10/04/23 - Rood Ashton

Weight - 88lb 4oz

Catch - 16 Carp

Weather - Wet start, heavy showers and sunny periods. Increasingly windy.

Match - Wiltshire Angling Open (18 fished) - 1st overall

The dry weather of the previous 3 days was replaced by more rain, which meant we were not able to drive around the lake to our pegs, which you can normally do at this time of year, as many parts were still very boggy. P20a meant a long walk around the lake to the far side. Fortunately, I had already lightened my kit to make it easier to push my trolley, but I was still blowing a bit!

I had at least drawn the right area, as there had been a couple of ton weights from this side, with 200lb winning last week from p21, although I was a little concerned about being between 20 & 21, which was a little tight. I was also sat on the drain, which meant I had the constant sound of water rushing down the overflow, which Joe Shepherd had nicknamed the torture peg as he was sat on it last week. The peg was also a bit of a parrot cage with overhanging branches making casting a little awkward.

Starting on a small method at 40m, I had a 1lb carp on the 2nd cast, but nothing else during the first 30mins.

Switching to the pole at 11m where I had fed meat and micros, I had to wait for my first fish on 8mm meat, but by continually toss potting meat I started to put a few fish in the net. Unfortunately, the wind started to pick up, so I dropped back to 10m to help with presentation. However, the wind just got stronger, as did the tow and I fouled hooked the next 2 fish, losing 1 of them, before the swim died.

In the meantime, I had fed 8mm pellet at 30m and tried the straight lead with meat, but only had 1 fish, losing another to a snag. As the wind and tow was getting worst, I tried catapulting meat at 14-16m, fishing the straight lead over the top, but no bites.

Fishing down my left margin didn’t produce either as the tow was worse here as it was amplified by the water rushing down the overflow. As for my right margin, I could only fish a top kit, otherwise I would be interfering with p20, but I at least managed to catch 2 carp.

Moving into the final hour, I had 3 fish quite quickly on the straight lead and meat as the fish finally got their heads down over the 8mm pellet, but the ducks were a pain and at one point I had 4 of the little buggers diving down, which just unsettled the fish in the shallow water.

Back on the pole, by switching from a 0.3g to 0.4g rig I managed another few fish from the 10m line, which meant I probably put about 40lb in the net during the last hour.

The guys either side of me were estimating the same weight of 70-75lb. As it was, we were all slightly out and I was pleased to have just edged it. In hindsight I lost my way a little during hours 4 & 5 as I tried to find the best way of catching but I was pleased to have had a strong finish. Had the weather been a bit kinder I think at least 120lb was on the cards.

1. 88- 4 – Ken Rayner – p20a

2. 86- 0 – Pete Phillips – p21

3. 83-10 – Alan Gibbs – p20

4. 81- 1 – Mayo – p5a

5. 80-12 – Pete Neate – p6