Catch - 4 Carp, 1 Perch, 1 Rudd
Weather - Windy, sunshine, showers, hail
Match - Tackle Den (19 fished) - 7th overall, 3rd in section
This match was originally scheduled for Heron Lake at Ivy House;
however, it was switched when Heron was ‘sold’ and Andy took a load of fish out
of the lake. Since then the sale has fallen through, and I understand the fish
have been transferred from the canals back into Heron.
The last time I fished Windmill was 9 years ago when I lived
in Bristol and to be honest, I think I only enjoyed 1 of the 4 matches I fished
there.
On seeing the lake, it had certainly matured, although there
seemed to be plenty of reeds and overhangs for any hooked carp to make their
escape.
However, the wind was again going to play its part, and it
was unlikely I could fish the pole to the island as the wind was blowing left
to right down the lake. I did plumb up around the island, just in case the wind
died down, but every time it looked like the wind was easing it would kick off
again!
On the all-in I started across on the method with a mix of
So Simple Kriller and Baninion micros, with an 8mm orange gofter. This didn’t
produce a bite, neither did fishing the straight lead with meat or 8mm pellet.
With 55mins gone I had 1 liner and had seen very little
being caught elsewhere.
As I hoped the carp would feed later in the match I thought
I would try for a few silvers on dead maggots over micros and groundbait. I
caught 1 small perch and a rudd. Oh well at least I avoided the blank.
In the meantime, I had been pinging 6s across to the point
of the island and tried the method, this time with mostly groundbait (So Simple
Top G) with only a few micros and a squirt of Top G Smog, fishing a 6mm orange
gofter. At last, the tip went round and a 7/8lb carp was in the net.
Later I caught another 2 carp both on the straight lead and
a 6mm expander by the island.
I had also fed meat at 2+2 and down the right margin.
Neither swim produced a bite, which was disappointing.
To make something happen the right margin received 2 cups of
groundbait and micros with an hour remaining. With 30mins left of the match I
hooked a fish down the margin, but the hook pulled almost immediately and I felt
it was a foul hooker.
Surprisingly I couldn’t catch another fish from the island,
and I never had a bite over the short meat line. Back down the right margin
with 10mins remaining I eventually hooked a carp on meat, netting a 7lber after
the all-out.
I was glad when the match finished.
1.
90- 3 –
Steve Venn – p9
2.
62-15 – Alistair Tilney – p8
3.
40- 0 –
Vince Grillo – p3
4.
39-15 – Michael Triggs – p11
5.
33- 8 –
Liam Reynolds – p25
