Monday, 11 September 2017

Sunday - 10/09/2017 - Windmill Open - Match Lake

Bela and I originally booked into Ivy House but Bela picked up Easy Jet Flu from a Pensioner he knows well, so the lightweight cancelled. With the crappy weather lately I thought I might also give fishing a miss, but with conflicting weather forecast I chose to fish Windmill and met up with Geoff Francis for a cold breakfast at Wetherspoons – Kingswood.

Fourteen of us fishing today which was reasonable considering the promised weather. Terry Smith looked shattered having just driven back from France coming straight to run the match. He’s away again next week taking the England and Wales kit to the world championships in Hungary – only a ten hour drive. I must admit I was tempted to tag along with him.

Into the draw box and outcomes wooden counter with number 2 on it. I would normally be happy with the peg but not today the wind (and rain) was favouring my bank blowing into my left shoulder. I’m sure somewhere near by this venue there is a wind amplifier. A least my car wasn’t far away behind me. Geoff drew his usual area peg 24.

I set up a very short Ronnie rig to fish caster to my right into the wind but was somewhat sheltered by the ever increasing Sedges growth. I decided to give paste a rest as I thought the water temperature had dropped. So set up a 4x14 winter to fish in five foot of water on the top-set out in front t for anything that swam. Then a margin 4x12 winter rig, well margin is a misnomer as it was 3 ½ foot as close as I could get to the sedges this my comfort rig as I could sit with the wind almost off my back to my left, to fish top-set plus one – nice clean bottom.

I fed a small amount of 6mm meat with a mix of micro down the left margin, some loose casters down the right and some micro out in front. I started out in front and could pick up a bit of the trip against and with 4mm expander on the hook. A couple of small Skimmers later I foul hooked and lost my first Carp. Next try I had my first one in the mouth and in the keep net. I then tried the Ronnie rig with caster and after fifteen minutes had one tiny fish. So the Ronnie’s weren’t out to play then. I made the decision to forget the Silvers and focus on the Carp. So I concentrated the rest of the match on the right hand margin with meat – due mainly to my survival instincts as the wind had picked up. The upshot was I had a spell stringing a few carp together, but was pestered by foul hookers which were certainly due to the combination of depth I was fishing, presentation and tow. The scores were 9-1 to the foul hookers. I did legally land eight small Carp and a few more Skimmers and one fin perfect 1 ½ lb Crucian. With 45 minutes to go the wind veered and my swim when flat calm very eerie but  which assisted my catch rate.

My Silvers weighed 6lb 9oz and my Carp 35lb 15oz for 42lb 8oz for halfway. Apparently the pools payout has changed now for the fifth time and today paid 2 overall and 2 in the Silvers. I wish I knew this before hand.

Do the simple things well.

The match was won by Geoff Francis (pictured right with some of his fin perfect Carp – must say the Carp are in excellent condition - the picture Dave Haines didn't want to see) with a PB weight of 121lb from peg 24. Geoff caught on paste over micro fished at top-set plus two. Geoff also had problems with foul hookers as did many others today.

The Silvers was won by Dave Willmott who magic 11lb 1oz of Skimmers and Roach using maggot and caster. Dave will be please to hear that next Sunday's match is on the Carp Lake - will he be there?

Full Result:

  1. Geoff Francis 121-10-0 peg 24
  2. Mark Summerhayes 93-04-0 peg 13
  3. Joe McMahon 80-12-0 peg 28
Silvers:

  1. Dave Willmott 11-01-0 peg 21
  2. Dave Haines 8-02-0 peg 22
Weigh Sheet:


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