24/10/21 - Ivy House - Heron

Weight - 68lb 2oz

Catch - 50 Carp, 19 F1

Weather - Bright start, then rain.

Match - Open (20 fished)

Sunday and it’s the first time on Heron for a couple of months and p11 for me. Starting short (2+2) on 4mm expander, feeding 4s and it wasn’t long before I caught, but also started foul hooking. By feeding a small ball of micros, it resulted in better bites and fewer foul hookers, but after an hour the swim was slowing.

I had started pinging 4s long, hoping to catch shallow, but when I switched it was hard going and I really struggled to catch. In fact, the middle part of the match was proving difficult. Fishing a small method to the far bank produced a few fish, as did fishing down the margin and long on the deck under the shallow swim, but I just couldn’t get a run of fish going, which was frustrating.

In the end I stopped trying to force the peg, putting the catapult and set up a new swim at 14m slightly to my left and simply toss potted 4s. After an initial slow start, I started to catch properly in the last hour probably putting nearly 20lb in the net.

Have to say I was kicking myself a little, as I should have binned the shallow line sooner and concentrated on catching on the deck, as in hindsight I should have come 3^rd.  Pleased with the start and the end of the match, but it was just that middle bit that I wasn’t happy with, which I put down to being out of touch with the lake.

1-   92- 6 – Jason Crump – p13

2-   83-10 – Rinaldo – p9

3-   78-14 – Jeff Rogers – p15

4-   74- 0 – Steve Water – p14

5-   68- 2 – Ken Rayner – p11

23/10/21 - Ivy House - Kingfisher

Weight - 68lb 8oz (9lb silvers)

Catch - 32 Carp, 15 Skimmers, 2 Roach, 1 F1

Weather - Bright start, turning cloudy with a cool breeze.

Match - Open (20 fished) 

Managed to draw Kingfisher for the first time in a while, rather than the Old Match Lake and p41 is in a decent area. It was also noticeable that the weather is turning colder as I needed an extra layer to stay warm.

Having not fished the lake for a while I decided to start cautiously at 3+2 on 4mm banded pellet, initially toss potting fishery 4s flavoured with Baninion. After 5mins I had a decent skimmer, soon followed by some hand size fish, I had also been feeding 4s and some corn, 2m off the left margin where I had another decent skimmer and my first carp. By alternating between the 2 swims and feeding more corn, I caught more carp and skimmers, either on pellet or corn.

After 90mins, both swims were slowing down. A switch to a new swim at the bottom of the far shelf, was slow going, but gradually by feeding micros flavoured with BMG I caught a couple more skimmers and carp up to 5lb, however it was slow going.

In the meantime, I had started pinging 4s at 14m off to my left and feeding hemp & corn down the right margin. I had a few better fish down the right on corn, before I had a really good run of carp from the 14m pinging line, where I was getting a bite almost immediately, although the stamp of fish was slightly smaller than I had been catching. 

When that slowed a switch to my right-hand margin only produced 1 more fish, probably because Val Murray on p40 big potted some bait down his left and he did catch a decent carp, but nothing else and it ruined my swim as well.

Fortunately, my left margin kicked back into life for the last 30mins, when I switched from feeding pellet to hemp, plus corn.

By the end I was sure I had done OK and come the weigh in I just sneaked 2^nd on the lake, beating Dave Willmott on p43 by 6oz.

1-   127- 8 – Mark Poppleton – p50 (K)

2-   111- 6 – Jamie Dixey – p8 (OML)

3-     81-10 – Baggy – p7 (OML)

4-     77-10 – Chris Timms – p10 (OML)

5-     68- 8 – Ken Rayner – p41 (K)

Silvers

1-   27- 8 – Phil Goddings – p5 (OML)

2-   16- 8 – Pete Ziemniak – p47 (K)

3-   16- 0 – Eddy Marsh – p44 (K)

3-   16- 0 – Allan Oram – p16 (OML)

5-   10- 0 – Chris Timms – p10 (OML)

17/10/21 - Woodland View - Front Deans

Weight - 45lb (9lb - silvers)

Catch - 8 carp, 8 Skimmers, 4 F1s, 1 Crucian, 1 Perch

Weather - Rain to start, cleared later.

Match - Teams of 4 (44 fished)

Steve Martin asked me to guest for the Haines team again at Woodland View and that I would be on Front Deans again.

I drew another corner, peg 14 and looking at last week’s weigh sheet it showed the angler on that peg had caught 50lb for 6pts. With plenty of overnight rain and flat calm conditions I was expecting it to be harder than last week.

On the all in, I started at 2+2 to my right fishing a 6mm expander hoping for an early carp, but it took 30mins before I got my first fish, a near 2lb crucian on 4mm expander from my left hand 2+2 swim. 

I kept toss potting small balls of micros with Baninion boost juice but was only getting silly

bites and foul hooked a couple of fish. By coming up the shelf a little it produced some skimmers and a F1, either on 4mm expander or dead maggot. After 90mins, I managed my first carp on 4mm expander and looking around it appeared to be slow going for most.

After setting up another line I managed a couple more carp either on 4mm expander or dead maggot, but it was still slow and noticed the anglers opposite, where what little ripple there was, was blowing into their bank, starting to catch down their margins, which meant I was falling behind.

Half an hour after potting some micros, 4s and corn down the left margin I noticed a few swirls. First put in and I landed a 5lber on 6mm blue ice expander and thought ‘here we go’, but then foul hooked a couple which was frustrating. By reducing the amount of micros fed, I had better bites and landed a couple more carp, but they were of a smaller stamp, rather than the units those opposite were catching. I fed dead maggot and micros down the right margin, but this only produced 2 big skimmers.

Overall, a frustrating day. I genuinely believe there weren’t many fish in the area at the start of the match and this reflected what the angler to my right (p12) had, however he dumped a load of corn down his right margin to make something happen in the last hour and promptly caught some big carp to win the section with 91lb.

I feel I should have caught a bit more and a lack of venue knowledge cost me to finish 10^th out of 11 on the lake. So from hero to zero. At least next week I will be back on familiar ground with a weekend at Ivy House planned.

10/10/21 - Woodland View - Front Deans

Weight - 75lb

Catch - 14 F1s, 10 Carp, 8 Skimmers, 5 Perch, 1 Rudd

Weather - Cool start, sunny and breezy

Match - Teams of 4 (44 fished)

Steve Martin asked me to guest for the Haines team in the teams of 4, as Cosmo couldn’t make this round. I have only fished the venue once before and I was on Front Deans which I haven’t fished before.

P2 put me in the corner and to be honest with the wind blowing in I quite fancied it. The wind however was a bit of an issue in as much as it would limit how far out, I could fish, although that wouldn’t be an issue as most advice was to fish short.

A number of rigs were set up as I wasn’t sure what would or won’t work.

Starting at 2+2 with corn, didn’t produce and neither did hard pellet, although the wind was creating a fair bit of tow. A switch to a 0.5g chimp sat better and I caught a tiny F1 on maggot. Staying with maggot only produced

small perch or skimmers and I could hear and see some better fish being landed so didn’t stay too long fishing the maggot.

After 30mins and only a couple of pounds in the net, I decided to cast a small method to the aerator on the end bank, loaded with fishery micros pellets, flavoured with Blue Ice boost juice. (There is a no groundbait rule at the fishery so I could only use micros) I started catching a mixture of carp and F1s, finding it best to use a 6mm pellet, adding about 20lb in an hour, before it slowed down.

In the meantime, I tried to prep a shallow swim as I noticed a few F1s topping, but after catching 1 Rudd, this was soon binned.

The rest of the match was spent catching 1 or 2 fish on the feeder up to 8lb, before they backed off and fishing a 4mm BMG Janner pellet over micros on various short line swims, catching more F1s than carp, plus a few better sized skimmers.

After the 5hr match I was fairly sure I had beaten the anglers I could see and felt I would get good points. The only disappointment was I didn’t catch down either margin, whilst the angler opposite caught some proper units. I just think I may have gone a bit gung-ho with my feed but I knew I could always retreat back the feeder swim.

In the end I finished 4^th on the lake, picking up the section money as the winner came

2^nd overall. The top 3 weights on the lake surprisingly came from the sheltered end of the lake, so I was pleased with my efforts against the locals.

1. 170- 4 – C. Hopps – p34 High Pool

2. 136- 0 – R. Green – p12 Front Deans

3. 121- 4 – M. Taylor – p50 Back Deans

4. 105- 2 – Ash – p24 Front Deans

5. 104- 0 – K. Parry – p58 Back Deans

6.   97-14 – M. Westley – p26 High Pool

09/10/21 - Ivy House - Old Match Lake

Weight - 37lb 8oz (14lb - silvers)

Catch - 17 Skimmers, 7 Carp

Weather - Mostly sunny

Match - Open (13 fished)

Back to Ivy House hoping for my good form to continue. I fancied drawing Kingfisher as I haven’t fished the lake for a while but ended up on p2 on the Old Match Lake which is OK.

Started on the method to the island, but unlike last week the tip was a little reluctant to pull round, only managing 2 stockies after 30 mins and already sensed this could be a hard match.

The next 30mins was spent on the pole & 6mm pellet at 14m for another 2 stockies, plus a couple of skimmers, but it really wasn’t happening. I noticed a few other anglers catching proper carp, which meant I was already falling behind.

As I hadn’t seen many silvers being caught decided to try myself. Swapping between 2 swims at 14m, on 4mm BMG Janners over micros & 4s, I caught a few skimmers, plus a couple smaller carp.

I also fed a 6m line with pellet & corn, but only caught carp, so stayed mostly stayed on the long lines. Unfortunately, the last hour was really slow, which was a little disappointing, and I missed out picking up the silvers money by 10oz.

I did try varying my feed and setting up new swims, but those skimmers were a little reluctant to feed.

1. 135-  2 - Mick Lane - p8

2.   96-  2 - Andy Taylor - p18

3.   76-  0 - Alan Smith - p16

4.   72-10 - Elick Payne - p10

Silvers

1.   14-10 - Mick Lane - p8

2.   14-  0 - Ken Rayner - p2

3.   13-  2 - Andy Lord - p1

03/10/21 - Ivy House - Old Match Lake

Weight - 95lb 8oz (4lb 8oz - silvers)

Catch - 22 Carp, 4 Skimmers, 1 Tench, 1 Roach

Weather - Bright start, rain later

Match - Open (13 fished)

I had intended on fishing Ivy House Saturday and staying home Sunday. However, with torrential rain forecast (which was proven correct) Saturday, I switched days.

Only 13 of us, so all on the Old Match Lake and peg 1 for me, which is a noted flyer. Following yesterday’s rain, I wasn’t sure how it would fish and was expecting it to be hard. Starting on a small 20g method to the island, with micros and rocks mixed in, plus groundbait (blue ice : BMGX) and a yellow or orange 6mm wafter. I was only expecting to catch on for 30mins but ended up fishing on the feeder for 90min putting about 35lb-40lb in the net. I found it best to feed mostly micros, with a little groundbait mixed in.

I had prepped 2 long lines (14m to my left and

16m to my right) with pellet (micros & 4s) and corn and caught a few carp from the 14m line on 6mm pellet, but it was more of a struggle than I expected. I also tried down the end bank with pellet, which is usually where most catch, but I only caught 1 small carp which was a surprise.

I had a couple more carp on the feeder mid match, but felt I was being caught, particularly by Elick opposite on p16 and a couple anglers to my right and needed a late run of fish.

My right-hand margin proved fruitless, but with p2 in that was always likely. Fortunately, I had 7 fish for 35lb at 7m on 6mm kriller pellet, fed with 6mm fishery pellet flavoured with sludge and a 5lber on the whistle proved decisive winning the match by 3lb.

So, my good run on this lake continues with 2x 1^st and 2x 2^nd in the last 5 matches, which isn’t easy with several very good anglers in attendance and I am pleased I’m getting it right at the moment.

1. 95-  8 - Ken Rayner - p1

2. 92-  4 - Jamie Dixey - p6

3. 80-  0 - Elick Payne - p16

4. 63-12 - Vince Shipp - p4

Silvers

1. 13-  0 - Vince Shipp - p4

2. 10-  0 - Danny - p13

3.   9-  2 - Baggy - p2