Sunday 26/04/2015 - Ivy House Open - Match Lake

As we decided last year not to fish the Viaduct Spring League we thought we would see if Ivy House Lakes had come out of its winter slumber. We both like this venue – me the fishing, Bela the grub served up by Karen.

Looking around the venue both Karen and Andy are still improving the fishery and environment we fish in. I particularly liked how Karen’s garden is developing.

Whilst waiting for the draw Dean Malin rang in – over slept!

I looked through the last few results and peg 40 stood out head and shoulders for the Silvers – can I draw it. Unfortunately not, Mike Etheridge who was one in front of me drew it. However, in I went and out comes peg 42, happy with the peg for the Silvers. Bela drew end peg 14.

I set up four rigs an unusual amount for me – probably because I hadn’t been here for a while. The rigs consisted of a Ronnie rig, a 4x12 Jolly for the LH margin with caster, a Paste rig for also in the RH margin (this rig only got a couple of quick outings), and the most important rig a 4x14 Jolly to be fished at top set plus three plus one section behind as ballast out on front into the dark water.

At the same time that I started on the on the 4x14 Jolly I started to lightly feed the margin with caster. There was plenty of fish in the margin which were spawning - mostly Ronnie’s. First put in with 4 mm semi hard 4mm pellet over kinder micro I hooked a Common Carp in the mouth which decided it would behave like a Trout, jumping out the water twice which was enough for it to shed the hook. I then had a 1 ½ lb Tench followed by a run of small Skimmers to 1lb then a decent 3lb Skimmer. Following this I had a hectic forty five minutes hooking Carp to 8lb landing only four with two platforming me and two foul hookers breaking my hook length!! After this things settled down and I had three more big Skimmers. I then foul hooked another Carp and as I was eager to try the Ronnie rig I fed the line and had a go in the margin. It was soon clear that although there were plenty of Silvers around they weren’t in the feeding mood, I was getting plenty of liners. I did have another two big Skimmers losing two foul hookers because due to using too heavy elastic which I soon changed. And as usually happens I hooked a big Carp (which I thought and hoping was another big Skimmer) on the caster which after a torrid fight broke me – bugger. I added another 3lb of Silvers - mostly Perch before I went back our of the longer line catching another big Skimmer before I was once again waiting for  foul hooked Carp to break the hook length.

I finished the match with four Carp for 20lb 8oz and 23lb 6oz of Silvers for a Silvers win (pictured upper right with my net of Silvers) and a double bubble pick up with a third overall of 43lb 4oz. I think Andy gets the payouts right.

The match was won by one of the original Swindon Talisman Val (pictured right with the Silvers winner - totaling a 130 years) from peg 46 with 51lb 6oz. Although Val caught some Carp long on pellet he caught the lion share down his RH margin using maggot hook bait over potted maggot.

Both Bela and I had a good day, its fair to say that the fishery is on the up especially once the Silvers have stopped spawning.

Full Result:

1. Valentine 51-06-0 peg 46
2. Joe Thompson 51-02-0 peg 5
3. Mike Nicholls 43-04-0 peg 42
4. Sticky 41-04-0 peg 34
5. Red 40-04-0 peg 9
6. Dick Young 39-04-0 peg 1

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 23-06-0 peg 42
2. Gary Davis 20-0-0 peg 36
3. Joe Thompson 16-02-0 peg 5

Weigh Sheet: