Thursday 24/03/2022 - Ray's Rip Off - Windmill Fishery - Match Lake

This is what happens if you didn't head Ray's advice not to drive around to the back pegs. Bit of car cleaning required - be "whipping" out the hosepipe.

The road to the fishery is nearly impassable for a family car.

With the beautify spring weather staying with us with it was great to get out on the bank amongst the Hawthorne bloom.

With a good few anglers elsewhere today we were down to fifteen. Hoping for pegs 22, 24, 25 and 1. Would have liked pegs 2 and 3 too but not usually in because not considered suitable by the Methodist. Into the draw bag and find peg 5 staring at me - not happy tendency to be a Methodist peg, just cant get away from pegs 4 and 5. For company I had Dave "The Whip" on peg 4.

The lake was flat and bright thought the silvers would be hard to find.

Although it's not a great silvers peg still set up the Ronnie rig and a 4 x14 Winter Titan to fish at three barrels. Thought I better set up a 0.3 gram RJ Slim for the LH margin expectation wasn't high for this though and as it transpired didn't get wetted. I did sneak the section last time on this peg with a couple of decent carp on the waggler so that was the banker today - plus it makes it easier on the shoulders.

Started by feeding a ball of GB laced with Pinkie on both the Ronnie and three barrel lines, pulted some LR's over to the island. First cast on the Ronnie rig with single LR had small Ronnie which slipped the hook and went back. Took a long while to get the next Ronnie, the writing was on the wall so line abandoned and out at three barrels again with single LR and no indications. Line abandoned in favour of the wag and mag. Started to catch a few Ronnie's and  Rudd. Foul hooked a carp which came off about three pegs away!! A few cast later I properly hooked a 5 lb Common which just wouldn't give in - eventually netted. Having problems sinking the line to avoid the nasty skimming wind which wasn't strong enough to cause a ripple to break the surface tension which was holding the line up. The up shot was I landed three Carp losing four - two more were fouled and two broke me they were right beasts.

The silvers weighed 5 lb 7 oz one out of a silvers pick up, adding my carp took me to 24 lb 1 oz with those lost carp costing me - that's fishing and partly why we do it. Very enjoyable day in the sun though. Paste will definitely be in the bag next match here.

The match was won by Paul Haines (pictured with his catch) with 99 lb from peg 8. Paul caught on the method over to the island with expander hook bait. Well done matey

The silvers was won by Paul Barnfield (pictured with the match winner) with 10 lb 11 oz from peg 12. Paul's catch comprised mainly of two Bream and a Skimmer caught  at 13 metres using maggot.  Well done matey.

Back to the "Ringer" with the usual suspect. Sitting outside at last watching the sun gradually disappear over a beautiful Spring day out with a great  bunch of anglers.

Finally - Top Tip: How to beat glistening from the sun and ripple where no colour float is visible. Use a float with a plastic hollow tip and scrap off any paint so it's transparent. It will also glisten but much brighter than that caused by ripple thus becoming reasonably visible. Wait for the bright light to disappear - hopefully!

Result:

1. Paul Haines 99-0-0 peg 8

2. John Smith 46-12-0 peg 46-12-0 peg 1

3. Ray Bazeley 38-15-0 peg 7

4. Laurie Laing 36-05-0 peg 20

5. Pete Turner 35-07-0 peg 22

6. George Sumsion 26-05-0 peg 17

Silvers:

1. Paul Banfield 10-11-0 peg 12

2. Geoff Francis 7-12-0 peg 19

Weigh Sheets: