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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!