Wet, Wet, Wet!

Just a brief update this week, as I've been a bit busy with work and other stuff and time to sit down has been a bit limited to say the least!

Sunday's match was a later draw than usual, which I thought was a bit of a bonus being as I'd been working nights during the week - I could have a lay-in and catch up on some sleep! I'd also been out the day before and joined in the Olympic Torch celebrations, and the few beers and lack of recent sleep meant I was grateful of the extra time.

As per the usual pattern of late it was raining (hence no picture), but I still had a quick wonder around. A fair few of the pegs had been heavily pruned back along the far bank that morning, so I wanted to avoid those pegs, but no such luck! Peg 35 had had a large tree removed that morning, and I wasn't optimistic that the chainsaw, boat and the working party that went with it would make for a good day. All work that needed doing mind, but perhaps we'd have been better off on the other lake to leave it to settle.

To cut the long story short, the only fish I put in the net in the first two hours was a roach on pellet across. After the two hour mark it rained like I've never experienced while fishing - I swear it made a monsoon look like a light shower!

During that heavy rain I had my best spell of action, taking three carp in a row from across on pellet. After that the indications died away, so I dropped in down the middle and had a carp instantly, albeit only a small 2lb'er. That proved to be the only bite I had there!

The rest of the match proved to be just scraping around for bites, and I nabbed two more carp on worm across, plus a couple of small perch. The fishing was hard for those of us along that bank, and my day wasn't helped by having to un-ship twice to fish across due to the stock-pond behind being extended. Especially as this led to me getting my 11.5/13m sections stuck together! Fortunately, they were easily freed after the match with the help of the pegs either side.

I finished up weighing in a little over 28lb, narrowly beaten by the corner peg to my right who had the same number of fish as me, but their two late margin lumps were just enough to pip me as they had 30lb. The peg to my left had 25lb, and a little less past them too.

The match was won from peg 20 with a little over 70lb, with peg 14 second with 62lb. It was noticable that the water was more coloured round that corner, plus it hadn't had any work done in those pegs that morning. Third place had 34lb, so I was only one good fish off the frame, but it was just one of those days to be honest! And perhaps a bump back to Earth after two ton+ weights. Still, there's always next week!