Sunday 31/10/2021 - Windmill Open - Match Lake

New sign - that's much better however, unlikely to see many pleasure anglers until Spring.

Arrived in the dark and rain and with all the pot holes full of water couldn't tell which were the deeper ones to avoid so it was a question of driving carefully down the centre of rocky road. How long before the road becomes impassable?

Into the draw bag and out comes milk red bottle top peg 7, nope turn it over Mandy says, "Swampy" peg 14 it was then. In the summer I would had ran to the peg, but last Thursday Larry Laing a decent carp angler (and caber tosser) drew it and DNW'd. Waded through the mud and water to get to the peg and with the platform area under water set up to the right on terra firma. I would normally fish for carp on this peg but as Larry didn't catch and wouldn't have fished for the silvers so would be the initial focus. For company I had Steve on peg 16 and Justin on peg 12 who would have the forth coming gale force winds and rain smack in his face - didn't fancy that.

First thing was to set up the umbrella, which would be up and down all match. I set up the long Ronnie rig to see if I could pick up the tow against, alas not, the wind was far too strong, so that was roosted. Instead set up a 4x14 Winter Titan to fish top set plus three barrel down wind to the right at 2 o clock. Set up the short Ronnie rig for down wind, which was better but not perfect having to put some line on the bottom. Finally a 0.3 gram RJ slim to fish the margin for when the silvers dried up.

Fed both silver lines with GB laced with LP's. Starting on the Ronnie rig with single LR and soon had a 4 oz Skimmer leading to a decent hour catching small Perch and Ronnie's some were decent to 4 oz. The problem I thought I had was was where the GB feed was spreading so fed it around the line. Went out on the long line and had three skimmers including one decent one. I then foul hooked a carp probably due to the due horrendous wind and presentation with just too much line on the bottom. I started to kinder micro and maggot over this line and had a 5 lb carp. Stayed on this for a while getting indications from carp but no silvers. I foul hooked quite few carp though. So back on the Ronnie line and caught a few more but was very slow. Two hours left with the silvers totally absent decided to switch to the carp line at two barrels down the edge in 3 foot of water where I had been feeding micro and DR's with a smidgen of GB with triple LR's on the hook and had a couple of Carp to 6 lb. Even though regularly kindering DR's and micro It went quiet. Switched the hook bait to a large worm and had a very welcome 8 oz Perch. I then had a quick run of 4 carp to 6 lb before it completely died. With me clinging on the the umbrella in gale force wind and very heavy rain I was glad to hear the all out.

My silver weighed 9 lb 4 oz and my carp 37 lb for a total of 46 lb 4 oz. This left me second in the silvers and 4th overall. Slightly fell between two stones as one out of the overall pay-out but managed to pick up in the silvers. My match mission is not to always go for the win but to pick up, so in this respect mission accomplished.

The match was won by Nick Saunders (pictured with the shifty looking silvers winner) with 117 lb 9 oz a decent weight considering the conditions from peg 6. Nick caught from both margins tight into the bank fishing meat over meat. Well done matey.

The silvers was won from peg 10 by Bill Ferris with 9 lb 14 oz. Bill caught on maggot and GB fishing 3 metres to hand. Well done matey.

I have to say well done to Justin for catching 29 lb 15 oz from that end wind facing peg 12. I did feel sorry for him.

No pub as we all wet and wanted to get home.

Result:

1. Nick Saunders 117-09-0 peg 6

2. Leighton Palmer 80-03-0 peg 22

3. Glenn Bailey 62-08-0 peg 20

4. Mike Nicholls 46-04-0 peg 14

5. Gerry Walsh 41-15-0 peg 25

6. Justin 29-15-0 peg 12

Silvers:

1. Bill Ferris 9-14-0 peg 10

2. Mike Nicholls 9-04-0 peg 14

Weigh Sheet: