Thursday 14/11/2024 - Over 55's - Main Lake Silvers and 4 oz Carp Only

Out if the blue Tony Rixon decided to run a match on the Main Lake at Hunstrete. The match was soon full of Over 55's with 21 booking in. Sorry 22 Tony forgot himself!! We were all looking forward to getting together again - some for the company, some for the fishing, some for the pub, mostly for all three.

Very misty and damp this morning. The lads ready for the draw - pictured.

Had a look at the revamped Bridge Pool for the first time. (picture of the Pool looking towards the old peg 19 - no island), Pool now island free. For me a much better fishery for this. Well done BAA.

With regards to the fishing most of us didn't know what to expect. The word was you needed to be at the carp park end. Personally, thought 10 lb might win with 5 lb back up weights.

Into the draw bag and peg 16 which is twined with 15 and are very close. Carp anglers like these pegs when they go with mates. Delighted when Dave "The Drain" Lewis arrived on 15. Still the "Drain" as he's come out of retirement.

The water was very clear which decided me to fish the 4 metre whip and waggler. Mixed some GB, LR's and fat Pinkies on the tray - simples.

A lot of big leaves on the Lake today which were being moving around by the light varying wind. So started by feeding some LR's on the waggler line at 25 yards and hand fed some GB and Pinkie on the whip line. Due to the lack of colour set up the pole and pot so I could feed the GB loose on the whip line. Had a few Ronnie's and five 4 oz Carp. The leaves cleared and went on the waggler and ad a few on that but felt the whip was much faster. Spent most of the match on this and had a good middle match until the wind blew leaves over the line so back on the waggler. Back on the whip and hooked a big fish which made mincemeat of my whip rig. Set up another which wasn't the same. At the same time Dave who was probably beating me at this point stopped catching. The last hour was hard for both of us. Switch to Pinkie on the waggler and sneaked out a few more Ronnie's until the reel line tangled - no sure why, investigation to follow.

Thought I might have 12 lb, weighed 11 lb 11 oz for a second section by default which was a pleasant surprise. Beat Dave by 14 oz which was pulled back in the last hour. A number of anglers had considerably over estimated their weights today, easily done if you base weight on numbers of small fish and get the average weight wrong, were they 2 oz or 3 oz? Really enjoyed today especially fishing with Dave, both our type of fishing, we've had enough of Carp fishing.

The match was won by Kev Winstone with 23 lb 7 oz from peg 18. Kev caught at 7 metres on maggot hook bait over GB and caster feed. Well done matey. Thanks for the default. By Tony's body language thought he had beaten you 😁.

Thanks goes to Tony Rixon for once again running a great match with the sections groupings spot on. Hope there's more matches on this lake as it suits me.

Nice to see Glenn Bailey out helping with the weigh in - only there for the cider!

Interesting to note the further from the car park the better the fishing.

Weigh Sheet: