Thursday 27/06/2024 - Windmill Cost Cutter 500 Open - Match Lake

After just a few day's of Summer it was back to Autumn with overcast skies and a cold gusting wind. Would it be too much to ask to be on the far side and any number less than 16? 

Dave Haines had locked himself out of his van, I was able to help out with a pen and some of Avon Anglings left over swim cards, which was enough to get us started.

Into the draw bag and peg 23 it was. One of the better pegs in the twenties, but arriving at the peg found the wind howling into it at 11 o clock and with it 8 foot deep at one barrel and the margins almost unfishable due to the reeds it was going to be a rough day - hate the wind. Decided to clear as much bankside vegetation as I could down to the right which gave some cover from the wind. I was soon in fleece and Gore-Tex whilst opposite Barny was in tea shirt well sheltered from the wind. Found myself next to the Jinx - Ray Bazeley on peg 22.

Set up the maggot feeder - had one Perch on it, binned it. Tried the top set plus one barrel, but the presentation was awful with the rig being blown into me. No idea where the GB feed was going. The upshot fished the margin with the short Ronnie rig for most of the match in between the wind blowing the rig into reeds. Had about 130 fish - Perch, Rudd, Ronnie's and some tiny Skimmers. Just couldn't get any bonus Skimmers. Landed one small Carp with another three doing me in the reeds.

Silvers weighed 10 lb 3 oz and my one Carp 4 lb 13 oz. Third in the silvers - needed a bonus - bloody wind buggered the peg for me.

The match was won by Barny (pictured above baiting up) with 86 lb 1 oz from peg 1. Barny caught on his usual of worm over humongous amount of micro and chopped worm. However, he didn't catch until the last quarter of the Match, which seems the way on this venue. Well done matey.

The silvers was won by Shay Gillman (pictured with the match winner) with 13 lb 15 oz from peg 3. Shay started on the small fish short, later switching to 11.5 metres catching some better Skimmers on Maggot and GB. - well done matey.

Matey Geoff Francis came second qualifying for the 500 final by default with 61 lb 13 oz from peg 12 catching down his edge with double corn mostly caught in the last hour. Well done matey.

Geoff and me shooting off for our usual Thursday Indian.

Weigh Sheets: