This was an interesting match for me, as I've never seen the pool we were to fish and only visited the fishery once before.
Not knowing what to expect apart from a few very helpful guys from MFS giving me some information and a little guidance, I took just about everything, poles, rods, wagglers, method feeders...kitchen sink etc.
On arrival Darren and I visited the on site shop and both came out with bulging bags of goodies that we cannot get from our local shops without mail ordering it, I have to say that this is very well stocked and has some very good brands in house. The breakfast is excellent (cheers Darren) and the company obviously very good.
I then helped an old...I shall emphasise the old part friend elasticate his new Maver Elite 77 power tops, I have to say these new Maver deluxe kits are very very good, they feel as light as a match top yet retain the power for heavy elastics. Tony just needs to learn how to use it properly....
Anyway the draw being made I had peg 73 resting in my hand, so it was off to the pool, which was pool 3, this is a canal shaped pool which is pegged both banks and is approximately 35m wide by around 120m long, nice shape, but catches the wind a little too easy for my liking, but then all fisheries differ, and this will offer different conditions and different methods called for.
I walked to my peg, now originally at the draw I thought I had drawn peg 72, and plonked my gear down on the peg only to be told by Mr May senior that I had actually drawn peg 73 and needed to move...doh!
So moving my gear down to the next peg I was disappointed to find that my peg needed gardening to see the edges properly, this is my kind of luck, although drawing in the middle of the pool would either be a god send or an absolute tragedy.
After nearly 20 minutes of gardening, cutting away the reeds so I could see 8m to my left margin and 6 to my right, I cut two channels so that I could see the edge clearly and my floats wouldn't be obstructed or my vision impeded during the match should the wind get up and blow the rushes around..jpg)
As we were pegged both banks I decided not to set up a feeder as at only 35m wide I could almost reach the halfway mark with a pole so I didn't see any benefit in setting one up, in any case if the wind should get up and the pole become unfishable the rods are all made up in My Spro ready rod bag.
So it was to be a pole match for me, I decided on 5 pole lines, both margins nice and simple both were the same depth, 2 x 6m lines, 1 at 11 o'clock and one at 2 o'clock this was nice and simple as the depth was exactly the same...bonus. The final line was to be at 13m and at a healthy 6ft it would be easy to have an up in the water rig over the top just in case the fish came shallow.
My margin rigs were 0.2grm Cralusso Capri pole floats, these are ultra strong line through the body floats and lend themselves perfectly for this type of fishing, this was matched to a 0.14mm Ultima Power Silk straight through to a size 3 Tubertini 175 hook, I used a simple bulk some 8 inches from the hook with the shot spaced 1cm apart. I doubled up on this rig as margin lines can be prolific, although the line diameter seems a little light for this type of fishing I was told you don't need to fish heavy. These rigs were then matched to a match top 2 & 3 and 13h hollo elastic to a pull bung.
My 6m lines were again Cralusso Capri pole floats in 0.3grm matched again to 0.14mm Ultima Power Silk line straight through to a size 16 PR28 hook, this was shotted with a reverse taper shotting pattern on one top kit and a bulk with 2 droppers on another, matched to the new Garbolino Competition light top kits and Drennan yellow bungee elastic to pull bungs.
My up in the water rig comprised of a Scone PB special float with just 3 number 11 droppers and a size 3 Tubertini 175 hook tied to 0.14mm Ultima Power Silk and matched to a 14 latex.
Lastly my 13m line was a 0.5grm Cralusso Capri pole float again on 0.14mm Ultima Power Silk line, size 2 Tubertini 175 hook, shotting was a bulk 3com away from the hook with 2 number 10 droppers and again matched to 13h hollow through a match 2&3 section and a pull bung.
Careful plumbing found a few deviations in the bottom and a nice clay bottom on the 6m lines, these I thought would produce well.
So the all in was called and I fed the 6m lines first as I wanted to catch a few mug fish from these lines as I prepped the margin and 13m lines. I fed a ball of tightly squeezed micros on all lines with a few bits of meat and a few 4mm pellets for a little difference. Very boring and nothing unusual. I was to feed the 13m line continuously with a catapult and 4 cubes of meat every minute or so to try and draw a few fish into the peg and feeding up in the water.
In went the 6m line at 2 o'clock with a single 4mm expander and a cad pot of micro pellets, I fed the pellets from the cad pot and gently lowered the reversed taper rig into position, and no sooner had it settled the float shot under and a firm lift was met with 6 feet of Drennan yellow bungee spilling from my pole as Carp number 1 was on...perfect, a few more cubes of meat on the 13m line, re-bait and look on the 11 o'clock line....nothing....!
After 10 minutes of alternating the 6m lines I noticed a swirl at 13m where I had been feeding meat regularily....yehaaaa...up in the water time!
I couldn't get the rig out quick enough to have a go, cube of meat on the hook, 4 pieces round the float, lift and drop to make the splat that meat makes when it enters the water. Despite 10 minutes of slapping, lifting and dropping..nothing! Typical.
So it was onto the deep 13m, a small cube of meat on the hook and a ball of squeezed micros over the top, I waited 5 minutes before I had an indication which was a liner as the catapulted meat was still going through the water column, then.....the float dipped...strike....6 oz skimmer...doh!
This was frustrating let me tell you, I spent the next 4 hours alternating between all my lines apart from the margin looking for fish, and in this time I managed just 2 more 1lb skimmers and 2 foul hooked and lost carp. The up in the water line had not even yielded a bite, as it seemed they did not want the pole over their heads at all, even a longer line and varying depths didnt help.
I was ready to tear my hair out and go home.
My mate Darren had drawn peg 92 and was diagonally opposite me and had managed to string a few fish together now fishing down the edge, and a quick text was forwarded. Now I must mention me and Darren have been fishing together and travelling too matches for some 5 years and I feel work very well as a pair.
He text back saying "Pellet and meat"
So down the edge it was for the next 2 hours, meat on the hook and by varying how much pellet and meat I put in I managed to string a few carp together, all fell to a single cube of meat fished dead depth and as tight into the bank as possible, I also found you had to keep the bait dead still to get the fish to take it. The amount of liners and fish spooking out from the swim was so annoying.
However by feeding a little less pellet and a few more bits of meat on the right hand margin I managed to snare 4 barbel, 9 carp and a large F1....now I could not get a bite from the left hand margin for some reason, yet it was fed exactly the same....can anyone tell me why? Answers on a postcard please.
Darren had caught well as had the end peg which Graham Aveyard had drawn to my right. As the weigh net went round Darren managed to weigh an excellent 60lb 2oz on a very tough day, the scales came round and Darren was still first when they arrived at my peg, so out came my fish and i put 60lb 80z on the scales......sorry mate, that 6oz skimmer made all the difference!.jpg)
So the only other 2 people that I knew had caught was Mr May senior on the next peg to my right, he promptly put 48lb on the scales for the section win. The scales finally arrived at the end peg and Graham, Now Graham had a few more carp than me, but mine had been considerably bigger, this would be close.
He had also managed a few skimmers as well, and after putting them on the weigh scales for a very respectable 58lb!
Well done mate, just one more carp and you would have won it!
So a first and second for me and Darren and a very........hard journey home as 6oz isn't an awful lot to win by really!
Anyway, tight lines all, My next match is the Individual National at Lindholme lakes on Saturday.
Catch you all soon!
Not knowing what to expect apart from a few very helpful guys from MFS giving me some information and a little guidance, I took just about everything, poles, rods, wagglers, method feeders...kitchen sink etc.
On arrival Darren and I visited the on site shop and both came out with bulging bags of goodies that we cannot get from our local shops without mail ordering it, I have to say that this is very well stocked and has some very good brands in house. The breakfast is excellent (cheers Darren) and the company obviously very good.
I then helped an old...I shall emphasise the old part friend elasticate his new Maver Elite 77 power tops, I have to say these new Maver deluxe kits are very very good, they feel as light as a match top yet retain the power for heavy elastics. Tony just needs to learn how to use it properly....
Anyway the draw being made I had peg 73 resting in my hand, so it was off to the pool, which was pool 3, this is a canal shaped pool which is pegged both banks and is approximately 35m wide by around 120m long, nice shape, but catches the wind a little too easy for my liking, but then all fisheries differ, and this will offer different conditions and different methods called for.
I walked to my peg, now originally at the draw I thought I had drawn peg 72, and plonked my gear down on the peg only to be told by Mr May senior that I had actually drawn peg 73 and needed to move...doh!
So moving my gear down to the next peg I was disappointed to find that my peg needed gardening to see the edges properly, this is my kind of luck, although drawing in the middle of the pool would either be a god send or an absolute tragedy.
After nearly 20 minutes of gardening, cutting away the reeds so I could see 8m to my left margin and 6 to my right, I cut two channels so that I could see the edge clearly and my floats wouldn't be obstructed or my vision impeded during the match should the wind get up and blow the rushes around.
As we were pegged both banks I decided not to set up a feeder as at only 35m wide I could almost reach the halfway mark with a pole so I didn't see any benefit in setting one up, in any case if the wind should get up and the pole become unfishable the rods are all made up in My Spro ready rod bag.
So it was to be a pole match for me, I decided on 5 pole lines, both margins nice and simple both were the same depth, 2 x 6m lines, 1 at 11 o'clock and one at 2 o'clock this was nice and simple as the depth was exactly the same...bonus. The final line was to be at 13m and at a healthy 6ft it would be easy to have an up in the water rig over the top just in case the fish came shallow.
My margin rigs were 0.2grm Cralusso Capri pole floats, these are ultra strong line through the body floats and lend themselves perfectly for this type of fishing, this was matched to a 0.14mm Ultima Power Silk straight through to a size 3 Tubertini 175 hook, I used a simple bulk some 8 inches from the hook with the shot spaced 1cm apart. I doubled up on this rig as margin lines can be prolific, although the line diameter seems a little light for this type of fishing I was told you don't need to fish heavy. These rigs were then matched to a match top 2 & 3 and 13h hollo elastic to a pull bung.
My 6m lines were again Cralusso Capri pole floats in 0.3grm matched again to 0.14mm Ultima Power Silk line straight through to a size 16 PR28 hook, this was shotted with a reverse taper shotting pattern on one top kit and a bulk with 2 droppers on another, matched to the new Garbolino Competition light top kits and Drennan yellow bungee elastic to pull bungs.
My up in the water rig comprised of a Scone PB special float with just 3 number 11 droppers and a size 3 Tubertini 175 hook tied to 0.14mm Ultima Power Silk and matched to a 14 latex.
Lastly my 13m line was a 0.5grm Cralusso Capri pole float again on 0.14mm Ultima Power Silk line, size 2 Tubertini 175 hook, shotting was a bulk 3com away from the hook with 2 number 10 droppers and again matched to 13h hollow through a match 2&3 section and a pull bung.
Careful plumbing found a few deviations in the bottom and a nice clay bottom on the 6m lines, these I thought would produce well.
So the all in was called and I fed the 6m lines first as I wanted to catch a few mug fish from these lines as I prepped the margin and 13m lines. I fed a ball of tightly squeezed micros on all lines with a few bits of meat and a few 4mm pellets for a little difference. Very boring and nothing unusual. I was to feed the 13m line continuously with a catapult and 4 cubes of meat every minute or so to try and draw a few fish into the peg and feeding up in the water.
In went the 6m line at 2 o'clock with a single 4mm expander and a cad pot of micro pellets, I fed the pellets from the cad pot and gently lowered the reversed taper rig into position, and no sooner had it settled the float shot under and a firm lift was met with 6 feet of Drennan yellow bungee spilling from my pole as Carp number 1 was on...perfect, a few more cubes of meat on the 13m line, re-bait and look on the 11 o'clock line....nothing....!
After 10 minutes of alternating the 6m lines I noticed a swirl at 13m where I had been feeding meat regularily....yehaaaa...up in the water time!
I couldn't get the rig out quick enough to have a go, cube of meat on the hook, 4 pieces round the float, lift and drop to make the splat that meat makes when it enters the water. Despite 10 minutes of slapping, lifting and dropping..nothing! Typical.
So it was onto the deep 13m, a small cube of meat on the hook and a ball of squeezed micros over the top, I waited 5 minutes before I had an indication which was a liner as the catapulted meat was still going through the water column, then.....the float dipped...strike....6 oz skimmer...doh!
This was frustrating let me tell you, I spent the next 4 hours alternating between all my lines apart from the margin looking for fish, and in this time I managed just 2 more 1lb skimmers and 2 foul hooked and lost carp. The up in the water line had not even yielded a bite, as it seemed they did not want the pole over their heads at all, even a longer line and varying depths didnt help.
I was ready to tear my hair out and go home.
My mate Darren had drawn peg 92 and was diagonally opposite me and had managed to string a few fish together now fishing down the edge, and a quick text was forwarded. Now I must mention me and Darren have been fishing together and travelling too matches for some 5 years and I feel work very well as a pair.
He text back saying "Pellet and meat"
So down the edge it was for the next 2 hours, meat on the hook and by varying how much pellet and meat I put in I managed to string a few carp together, all fell to a single cube of meat fished dead depth and as tight into the bank as possible, I also found you had to keep the bait dead still to get the fish to take it. The amount of liners and fish spooking out from the swim was so annoying.
However by feeding a little less pellet and a few more bits of meat on the right hand margin I managed to snare 4 barbel, 9 carp and a large F1....now I could not get a bite from the left hand margin for some reason, yet it was fed exactly the same....can anyone tell me why? Answers on a postcard please.
Darren had caught well as had the end peg which Graham Aveyard had drawn to my right. As the weigh net went round Darren managed to weigh an excellent 60lb 2oz on a very tough day, the scales came round and Darren was still first when they arrived at my peg, so out came my fish and i put 60lb 80z on the scales......sorry mate, that 6oz skimmer made all the difference!
So the only other 2 people that I knew had caught was Mr May senior on the next peg to my right, he promptly put 48lb on the scales for the section win. The scales finally arrived at the end peg and Graham, Now Graham had a few more carp than me, but mine had been considerably bigger, this would be close.
He had also managed a few skimmers as well, and after putting them on the weigh scales for a very respectable 58lb!
Well done mate, just one more carp and you would have won it!
So a first and second for me and Darren and a very........hard journey home as 6oz isn't an awful lot to win by really!
Anyway, tight lines all, My next match is the Individual National at Lindholme lakes on Saturday.
Catch you all soon!
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