26/09/21 - Todber Manor - Ash

Weight - 266lb 6oz

Catch - 91 Carp

Weather - Sunny with cloudy periods and breezy

Match - Wiltshire Angling Open (13 fished)

I haven’t been to Todber for a while and to be honest the fishing has been crazy there, with some anglers taking a gallon of maggot and/or fishing pole rigs without floats, to catch 4,5,600lb. It’s not a criticism of those who fish this way, but I just don’t enjoy fishing that way and it has just been a fish race.

However, it is starting to slow down as we enter autumn and I decided to fish the Wiltshire Angling open on Ash Lake. With 13 anglers there was only 1 spare peg, so when I drew p65 to find p64 was the spare peg, it’s fair to say I was happy, although there was a reason why p64 was left out.

On the all-in I started at 2+2 line, fishing 6mm kriller pellet over 4s. Initially, I was getting a few foul hookers, but by toss potting the pellet this seemed to concentrate the fish and I started catching properly. After an hour I was up to 10 carp, but then pinged out of a carp trashing my rig.

A switch to a large method cast to the far bank with a mix of blue ice & kriller RTGs and a 6mm pellet in the band and I ended catching quicker than on the pole, but the fish were a smaller stamp. After 45mins the feeder swim was slowing and I had sorted out my pellet rig.

I had kept the pellet line topped up and when I returned had another run of fish.

In the meantime, I had been feeding micros about 1.5m off the left margin where it was about 18in deep. Switching to fishing to paste (blue ice kriller), I got plenty of indications, but struggled to get a proper bite. Thinking that the micros were just sending the carp into too much of a frenzy, I switched to feeding 4mm pellet flavoured with sludge and never looked back for the next couple of hours.

With 90mins remaining, the margin was fading a little and switched to the 2+1 line where I had been feeding 8mm meat and hemp, which produced a few better carp, before returning back to the margins.

I was pleasantly surprised to finish 2^nd, probably helped by the spare peg.

1. 295-14 – Mark Poppleton – p62

2. 266- 6 – Ken Rayner – p65

3. 234-10 – Roland Lucas – p74

4. 186-  4 – Steve Gardiner – p67

5. 184- 0 – Ian Stainer – p72

24/09/21 - Tunnel Barn Farm - Club Pool

Weight - 46lb 9oz

Catch - 29 F1s, 7 Perch, 2 Roach, 1 Goldfish, 1 Skimmer

Weather - Mostly sunny, becoming breezy.

Match - Match Fishing Subscriber

Decided to fish the Match Fishing magazine annual subscriber match at Tunnel Barn, as I have never fished the place before and I fancied giving it go. I got some information which revolved around fishery pellet and white maggot, which was reconfirmed when I got to the venue.

After a decent breakfast at the venues café with Martin Pettifer it was time for the draw, which put me on Club 13. Must say I fancied it for a few, being an end peg and no-one opposite, and I was informed there was plenty of F1’s and decent carp in the pool, but that could be said of most of the lakes.

Started off along the end bank on paste hoping for a quick carp, but nothing happened after 10mins and switched to fishing the bottom of the far shelf tapping in some 4s, fishing an expander. I was soon catching  a few F1’s, before coming shallow on maggot,

mostly on the jigga rig or fishing at 18in on a fixed rig. However, it was hard work keeping the fish coming, simply pinging maggot wasn’t enough, as I also had to toss pot the maggot in to get a bite, but the fish were quickly backing off. Therefore, I needed a backup line, which was down the end bank, where I had been feeding maggot but only caught perch or small F1’s, which wasn’t ideal as I was hoping for a few carp.

I ended up rotating lines to keep the fish coming, but at I was at least catching and from what I could see doing ok.

Unfortunately, come the halfway point of the match the wheels started falling off. I tried a new line at 13m next to the reeds, just feeding a small ball of micros fishing expander over the top and although I had to wait a little longer for bites I was catching some decent F1’s, however the scum was starting to build up in my swim and it was becoming increasingly difficult to get a rig through.

I did manage a few more F1’s shallow, in between fishing tight to the island on pellet, but just couldn’t line them up properly. The end bank was to be my banker for the last 2 hours, hoping to catch some decent F1’s and carp to build a decent weight, but I just couldn’t.

I think 82lb won my lake and I was left a little disappointed to only weigh 46lb, particularly as I struggled to fish in the last 2 hrs. In hindsight the only thing I should have done is set up a rig to fish down the track, as I noticed a few anglers catching some better carp over this line, but I had fully expected to catch down that end bank.

Anyway, it was enjoyable to try somewhere different and I look forward to giving it another go.

19/09/21 - Sedges - Tile Lake

Weight - 45lb 3oz (11lb 12oz - silvers)

Catch - 5 Carp, 6 Skimmers

Weather - Warm, sunny start. Became cloudier and windier

Match - Haines Series (14 fished)

The final round of the Haines Summer Series and to be honest it has not gone well for me, compared to coming 2^nd and 3^rd in previous years. And this match really reflected how my league has gone.

I haven’t been to Sedges for 2 years, but had a clear plan of attack in mind. i.e. a feeder to the island, waggler to fish shallow ¾ of the way across with 8mm pellet, 2+1 meat line and finally the margins. I also set an 11m skimmer line fed with micros & corn just in case it was hard.

Starting on a large method with Kriller & Blue ICE RTG’s, with a yellow 6mm gofter I had 2 carp in the first 45mins.

A switch to the waggler didn’t produce. In fact, I tried the waggler periodically throughout the match without success.

The 11m line fizzed like a jacuzzi, but getting proper bite was difficult and I just had to wait, catching 3 skimmers on worm, but it was far too slow.

The feeder to island was proving frustrating as there was some discarded line attached to the island. Although I had a further 3 carp, I also lost 2, including the feeder that snagged up on that line.

As for my short lines. Initially my meat line didn’t produce anything until I big potted some meat and hemp, which provided 3 decent bream, before I got silly bites from roach, which meant no carp in the area.

Finally, my margins, where I had hoped to catch late never happened. I had been feeding heavily with micros, a few 4s and corn, fishing paste over the top. Other than 1 foul hooked fish I never had any signs of fish which was a surprise, although the wind had picked up and was blowing down the far bank where they were catching down their margins in the ripple.

I finished 3^rd in section, missing out on 2^nd by 5lb, so those 2 lost carp proved costly. Steve won the section and 2^nd overall with 136lb next to me, catching on the method and the waggler fishing 6mm pellet.

Overall finished the league 9^th and well done to Steve Martin for winning it again, as well as organising the series.

18/09/21 - Ivy House - Old Match Lake

Weight - 143lb 14oz

Catch - 37 Carp, 9 Skimmers, 2 Roach

Weather - Bright sunny start, cloudy but muggy later

Match - Open (18 fished)

Following a week away in Corfu (and Covid testing!) I was looking forward to getting back to Ivy House and drew p5 on the Old Match Lake. Looking at past results it hasn’t featured that often in the overalls, but with a spare peg either side I was hopeful.
 
Based on my last couple of visits I decided to start off cautiously, feeling my way into the match rather than getting all gung-ho with the feed. Starting at 16m with a kriller 6mm in the band, tapping in a few fishery 4mm’s covered in sludge I had 4 small carp and a couple of skimmers in the first 30mins.
 
When this line died, I had intended on starting a new swim to my right but noticed a few carp milling around the island, so cast a small method loaded with micros and a little groundbait (kriller & blue ice) and either a yellow or orange 6mm gofter. I ended up staying on this for 90mins catching mostly small carp, plus the occasional better one up to 4lb. It was noticeable that I had to continually alter the groundbait/micro ratios. Whenever it went quiet more groundbait would bring in the fish, but I got a quicker bite with more micros when they were in the swim.
 
Mid match was a little quiet, trying new pole lines and had a good run of small carp and a few skimmers at 11m on corn. Although I was catching well, I felt I needed some of the bigger carp to frame and with 90mins remaining decided to come off the 11m line to try the margins.
 

I had already started feeding 6s down the right margin under the tree at 10m and micros & 4s down the left. The right margin produced 3 carp on 8mm pellet, whilst the left margin produced 9 carp on paste (kriller & blue ice) to add about 85-90lb.
 
An enjoyable match and was pleased to have narrowly won. Also pleased to be using Andy’s bait which I have a great deal of confidence in, particularly like a bit of paste fishing. 

04/09/21 - Ivy House - Old Match Lake

Weight- 73lb 14oz (9lb silvers)

Catch - 12 Carp, 15 Skimmers, 3 Roach

Weather - Mostly sunny, cloudy later

Match - Open - 2nd (12 fished)

Another trip to back to Ivy House and I was hoping for a draw on the Old Match Lake, rather than Kingfisher as I wanted to put right the wrongs of last week, however I was disappointed to draw p9 again as this peg and end of the lake hasn’t been fishing well recently. It is also the only peg without an island chuck.

I started down the right hand bank at 14m on Paste (kriller : blue ice) and had a 3lber straight away, but that was only 1 over the next 30mins.

I had intended to fish and feed corn at 14m, but only had 1 tin with me, leaving 6 tins home! So, a slight change in plan, feeding fishery 4mm pellet instead and corn boosted with baninion via a toss pot at 14m slightly to my right and chopped worm and micros to my left.

The right-hand swim produced 2 carp including a 6lber and hand sized skimmers. The left-hand swim only produced a few skimmers on worm, before I switched it to just feeding 4mm pellet and I had a couple more skimmers on banded 4mm.

The middle part of the match was really slow, but not much was being caught from what I could see, except for pegs 10 & 12, so not overly concerned.

With 2hrs left I probably had 25-30lb. I had kept feeding 4s down the right-hand bank and had started feeding 4s down the left margin hoping for a strong finish. Fortunately, I had 4 carp down the right on paste, but nothing down the left until I dumped 2 pots of micros & 4s, when I had 4 more carp in the last 30mins again on paste.

The lake fished harder than expected and was pleased to finish 2^nd on the lake. I also felt much better about how I managed the match, by being patience rather than trying to force the peg too early.

1. 107-10 – Ryan – p1

2.   73-14 – Ken – p9

3.   68-  8 – Jim – p14

4.    61-10 – Danny – p16 

Silvers

1.    48-  6 – Ryan – p1