throwing themselves on the hook, appearing to be shying away from the feed. So after an hour I went out on the Skimmer line with 3mm expander pellet and before the float cocked properly it started to move through the water on the strike I had foul hooked a 3lb Skimmer which came off at the net. Next put in the same again – bugger 6lb down the drain. The swim then settled and I had a Skimmer a bung to 1lb most being in the 4 to 6 oz band. I re-fed and back on the Ronnie’s for another hour then back out for the Skimmers again. I repeated this one more time and kept the Silvers coming to the end. With no Carp – yippee – I weighed 31lb 12oz of Silvers which put me 7th overall and first in the Silvers.

With only one set of scales it took Ray “Brother” Bazeley and Paul Haines (pictured above weighing in peg 8) some time – well done lads at least I could read the result sheet this time.

The match was won by venue expert Darren Vowles (pictured right) with 103lb 10 oz from peg 27. Darren caught 25 Carp and one Chub employing the GB method feeder with banded pellet fished to the end of the second island. Darren used the new Japanese GB - Marakyn – very expensive apparently so I won’t be buying any!!

With Cider Farm closing Carps AC are now fishing their Autumns Wednesday League at Plantation – good choice.

Full Result:

1. Darren Vowles 103-10-0 peg 27
2. Chris Davis 45-12-0 peg 8
3. Dave Wride 33-08-0 peg 5
4. Leyton Palmer 33-08-0 peg 31
5. John Dursley 32-13-0 peg 28
6. Steve Dawson 32-11-0 peg 39

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 31-12-0 peg 25
2. Chris Davis 22-06-0 peg 8
3. Steve Kedge 21-12-0 peg 11
4. Mike Jones 21-0-0 peg 1