20/12/2015 - Harescombe Christmas Match - Match and Field Lakes

Off to our first Christmas match of the year. Bela had a hangover so I drove to Harescombe. It was like being with a girl driving instructor – back seat drivers, I only stalled twice.

A good turn out of 35 anglers, 19 on Match Lake and 16 on Field Lake where we all thought the winner would come from. In to the draw bag ably held by Andy Price’s Granddaughter and out comes peg 29 – double take on this one as it’s a peg I haven’t drawn yet and was looking forward to it although it has an up and down history, but last Thursday Tony Rixon won off it. Bela drew just a couple a pegs away on peg 2. For company on peg 30 was Andy Taylor.

I set up the usual 4x14 Jolly which after plumbing around found that the deepest part was at the tail end of the flow from the stream weir which was running quite hard. However, after marking the depth I reduced the depth by 8 inches to fish out in front at top-set plus one which also suited the depth at 10 metres aimed towards the overflow pipe. The other rig was a 4x10 Yoof to fish down the RH side and at 10 metres at 30 inches depth, one metre away from the side end bank. I really wasn’t sure how to loose feed as both the flow and the uneven depth was a conundrum.

I stated at 10 metres with the Jolly using 6mm meat over potted micro. It took a while to catch my first fish a 1lb F1. Being an active angler I dumped this line probably too early in favour of the closer line with double maggot over loose fed maggot. This produce loads of bites, unfortunately mainly Ronnie’s and Gudgeon. Just the one F1 from this line and even though I stayed faithful to this line it didn’t yield anymore decent fish. I was now in struggling mode so fed some maggot on the 10 metres Yoof line and tried RH inside line with double maggot where I had been dripping in maggot, again nothing just Gudgeon. Out on the long Yoof line and first drop in a 2lb Chub followed by a couple of small stocky Mirrors. From observation the Match Lake was fishing hard. I reset the Jolly to full depth and tried trotting from the weir, loose feeding maggot onto the weir allowing the float to drag out to full depth. This was the most productive line, catching the odd F1 but mostly Stockies. I stayed here for the remainder on the match. I must say it was weird catching Carp in running water – my first time.

I finished the match with 20lb 9oz for about halfway which earned a box of biscuits and some beers which were soon devoured by Bela and me in Bar-Gar-Age.

Bela did well from his peg catching 24lb 15oz and a Lake pick-up.

The match was won by Stuart Graham (pictured upper right being presented with his hamper and brace of Pheasants by match organiser Andy Price) with 61lb 10oz from Filed Lake. Stuart caught on the pole at 10 metres using maggot hook bait fish over potted caster and maggot at full depth.

Results and Weigh Sheets: