Thursday 13/03/2025 - Windmill Cost Cutter - Match Lake

Breakfast with Geoff in the Beefeater, Ok too.

Had a walk around, no sign of fish. However, "Leyton's Legacy" was pointed out to me (pictured)

Not been to Windmill for some time, but have kept up with the results. The fish currently appear to be at the car park end. But with a very cold Northly wind blowing up that end will mean a very cold day but with plenty of fish, whereas the opposite end would be well sheltered but didn't expect it to fish. So with having enough of this weather especially the wind I would settle for the sheltered end today and hope some fish were still resident.

Ah, into the draw bag and peg 12 it would be. Lovely shelter peg down under the bank. However, the peg was full of rubbish left by anglers very recently, evidence in the red GB used.

Set up a 0.3 Gram RJ Slim to fish down the left just short of the reeds, would have liked to have fished further down to the reeds but well out of reach of the margin pole, didn't want to risk the Carp pole, no doubt would have battled with both Carp and reeds. A 8 " Drake bodied waggler to fish in the open water as far as I could group the LR's, finally a 4x14 Winter which had been used in a recent silvers match and had a 0.1 hook length which couldn't be assed to change to fish three barrels. 

Started on a 4 mm expender over micro at three barrels, then on to the waggler with double LR's, then on the margin at three barrels, Then set up the feeder. Had some casts around including up to the island. Three hours now gone and not a bite. Decided to see I could catch a silver over the first line with GB and a single LR. Ten minutes later playing a very angry 8 lb Common. Was concerned the 0.1 might break so was playing it very carefully. I kept hearing Dad's voice saying "The longer the fish is in the water the more chance you will loose it". Still finally got it in the net. Immediately changed the hook length to 0.16. Didn't have another bite even opened a tin of corn. Then spied out the corner of the eye a reed move right down in the left corner, followed by a Moorhen going up the bank, so wasn't sure nonetheless shallowed the waggler and fed some LR's. The wind was absolutely perfect which by leaving the line on the water would bow the reel line away from the reeds whilst the under tow would push the float towards the reeds, Second cast had a 7 lb Carp which due to the position of the line pull the fish away from the reeds on the strike. Had another three smaller Carp before the all out.

The five fished weighed 29 lb 2 oz to beat John Smith by 1 oz for the section and 5th overall. Needed one more Carp!

The match was won by Nick Saunders (pictured with the silvers winner) with 56 lb 14 oz from fancied peg 25 in a very cold Northly. Nick caught at 13 metres fishing maggot hook bait over kindered maggot and micro. Well done matey.

The silvers was taken by S Fillingham with 7 lb 1 oz from peg 16. He caught down the middle with maggot over GB and maggot feed. Well done best silvers weight for some time.

Back to the White Harte for a warm up. Bloody weather must be mad.

Weigh Sheets: