This Sunday dawned to be a nice mild morning, although a bit breezy. The weather had been settled in this way for a few days now and even the golden tench in my pond had decided to join the surface feeding party of the assorted carp in my pond as I got my nets and stuff from the shed. All signs of a good days fishing, I even left my waterproof jacket at home!
Arriving at Westside and lake 1 was pretty much sheltered from the wind (it normally is though). The water had a nice tinge of colour in it and coupled with the mild temperatures I think its fair to say most people were expecting a decent days fishing. My choice of peg doesn't change on this lake, I always fancy the pegs from 25-33, but I hardly ever draw there! For some reason all day Saurday I had a feeling I was going to draw peg 13 so it was no suprise when it was the peg that appeared in my hand when it came out of the bag! I don't mind the peg to be fair ( I seemed to be on it most weeks last winter, I drew it four matches running), I've never won off the peg but always caught carp off it, but they do seem to be smaller average stamp. That said, I've framed off it all but the first time that I drew it.
My plan of attack for the day was quite simple, as other than the one time this summer I drew it when I had some fish in the edge the only place I've caught on it was tight over to the far bank. It's a fair way across, around 16.5m and has a good depth right up to the bank. There are two bushy trees on the island, one bigger than the other. With the depth the same I was hoping I could rotate the two all day. A 4 x12 Preston Chianti was set to fish on the deck at dead depth about three and a half foot deep, while a 4x10 of the same for fishing 6-12in off the bottom was also was put up. Lastly, as it was so mild I also put up a half depth rig on a 4x10 Preston Pink, as I've found where stuff grows or hangs in the water that fish can often sit way of the bottom in the cover. All three rigs were on .125 Garboline, and with the water being coloured I hoped I could use a slightly bigger hook than usual for the time of year on this lake so I went with a 16. The two deeper rigs were on a soft 12 latex while the shallowest was on grey hydro. The only slight worry for the day (apart from the odd gust of wind) was that the tree to my right had been well chopped back, but one of the stumps seemed to still be in the water, so when I plumbed up I couldn't fish as close to the main cover of the tree as I'd like.
On the whistle I decided to just feed the left hand swim, and to try the right hand one without feeding as it's the swim area I thought would hold the most fish. A few grains of hemp and half a dozen casters went to the left side, while a grain of corn went on the depth rig and to the right. Ten minites without an indication and it's on with a single white maggot and time to drip a few casters in through the toss-pot. A bite after a few minites gave me a tiny perch, so on with double red maggot which gave me a tiny roach. A quick try on caster was fruitless so back on maggot gave two more quick small roach. And they were small, the four fish weighing about an ounce! After 40 or so minites I started to pick up odd roach on casters, not big at around twelve to the pound, but better than the first few fish, and nobody else was catching at all.
One thing was strange about the day, for all the times I've had this peg (about twelve times in the last 18 months) I've ALWAYS caught carp early on it. Still, I was putting odd fish in the net while nobody was catching. On the hour mark I decided to try the shallower rigs as I've found sometimes the carp sit above the sivers on this lake (when your not on the animals), and I'd had an odd liner like indication. First fish trying this was a 2oz rudd, then a run of tiny half ounce roach on caster. Trying maggot on any rig just got the tiny roach. On the hour and a half mark I thought I'd try the other swim, perhaps the carp are settled here! After a few minites without a bite from a roach I was sure there were odd carp here, then when the float burried it was a roach, albeit a huge 3oz fish!
The last roach was the only fish from that swim so it was back to the other area. On with a grain of corn and the float burries and I curse as I missed it! Back in again and the same again! Third time lucky and another roach. Fair to say the two missed bites wearn't carp then! On the halfway mark, and having seen very little else caught someone walks round and says there have only been two carp caught, both on peg 37, which was also the golden peg! Time to get your head down then....
I wasted much of the next 45 mins trying to catch a carp from both swims, mostly peserveering with corn to try and avoid the roach, but with no joy other than one 3oz roach. I couldn't believe there were no carp about. With an hour and a quarter to go and the sun starts to dip behind the trees behind me and off the far bank, surely they'll feed now? A dithery liner like indication on caster got me excited then the float goes and something bigger is on the end, hurrah! Carefully playing it in and up pops a perch nudging the pound mark. Not a carp but a usefull bonus!
With little else happening in anyone elses swims I decided to just get my head down on the roach, hoping a carp happens along. Hard work fishing at 16.5m for them! I probably put over a pound of roach in the net in the last hour before the whistle went. I did keep trying the shallower rigs, but the fish on them were only tiny 1/2oz jobbies, fishing an inch off the deck seemed best. With only one other person admitting to a small carp of around 3lb I was quite optimistic of picking up, and so I did, my 5lb 14oz of mostly roach being good enough for second, but a fair way off the 11lb that won it, and the golden peg. Mind, I was only one carp off that! I have to say it'll be nice to get a crack at the golden peg again, I haven't drawn it since early October '07 ( I did win it then), but it's some achievment to avoid it that long when the attendance is only aroun fifteen most weeks! I bet I'll draw it next week now!
I'll sign off now by wishing everyone a good Christmas, but you can wait until next week for the happy New Year as I'll still be out next Sunday!
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