Glad I Didn't Stay In To Watch The Footie!

And that's all I want to say about the football!

The weather was forecast to be the hottest day of the year, so my wish list for the draw was a peg with shade! And unusually, I drew the shadiest peg on the lake (11), under an acorn tree all day and out of the sun! It was a pretty strait forward approach to the day, with only 13m of pole needed to reach in to the back of the bay opposite. One rig was set up for here, on .18 line direct to an 18 Fox Series 2 hook. A small Preston Durafloat and 15h elastic completed the set up, fished in about 20in of water. A margin rig was put up for the left margin, same terminal gear but in 2ft of water with a .2gr DC5 and a 16 hook. I did intend to only have these two rigs up but with a few minutes left I decided to put up a rig for the deep water. As I was sitting on a point I had this 5m line at quite an angle to my right, keeping it well out of the way, but also well away from the bank. This was my pretty standard rig for deeper water, a .3gr diamond bodied float on .17 to .15 and an 18 hook. Depth here was about 5ft.

On the whistle I fed the far bank with about a dozen pellets, while the margin got a whole pot full of hemp, corn and meat. The 5m line was just fed by hand with corn, nice and easy with a handy reflection to aim at on the water! Going across on a 6mm expander bought instant indications and after lifting and dropping the rig the elastic was pulled out, only a small fish mind, with a carp of about 10oz finding it's way to the silvers net. The next chuck bought nothing so I started to top up with a few pellets via a toss-pot. This didn't really have the desired response with two perch and a roach the next fish to fall for the pellet hook bait. This was starting to go the same way as the last time I drew the peg, with a small carp strait away but fading instantly after.

In an attempt to draw the swim to life I picked up the catty and started to ping a few pellets across. This had the desired response as a few carp started to fall- not big, all around the same size as the first, or a touch smaller. On the hour mark I hooked something bigger, and had a lively tussle with a common of about 3lb. Indications faded a little after so I dropped in a slightly larger amount of pellets with the cup. Small fish started to fall again, with a couple of roach and even a small skimmer falling, then the return of the small carp, with one of about a pound and a half followed by a crucian. I was happy with the way things were going, as nobody else I could see had any more than me, plus I was getting bites!

On the two hour mark I decided to drop in on the margin, which I had regularly been topping up. I had a few liners and silly indications here on meat so I had a try on double corn. The float had barely settled here when it shot under, but my lift was met with no resistance! No more followed so it got another pot and I went back across. The rest, plus quarter pot of pellets had the desired effect as a couple of carp around the 2 to 3lb mark fell. I then hooked and lost a fish which charged under the tree trunk to the left. I topped the swim up with about a dozen pellets while I tied a new hook on, and could see a bright coloured carp feeding on the far bank. Dropping back over and I watched the bright coloured fish move strait on to the hook bait and bingo! on it was! After a lively fight a koi of about 5/6lb was in the net, a yellow and black one with a silver head that I recognised from catching in the pairs match at the start of May, when I was on the next peg.

The next hour or so continued in a similar vein, although bites were a touch slower. I'd get two fish and then have to rest the swim. I was dropping in to the margin in between but all I could catch here was 2oz roach on meat. The fish were probably averaging around the 2.5lb mark, but one lump of about 7lb did bulldoze it's way in to the action. With just over an hour to the swim started to fade away from me, with fish in the swim but distinctly wary. I decided to drop in over the 5m line for the first time, and instant knocks were followed by a proper bite that saw me attached to another pea in a pod common. Only knocks that looked distinctly roachy followed so I went back over. An instant bite say be attached to a small sausage chub, but no more. I rotated the lines for the last hour but only a 1lb common from across and a big fan-tailed goldfish from the 5m line added to the tally.

At the end I guessed I'd have a mid 40lb weight, with a dozen carp in the proper fish net, plus the smaller ones. As the scales reached me a low 30lb weight was top. My fish comfortably made that, going a touch more than I thought totalling 51lb 2oz. The rest of the weigh in was tight, with 38lb being second but with a host of weights around the 32-33lb mark making things tight.

I have to admit I enjoyed the day, with plenty of bites that did need working for. My one regret for the day was not bringing any groundbait, as I'm sure it helps in holding smaller carp in the swim rather than just loose feed. I also think the cloud would have helped with the fish being quite spooky, with the water being a little clearer than I'd expect for the time of the year. Unbelievably, the fish have still to spawn properly in the lake, even though those in the old lake have spawned twice!

Sunday 20th June

I have to say I'm not sure what's happened to the weather, but the Saturday was distinctly cold, and it hasn't been that cleaver during the week either!

With a lessened attendance (and a clear head!) due to local river matches starting there wasn't really anywhere that I didn't want to draw. So, taking my customary late place in the draw queue I put my hand in and came out with peg 68... I didn't want that! I hadn't noticed it was in. I'd fancied the pegs around the island as there were a lot of fish around there, particularly 53. After spending so long drawing there when there was no fish, now I can't get there!

The sole reason I didn't want 68 is because it's deep, with four and a half foot of water in the margins and near seven foot from 4m and beyond. The peg opposite (which wasn't in) is just as deep from 4m but has a nice shallow margin! On putting my box down I did have one plus point, as I was out of the quite strong and gusty wind. After plumbing up at 13m, I decided to set up two shallow rigs, as I figured they may be key to pinching a few fish. I had a deck rig, a .4gr handmade diamond bodied float, on .17 line to a .15 hook link. Hook was an 18 Fox series 2 and the rig was on a 14 latex. The two shallow rigs were set for between two and three feet and the other for between one and two feet. Both were Preston Durafloat 1's on .15 direct to an 18 Series 2 hook. Both rigs were on Preston 15h lakky. Last rig up was for the edge. I decided that with the depth it would be treated as my 5m line (which has gave me a few bonus fish the last few times on this lake) This rig was identical to the 13m rig but with a slightly smaller float in four and a half feet of water next to the stick ups.

On the whistle I fed the 13m line with half a pot of hemp and a few grains of corn, while the close line had a whole pot of hemp, corn and meat. I dropped in on the long line on a grain of corn, and not long after the rig had settled the float plinked under, but I missed it! I suspect it may have been roach as they were topping all over the peg. No more bites followed in the next ten minutes so I started to top up the swim with a toss-pot of hemp and corn every ten minutes to try and provoke a response. I gave it up to the hour mark trying this, with nothing to show other than an odd liner. I decided that with the odd fish showing to pick the catapult up and started flicking 6mm pellets over the rig. I was going to give it half an hour before I picked up a shallow rig but after a spell of liners the deeper shallow rig found it's way out after twenty minutes. I'd only been in with the rig for a few minutes when the float buried. Lifting saw the lakky out and after a brief tussle a small lean 2lb common was in the net, the first fish I'd seen caught.

The next forty minutes were frustrating after such a quick response, with odd liners following even on the shallowest rig. With a cooler wind I wasn't sure the fish would be very close to the surface but a spell of sun made me get of my box and put up a poly ball rig to fish shallower. First drop in saw a ponderous but heavy weight on the end. I had the net in hand when a ghostie nudging the double figure mark surfaced (much bigger than what I thought was on!), it laid on the surface for a second, which was long enough for me to mug it. The next three drops produced fish reasonably quickly, all around the 4-5lb mark. I was just thinking that I had it sussed when the fish seemed to back away.

The next few hours were hard work in attempting to keep fish coming, with odd fish coming out of the blue, normally a change of rig or feeding produced the fish, totally out of the blue. Only one fish came to the shallowest rig, with the others on either of the two deeper rigs. What was noticeable was that the fish falling on the deeper rigs were a fair bit smaller (under 3lb) compared to those that had fallen to the shallowest rig. With an hour to go I was on eleven carp, probably just ahead of anyone else I could see, but I didn't know how the island pegs were fairing. I'd carried on feeding the closer line, but was reluctant to come off the shallow line as it's harder to feed, plus you can't read the indications if your not on it! And it also seemed that the odd time I said I'd try it I seemed to get a carp shallow!

Going in to the last hour the wind had dropped, and it got distinctly warmer. This led to fish showing in front of me very shallow. I had a good run of four carp in the next half an hour on the poly ball rig, all around the 4lb mark. I then lost carp number sixteen near the net, and after that I couldn't get a take even though there were still fish in the swim. I plugged away till the end shallow but had no more, and I wished I'd tried the short line, although I was sure I'd manage another fish or two up.

I was guessing that I'd have approaching 60lb in weight, with the smaller fish taken deeper pulling down my weight. Others were admitting to eight to ten fish, but peg 53 admitted to twenty, although they said they were small. They are however, one of those people that struggle to lay strait in bed! I was one of the last to weigh and 53 had top weight with just over 73lb, with a 40lb+ weight second. I knew I didn't have 70lb, and my fish took the scales to 57lb 11oz and I finished in second.

I wasn't too despondent in the end, as I felt I'd worked hard for my fish shallow, and it was noticeable again that slapping the rig, or tapping, didn't work. In fact, it seemed to have the opposite effect to what I wanted! In hindsight if I'd came shallow earlier, and tried the short line in that dead spell late I perhaps could have made up the difference, but that's on a perfect day and I don't have many of those! At the moment I'd just settle for a cure for the second-itis I seemed to have developed!

Sunday June 13th

I have to admit to turning up this Sunday with a slightly fuzzy head, after enjoying a few cold ones while watching the England game the night before. I needed them too after that Green howler!

I wanted to draw an early or late peg, that would mean I would be on the front of the lake which seemed to be the form area. I was a little disappointed with peg 17, but the fish have fins and they do swim! I had to make rigs on the bank as I didn't make any up the night before. The first area targeted was on the island point, a bit to the right at about 16.5m. The island is actually closer than that in front but along there it's about 4ft deep tight, where as to the right was the only area shallower, where it was about 20 inches deep. This rig was on .15 direct to an 18 Fox Series 2, with Preston 15 hollo. The float was a 4x10 Preston Durafloat. The second area was towards a weed bed to my right. I fished at about 12m, where the weed was a bit thinner as I didn't want to be losing fish in it. Rig was a .3gr diamond bodied handmade float on .17 line to a .15 hook link. Hook was an 18 Fox Series 2, with the lakky a 14 latex. It's about 6ft deep here but with the air pressure being low I thought it may go. Last area was for the margins. I spent ages plumbing up as I had a lot of room to my right, but I couldn't find a nice area. In the end I settled on an area at just 5m, the bottom here was still all over and I wasn't that confident in it to be honest.

On the whistle I fed the island swim with a pinch of 6mm pellets, while the deep line got half a pot of hemp and pellet, with a few grains of corn. The margins were just fed with pellet by hand. Going across on a 6mm pellet it took a few minutes to get any sort of indication and it was probably on the fifteen minute mark when I had my first bite, a small pastie mirror of about 10oz. Any indications slowed after so I put a small toss-pot on to trickle in some bait. The swim livened up a bit but still no more proper bites so I decided to give it a quarter of a pot. This had the desired response and shortly after I had another proper bite, producing a small common of about 2lb. Next drop and I started to snag up on a root, which I could lift clear of the water but it was still attached to the bank. This was a problem as it was a very small area to fish in!

By the end of the hour I'd had a frustrating time, missing a few bites which always left me attached to the snag. I wasn't losing gear on it, but it was definitely stopping me from fishing properly. I'd seen bubbles on the deep line and dropped in there for a few minutes, but only had a few liners. I shortly after added another small common, about 2 1/2lb, which again came after feeding a bigger amount of bait rather than through a small pot. On the two hour mark I again dropped in on the deep line (which I'd topped up with quarter pots twice) After a few nudges and liners I had a proper bite on pellet. A very lively fight ensued and a cracking looking black and gold koi of about 3lb was netted. No more bites followed so I topped it up and had a very quick go on the margins, with no joy

Going back across and the rest seemed to have done the trick and another small common of about 2 1/2lb was in the net. From what I could see I was doing okay, as the lake seemed to be fishing hard, with a fair amount of fish cruising that looked like they still haven't spawned. The far line also seemed to fade, with odd liners and a fair bit of trouble from the snag, which seemed to be moving around but was most definitely still stuck to the bank so I couldn't get rid of it!

The next hour passed slowly, with nobody near me catching either. A lot of fish were cruising about and I seemed to be spooking fish nearly every time I went across with the pole! With just over an hour to go I hooked a fish that charged around the island and never came back, most probably foul hooked. Dropping back down the track and the indications seemed to be on the up, perhaps co-inciding with the drifting in with a layer of scum. It actually became awkward to get a bait in clean, and I had to take a shot off to see the float in the scum. Pellet seemed to attract iffy bites so I added and inch and tried corn. It didn't take long for the float to dip under and another small common of perhaps 3lb was in the net. Next drop in I topped up with a toss-pot but it didn't really happen, so I fed half a pot again. Dropping in I had a bite quickly, but this fish was having none of it, charging through all the weed and getting stuck solid. After feeling a ping which suggested the fish was off I pulled for a break, losing my hook link. I had a quick try in the margins with no joy, so I went back over, but again, with no joy!

With just a short amount of time left I went back down the middle, and a run of bites led me to catch a carp, feed quarter of a pot, go back and get another fish, but they were small, all about 2lb. On the whistle I had nine carp, which seemed more than anyone else was admitting to, but others were admitting to fish much bigger than what I had! When the scales got to me 30lb 2oz was winning, with 26lb 7oz being second. I knew I didn't have 30lb, thinking probably just 25lb at best. Not a bad guess as it happened, with my fish going 24lb 11oz. In the end that was only good enough for 4th, with the 30lb weight winning (and taking the golden peg) and two 26lb weights being second and third.

I have to admit I was kicking myself, I really should have twigged feeding heavier to start with, as feeding with the big pot on a line I was fishing more often than not led to a fish. I also wasted time in the last hour trying two un-productive lines after losing a that fish, when I was getting bites off that one line. Looking at it, while the fish I had were all small I was only one fish of second and two of first, something that was easily do-able had I done what I should. Guess it shows what a night on the beer before does before a match! Just as well the next England game is on Friday night!

Blind Pairs Match, 6th June

I'd actually forgot that the first Sunday of June was the blind pairs match! A simple format really, random draw of pegs on both lakes, then after the match pegs are drawn together from each lake to determine the winner. Now, with a fair spread of pegs in I wasn't fussed where I drew really, and my hand went in to the bag and come out with...... peg 42, the same peg I was sat on last week! I do seem to have a knack for doing that, as I once drew the same peg on a lake five times in a row!


I was reasonably happy with the peg mind, as I didn't have the strong face wind of last week for a start. I had the same lines as and rigs as last week; a 12m rig, a 5m rig and a margin rig. I also put two shallow rigs up. These were both on .15 direct to an 18 Fox series 2 with a pellet band, and with Preston 15h lakky. One was a poly ball to fish between 4in and a foot deep and the other was a small Preston Durafloat to fish between a foot and 18in. Any deeper than that and I'd rather catch on the deck!


There were a few fish cruising about so I elected not to feed the long line, giving the margin a cup of meat, corn and hemp while the 5m line had half a pot of corn. I then started on the deeper of the shallow rigs with an 8mm banded pellet and started to flick a few pellets regularly via a catty over the top. After ten minutes or so I'd had odd liners so I put on the poly ball rig and tried shallower depths. I said to myself that I'd give it up to the 30 min mark, and just as I was toying with trying on the deck the lakky pulled out and a small common of about 3lb was in the net.
This led to me giving the line another twenty minutes, but nothing followed so I tried the deck rig. I only fed a few grains of corn via the toss-pot, but ten minutes on the line gave me just a couple of liners from fish very high up in the water. I carried on feeding by the catty while on the deck, albeit less often. I was also still feeding the 5m line by hand.

With no joy on the deck I had a few more minutes shallow, on the deeper rig. With that giving me just a liner I put the poly ball rig back on. After probably ten minutes I had a fish that hooked it's self but came off just a second later, spooking quite a few carp in the process. With this in mind I decided to rest the line, giving the margin another half a pot (as I had on every half hour) and try the 5m line. Nothing on this in ten minutes so I had a very quick try in the edge. With no indications coming I went back on the shallow line. After banding the pellet I fired pellets out three times with the catty before shipping out. I laid the rig in and as I reached for the catty carp number two tugged on the end. Again, this was a smallish common of about 3lb. The next half hour proved to be a bit frustrating, with two more carp just pricking themselves without actually being properly hooked. Something I've never experienced before really fishing shallow. I changed the hook after the first, dropped strait back in and had the same happen again! The only thing I could think of was to slightly tighten the very slack elastic slightly, to provide more resistance.

It was a good half hour before I got to test the theory, but it worked! A spell of slight ripple seemed to give the fish a bit more confidence and carp numbers three and four followed pretty quickly, but my feeling of satisfaction at having it sussed didn't last long as shortly after the next fish just pricked it's self and predictably the fish seemed to back away again. It seemed a good time to rest the swim again, so I had a quick try on both the 5m and margin lines, but neither gave me any indications. Nudging towards the half way mark I found myself back on the shallow line, again on the poly ball rig. The rest seemed to have the desired effect and the next hour and a half proved to be quite steady, pushing me up to a dozen carp. Most of the time the fish came in two's, and normally in gaps in the feeding when I could either see fish in the feeding zone (wearing Polaroids) or when I was getting liners and swirls. Strangely though, I never had any takes if I slapped the rig or tapped the pole, unusual when shallow fishing and getting bites not feeding. None of the fish were big, all being around the 3lb mark.

With an hour and a quarter to go the fish seemed to have faded away. Even the deeper shallow rig didn't produce. I was just about to try the closer lines when carp number thirteen made a mistake, leaving me to try the line a bit longer but with no joy. With just under an hour to go I went back on the margin line. I didn't wait long for a response as a slightly bigger carp of about 4lb made a mistake. Topping up with a whole large toss-pot of bait and again I hardly waited as another carp, again a touch bigger made it's mistake. I repeated the same process, hoping the fish would again get a bit bigger. It was not more than a few seconds before the next bite, and my bit bigger wish was more than granted, as this fish was twice the size of the last, a ghostie of fully 10lb! The next two fish followed almost as quick, but not quite as big, but both a good 4lb+. However, next chuck I pricked a fish as I lifted the rig at the same moment the float went, and unfortunately it came off. I decided to top the line up with half a pot and try the 5m line. Typically I had a bite on it and missed it! Strait back in and another bite gave me carp nineteen, a small common about 2lb. I tried the margin again after but got just silly indications, as a big rumble of thunder gave people a bit of a start! I gave it another pot of bait, hoping to bring the fish back and dropped back in to the 5m line. A bite on this gave me a 6oz roach, then a crucian about a pound and a half so with a few minutes to go I went back in the margin. Silly knocks produced a 2oz roach on meat, so thinking it wasn't going to give me carp number twenty I went back on the 5m line. This just led to me missing two bites and the whistle went just as the thunder and lightning really started!

I quickly packed my gear away, still dry and just as the I started the weigh in (on the scales again!) the rain really came down. Somebody else was admitting to 21 carp, off the peg I really fancied and I thought that the small average size of the shallow fish was going to cost me. My nineteen carp, one crucian and two roach gave me 73lb 11oz, my best match weight of the year so far. It wasn't enough though as the 21 carp from peg 48 went 83lb 6oz. I had to settle for lake 2nd, the next weight after me was 56lb. However, by the time I got back to my gear I'd spent long enough in the torrential rain that I looked like I'd swam round the lake! The draw for the pairs looked promising when I was drawn with the third place on the new lake, until the two first places were drawn out together! In the end I had to settle for joint second pair. However, I'd had a good days fishing and felt I'd worked hard at it, especially the shallow fish which really didn't want to give themselves up. It's just a shame I pricked the fish in the margin. Perhaps having to put a third net in for the silvers in the last twenty perhaps didn't help too? who knows!. Next week I'll be trying to go one better, as that's two weeks in a row I've been second!