Friday, 17 June 2016

Wednesday 15/06/2016 - Mike Nicholls Short Pole Open - Viaduct Fishery - Campbell Lake

Today was the second of my short pole matches on Campbell again limited to twenty anglers which sold out early. We all had a delightful breakfast at the Savannah Café served and cooked by the affiable Joan who kindly opens early for us.

Gabe Skarba won the Silvers last short pole match and offered to help me with his secret potions and lotions. I agreed to try his Silvers method out. So this morning I met up with Gabe and handed over two pints of soaked 6mm pellet which he placed in his cauldron adding in various potions all of which I was made to smell. Gabe gave me half a Sensas bucket of the stuff. I asked how many matches this would last he said just the one today (more than I use all year)! He gave me two pints of 6mm and 4mm expander hook bait which I was also to feed. Gabe guaranteed I would win the Silvers with this mix, but would not catch Carp or Tench with it. Umm.

Being a gentleman I let ladies draw first with Ms Drysdale picking peg 135 I let her pull mine and ended up on peg 127 next to matey “Two Pots” Glenn Bailey. Gabe drew peg 30.

So I set up one 0.12 Jolly and a paste float in the unlikely event that the Silvers potions didn’t do it.

The thunder then started and it rained persistently fell all day and didn’t stop until after the weigh-in. Emma Drysdale fished all through the rain in shorts and tea shirt (or is it a blouse for ladies).

I fed the prescribed three large balls of the potion at top-set plus three with some expanders. First put in I hooked and landed a small Carp (I could still hear Gabe saying “noo-Carp”). I had another three before I caught my first Silver – a Tench (I could still hear Gabe saying “noo Tench”). I followed this with a couple of big Skimmers and two foul hooked Skimmers and two off-the-hook flyers. I kept up the prescripted feed which resulted in a mass influx of Carp gill feeding on the GB up in the water. I tested the GB down the edge and it appeared to be suspending off bottom.  I changed to paste but the damage was done as throughout the remainder of the match I foul hooked 15 Carp, landing a total of thirteen I did have another Tench and a few decent Skimmers.

My Silvers weighed 21lb 11oz making my total 93lb 10oz for 7th overall. Once again “one out” of the section by default.

I came away thinking I was glad I tried Gabe’s method out which probably works on the right day. Interestingly Gabe also foul hooked lots of Carp. But I think I wasted a good Carp peg, especially as the match was won from next door spit peg 128.

The match was won by Glenn Bailey with 229lb 15oz from peg 128. Glenn explains how he caught in the post a match video interview.

The Silvers was won by Steve Kedge with 46lb 14oz form peg 116. Steve explains how he caught in the video below.


Full Result:

  1. Glenn Bailey 229-15-0 peg 128
  2. Tim Ford 173-08-0 peg 112
  3. Craig Edmonds 173-03-0 peg 132
  4. Paul Blake 166-05-0 peg 111
  5. Emma Drysdale 115-02-0 peg 135
  6. Martyn Woodington 93-12-0 peg 110
Top Silvers:

  1. Steve Kedge 46-14-0 peg 116
  2. Stuart Graham 29-09-0 peg 124
Weigh Sheet:

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