Sunday 10/06/2012 - Viaduct Open - Campbell Lake

Bela and I were back down to Viaduct for the Fishery Open on Campbell. However, it was touch and go whether Bela would go as his Dad was rushed to hospital on Saturday morning plus I left him in the pup chatting up a young pretty thing. Luckily Dad has improved and waiting for the results of tests and Bela only got a coffee out of the pretty thing – that’s what he told me!! After a breakfast in Woody’s it was in to the coffee tin – unusually last – and out comes a peg I seem to draw a lot 119. Happy with this although I had my doubts about the Silvers which was the species I was planning to target today. For company I had venue regular and expert Mash on peg 118 – up against it then.

Three lines chosen. RH margin at 5.5 metres (worm over caster), out in front also at 5.5 metres (meat over meat), 11.5 metres down towards the clump of grass at 11.5 metres (paste over hard 4’s).

On the whistle I loose fed some meat in to the in front line. A big pot of caster in to the margin and a few 4's at 11.5 metres. Starting on the meat I had a few small Skimmers and a flying Bream – happy days. I then pulled out of a Tench – bugger. The Carp then mooched in and I had six good-uns fishing on the drop, feeding through the kinder pot. The Ronnie’s then moved in adding just a few before I tried the margin. Throughout the match I fed 4 to 5 pints of borrowed old casters which produced one Tench, one Carp and one Ronnie, even though I kept trying it no more of this line. Out to the 11.5 metre paste rig and I had another run of Silvers before the Carp arrived landing another six of the blighters’. Out on the 6mm meat (more feed per tin) again and another few Skimmers and a couple of Tench, before the Carp again – a pattern forming me thinks. Having tries around the various lines again I decided to convert the meat line to paste by feeding a big pot of the lastest rubbery micro. This did result in a run of big Skimmers and another Tench – yes I spent the remainder of the match catch Carp.

My Silvers weighed in at 38lb and my 22 Carp 139lb 10oz for a total of 177lb 10oz. This unfortunately left me second in the Silvers and third overall. I did win the bank which was rewarding. On reflection if I had open yet another line I might have got the extra Silvers I needed and if I had focussed on the Carp I might have won the match – it’s all about making decisions. Nonetheless a great match.

The match was won by Phil Cardwell (pictured right with the Silvers winner) from spit peg 129 with 186lb 13oz. Phil initially caught “Bob the Bread” Style – popped up bread on the lead. Phil then switched to waggler and pole using hard pellet over loose fed pellet to keep the Carp coming.

The Silvers was won by Dave White from peg 112 with 46lb. Dave caught Bream using 8mm meat over loose fed 8mm meat in to his RH margin on his top set.

In recognition of the lads tons I listed all those that exceed this weight – today the list is long. I can’t prise this fishery enough.

Tony Rixon and I are running a Pole Only on Wednesday 20th June. Best book in early with Tony (01179517250) or at Viaduct on (01458274022) as I suspect it will be a sale out.

Full Result:

1.      Paul  Caudwell 186-13-0 peg 129

2.      Mark Wynne 185-13-0 peg 123

3.      Mike Nicholls 177-10-0 peg 119

4.      Dave White 162-0-0 peg 112

5.      Paul Blake 154-14-0 peg 114

6.      Gary O’Shea 149-0-0 peg 126

7.      Mash 143-02-0 peg 118

8.      Bela Bakos 120-06-0 peg 128

9.      Nicky Ewers 120-04-0 peg 116

10. Liam (clockspring) Bartlett 107-04-0 peg 130

Top Silvers:

1.      Mark Wynne 46-0-0 peg 112

2.      Mike Nicholls 38-0-0 peg 119

3.      Mash 31-08-0 peg 118