23/11/13 - Lands End - Match

Weight - 17lb 5oz (4lb 5oz - silvers)
Catch - 3 Carp, 4 Skimmers, 1 F1
Weather - Frosty start, Bright & sunny, light northerly breeze
Match - Open - 3rd out of 9

When I got into the car the temperature gauge read -1c and I knew today was likely to be tough for the 9 of us. We were on Match Lake today, but Mike has stated he will alternate Match & Speci for Saturday matches, which I along with a few others was pleased to hear.

 

I wanted to avoid a draw on the near end of the lake, because I have been down this end a little too often recently but drew p21, which used to be a flyer, but hasn’t been the best in recent months although it should be worth a few fish. Despite the northerly breeze being light it still felt cold and Wednesday match result suggested a hard day ahead.

 

For company I had Mark Poppleton who was on p19 again and Rod Wootton suggested (as he walked past to p15) he have a bench with his name on it. To my right was Mike West on p24, so plenty of room, but this normally works against you when its cold.

 

I didn’t bother setting up any rigs to fish the top of the shelf, because with the sun shining bright in the clear water I just felt it would be a waste of a rig. So on the all a pinch of micros was deposited to my right at the bottom of the shelf, plus some caster down by the p22 pallet.

 

Hoping for a few early carp, I started with double corn, fishing to my left into a quiet area and was soon attached to a carp, but the hooked pulled when I got it half way back – bugger. I thought it was properly hooked. The 2^nd fish hooked 5mins later was definitely fouled and that came off as well – double bugger.

 

I eventually landed a carp and that was it after an hour. In fact everyone was struggling which set the tone for rest of the match. Rotating between swims, I caught the rest of my fish on 4mm expander, as well as losing a few which I suspect were foul hooked.

 

Fishing maggot didn’t produce any bites and under p22 pallet resulted in 2 small perch, both of which the hook fell out. I think it’s fair to say the frost really knocked the fishing on the head and I was glad I made the decision not to fish Sunday.

 

1^st 37-12 – Rod Wootton – p15

2^nd 25- 9 – Andy Hembrow – p17

3^rd 17- 5 – Ken Rayner – p21

4^th 16-15 – Ray White – p7

5^th 16- 8 – Jim Jenner – p11

6^th 12-15 – Dave Wescott – p5

 

Silvers

1^st 9- 7 – Andy Hembrow – p17

2^nd 6-12 – Rod Wootton – p15

3^rd 6- 0 – Ray White – p7

17/11/13 - Todber Manor - Park Lake

Weight - 58lb 2oz
Catch - 19 Carp, 19 F1s, 5 Roach
Weather - Heavy cloud, but no wind
Match - Wests Open - 6th out of 21 (2nd out of 7 section)

I don’t think Sue was too impressed that I went fishing today. I’ve been feeling crap since Friday due to a heavy cold, also a lack of sleep wasn’t helping. However I reasoned some fresh air would do me some good, which it did although I forgot to take any medication and suffered as a consequence.

21 eventually turned up, which meant only one peg (p17) was put in on cyanide straight, which Fred Robert drew from match organiser Steve Ince, then promptly drew p5 for himself. As for me my drawing arm seems to have deserted me recently, with p28 being my home for the day. Not great, but usually there are a number of F1s in the area, although I couldn’t see me framing, so was hoping for a section win instead.

Following some cold nights, I decided a cautious approach would be best and see how the fish respond. Starting off fishing tight across (HB Frostie 0.2g > .12 > 18 silverfish pellet), slightly to my right with 4mm expander, toss potting a pinch of 4s and micros, I soon had a couple of carp and gradually increased my feed to a big pinch of pellet.

After an hour I had 6 carp and a roach, so it was steady. I had also started catapulting 4s into a gap to my left and by rotating both swims was up to 13 carp after 2hrs, but it was slowing down. Talk around the lake suggested most were struggling, except for Steve Musitano on p31 and Mark Poppleton on p32.

Hooking up on a snag from the right hand swim saw me move further right to ensure I didn’t catch it again. As for the left hand swim a switch to toss potting bait, instead of catapulting proved to be better, probably because a few pellets were getting caught on the overhanging sedges.

Weary that the far lines wouldn’t last, I had been feeding caster and later some corn at 5m, but only had 1 roach here. I had also been feeding meat into the left margin, but again without success.

So my main catching area turned out to be the left hand swim. The carp were replaced by F1s up to 1.5lb, but they are crafty little buggers. On a couple of occasions they managed to nip off ½ a 4mm expander, leaving the other half on the hook. Most fish came by lifting and dropping and towards the end of the match the carp returned.

Quite a simple match in the end and knew it was unlikely I would frame, but was hopeful of a section win, which ran from my peg round to peg 13. Come the weigh in Tom Ince on p22 had 85lb for 2^nd overall, which meant I picked up the section money by de-fault. From my draw I was pleased to catch, because Craig on p29 had 25lb, whilst the 2 anglers to my left didn’t weigh. Overall the lake didn’t fish well, which seems to the picture with a number of fisheries at the moment. Once the fish settle down and get used to the cold things should improve.

1^st 90- 8 – Mark Poppleton – p32
2^nd 85- 0 – Tom Ince – p22
3^rd 81- 8 – Fred Roberts – p5
4^th 69- 4 – Steve Musitano – p31
5^th 62-10 – Jon Howell – p11
6^th 58- 2 – Ken Rayner – p28

10/11/13 - Lands End - Match

Weight - 5lb 3oz
Catch - 5 Perch, 5 Roach, 2 Skimmers
Weather - More heavy overnight rain. Bright, sunny day
Match - 34th out of 35, 5th out of 5 section

 

I have taken over the running of the Lands End winter league and with 36 booked in the series was full, despite a couple of late drop outs a few days before hand, so thanks to Darren Fordham and Gary O’Shea who stepped in late. Unfortunately Aaron couldn't make it. Just found out he couldn't attend due to a family illness.

 

After the initial rush of anglers drawing, there were 5 pegs left in the bucket, with peg 1 and 37 being the pegs neither Mike Duckett nor I wished to draw. I got p1 and Mike got p37. At least we couldn’t be accused of fixing the draw! The remaining 3 pegs were 7, 32 & 58, with p7 not drawn, I could see & hear the fish boshing all day between 6 & 11.

 

I was seriously disappointed to find myself on p1, I just can’t get away from this end of the lake at the moment, particularly with the other pegs in the bucket. After last year’s series, where I struggled for a decent draw, it appeared my form in this league was going the same way. I consoled myself with the fact there were a few silvers in area, however another night of heavy rain, followed by bright, flat conditions, meant I wasn’t confident the skimmers in particular would feed.

 

For company Tony Rixon was on p24, Tom Thick on p22 and Clint Wotlyla p20, so it was never going to be a quiet day, with loads of banner flying around.

 

Well, I experienced one of my worst days fishing at Lands End for a long time. Rigs and feed were the same as yesterdays, but I just couldn’t catch. I did lose a big skimmer and a carp at the net, but it wouldn’t have been enough to improve my position. Looking back over last years results, this peg was one of the worst, but even so, really surprised to have struggled so badly.

After a good run of results over the last 4 months, I was due a shocker, just wish it wasn't today!

 

Tony did well to catch from under the tree, but Tom had a mare as well catching 2 carp and 3lb of silvers. Fingers crossed for a better draw on the next round (8 December).

 

1st 84-11 – Tom Mangnall – p55

2nd 77- 6 – Dave Wescott – p31

3rd 70-11 – Craig Edmunds – p66

4th 68-14 – Paul Elmes – p19

5th 57-14 – Chris Fox – p70

6th 56- 7 – Bob Gullick – p33

 

Silvers

1st 29-3 – Bob Gullick – p33

2nd 17-2 – Nigel Bartlett – p32

3rd 12- 1 – Mark Brennan – p3

09/11/13 - Lands End - Match Lake

Weight - 38lb 12oz (20lb 4oz - silvers)
Catch - 4 Carp, 11 Skimmers, 11 Perch, 8 Roach, 2 Rudd
Weather - Cold heavy overnight rain. Cloudy with the odd shower
Match - Open - 1st Silvers (3rd out of 9 overall)

At least all this rain meant the lakes are now nearly full, however it would be interesting to see what effect last nights heavy cold deluge would have on the fishing. With only 9 fishing today, it would also mean there would be a few extra spaces for those carp to hide away.

I couldn’t quite believe I drew last week’s p22 again. So since June, that’s 9 matches on Match Lake and 5 times I’ve been on down this end of the lake, either on peg 22,23 or 24 – not happy, because at the moment this isn’t the place to be if you want to win. However, at least I knew the contours of the peg and decided that silvers were likely to be my best option. For company I had Mike West on p20 and Ray White on p1. Peg 24 wasn’t in, which meant a little extra space to my right.

I had some new floats to try out courtesy of Ackoo (Mark Haskins), which were a more defined model of the Carrat, with a thinner 1.2mm tip and carbon stem, instead of glass. So a 0.2g model was set up with .12 bottom and 18 silverfish pellet hook, to fish the bottom of the shelf with either soft pellet or corn. Other rigs included a HB Frostie 0.3g > .10 > 18 silverfish pellet to also fish down the track and a HB Frostie 0.2g to fish caster on top of the far shelf and margin.

On the all in, micros were deposited @ 14m towards the point of the island, a big cup of the same @ 14m to my right in open water towards p24 and some caster by the island.

Starting on corn fishing into the undisturbed water to my left, hoping for an early carp, I lost 2 foul hookers, confirming there was at least a few fish around but they weren’t feeding. After 30mins it was time to try the far side. Mike was off to a flyer catching plenty of perch from the island, but whilst I caught a few fish (as well as losing a few), it was very slow.

So after an hour and only 3 perch, it was almost a repeat of last weeks match, although everyone seemed to be struggling and was glad I put on my thermals for the first time this autumn, because it was a little chilly.

Like last week, it was again a case of rotating swims to keep the fish coming, but at least this time I was catching the odd decent skimmer on pellet, in amongst the roach and perch I was catching on caster or maggot. The far line only produced a couple more fish, fishing against the pallets, left and right, produced some perch and roach, but no big boys. I bumped 2 skimmers from the far right hand swim, where I dumped a load of feed, but only caught a few small roach.

Mike in the meantime had slowed down and struggled in the last 2 hours. As for me my left hand swim, which I kept topped up catapulting 4s at the bottom of the shelf got stronger, with some bigger skimmers and a couple of carp. I thought (and hoped) I had overtaken Mike, but knew it would be close.

At the weigh in it became obvious the weather and really knocked the fishing, with most continuing to struggle. Mikes silvers net was slightly more than I thought, but at least I got my 3rd silvers win on the bounce at Lands End.

1st - 62-13 - Rod Wootton - p11
2nd - 40-14 - James Wither - p18
3rd - 38-12 - Ken Rayner - p22
4th - 22-11 - Dale Howsen - p13
5th - 19-13 - Dave Wescott - p15
6th - 17-13 - Mike West - p20

Silvers
1st - 20- 4 - Ken Rayner - p22
2nd - 17-13 - Mike West - p20
 

03/11/13 - Sedges - Brick Lake

Weight - 28lb 11oz
Catch - 2 Carp, 18 Skimmers, 2 Roach
Weather - Sunshine & showers. Very windy
Match - Club - 6th out of 13

Another wet & windy day, although fortunately we seemed to have missed most of the heavy showers, however the wind was blowing hard.

13 members turned up today for this and on the advice of the fishery were told to avoid pegging the bottom of the lake and I was happy enough to draw p12, although the wind would be straight into this corner of the lake. Because the owner wanted us off the fishery before it got dark, the match was cut to 5hrs, so little time to correct any mistakes.

Today was also the semi-final of the club knock-out and I was drawn against Craig, who has been fishing the Sedges Winter League and was disappointed to draw p5.

With the wind, I set up a 1.5g rig to fish at 11.5m over groundbait (gimps gold & black lake) with caster & pellet. After potting in 4 balls, I started on the pellet feeder, but after 2 casts with pellet & no bites, a switch to corn produced a skimmer, shortly followed by a 2^nd, but no carp.

A switch to the pole was slow going on worm, but double maggot was better producing a run of small skimmers, before the swim dried up. Topping up the swim only improved matter a little, but small skimmers wasn’t going to get me anywhere, besides a few carp started to show around the lake and since I hadn’t caught any decent skimmers on this line it was binned.

Back on the feeder and I managed another skimmer, but I really needed a carp. I had been feeding 4s and corn at 5m from the start, but trying to get any sort of presentation on the pole in the deep water was difficult due to the wind and tow. I had a few knocks, losing a foulhooker, but no fish in the net.

Since I couldn’t get any decent presentation I could have changed to a heavier float, but decided it was easier to drop a straight lead rig with hair rigged corn at 5m. I soon had another skimmer, following by a 12lb carp, before the line died.

With 90mins to go I started feeding caster and corn into the left margin, which produced 1 carp on double caster, but no other bites.

A disappointing day. The wind ruined what should have been a decent day, however in hindsight I think I got several things wrong. I shouldn’t have bothered with the long groundbait line, since there wasn’t a silvers pay out and I should have targeted carp all match. Also I should have fished worm more often on the hook. Andy won the match fished worm over caster fished at 5m.

At least I managed to beat Craig who had 17-13 to progress into the knock out final. The top 3 all came from the pegs with spare pegs in between.

1^st 75-15 – Andy Lord – p18
2^nd 43- 2 – Chris Davidge – p14
3^rd 41-11 – Ian Pople – p16
4^th 39-15 – Andy Bradley – p10
5^th 30- 5 – Tim Allen – p7
6^th 28-11 – Ken Rayner – p12

02/11/13 - Lands End - Match

Weight - 32lb 0oz (18lb 12oz - silvers)
Catch - 24 Perch, 8 Roach, 5 Skimmers, 2 Ide, 1 Hybrid, 2 Carp
Weather - Showery and windy
Match - Open - Jt 1st silvers (8th out of 12 overall)

The wind and rain has been with us all week, but at least it’s slowly topping up the lakes which were in need of water following a hot summer.

With the Lands End winter League nearing there was a few extra bodies fishing today. Initially it was thought 14 would be fishing, but 2 didn’t turn up so all 12 of us were on Match Lake.

The bulk of the fish seem to be around pegs 15-19 at the moment, but I found myself on p22, which was disappointing, because 3 of the last matches I’ve been on 22, 23 & 24. At least a few silvers have shown in the area, so if there wasn’t any carp then hopefully I could target a few silvers.

For company Martin Heard was on p20 and Dave Wescott on p24. Fortunately the strong wind was from behind again and the trees were proving an effective barrier, which meant fishing long wasn’t a problem. Once again I set up rigs to cover both carp and silvers, but ultimately only caught on 2 of the 4 set up.
- HB Frostie 0.2g > .12 > 18 silverfish pellet (caster/maggot – island & margin)
- HB Chump 0.4g > .12 > 18 silverfish pellet (down the track)

On the all in micros & 4s was deposited at 14m at the bottom of the shelf by the point of the island and 14m to my left again at the bottom of the shelf. Caster was also fed at 5m & on top of the far shelf.

Starting on corn hoping for an early carp didn’t produce anything other than a few knocks. Double caster by the island produced a number of perch, but nothing bigger than 6oz. The 5m line also failed to produce anything bigger. I also started feeding caster into the right hand margin, but again nothing of any size. Where had last week’s big perch gone? I wondered whether the week’s heavy rain was having an effect, because it was slow for most.

My 2 pellet lines were also struggling to produce. The right hand swim, which I kept topped up by cupping in a small amount of pellet, but it only produced a few small roach. As for the left hand swim, this had been topped up with loose fed 4s, produced 1 carp and a small hybrid on 4mm expander.

With 2hrs left I probably had 5-6lb of silvers, whilst the anglers to my left where catching, particularly Rod Wootton and Nick Merry on pegs 15 & 17. Dave was struggling on p24, but Steve Seagar on p1 had netted a couple of skimmers and I was hopefully they would start to feed.

My swims seemed to died, since I could catch anywhere, so decided to cup in a pot of caster and a few micros into the 14m right swim and kept the loose feeding 4s into the left hand swim. The last 90mins proved to be the best of the match. By rotating left and right, I caught 3 decent skimmers and a carp from the left swim on expander, plus 2 big ide, a skimmer and big perch from the right on double dead maggot.

I was sure I had overtaken Steve for the silvers, but was surprised when he weighed 15-8, because I thought I only had 15lb. Eric Fouracre plonked 18-12 on the scales and I was adamant I didn’t have that. As expected pegs 15, 17 & 19 all framed. So I was pleasantly surprised to weight 18-12 and jointly claim the silvers money with Eric.

1^st 105- 5 – Rod Wootton – p15
2^nd 95- 3 – Nick Merry – p17
3^rd 62- 7 – Mark Poppleton – p19
4^th 50- 0 – Keith Fielder – p7
5^th 43-12 – Martin Heard – p20
6^th 41- 1 – Mike Duckett – p13

Silvers
1^st 18-12 – Ken Rayner – p22
1^st 18-12 – Eric Fouracre – p7
3^rd 15- 8 – Steve Seagar – p1