Saturday 24/03/2012 - Paul Garrett Memorial Open Match - Viaduct Fishery - Campbell, Carey and Lodge Lakes

Bela and I were hoping to fish this match subject to Bela having a day off work, and that’s how it was. We arrived early at the fishery after the usual Breakfast at Canards Well. Due to the good response Campbell, Carey and Lodge were in the draw box. Beal drew peg 85 on Carey and for myself I was on 113 on Campbell. As I only had the pole it was going to be difficult to win coin in either the Silvers or Carp. However, I was hoping for a days fishing at 11. 5 metres, which took me, level with the platforms each side of me as 113 is set right back and perhaps some Munters later down the LH margin. I set up one of my new Sensas SA2 – “The Stainey” 4x14 floats with 0.18 main line and 0.14 bottom and low and behold it did was in said on the body, taking 4x14 shot – unusual these days. I also set up a paste float for the margin. However, I wasn’t convinced this was going to with today as the water was so clear in close, certainly much clearer than Carey which looked decidedly murky.

I had decided on a soft pellet attack fished over a kindered hard 4’s and wetted micro. Whilst shipping out for the first time, I noticed that Tom Mangnall on peg 128 was in to his first fish as was most on the anglers on the opposite bank – most being caught on the lead. It wasn’t long before there was only a few of us left on the pole. I wasn’t far behind as I hooked a Carp first put in only for the elastic to break taking the whole lot – new float and all. I can’t understand this as it is only two years old – I might complain to the tackle shop on Monday! So I reset up with a 4x14 Jolly and Next put in I hooked another Carp only to get “Platformed” losing my hook length, how frustrating, particularly as it’s the smallest platform on the venue!!

Josh Garrett on next peg 114 was catching well on the lead and I was really hoping he would win today – how fitting would that have been.

For the next half hour or so I did land five 8lb Carp. After which I had three Tench and a few Skimmers – happy days – not long lived as my regular kinder potting brought another two small Carp. So in to the margin and as expected it really didn’t work as there is very little cover left there now and another two very small Carp on paste. For the remaining three hours I relay struggled adding very little to the whole.

It was clear that the Lake was fishing its head off with Carp coming out all over. There are many of us that begrudge giving up the pellet for the Viaduct Winter League, but it certainly rest the fish resulting in a right “Duffers Fortnight with over 20 ton weights today. But not me, my Silvers was a lowly 12lb 2oz and my few Carp 61lb 10oz fro a no so grand total of 73lb 12oz, but still a days fishing by many standards

Unfortunately Josh didn’t quite catch enough for overall win that was left to Tom Mangnall with 229lb 6oz. However, Josh (pictured right landing one of his Carp on the pole) did frame in fifth spot with 171lb 3oz. Most if not all of the fish fell to hard banded pellet fished over pellet.

The Silvers was won by Steve Jackson (pictured right) with a respectable weight of 60lb 10oz of mostly Skimmers caught short, again of hard banned 6mm pellet fished over loose fed 6’s.

Full Result:

1.      Tom Mangnall 229-06-0 peg 128

2.      Ray Hayward 190-15-0 peg 119

3.      Dan Squires 179-02-0 peg 132

4.      Gary Mewdell 171-14-0 peg 112

5.      Josh Garrett 171-03-0 peg 114

6.      Roy 159-14-0 peg 99

Top Silvers:

1.      Steve Jackson 60-10-0 peg 126

2.      Martin Preston 35-12-0 peg 94

3.      Nigel Bartlett 31-08-0 peg 110

4.      James Cooper 25-04-0 peg 56