Wednesday 06/04/2011 - Carps AC Plantation Winter League - Round Five

What a glorious day, wall to wall sunshine with temperatures in the high teens. I took the picture on the right of a Pansy in my garden because of the vivid yellow (never looks as good as the real thing).

Leyton suggested I get some sun on me to help the pains in my neck and back – I now have sun burn and still a bad neck!!

Off again to Plantation with Leyton “Fourth” (every time he takes me he comes fourth)! After our usual breakfast in Yatton Railway station we were off for a draw. In to the draw bag and out comes peg 12 - a corner peg – not usually good for Silvers. But what was really disheartening was to see Steve Kedge arrive on point peg 19 and Steve Dawson on peg 18, both in my section and both up my ass in the Silvers league, and both on better pegs. The optimist in me was hoping for them to share the fish allowing me to compete.

After I set up my usual Silvers rigs I walked round to Steve Dawson who showed me his catapult. Well, I have a picture of the “Sutton” Pult I now have a picture of the “Dawson” pult (pictured right). Two ends of the spectrum I think.

After feeding two balls of Skimmer GB at 10 metres I started on the usual Ronnie rig with caster hook bait over caster. I caught decent Rudd and Ronnie’s straight off, but was soon playing a 6lb Carp which broke me. New hook length and another Carp on - bugger. I pulled harder but as it was only 3lb 8oz it came in very easily – but it broke my float and trashed the rig. This really slowed me down as I had to change rigs and fish a different line to avoid the Carp. I had been feeding the RH margin with caster with the intent of catching some of the big Perch. I later tried it and lost a 3 pounder followed by netting two smaller ones. However, I did have two Decent Skimmers on this line which was a surprise and a bonus. With two hours gone I tried the Skimmer line which had been fizzing like hell since the start. I had three Skimmers over it with 3mm expander pellet but it wasn’t as productive as the Ronnie’s. So I stayed with them to the end chasing them around the extremities of my swim. I thought I had kept up with Steve Dawson but couldn’t tell what Steve Kedge had caught. I weighed 37lb 7oz. Steve Dawson 38lb 12oz and Steve Kedge 50lb – taking over my Silvers lake record – well done Steve. I make that 126lb of Ronnie’s over the 3 pegs and took the top three pools in the Silvers. With one match left I am still just in the lead. It is all down now to the last match which makes it all very interesting and will probably decided on weight which is usual in these small sections.

The match was won once again by Darren Vowles (pictured right with the Silvers winner - they look as if they have been in the pub all day) from peg 7 with 188lb. Darren caught the majority of his Carp on the pellet waggler with 8mm banded pellet fished over loose fed 8’s fished to the opposite island. Darren also caught some shallow on the pole; Darren fed 2 pints of 8’s and 2 pints of 6’s.

Full Result:

1. Darren Vowles 188-0-0 peg 7
2. John Dursley 125-14-0 peg 8
3. John Thompson 118-0-0 peg 29
4. Leyotn “Fourth” Palmer 115-12-0 peg 1
5. Ray Bazeley 81-0-0 peg 5
6. Paul Haines 77-12-0 peg 27

Top Silvers:

1. Steve Kedge 50-0-0 peg 19
2. Steve Dawson 38-12-0 peg 18
3. Mike Nicholls 37-07-0 peg 12
4. Mike Jones 34-0-0 peg 38