Prior to a hook length being added, Paul threw the empty feeder out. " I'm looking for a 35 yard cast to-day, before I clip up. I will know when I've reached that distance by the amount of reel turns I make to retrieve the feeder. You see, one turn of the handle equals about a yard of line." Paul reeled in and clipped up at 35 yards.

Again prior to attaching a hook length, Paul began to load his feeder with the groundbait mix. " I'm going to put about 10 of these out before I start, to put a bed down for the fish to move on. Accuracy is very important, but as you can see, I haven't a far bank marker to aim at!" Never the less Paul was able to place the feeder directly where he wanted it every time.

Believe it or not, that is the far bank in the distance!

On the adjacent peg at 18, was one of my teammates Alan Shakespeare, who removed a thermometer from his seat box and placed it in the water. " Well?" I asked, " 4 degrees" came the reply. " That's bad news", said Paul, " Carp will feed better at 6 degrees but 4 is freezing!"

Alan 'The Eskimo' Shakespeare!

Paul attached a Pro Micron 0.12 hook length to his main line, which was about 2 1/2 feet long, with a size 18 B611 Kamasan hook attached at the end. A red and a white 'Man Utd' maggot were carefully placed on the hook. " If you don't break the skin, it aids presentation." The feeder was then sent flying through the air to land exactly where the feed had been placed earlier, to await the first bite. " It's about 12 feet deep there", Said Paul, " I know that this feeder falls through the water at a rate of 2 feet per second. It's taking a count of six for it to hit the deck." Alan on peg 18 was throwing a similar set up to a distance of about 20 yards, at which applying the same principal was about 8 feet deep.

The Mist Is Clearing!

It was now 11am. " I reckon we will have to wait about an hour for the fish to move over the feed with confidence", Said Mr Downes. 11.30am and liners start materialising, but the Hall Green based angler sits tight watching the tip. " Don't be hasty, when they take it properly they will pull the rod round and it will stay." Experience of a man who has fished and won his fair share of matches this past summer at the venue. Sure enough the rod tip pulled round and stayed there. Paul calmly lifted into his first fish of the day, which was soon in the net. " Well we haven't had a blank anyway", he said with a smile.

First Fish Of The Day.

Fair to say no other fish had been caught in the immediate area and no liners reported for that matter.

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