Wednesday 02/03/2011 - Carps AC - Bitterwell Lake

I was in two minds whether to go today, primarily because of the cold North Easterly wind, plus I had a match Thursday. Anyway I woke at 06:30 so decided to get up and get on with it even though the temperature had fallen to 2 degrees.

On arrival I was surprised to find a good turn out of 13 anglers. Because of the wind direction Steve Dawson suggest that the car park bank should be pegged instead of the road side. Good idea. I drew peg 2 which luckily enough out of the wind, between Stu Foale’s and Colin Golding on peg 1.

After my lesson on feeding during the last match on this venue at the moment I decided to fish for the Roach rather than go for the resident Skimmers and feed very carefully. I set up a 5 metre whip and my Ronnie rig to be fished as far as I could without unshipping which was 9 metres. I started by kinder potting in three maggots and twelve casters. Even after this small amount of feed I had to wait 15 minutes for my first ½ oz Perch! I then had my one and only Skimmer of about 1 ½ lb. I kept kinder potting a similar amount of bait regular and I irregularly caught Ronnie’s to 12 oz. I didn’t get any of the usual small Ronnie’s which is normally the case. I kept the better fish coming through out the match, catching the one Skimmer, twenty five Ronnie’s and two micro Perch for 14lb 3oz. This put my first overall and first in the Silvers.

John Smith came down to see how I was catching and soon realised that he had fed far too much – similarly, another lesson learnt.

I could see the anglers opposite shivering whilst we on the sheltered bank were sweating, albeit the sun was reflecting very bright in our faces off the mirrored surface of the lake.

Runner up was Chris Davis (pictured right with the biggest Carp of only two caught) with a late 8lb Carp added to his Silvers gave him 13lb 7oz.

Pictured right collecting his winnings from the Legend is Steve Jefferies who was third overall but picking up by default in the Silvers with 10lb 10oz.

Full Result:

1. Mike Nicholls 14-03-0 peg 2
2. Chris Davis 13-07-0 peg 15
3. Steve Jefferies 10-10-0 peg 13
4. Steve Dawson 8-08-0 peg 14
5. Bill Ferris 6-05-0 peg 9
6. Andy Gard 5-15-0 peg 4

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 14-03-0 peg 2
2. Steve Dawson 8-08-0 peg 14