Sunday 27/03/2016 - Windmill Fishery Open - Match Lake

I Travelled with Bela today so we breakfasted in the Beefeater. Bela was a bit miffed because I was given a much bigger than him and with a buffet breakie that can be important to some.

The weather conditions were forecast as bloody awful – heavy rain and high winds. Well we certainly had the high winds but little rain.

In to the draw box and out came wooden counter 18. The opposite end to where I wanted to be as the top pegs would have the wind off their backs. My peg was getting the wind effects full blast. The peg is surrounded by 3 inches of black mud which smelled some what, which necessitated carefully placing my tackle to avoid the worse of it. That didn’t stop my bib and brace getting messed up. Some cleaning up tomorrow.

I knew as soon as I got to the peg that the pole was no way going to win the match – the lead would be the way to go. However, I can’t fish this way so I had to try and make the float and pole work. I set up a heavier float than normal a 4x16 Jolly to fish at either top-set plus one or two in four foot of water. Before the start I ran the float through on the shorter line and found it moving against the wind at about 3 inches a second, plus waves of up to 8 inches to contend with. Not good. I started at top-set plus one with 4mm semi-hards on the hook over wetted micro and after 15 minutes caught and landed a 5lb Mirror Carp. I remained biteless for the next 45 minutes so decided to move out to top-set plus two where the tow was a tad less but the waves bigger. Same hook bait and feed. I remained on the line for the rest of the match feeding the occasional pot of micro (which I wasn’t sure where it was landing , if at all) and catching the odd small Skimmer and adding one more Carp a Mirror this time. The wind conditions were so bad that I could feel the number 4 section compressing in my hands. I did miss a lot of bites from the small Skimmers which was a tad frustrating. I was glad to hear the whistle.

My two Carp weighed 11lb 8oz and my Silvers 3lb 2oz for a total of 14lb 10oz for fourth overall.

Runner up Jon Clark was sporting his new Diawa pole and dinked the number seven section on a metal bank side post (what’s that doing there I ask). Jon was devastated. Unlucky matey.

The match was won by Steve Jefferies with 31lb 15oz from peg 11. See the video below where Steve explains how he caught.

Andy Gard won the Silvers with 5lb from peg 26. Andy caught on maggot over maggot.

Full Result:

1. Steve Jefferies 31-15-0 peg 11
2. Jon Clark 30-06-0 peg  28
3. Dave Willmott 26-08-0 peg 24
4. Mike Nicholls 14-10-0 peg 18

Top Silvers:

1. Andy Gard 5-0-0 peg 26

Weigh Sheet: