Sunday 12/01/2020 - Todber Manor Open - White Post

Had planned to go with Martyn Rayet and Joe McMahon to Hillview. However, when we heard Mark Poppleton was running a small match at Todber on White Post we all agreed to go. Breakfast in the Riverside Cafe where Gillingham AA were having the draw for their River Stour match, luckily they had already had their breakfast so we were served quickly.

Probably due to the Viaduct winter league today the turnout was disappointing with 11 fishing. After a mooch around the Todber tackle shop it was into the draw bag and out comes peg 10 on upper White Post. 

Arrived at the peg and was disappointed to see the wind was really bad even though the forecast was for light winds. I had planned to fish the wag and mag and soft pellet over 4 mm expander. However, Roy Wirth came past and said he draw the peg a week or so ago and could only catch on corn at 13 metres. I don't like changing plans as you can end up bait switching chasing fish rather than making your choice work. On this occasion I thought i would switch to corn and would stick with it and make it work come what may - hopefully. I did set up the waggler which I made a few casts on and had a bite on a bare hook - probably a small Silver. The only other rig was a yellow top 4x12 Winter Titan to fish 11.5 metres, but quickly realised this would be a non starter for me due to the gusting wind, so went down to 10 metres. I then made a school boy error by plumbing up in front which didn't take into account of the winter sun which was already in and out on the water in our face. I knew the sun would track left to right which I had discussed with Craig on peg 12.  I fed some corn locked in the kinder pot with wetted micro on this line only to find I soon couldn't see the float due to both the sun and wind water refection. I persevered and had four small Carp to 3 lb. The wind got up so much combined with the sun I had to move and switched round to 10 o clock into the shadow cast by a far bank tree and start again which is something I hate doing, but in my defence I am out of practice with managing the sun this winter. After a short wait I started to catch again feeding five grains of corn locked with micro after every fish and had a steady match until the wind died so tried the waggler and had a Koi Carp (pictured upper right) first cast followed by three more Carp before the wind came back making presentation poor. I went back on the pole but struggled for an hour before switching to my first line out in front and added a few better fish but the fish had really disappeared along with the wind.


I had two nets in and had 41 lb in each net for a total of 82 lb. This was third in the section, with my error costing me today methinks However, where in the winter are you going to get fishing like we had today, very enjoyable.

My section was won by Mark Poppleton (pictured right) with 134 lb 15 oz from peg 8 in the wides. Mark also suffered from a school boy error going over in a net!! Mark caught at 14.5 metres using expander over micro. Mark had less fish than most but his fish were three times bigger.

The lower White Post section and the match was won by Joe McMahon with 140 lb 12 oz from end peg 20. Joe started on the straight lead and bread quickly switching to dobbed bread over the far bank in the meantime he had been loose feeding red maggot short at three barrels. Once the dobbing died and being well behind he switched to the maggot and didn't look back catching well until the end.

White post has 27 pegs and by leaving out four unfancied pegs can accommodate 23 angers with ease. Mark is considering running some more here lets hope he fills it next time. for me these pools are Todber's hidden jewel.
Result:

Upper:
1. Mark Poppleton 134-15-0 peg 6
2. Barry Robson 92-0-0 peg 8
3.Mike Nicholls 82-0-0 peg 10

Lower:
1. Joe McMahon 140-12-0 peg 20
2. Mark Wynne 104-13-0 peg 26
3. Pete Bailey 100-08-0 peg 24
Weigh Sheet: