06/10/24 - Rood Ashton

Weight - 86lb 12oz

Catch - 17 Carp, 2 Roach

Weather - Cloudy and breezy. Rain late on.

Match - Tackle Den (11 fished) - 3rd overall

For various reasons we were low on numbers today, which at least meant there would be fewer poor pegs in the bag. The good news was we could still drive round the lake, helped by loads of wood chipping being laid down in the worst affected areas during the previous rain. The question however, was, would the forecasted rain later in the day start before or after the match?

I drew p18 on the far bank opposite the island, but I would have preferred p20 or p21, but with the wind blowing into my bank I was hopeful.

I started on the method cast ¾ of the way towards the island. I didn’t wish to cast any closer due to the various snags by the island. After 3 casts on the method without any indications, I wasn’t convinced the feeder was the right approach, so switched to an 8mm red pellet and a tea bag covered in p-nut oil, resulting in my first carp. The 2^nd hour was better adding another 5 carp, mostly on 8mm meat covered in a-krill cloud and a pellet cone with bubblegum micros.

The 3rd hour was disappointing with no more fish. In the meantime, I had been feeding meat and 4mm pellet at 11m, but only caught a couple of roach and a crayfish, so I started feeding meat and micros down the right margin.

Fortunately, the fish returned over the far line adding another 4 fish, plus 2 from the right margin, but roach playing around with the bait were being a real pain.

With 45mins remaining, I felt I was behind all 3 anglers to my left and needed to get rid of the nuisance roach and catch some margin fish. So, I opened another tin of meat and fed both margins, just as the rain started. The right side was still full of roach, however 5 fish from the left margin in the last 30mins for 30lb was really useful to win my side of the lake and finish 3^rd overall.

1.    134-15 – Pete Phillips – p6

2.    100-  7 – Matt Greaves – p2

3.      86-12 – Ken Rayner – p18

4.      83-13 – Andrew Black – p4

5.      78-  8 – Dan Barnett – p21

  

05/10/24 - Harescombe - Doughnut Lake

Weight - 96lb 8oz 

Catch - 52 Carp

Weather - Bright, sunny and breezy at times

Match - Open (9 fished) - 2nd overall

As it was a while since my last visit to this lake, I was looking forward to returning. I wasn’t too concerned where I drew and ended up on peg 23. As I wasn’t sure what would work, particularly after the cold start to the day, I fed 2 swims at the bottom of the far shelf in 6.5ft of water. 2mm p-nut pellet and corn covered in p-nut cloud was deposited out in front and a ball of GLM : Crushed Expander to my left.

As it happened, I never went over the groundbait swim, as I kept catching by toss potting corn and micros, fishing corn on the hook, catching 14 carp in the first 90mins before the swim began to fade.

I knew I was slightly behind Steve on p20 and felt I needed to change tact. A switch to fishing the far bank again fishing corn over toss potted corn and 2mm p-nut pellet I kept catching, although the wind at times was a pain and I’m sure I left 10-20lb behind.

Come the last hour I needed to rest the far line and so I tried meat down the marginal slope, but in hindsight I wish hadn’t. I struggled to get a clean bite, netting only 3 fish, losing another 3, and wished I had set up a line at the bottom of the near shelf.

By the all-out I thought I was ahead of Steve on the fish count, however he had caught a few 4-5lb fish which made the difference and so took the win.

An enjoyable day and other than the wind a pleasant day weather wise.

1.    109-  8 – Steve Partington – p20

2.      96-  8 – Ken Rayner – p23

3.      77-  5 – Liam Coombley – p21

4.      69-13 – Mick O’Brien – p14