Monday, 15 June 2026

13/06/26 - Harescombe - Doughnut

Weight - 67lb 12oz
Catch - 22 Carp
Weather - Warm, sunny and breezy at times.
Match - Harescombe Summer League - rd1 (12 fished) - 2nd in section, 3rd overall.

The first round of the Harescombe Summer League, starting on Doughnut Lake and then alternating with Match Lake over 6 rounds.

The weather had improved from last week, being warmer and less windy, and hopefully I would avoid breaking any more pole sections.

I was reasonably happy with p18 as it was in the right area, but the peg itself does not plumb up well as there was are no flat spots tight to the far bank and it was around 3ft deep. Also down the track it was 6ft deep.

I did find one shallower spot to my right along the island and decided to start there on Cocosquid paste, but after 30mins I hadn’t had a bite. I tried meat and pellet over the same area but just couldn’t get a bite.

Looking around everyone except for Arthur on p15 appeared to be struggling.

I then tried fishing shallow, but I was having a mare, as I was struggling to present the bait due to overhanging branches, strands of sedges getting in the way and an overhanging stick up that I didn’t see until I tried slapping a pellet and lost the whole rig.

I eventually caught my first fish after 2hr 20mins on meat over a 2+2 line and that was the only fish I caught here.

Back to the shallow line I was starting to put a few fish in the net, concentrating on the left side of the bushes/trees, fishing a 6mm baninion pellet over pinged 4s. However, I was losing too many fish at the net and I must admit the air was turning blue as I became increasingly frustrated.

With 2hrs remaining I had 20/25lb and I had a serious word with myself to get it sorted, as I was probably last in section. A change of hook from an 18 B960 (which normally is very reliable) to a 16 B911 and switching from feeding 4s to 6s was much better.

I had also been feeding 6mm meat covered in So Simple Sludge down my left margin in 2.5ft of water with a few kriller micros. Now, I was starting to enjoy myself as I knew I was catching quickly and I was confident I had at least caught up with a few anglers in the section.

When I needed to rest the margin I would catch a couple of fish from the shallow line, plus I caught 2 carp on paste off the end of my keepnets in 5ft of water.

By the all-out I thought I would be 3rd in section, however I was pleasantly surprised to claim 2nd in section, particularly after my poor start.

1.   
96-  3 – Arthur Hicks – p15
2.    80-  2 – Gary Townsend – p1
3.    67-12 – Ken Rayner – p18
4.    63-12 – Jerry Wiggett – p5

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