Monday 19 April 2010

Tommo's good old 'balaclava' rig!!

Hillview Lakes
Saturday 17th April 2010
29 Anglers

Hillview has been lacking a good turnout on a Saturday of late if im honest, but now the good results have recently been coming more anglers wanted a go today. Gareth (Welshmagic) from Total Fishing and Match Fishing Scene had informed me he would be coming for a bash due to the volcanic ash, also 27 other anglers, including Garbolino’s Ian Didcote and good old Neville, so there would be some tough competition.

After taking all the money and having a nice breakfast I was in for the draw, hoping for peg 9 or 27... Ian went in at the front of the queue and pulled 9, and then I went in and pulled out 23. Not what I wanted. This peg is at the bottom end of heron and very rarely throws up any big weights so I already knew that it would be hard to frame, but I still set up and hoped that some fish would be in front of me. Neville had drawn 29! Gareth had pulled out 35, my dad was on the canal 47, my mate Ben was also on the canal and Lee had drawn 37 on the causeway.

I decided on fishing my normal approach. Shallow long, 1 line short and 2 margin swims. I plumbed up my short line at 5 metres, slightly to the right ( I went a bit further than normal because this is the shallowest part of the lake). My rig consisted of a 4 x 10 KC Chimp in 3 feet of water, 0.14 main line to an 0.12 hooklength and a Gamma pellet size 16. I had grey hydro as my elastic choice. My margin line to the right was 6 metre and then to the left at throwing distance by the bale. This rig was a 0.1 grizzly, 0.16 to an 0.14 hooklength finished with a size 14 gamma pellet, black hydro finished the set up. As for my long line, I did actually plumb up a bottom rig with a 0.3 Garbolino pellet pencil on 0.14 main line with 0.12 hooklength then a 18 gamma pellet with number 12 sensas latex. My shallow rigs were the norm – Malman thicko’s on 0.16 main line with 0.14 hooklengths all with bait bands and 18 b911’s all finished with 12 latex again.

At the all in I cupped in half a pot of pellet on my short line and a quarter of a pot at 14,5 metres then went straight onto my short line with a 4mm pellet and started pinging my shallow line hoping to line a few fish up. After a succession of missed bites in the first 10 minutes I finally connected with a roach that flew through the air, then a skimmer next drop, then finally a small carp about 2lb. After the carp I couldn’t buy a bite. After another 30 minutes I picked up my shallow rig and banded a 4mm pellet. No bites were forthcoming even though the surface was black with fish swimming around. I then foul hooked a carp out of the blue on my shallow rig that hooked itself but I really wasn’t having any indications on the float at all. I tried my bottom rig long continuing to feed a few pellets via catapult but I only managed a couple of skimmers and a small tench.

Hour 3 and the surface was alive with carp just cruising about so I picked up my balaclava rig (a shallow rig as above but no shot down the line as a large 6mm cocks the small float perfectly). First drop I slapped the pellet in front of a cruising fish and it was on... this was the trend for the next hour and a half as I steadily mugged fish on the pellet. Some snatched it, others just swam on. I did manage some really nice fish and thought id pulled myself back, but then come 2.30 the fish had vanished and I was back to square one.

I had been feeding my edge religiously since 12 and I was banking on having some fish there by now. I laid in my rig with a 4mm pellet and waited. Just as I was about to come off the line the float dinked and as I lifted the biggest ghost carp I had seen popped to the surface – clearly foul hooked. It didn’t fight and I just tried to guide it round, it was too big for my net as I tried to scoop it I slightly tapped it, leaving me without the fish! Gutted was an understatement.

In the last hour I managed a few more mugged fish but was now well behind. Neville had bagged, Diddy had managed a good 2 hours down the edge, and Gareth had caught a few shallow and some monsters down the side. Finally weighing in, Nev had clearly won with 127lb 74 was second so I knew I was out of the top 3 and all I could hope for was a section, I tipped 68lb on the scales and hoped for the best as I didn’t know how Keith had worked the sections. Diddy took second spot with 106lb and I pipped Gareth by 2lb. All in all I had more than I imagined I was going to catch and picked up some section money and 4th overall. I am now looking forward to the bank holiday Monday match which will be a double header!

Monday 12 April 2010

Saturday 10th April 2010

Hillview Lakes

After arriving at the fishery, the sun was blaring and I imagined we would be in for a good day after the good weights on Wednesday (143lb won, 2 more tons and various 80s and 90s). After a nice big fry up I had a walk around the pools by myself to try and work out what exactly was going on. I was intending to fish shallow, but I actually saw no fish top when I was walking around. Not good. What I did notice was that there was a lot more colour in Moorhen than heron… I had to fancy any peg along the causeway after Wednesdays weights (pegs 5-10) but I would turn my nose up at 19, 17 or 16 either. I have never really got on with peg 12 so didn’t really want to draw that and peg 2 would be the one no one wanted… My dad unfortunately drew this. So in I went and pulled out 15. Not a peg I wanted but it did win last Sunday so I was hoping there were some still there.

Arriving at my peg I saw Terry King setting up on peg 8 and I thought it would be game over, Josh on peg 10 which he skipped to. I had my work cut out. I had a good sit down for 5 minutes and had a think about my plan. I finally decided to keep it simple by fishing shallow at 13m pushing out to 14.5 or 16 if they backed off, a 4 metre line (where all the weights were caught Wednesday) and 2 margin swims, one to the left at 13m up the corner and 1 to my right throwing distance. First of all I plumbed up my 4 metre swim with a 4 x 12 KC Chimp in 4.5 foot of water, there was no breeze at all so I could get away with a lighter float, plus I was fishing pellet so I wanted it to be as natural as possible. This rig was 0.14 main line to a 0.12 hooklength, all Silstar, 16 Gamma Pellet hook. Shotting pattern was simple; number 10’s spread 3 inches apart. Elastic was Grey Hydro. My margin rig was next plumed up, right tight to some reeds up the corner in 2.5 foot of water. This was a 0.2 Grizzly (seems heavy but want to anchor the rig dead still). 0.16 main line to a 0.14 hooklength (again Silstar) to a 14 Gamma Pellet hook. A simple bulk was all that is needed down the edge, 10 inches from the hook. Elastic was black hydro. Finally I set up 2 shallow rigs, both Malman Thickos in 4 x 10. Both rigs were 0.14 main line to 0.12 hooklength. Hooks were 18 b911 eyed as I was fishing a hair rigged micro band on both. The reason I set up 2; one was an ‘ideal’ rig, if the fish were having it shallow I could fish it 1 foot deep or shallower and have a short line to hit fast bites, the other rig was a ‘wary’ rig. If the fish were going to feed iffy and wary, they wouldn’t want a pole over there hair so I could fish this rig a foot deep and swing it past my pole tip – that’s the theory anyway! Elastic wise was number 12 slip. Bait wise, I had a bag of 4mm pellet (feed), 1 pint was soaked for feeding edges and 4 metres and the other pint was left dry for fishing shallow, 1 tin of meat, some 4mm RS Expanders and some 6mm hard pellets for banding.

At the all in I fed my 4 metre line first, just covering the bottom of my big Preston ‘kup’. Next I fed half a pot of pellet at 13m (I wasn’t fishing on the deck but wanted to draw fish in the area then bring them up) and I never feed the edges until about 12 o clock. I picked up my 4 metre rig, hooked a 4mm pellet and lowered it in. At this point there was a lot of debris in my peg so I had to keep tweaking where my rig was. I picked up my catty and started to feed shallow. Terry had already had one big carp and I thought he was going to empty it. I then had a dink on the float which I missed, so I lowered it back in and it went again. First fish of the day on, now all the debris was right under my feet and the fish had gone through the lot of it! I tried my best to manoeuvre the fish around it actually trying to hard and managing to lose the bugger! I didn’t feed and just went back in with another pellet. Minutes later I was into another which I got in about 3lb. I then clipped on a toss pot and fed 20 pellets which seemed to kill the swim.

After 10 more biteless minutes, I had to try shallow. I banded a 6mm on the ‘wary rig’ and swung it out. I was feeding about 4-5 pellets every 20 seconds or so. At this point Josh hooked his first fish shallow so I thought I could have a few. Right at that, my float flew under and I hooked one as well. About 4 pounder in the pan. I had 3 more in the next hour but was really slow and hard going. Slapping the rig just wasn’t right today they were spooking ever so easy.. I had now also started to feed my right hand edge with 4-6 cubes of meat every 10 minutes and I was itching to have a go.. So I left the shallow line, still feeding it, and had a look on the inside.. I had one liner and that was it. I now started to feed my long margin line. I cupped in a handful of pellet and planned on topping it up every 30 minutes to give the fish some confidence.

Back shallow and all I could do was miss bites, so I changed to meat on the ‘ideal’ rig, still missing them.. I then banded a 4mm hard pellet and had 4 fish in 4 drops! Sussed! I continued to put a few more fish in the net but again they had gone a bit iffy again… So I tried my long edge, stocky first bung then a skimmer, then nothing. I fed it and tried the other side, stocky, stocky nothing! So I continued to feed that. At this point robin on 19 had filled his one net and went trundling off to get another! I thought I had about 30lb and needed these last 2 hours to be good. I managed one more fish shallow before just concentrating on my inside lines.

As soon as I dropped in on my short meat edge my pole was yanked out of my hand and a 3 pounder was in the net, so I fed it and laid another cube back in, the float dinked slightly and a sharp lift resulted in another chubby carp. Again just flicking cubes in I changed to my long line down the edge not wanting to exhaust them so early on. As I laid the rig in it didn’t even settle before it flew away. I lifted and it was just heavy, it was harder work just trying to pull a heavy weight to the side to get my pole on my rollers. 30 seconds later a big 10 pounder lay in my net flapping its head off. I then fed that line and changed to my short one… This was the trend for the rest of the match as I managed a few from each line, but any feed over there head when you were fishing it, I wouldn’t get a bite.

At the all out, I had a foul hooked carp on which I got out 5 minutes later about 5 pound. Alan had bagged the last 30 minutes on 6 and Robin hadn’t had another fish since he dropped another net in. Robin weighed in first with 58lb, I thought I had about 60lb but not much more, 2 weighs later and I had 73lb, the stockies really have piled on the weight. Bob on 12 had a few the last hour but Alan managed 3rd with 47lb from 6. It fished tough but I had managed a win never the less. Hopefully they’ll switch on properly soon.

Monday 29 March 2010

Hillview Lakes
Saturday 27th March 2010
16 Fished

16 turned up and with pleasure anglers on pegs 24-30 on heron I was already a bit doubtful of the pools producing but would still take a draw on heron (the walkway side). Because of the pleasure anglers and only 16 anglers turning up Keith decided on a rover. I pulled out peg 12. Not the best. After most the anglers looking at Wednesdays results they ran to the canals. Moorhen was also pretty full so come my draw no one had gone on heron. So I got excited and went on peg 37.

Getting to my peg, there weren’t as many fish on the top as id hoped for. Also the wind was off my back. Firstly I set up my new Preston ²G10 pole which I was dying to fish long shallow with, so I set up 2 shallow rigs comprising of 0.14 main line to 0.12 hook lengths with Gamma pellet hooks in size 16. Floats, I used Ackoo shallow floats in 0.2. I also set up a rig for on the bottom which was a 4 x 16 KC Chimp; this was on 0.14 again to a 0.12 hook length and a size 16 gamma pellet. A simple bulk and 2 droppers on this. I also set up an 8m rig fishing at 10 o clock. This was the same rig as above but with a 4 x 14 float. Also a margin rig, again exactly the same but with a 4 x 10 chimp. Pheww! Elastic for shallow was white hydro, grey for on the bottom and black hydro in the edge. I also set up a waggler rod which was a mach 3 11ft, with a mach 3 reel. 0.18 hooklenth with a Drennan feeder hook and a new Cralusso waggler. Bait wise I had a pint of 4mm feed pellet, 6 and 4mm hookers, corn, a little bit of meat on the hook and some 8mm pellets for banding.

At the all in I fed 20 or so pellets and a bit of corn on all lines apart from my margin line, which I leave until about 12 o clock. I then chucked the waggler for the first hour which produced one small carp. Not the best start. I then re-fed all my pole lines and dropped in at 14 metres on the deck. I started to ping 4 pellets every minute or so. After 10 minutes a carp boiled right by my float so I changed to my shallow rig, 15 minutes later, altering depths , shotting pattern and hook baits eventually after many silly bites, my float shot under and I was attached to a nice plump 4 pounder. I fed again and went straight back in using meat on the hook. Nothing after 20 minutes longer I kept pinging it and had a look short. Short line produced nothing, so I fed that and went back on the waggler, where I had a lot of bites but couldn’t hit any. I eventually struck into a carp which darted behind the island, my rod was locked out as I just held on, all of a sudden it went slack and it was off. The rod stood up well, but my hook had been straightened!

The waggler had produced a few small carp but nothing major so I was back on the pole shallow where I had a carp first chuck then as I went back in I saw a big black shadow swim towards my hook bait and BANG, fish on. I got the fish to the net and it just popped up as I took a scoop it shot off and come off! After a lot of cursing to myself I went back in for another go, I had now been feeding my edge and 8 metre lines quite regularly. I had about 20lb in my net going into the last 2 hours and I thought 50-60lb would be enough. So I went in confident down the edge and had a skimmer first cast and then a small carp then nothing so I fed it and went to 8 metres. In 20 minutes I put about 10lb in the net from the 8m line, feeding nothing and just fishing a 6mm pellet until it died. Back down the edge and I hooked a fish straight away and it was obviously foul hooked as it shot off into the middle of the lake. Test number one for my new pole! I held on and eventually got back to my top 2 where it shot of again. It was trying to snag me in my near side margin, until I pulled it all the way across the surface and slid the net under a 7 pounder! My margin was now devoid of fish though. I fed it and back to 8 metres with nothing. So I went on the waggler and snared a few more carp before the all out. I knew deep down I hadn’t done enough to win as the canals had fished well with most catching in the edge. When Keith arrived at my peg and told me Josh was winning with 63lb and 2 more weights of 60+ had come out I felt rather dejected after my 2 previous wins. I tipped a hard earned 51lb on the scales for only 4th in the match. I think the only thing I could have done different today is stuck on one or 2 lines and hoped they eventually showed up… Willow Marsh for a Friday afternoon match looks promising if the weather holds.

Monday 22 March 2010

BACK TO BLOGGING!!!

Hillview Lakes

20/03/2010 – 17 fished

Keith plagued me Wednesday about not coming Saturday because I was scared of Nev, so with a bit of form coming back I hit Hillview. After yet another bang on breakfast I wanted any peg with the wind off my back. 27 was my location for the day…With Nev on the next peg 29! Talk about pressure! The rain started as soon as I set up which I wasn’t happy with but I quickly set up my hoards of rigs! I planned on the same attack as Wednesday as I knew it was worth a few fish. I also set up 2 shallow rigs as I thought it may be worth a few odd cruising ghosties. Rigs were the same as Wednesday, shallow rigs were 4x10 chimps.

At the all in I fed my long line with about 50 4mm pellets, some hookers and a little bit of corn. The same was deposited on my 2 8 metre lines. For the first 45 minutes I was completely roached out on every bait and every line. I was pulling my hair out. I did lose 2 carp which I think were foul hooked. I noticed a floating weed about 15 metres out and carp were gobbing it so I quickly grabbed my shallow rig and lowered a pellet in about 2 foot deep right beside it and it buried! A nice 4lb carp in the net. I did exactly the same thing again except I had to swing the rig as the weed was floating out, it buried again and carp number two was in. The weed had then gone so I just lowered it in at 16 metres and managed another mug carp. It then went quiet and I was back getting pestered with roach. At 12 o clock I decided to start pinging pellets at 14 metres and sitting on a shallow rig, I had a dog roach first cast then a pest roach next cast. 5 minutes later I was into a carp and buzzing! I was feeding just 4 pellets every 30 seconds or so and lifting and dropping regularly. I had a golden hour and I was now well in with a chance. The rain then started again at 1.30 ish and that was that shallow! L

My 8 metre lines were devoid, so I went back to 14 metres on the deck still pinging and just nicking skimmers, roach and the odd small carp. Soon this slowed up though and I fed my margin. I tried shallow just dopping a pellet all over the swim which resulted in 3 carp in the shadows. Then nothing. So with 45 to go I persevered with my edges (which I had nothing from) and my 8 metre line were I was now just feeding corn by hand. I put some chunky skimmers and a few small carp in the net to maintain my lead.

At the all out I knew I had just about held on to it as Nev got better in the last hour. I must add he was unfortunate to break his pole before the match so couldn’t fish shallow past 8 metres. No, I didn’t break it! 26lb was the best weight till Nev, then he tipped 40lb on the scales which then I weighed 54lb. Another win in the bag making it 2 on the bounce and 3 pick ups! Result! Roll on Saturday.

Hillview Lakes

17/03/2010 – 20 fished

I finally decided to venture back to my home turf Hillview. My dad had been cleaning up on a Wednesday winning 5 on the trot at one point (all from good pegs!) so I was eager to be back and give him a slapping. After a nice breakfast, which I had missed, nowhere does a breakky like Hillview! 20 chaps had turned up for this (obviously they need to get real jobs the lucky gits!) and I was in for the draw…. I pulled out 37 on heron which had won the previous Wednesday so I was hoping they were still there. My dad was behind me on peg 6 which was a decent peg. Keith had pegged it bang on with 7 on the canal and the rest split between the 2 lakes LOADSA ROOM!

I decided on my normal Hillview winter plan which was long pole with pellet, 2 short lines about 8 metres and 2 edges. Bait wise I had pellet and corn. My long line at 14 metres was a 4x16 chimp to counter the wind in 5 foot of water. This was on 0.14 to 0.12 line finished off with a 16 gamma pellet. This was a simple bulk of number 8’s and 2 number 10 dropper shot. 8 metres rigs were the same but with 4x14 chimps. Edge rigs were also the same but with 4x12 chimps. I do say edge, but I was fishing at least 2 metres from the banks at the bottom of the shelf as the water was still quite clear. Elastic wise, all my rigs were on 12 Preston slip. Simple stuff.

At the all in I fed my 14 metre line first with about 20 dampened 4mm feed pellets and a few grains of corn and some sample hook pellets. On the 8 metre lines I fed a small cone of pellet on both lines. Margin lines were left until a least 12 o’clock.

I waited 40 minutes for my first fish which was a small stocky carp; at this point my dad had had 3 carp of a decent size! He is the nuts! I went back in again but failed to get a bite. I fed it and left it. Dropping in at 8m resulted in a skimmer first cast, followed by a run of them without topping up. I re-fed and left it as I didn’t want to fish it out to soon. On the right hand line I had a decent carp about 4lb. this mid part of the match I rotated between the 2 lines picking up odd fish. The long line was devoid of fish apart from one ghostie about 4lb which was a welcome bonus. Come 2 o’clock with 2 hours left I fed my edges with a bit of corn and a few pellet and continued a good run on my 8 metre lines. I could not get any fish on corn though, everything was falling to pellet. I could also only nick about 2 fish from each line before changing to the other. I was catching a fish, feeding that line, changing to the other line and the same process. Fifteen minutes later I fed my edges again with about 20 pellets and 2 grains of corn in the view of fishing it in 10 minutes.

First drop in down my left, the float slid under and I missed it. I lifted and dropped it back in again. It shot under again, I did get a little excited until a skimmer about 2lb popped up. I didn’t bother feeding again and just lowered my rig in again with another pellet. A couple of minutes later it vanished again and this time I was into a carp, this was about 4lb and safely deposited in my keep net. I fed it and went back to 8 metres. A few more skimmers in the net and some small carp were welcome. I was now hoping to add a couple of decent carp from down the edge in the last 15. I lowered in my rig and waited; I then lowered it down the shelf and dragged It up. The float shot under and a carp shot off into the middle of the lake as I held on, minutes later a 6 pounder just lay in front of me on the surface. What a puff! 5 minutes to go I hooked another about 4 pound. I knew I had won the lakes easily, but the canal had fished well. Scott smith had banged 42lb on the scales and I was doubtful that I had that much. My clicker was saying 33lb. Keith and Dave arrived with the scales as my dad weighed in 22lb behind me. My first weigh with carp went 33lb, I needed 5lb in my silvers net for the 2nd prize, I never thought I had 10lb of skimmers though! I weighed a total of 43lb 6oz for the win.

Cob House – 18 fished

13/03/2010

Bob Baker organised an open on island at Cob House on the island pool so me and my mate James banged our names down for it. After an early start (which I aint keen on!!) I picked the main man James up at 7.15 sharp. After loading my car to the brim we made our way to Moorlands for breakfast, which we were way too early for so service food it was! 2 bacon buttys and a thick bloke who served us and we were on our way. Don’t get me wrong cob house is a great fishery but its just in the middle of no where and ages to drive!

We got on the car park with time to spare so we paid our moneys and unloaded. I drew peg 25 which meant nothing to me and James was on 20 up the corner. I had a nice clear island chuck so that was the first thing I set up. The sun was bright as you like and I was in my bloody t-shirt! (for 20 minutes anyway). I decided on a simple attack of pellet cone up the island, 16 metre pole and 6 metre pole.

Tip rod was again a signum medium feeder with 6lb maxima main line and a 0.18 Silstar hooklength to a 16 QM1 hook with a hair. 16m pole rig was a 4x16 chimp for in 7 foot of water with 0.14 Silstar main and a 0.12 hooklength matched to a 16 Gamma pellet hook. Elastic was a number 12 slip. My 6 metre rig was the same.

At the all in I cupped in 25 feed pellets along with some hookers, maggots and a pinch of corn. The 6 metre line was fed with just corn, about 30 grains. With a cone made up I lobbed it tight to the island (I could chuck it into a pole cup at 50 metres James!). It took about 20 minutes for my first indication with an eventual wrap round my first plump carp about 4lb was in the net. I chucked it straight back in, filling the smallest Guru cone with pellet. 20 minutes later I didn’t have an indication so I cupped in 20 pellets and a bit of corn via my cad pot and shipped out to 16m baited with a 4mm hooker pellet. I had the odd sign but no fish to show for a 20 minute spell. 6 metres was just as quiet. I eventually lifted into a slight dip on the float at 16m and carp number 2 was in the net. It was now 12.30 and it was looking grim, I did however manage to slip the net under another small carp from the 16 metre line. I re-fed both my pole lines and threw my tip rod towards the island and the rope holding the aerator. This cast was even better than my others, inch perfect I may add! Within 2 minutes the rod violently ripped off the rest and made a dart under the rope. I was fishing heavy so I just pulled hard and hoped for the best. After a tussle under the rope I netted a decent carp. Next cast no bit again. At this point the lad to my right was sacking at 14 metres. I decided to chuck the rod up the bank and try and make my long pole line work. I began to have the odd skimmer and some more carp fishing pellet an inch over feeding very light with a CAD pot. The last hour was the best managing a fish every put in. All out was called and I knew I hadn’t beat bob or the lad to my right. Bob weighed 50lb odd, Ashley had 37lb and I weighed a decent 31 lb 8oz. Trevor Hodges ounced me for third place but I still managed my section money.

Willow Marsh

6/3/2010 – 20 fished

BACK TO IT!

If any of you follow my blog, I haven’t been out for donkeys! I was itching for the weather to pick up and give me the urge to get back fishing.

Well for my first visit I decided to go to Willow Marsh where a lot of my mates had been fishing. The weather was mild but not the best. I had never fished the place before but hope for a good draw and a few fish. I pulled out peg 37 and didn’t fancy it from the start. Every peg along my bank was in, but the ‘flier’ pegs had room either side! After plenty of moaning to Gary I started to set up my gear. The plan was to fish the lead for a few mug fish then the pole at 14 metres for the remainder of the match and maybe pick a few fish up at 6 metres.

Rig wise I used a Trabucco signum medium feeder rod, Shimano Stradic loaded with 6lb maxima and a 0.18 Silstar hooklength to a 16 Drennan feeder hook. On my pole I fished a 4x14 Chimp in 4.5 foot of water. This was on 0.14 mainline to a 0.12 hooklength of Silstar matched with a 16 Gamma pellet hook. My 6 metres line was the same but with a 4x12 float in 3.5 foot of water.

For bait I had half a pint of 4mm feed pellet, some hookers and a tin of corn also a bit of meat for on the hook. At the all in I fed my pole lines and made my first cast of the year with double corn and waited…and waited…..and waited!

Finally after 50 minutes I had my first indication, then the tip flew round a carp about 4lb lay in my net. I quickly re-baited with a 8mm cube of meat and was straight back out, no soon as it settled it was yanked off the rest! SOLID!!! From this point on though I never had any indication on the lead or the pole!

Come 2 o clock I packed up and went to the gym! Great to be back or what!

Tuesday 10 November 2009

Hillview Lakes – 7/11/2009
22 Pegs

This was meant to be the start of the winter league but with a disappointing turn out willing to fish the league it was just an open match. This was very annoying as I had put a lot of time and effort tying rigs and hook lengths preparing for this league. At least it was a decent 20 peg open to go at. At the draw I pulled out peg 13 which was a terrible draw, with peg 11 and peg 14 in! Luckily it was my bro on 14 and we agreed on fishing spots at 13 metres to avoid us clashing lines. Wind was blowing a hooly and it was freezing cold. I planned on catching at 7 metres again at the base of the shelf but also set up a rig long for fishing banded pellet. Again the 2 margins were plumped up just in case but it looked far too clear.

Rig wise it was a 0.4 Diamond short on 0.14 Silstar to 0.12 hooklenth of the same material finished off with a size 18 Tubertini 808. This was for fishing corn or soft pellet. I then set up a light rig 0.2 Ackoo Pelli Stick for fishing a banded pellet; this was exactly the same apart from the hook which was an 18 Kamasan Animal. My 13 metre rig was a 0.5 Slim Pellet 0.14 to 0.12 with a 18 Kamasan animal with a hair rigged band. I also set up a 0.6 Diamond for fishing corn with a number 1 Tubertini 175 hook. My margin rig was a 0.1 Hillbilyy Grizzly 0.16 straight through with a number 2 Tubertini 175.

Bait wise it was simple. Half a pint of 4mm feed pellet which would be soaked, 1 tin of Jolly Green Giant, nice and soft for winter, 4mm and 6mm soft hooker pellets and some 4 and 6mm hard pellets for banding. Simple!

At the all in a cupped in 20 pieces of corn short and went straight out long with 20 4mm pellets and a 6mm hard pellet on the hook. After 15 minutes without a bite I tried short again with nothing. After 45 minutes I finally hooked a skimmer about 1lb on a banded 4mm long. I tried this again with nothing. I was feeding 5-10 pellets at a time and hoped they would switch on at some point. I then foul hooked a carp which I lost at the net and then didn’t have another bite for an hour. I changed to fishing corn long and feeding corn (5 grains at a time) and after 10 minutes I was playing carp number 1 about 5lb. I then hooked another next cast about 3lb. At this time Josh was sat in the cafĂ© because of the cold! When he came back I couldn’t buy a bite so I slid my pole out to 14m and had a car first drop! Then nothing again. Going into the last hour I felt I was 2 fish behind the section leader and needed to try something so I cupped in half a pot of pellet and corn at 14 metres and waited. The float buried and I was attached to a carp which was deposited in the keep net. Next cast same thing happened with a slightly smaller carp but then a 5 minute wait saw me drop onto my short line looking for a lump to sneak the section. With double corn on the hook and 2 minutes to go the float buried, wrong, it was a skimmer nudging 1lb! What a bummer. All out was called on a tough cold day! I weighed in 25lb and was beaten by 29lb for the section. Sean won with 41lb and some monster perch, Simon (SHALLOW KING) was 2nd with 30 odd. Not a million miles away but could do better.

Hillview Lakes - 31/10/2009
27 Pegs

Not a lot to write about here as I drew the dreaded canal in peg 88 and just couldn’t put a run of fish together. Fish were cruising up and down all day but just wouldn’t feed. No matter what type of ‘balaclava’ rig was put in front of them, no matter what bait, they wouldn’t have it! Welsh Simon (Shallow fishing master) won the match with 90lb from peg 35……..fishing shallow!

Hillview Lakes – 24/10/2009
14 Fished

Going in for the draw I felt that most pegs could win the match, 29 will always be a winner with the right angler on it... the only pegs I didn’t fancy was 12 and 15. In for the draw I pulled out.. You guessed... Peg 15. Possibly the worst draw on paper but I was optimistic.

I planned on basing my attack around long pole with pellet but arriving to my peg it was obvious this was never going to work as the wind was terrible so I decided to fish 2 lines at the bottom of the shelf to my left (into the vacant corner where the wind was blowing). One at 6 metres of pole and the other 11 metres down. The other 2 lines were to fish the margins either side.

Rig wise I had a light 0.4 diamond and a heavier 0.8 diamond if the wind got real bad. Both were on 0.16 Silstar to 0.14 hooklength of the same material finished off with a Tubertini Number 2 hook… Shotting was a simple bulk of number 8’s with 2 number 10 droppers. A bit different to how I normally fish, I left a good 2 foot of line above the float because of the wind and I didn’t want to be dragging my rig about the place every time there was a gust. Elastic on both of these rigs was a 14 Middy. My margin rig was a Hillbilly Grizzly 0.1 on 0.16 to an 0.16 hooklength, giving me the option of scaling down if necessary. Hook was a number 3 Tubertini 175 again matched to Middy 14. Bait wise I had 1 tin of corn and a pint of feed pellet along with some hooker pellets (ringers 4mm and 6mm).

Whilst shotting my rig before the all in I had a massive liner on my 6 metre line and the float would not keep still so when the whistle finally blew I cupped in just 10 bits of corn. I then lowered the light rig down the same hole and in seconds it shot under and a nice plump 5 pounder was in my net 2 minutes in! I then cupped in 10 more bits of corn and waited. And waited. And waited. Nothing was really happening on this line so I tried my margins where I had fed half a pot of pellet and corn at the start, I managed just one small carp from my edges. For the next couple of hours, I was really struggling but I was keeping the feed tight and to a minimum as I didn’t want to over feed my peg too soon. I was potting in 10 bits of corn, waiting 10 minutes, potting in 10 more pieces. This is a tactic I use a lot in the winter and always seems to work.

Finally at 1 o’clock I bit the bullet and gave the 11 metre line a pot of pellet and corn and left it, in this time I nicked a couple of carp on the 6 metre line still feeding light. After 10 minutes I baited up with a nice big piece of corn and lowered it down the shelf. 2 minutes later I netted a carp banging on 7lb. I decided not to feed but go back in, this time with the heavier rig as the wind was a real pain. I even took one shot off so the float was a bit further out the water and I could distinguish liners from real bites. This cast after about 5 minutes the float shot under and I was now wishing I’d dumped it earlier. After this carp I had a frustrating 10 minutes foul hooking 4 carp and losing them all. I gave it another half pot and come off it. I think I had over done it with a big pot so instead of wrecking my 6 metre line completely I just gave that half a pot. The carp were on it straight away and I netted a stockie minutes after. I then upped the feed, feeding 10 grains of corn when I hooked a fish by hand then concentrating the fish with 10 more pieces of corn in the toss pot going back out. This was lining the fish up and I was catching a carp roughly 2 minutes at a time. Going into the last hour I was really motoring and I didn’t have to even rest the line as the fish were there in numbers and really competing for food. I was fishing the 0.8 rig to bomb the hook bait down to get it to the feeding fish as quick as possible and was using a bulk 7 inches from the hook. Bites were very positive and I didn’t miss a thing, I also never lost a fish in the last hour. The majority of the fish I was catching were 3 pounders but last cast 1 minute before the all out I hooked a nice 8 pounder and slid the net under it 5 minutes after. I was left bamboozled and couldn’t believe how much feed they wanted, if I had fed heavy earlier I could have easily won the match catching at that rate. But it was done and I finished 2nd to Nev who had 126lb feeding heavy from the start I weighed in 83lb which wasn’t bad from a crap peg!

Tuesday 13 October 2009

Hillview Lakes – Open Match - 11 Pegs
10/10/2009

Back to my regular haunt Hillview and I had definitely missed the big fat breakfasts! It was definitely becoming a little bit peggy and I knew where the winner would come from looking at the recent results. Peg 29 is always a good peg but always becomes a flier in winter, Steve my mate, was on Moorhen 5. I did say to him at the start peg 9 would win his lake. Sure enough Terry king was on 29 and I don’t like to be negative but I knew we were fishing for 2nd. The other peg that was regularly framing was 39, all of these are end pegs. I was placed on 37 so I was going to have some neck ache!

My plan was simple, pellet on long pole and pellet and corn 6 metres and down the edge. My rigs had now been tamed down from beast tamers and down to 0.14 to 0.12 hook lengths apart from my margin rig which was 0.16 to 0.14. Float wise I had a 0.4 MW Diamond for long and the same short. My edge rig was a 0.1 Hillbilly Grizzly. Hook wise I was using 808’s on my long rigs in size 16 and in the edge I used a number 2 175 hook. Bait wise I had 1 pint of 4mm pellet, 1 tin of corn and a handful of hookers (3mm and 4mm).

At the all in I fed about 50 4mm pellets long via my big pot and 100 4mm pellets short with a few pieces of corn. I didn’t want to feed the edge until about 12 as I didn’t want to over feed it and waste bait.

I was into fish straight away at 13m on a 4mm hooker, having a plump 3lb carp 1st cast. My first hour was very good catching small carp and skimmers, after an hour though of feeding 10 pellets after each fish the line faded so I re-fed with 100 4mm pellets and dropped on my 6 metre line, it was solid and I had a good 30 minutes of having a fish every drop, mainly car but with the odd skimmer. Every time I had a very small fish like a roach I would come off the line and feed it. I continued switching lines for most of the match snatching odd fish but I wasn’t getting any big fish. Terry was sure enough bagging on 29 and 39 was catching well down the corner again big fish. As the match looked like it was running away from me I finally fed my margin line with half a pot of corn and some pellet.

After another hour, mainly fishing 6 metres I had changed to fishing corn on the hook which had worked initially but then I couldn’t hit a bite. I pushed all the centre out of a piece of corn and laid it in, first drop I hooked my best fish of the day so far about 5lb. I caught a few more doing this but then it died so I fed both lines and dropped down the edge. After a 10 minute wait my float finally dipped and bobbed and finally slid under on a 4mm pellet. I nice 6 pounder in the net I went back in thinking I would catch well now but it wasn’t to be as I didn’t have another bite. I fed it again with 50 pieces of corn and about 100 pellets.

Back on the skimmers and small carp and I couldn’t help but think I had messed it up as I wasn’t catching as fast as before and my fish were all too small. But I plodded away altering depths and baits to keep fish coming until I saw a swirl down the edge 10 minutes before time. I rushed down with a piece of corn and it just wouldn’t go under. G u t t e d !!!

At the weigh in Peg 9 had won moorhen with 58lb Terry had obviously won with 125lb , 39 had a weight of 105lb which I was really shocked at as I knew he had caught but didn’t think he had a ton. But looking at his fish, they were beasts! Alan did well with 77lb even though some swans had flew through half his top kits!! I weighed in 77lb 8 for 3rd and my dad weighed in 58lb also after a good last hour fishing paste! Oh well, 3rd again which is very annoying, but not as annoying as winning no money! Tunnel next week for a practice before the winter league.

Cob House Farm – Laurel Pool – 20 Metre King Practice
15 Pegs – 4/10/2009

All I had heard about cob house was good reports and I thought it would suit my fishing as it is all pellet short at speed. Arriving at the place after then longest journey fishing imaginable the pool looked very small for 15 of us. Don’t get me wrong it’s a really nice fishery and well managed but why make the pegs so high up from the water??? Literally all the pegs were 2 foot or more from the water! I hate being so high up and didn’t have a platform with me so I was hoping for any draw were I could comfortably get my box in the water, I drew 16 which was an end peg but I didn’t see it being that good as I was more cramped up a corner!

I got comfy in the water (even though I was sinking! Left arse cheek obviously heavier than my right!!!). I decided to fish just close in and to my right down the edge. I plumbed my first line up at 3m with a 0.3 Ackoo Pellet Stick which was bang on for 4 foot of water I used 0.14 to 0.12 hooklength of Silstar and a size 16 Tubertini 808. This was matched to 10 elastic. My margin rig was a 0.1 Grizzly in 2 foot of water with 0.16 to 0.14 and a number 1 Tubertini 175 hook. This was on number 12 laccy. Bait wise I had 2 pints of pellet 4mm’s some hookers and some corn.

At the all in I fed 20 pellets at 3m and nothing down the edge to start with. I had indications straight away then caught well for the first hour, putting 20 fish in the net. Hour 2 I fed my margin by hand and had 1 fish off it first cast but then nothing so I was back at 3m just catching the odd small carp and skimmers. The fishing wasn’t great and definitely not fast.

The last 2 hours really slowed down and it was only the odd fish being caught. I decided to start a new line at 7 metres and just drip pellets in, this got me a few more fish but still not great.

At the all out I did think that extra line would have gave me time to rest my main 3 metre line and maybe got me a few more fish. Bob Baker won with 57lb 55lb was second, George the Farter had 45lb just pipping my 43lb. Even though all he did was moan that he wasn’t catching! Bloody Billy Bull Shit the 1st!! And did I mention his arse stinks!?

Elmbridge – Heron Pool – 3/10/2009
22 Pegs

At the draw I was hoping for the opposite side to last Sunday. 1-9 would do for me. Terry Butler winner last Sunday had a nice draw on peg 4, pegs 1 and 2 had also gone so I went in and pulled out peg 5 which was a good draw given the pegs left in the bag. Arriving at my peg the 65 mph winds were being blocked by the trees behind me which was a bonus, although it still would be very difficult holding a pole beyond 9m.

Setting up I had to do a balancing act on 2 planks of wood to get low to the water as the slabs were missing and I really didn’t want to fish form the other slabs as it was way too high. After setting all my box up I got my pole out and decided just to fish close in as the wind would hamper presentation long and I felt I could catch enough of 2 lines to compete.

My first rig was a 4x16 bulbous Preston inter series float, I had elected to fish a rig on the heavier side as tow was going to be bad with these winds and even if it dropped I would still have good presentation. Line choice was difficult one today as the temperature was dropping and I felt it was going to be quite tough but I settled on 0.16 to a 0.16 hooklength in Silstar with the option of changing to a 0.14 if it was really hard. Hook was a number 2 Tubertini 175. I was starting with a simple bulk of number 8’s and 2 number 10 droppers the last one right above the hooklength and then the other 4 inches above that. I was fishing about 3 metres (top 2 + short 4) in 4 foot of water which should be ideal. My second rig was to fish the pallet to my left which was spare, I decided to find 2 foot of water instead of fishing right up by the pallet, this was about 1 metre from the bank which was perfect. Float was a 0.2 Hillbilly Grizzly on 0.18 to a 0.16 hooklength and same hook as above. Bait wise I had 2 pints of 4mm pellet which I dampened, 1 tin of corn and some 4mm and 6mm soft hook pellets.

At the all in I cupped in half a pot of 4mm pellet and a bit of corn at 3 metres and half a pot to my pallet. I baited up with a 4mm hooker to see what was in the swim and was having indications straight away, with a small carp about 4 oz first drop. I was feeding a few (6-10) 4mm feed pellet to indications and after half an hour I was struggling for bites I had one more decent carp about 3 lb. I continued to plug away and caught a few more small carp and some skimmers but it just wasn’t happening. I had also tried shallow but not bites so at 12 o’ clock I made a tactical decision to start a new line as far out as I could as I felt the fish were pushing out to the deeper water. Because of the wind I used a 4x18 in 6 foot of water with all the same material as above. I cupped in just 50 pellets and 10 grains of corn and dropped a 4mm hooker pellet and waited for a sign. After seconds my float bobbed about and then buried with a small carp in the pan about 8 oz I clipped on a toss pot and fed a further 10 pellets and 5 grains of corn again I got a lot of indications and hooked a skimmer. Although I was catching it was not what I wanted so I decided to change to a 6mm hooker and after a 5 minute wait I netted a 3lb carp. I carried on steady for an hour and a half before it died so I re-fed and dropped short. It was now solid as I had been feeding regular and in the last part of the match I caught well having a fish on most casts and they were normally a decent stamp. I lost a big fish at the net about 9lb which really annoyed me but put a foul hooked 6lber in the net next cast! It was solid. I was feeding 6 pellets at every indication, lifting and dropping my 6mm pellet. I did put an inch of line on the bottom to anchor it down.

At the all out I felt that I was beaten by peg 1 but couldn’t see further up the lake. As Jim came round 70lb was winning and I knew I didn’t have that, I put 63lb on the scales but that was then beaten by peg 1 weighing in 65lb! I was gutted not to have won again but I really cannot win a match at the moment but I did make a great decision in fishing the long pole as that 20lb that I put in the net was very helpful to my final catch.

Monday 5 October 2009