Tuesday 11/05/2021 - Acorn Cost Cutter - Paddocks

Back tp Acorn with 22 of us fishing. It was good to see Des Shipp back in the saddle after his recent illness. Gary Bowden asked me where I would like to draw - "anywhere except a bridge peg" I say, which would have made it five on the trot. Mike pulled me peg 29, at least I got my wish. With the wind blowing into pegs 9 to 13 thought I was at the wrong end but wasn't put off by this as a wind free day would be a pleasant change. However, the peg would be flat calm! For company I had matey Chris Ollis on 27 and Big Lee Waller on peg 31.

Des drew peg 5, so match winner sorted.

I decided to try out the Preston Dura Slip Elastic and purchased the white - size 13 - 2mm dia. and the redish - size 15 - 2.2 mm dia. I set up a 4x12 MR to the 2mm for most of the lines and a 0.3 gram paste float to the 2.2mm for the margins. Plumbing around there wasn't much of a margin shelf so would be holding the paste rig up the shelf. The depth was about the same at the bottom of the shelf as it was down the middle. As there had been a few Tench showing in the area I choose a line at 1 0'clock with just the top-set for the choppy. The next line would be to my left 2 inches up the inside shelf to fish 6 mm expander over kindered micro with a few hard fours. I got two barrels out to fish the same rig and depth along the right side in two placed again for the expander. Simple.

I had decided initially to feed very little. Starting in the LH side with a pinch on micro and 4 hard 4's and expander on the hook I was soon playing my first Carp which due to the elastic stretching to the other side thought it was foul hooked. However, I soon had it under control to find it fairly hooked, the cause of the stretching a 10 lb Carp. I had three more before I snagged something which proved to b e a great clump of bankside sedges that had subsided - landed that as well - pictured. Had one more Carp before the peg died. So chopped two fat worms added some casters and tried for the Tench. First try had a 2 oz Perch - umm. Then to my surprised had five more Carp including another 10 lb'er. I had two tiny Tench and two Skimmers before it died, so tried the 6 mm expander long to the right edge and had two more Carp, this died very quickly. Came shorter and had one more. With an hour to go picked up the paste rig (with the 2.2 mm elastic) and tried that long to the right and hooked a Carp. With only 0.2 mm difference in diameter I was surprised by the variance, it seemed quite aggressive compared with the 2mm. Fish landed. Switched back to the left on the top-set with paste and had another run of Carp and found I was getting familiar to the elastic, I wouldn't what to use anything bigger on this venue.

To my surprise my total weight of 103lb 2oz put me third overall by feeding next to nothing. I really liked the 2 mm elastic as it is a good compromise between Silvers and Carp, landing 1 lb Skimmer and 10lb Carp comfortably.

As expected the match was won by Des Shipp (pictured with the Silvers winner) with 180lb 4oz from favoured peg 5. Des caught initially with maggot hook bait, tossing maggot 1 metre off the far bank catching small Carp and Silvers. later switched to his LH margin catching better Carp. Well done matey.

The Silvers was won by Eddie Wynne with 29lb 9oz from peg 40. Eddie caught on maggot over maggot with his catch mainly comprising of decent Tench to 4lb.

Result:

1. Des Shipp 180-04-0 peg 5

2. Ant Pies 109-03-0 peg 11

3. Mike Nicholls 103-02-0 peg 29

4. Paul Faiers 95-11-0 peg 6

Silvers:

1. Eddie Wynne 29-09-0 peg 40

2. Alan Oram 21-04-0 peg 2

Weigh Sheets: