Thursday 21/08/2014 - Viaduct Cost Cutter Open - Campbell and Carey

Although I had plenty on with the house I couldn't refuse an offer for a lift to the Viaduct Cost Cutter from matey Glenn Bailey. I know this seems ridiculous but I have been avoiding the venue due to the travelling and partly due to the vast quantities of Carp being caught with 300lb needed to win and 200lb to frame. At my old age I am happy winning with 100lb or less. These quantities of fish are best left to the young slayers.

Glenn and I had a really god breakfast at Canards Well. The regular Chef has left. Will be missed me thinks.

Another good turn out of 26 most of them Skivers me thinks!!

I didn't bring any casters but is I drew near a few Silvers I would purchase some from the shop. So into the coffee tin and out comes peg 110. I have been itching to get in this peg as it suits my style of fishing – margin busting.

Glenn drew peg 112 so wasn't far away. Certainly close enough for me to hear his 13 metre section blow up on one of his the paste strikes. Another £200 out of his holiday money.

Arriving at the peg it was oblivious there was plenty of Carp around so Silvers not an option today. I set up just the two paste rigs. Both 0.3 gram Silverfox PC paste floats. One with 0.22 straight through with 22 hollow elastic to be fished at 10 metres in line with the RH leg of the platform on peg 135. The other 0.18 with Middy blue bungee to be fish at 5 metre at 10 o clock. All well clear of the brambles!!

There was so many fish on display that I was concerned that I would have a day of foul hooking so decided to start on the short line with minimal hard 4’s feed. First put in on the paste and a 3lb carp nailed it on the drop from the kinder feed hard 4’s. I had a run of these small Carp on this line then switched to the longer line closer to the Brambles. This fishing is not for Tackle Tarts of the faint hearted. I love it. I pent the rest of the match giving no mercy to these small bloody strong Common Carp, still managing to loose a two to the Brambles. It wasn’t until the last hour that I started to catch the better stamp of fish to 10lb. There was so many fish that over feeding lead to foul hookers. I found the best pattern was to kinder hard 4’s and not feed until I caught.

In between the Carp I did have four Tench which went 8lb, adding to this my forty Carp weighing 183lb 10oz for a third overall 191lb 10oz. A very enjoyable day but now exhausted.

Glenn had to come short due to his earlier pole mishap which proved to be a blessing in disguise catching Carp short on meat!!!

The match was won by young gun Ben Hagg (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with a massive 373lb 10oz from peg 77. Ben initially used the straight lead at 17 metres using 8 mm pellet hook bait feeding about three pints of 8’s. He then switched to the pole at 16 metres shallow at 18 inches catching regularly to the end, Ben loose fed another 10 pints during this time.

The Silvers was won by Giles Cochran with 26lb 8oz from peg 78. Giles caught on expander over hard sixes.

Full Result:

1. Ben Hagg 373-10-0 peg 77
2. Lewis Greenwood 199-10-0 peg 118
3. Mike Nicholls 191-10- 0 Peg 110
4. John Guy 181-01-0 peg 115
5. Dave Romain 176-13-0 peg 114
6. Glenn Bailey 169-13-0 peg 112

Top Silvers:

1. Giles Cochran 26-08-0 peg 78
2. Paul Blake 25-06-0 peg 124
3. John Bradford 22-08-0 peg 119

Weigh Sheet: