Saturday 07/05/2011 - Hillview Open

I had a phone call Friday afternoon from son Steve inviting me to Hillview. I must say I was feeling tired so initially declined. However, the Special One talked me into it. So as Steve was driving I decide to go.

After breakfast I was looking around the Café and spotted two poems by a Mr. W. Urm. Keith said that he was regular pleasure angler at the venue; however, Mr. Urm passed away aged 97 last week. I understand he was also an artist and like to paint from photographs. To celebrate his life I thought I would publish two of his angling poems – below left and right in his own hand (clich on then to expand).

Keith put both Moorhen and Heron Lakes in the draw and I was nearly last to draw as I was chatting again! Out comes peg 4 on Moorhen. I wasn’t disappointed even though it’s a corner peg because the last time I fished it I won the match with a ton plus. I couldn’t remember how I fished it, but do remember beating Darren Gillman off the next peg. Steve drew on the same Lake with peg 12, another decent peg.

I set up a 4x14 rig to fish 5 metres with 3mm expander pellet over hard 4’s with a dash of micro and a paste rig for the LH margin towards the end and Aerator. Trevor Chalk tried to convince me to fish at 13 metres over the Aerator ROPE! – Suicide I think. I started at five metres by kinder potting in some pellet and soon had a small 3lb Carp. I followed this up with a few F1’s (I like these fish but it’s a pity their dorsal fins catch in the nets). After a few Skimmers the swim dried up a tad. I really couldn’t work out the feeding and after 2 ½ hours had about 20lb. The Lake appeared to be fishing hard. After trying the close margin swim to no avail where I had been feeding hard 4’s since the start. I decided to not waste a pint of ageing casters I had in my bait bag, so set up a short light rig. First put in I had a 5lb Carp followed next cast by a 3 pounder – got it cracked then. I then had a 3lb Skimmer, then the Perch moved in and it was one a bung. I reckon they were at least five to the pound. I kept on this catching the odd Skimmer and big Ronnie in between the Perch. I was enjoying this and I reckon I had now increased my weight to 50lb. I really wanted to carry on with it but knew I needed some of the bigger species to ensure some pay back. So reluctantly I went to the long margin swim which I hadn’t so far fed. So down with the paste with hard 4’s in the kinder pot and in the last hour I had six biggish Carp to 10lb. In the last 15 minutes for unknown reasons I lost three more through the hook pulling out. I weighed 85lb 7oz for a Lake win and fourth overall.

The match was won by Martyn Howard (pictured right) with 129lb 6oz from peg 28. Martyn caught at 5 metres with meat feeding three tins and the straight lead with pellet.

Steve finished with 68lb just missing out on a section win having a day of foul hookers as did many others.

Full Result:

1. Martyn Howard 129-06-0 peg 28
2. Chris Phillips 102-12-0 peg 22
3. Steve Delbear 92-04-0 peg 24
4. Mike Nicholls 85-07-0 peg 4
5. Arthur Hicks 83-05-0 peg 10
6. Neville Groves 79-13-0 peg 32