Monday, 8 November 2021

07/11/2021 - Ivy House - Kingfisher

Weight - 44lb 12oz (silvers - 9lb 12oz)
Catch - 22 Carp, 14 Skimmers, 2 Roach
Weather - Sunny and breezy
Match - Winter League rd3 (40 fished)

Today was the 3rd round of the Ivy House Winter League, which had been aborted last year due to Covid. Unfortunately, there were a number of anglers who couldn’t make this round or the rest of the league; however, Karen and Andy managed to get all the spaces filled so we had a full house.
 
It was my turn to fish Kingfisher and there were only 2 pegs remaining, 37 & 38, I drew 38, leaving the end peg for Chris Telling, which he seemed happy about! This has been a good area and I was pleased to avoid the mid-40s which would be more exposed to the wind blowing down the lake.
 
Following the first frosts during the week, the water had cleared a little and I expected a hard day, and I was really worried after 30mins of dobbing bread along the far bank for a small carp and a roach. This was the same for Chris, so it didn’t appear there was any concentration of carp in the area.
 
I had fed a ball of BMGX and fishery micros, boosted with BMG at 8m which was the deepest part of the swim. When it became obvious dobbing bread was a waste of time, I dropped in on the 8m line fishing a 4mm expander and caught a small skimmer straight away, but then bumped 3 skimmers. Being quite cold the fish were very tentative and my 9-12 hollow (as I was expecting carp) was just a bit too powerful, so I switched to a 9 dura elastic which was much better.
 
By feeding a small ball of micros and groundbait every put-in I managed to keep catching a few skimmers and a couple of carp over the next hour.
 
In the meantime, I started feeding at the bottom of the far shelf, micros and groundbait in front, and 4mm pellet/corn, flavoured with Baninion to my left. Once the 8m line died, I tried the left-hand swim with corn and caught a small carp, but the wind was making presentation difficult. A change to a heavier rig, improved presentation, but didn’t produce much from either of the far swims, which to be honest was a surprise.
 
I managed a few more fish from the 8m line, but it was slow going and felt I was now slipping behind Chris, as well as the anglers to my left.
 
With half the match left (2.5hrs) I needed to make something happen, so decided to start pinging 4mm pellet to my left at 14m and fed micros/corn at the bottom the left marginal shelf.
 
The left margin produced a couple of carp and decent skimmers, however my long pinging line really kicked into life for the last 90mins; fishing a 4mm hair rig pellet, produced c.13 carp and a big skimmer. The wind dropped a little which helped with presentation and by the all-out I thought I had about 30-35lb.
 
I slightly underestimated my weight and was genuinely surprised to weigh 44lb for 3rd in section, which was only 2lb behind Chris, which was the other surprise. I could say lost fish cost me, but Chris lost a few as well, as the fish were quite finicky. John Morgan easily won our section dobbing bread!
 
Overall, I was happy with the result which has pushed me into 3rd for the league with 3 rounds remaining.

1.    77- 0 – Phil Godding – p23 (Willow)
2.    74-12 – John Morgan – p47 (Kingfisher)
3.    69- 0 – Joe McMahon – p21 (Heron)
4.    62- 6 – Frank Donachie – p16 (Heron)
5.    61- 8 – Tony Rixon – p18 (Old match lake)
6.    60- 0 – Elick Payne – p33 (Willow)

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