26/10/13 - Lands End - Match

Weight - 51lb 14oz
Catch - 14 Carp, 6 Roach, 5 Skimmers, 5 Perch 
Weather - Cloudy and windy
Match - Open - 4th out of 10

10 for todays match and we were on Match Lake. There was a few unfamiliar faces, plus one I recognised from Jamie Riches blog, but never met, Martin Heard. I introduced myself and he was relieved that I recognised him from the blog rather than anywhere else!

Peg 13 was my home for the day, which used to be one of my favourite pegs, but it hasn’t been great so far this year and the smaller stamp of carp seem to have taken up residency. For company Keith Fielder was opposite on p11 and Dave Wescott on p15.

There was a few fish showing themselves along the end bank, so hopeful of a few a fish. I also hoped to be sheltered from the worse of the forecast strong winds, however it was blowing directly from behind through the gap in the trees, which was a bit drafty on the back of my neck.

On the all in pellet (4s & micros) was feed at 6m in front and at angle to my right, 4s along the end bank and 14m towards the island. Starting down the end bank, toss potting 4s with either a 4 or 6mm expander I had a 3 carp after 45mins, but it was slowing going. A lot of rain fell overnight and wondered whether that was having effect, as the fish weren’t really feeding and soon dropped back into p12.

My 5m line only produced a couple of skimmers and a small carp, whilst my long line only produced a skimmer. So I was going nowhere fast. I had started to feed caster and corn by the p14 pallet, which produced a couple perch on double caster, but nothing on corn.

By the half way point , there was a number of carp moving by the island. Initially I had decided not to fish here since its 17m away, but felt I had no choice, because I couldn’t catch anywhere else and the wind was manageable. Plus, Rod on p17 and Dave on p15 where both catching from the island. I managed 7 either on 4 & 6mm expander, before they backed off again.

Another look on the long line, resulted in a carp which I lost at the net as the hook pulled. This was 2^nd lose at the net and hoped it wouldn’t prove costly.

I kept the caster and corn going in down by the p14 pallet and spotted a swirl, so went in with corn. Not a bite. Double caster produced another perch, which was a bit frustrating. However, I kept feeding catching 2 carp on double caster, losing a 3^rd 5mins from the end, when my pole was jolted by the wind.

Come the weigh in, it became obvious any one of the lost 3 fish  would have put me in the frame, but it wasn’t to be today.

1^st 106- 0 – Martin Heard – p7
2^nd 78- 3 – Rod Wootton – p17
3^rd 52-15 – Eric Fouracre – p1
4^th 51-14 – Ken Rayner – p13
5^th 40- 0 – Dave Wescott – p15
6^th 39- 6 – Ray White – p19

Silvers
1^st 17- 8 – Ray Witcombe – p21
2^nd 16- 3 – Eric Fouracre – p1