| Day Four - Python / Trewlawny.
I drew peg
12 on Trewlawny, the winning weight being capable from anywhere on the
lake but the fancied peg being peg 18. The peg had been very good over the
week but today the wind was very bad, preventing the angler from fishing
it right over, meaning that it wasn't to be as good as the previous days.
At my peg
I set up a feeder and a pole line at 11 metres. I mixed a bag of Sensas
Bremes for the skimmers as a weight of 20 lb had materialised the day
before, and I mixed some fishmeal for the feeder line tight over to the
far bank. A waggler line was not in my thoughts.
The all in
and I cupped in 6 balls on the pole line with a little chopped worm and
went straight out onto the feeder. I thought I would catch straight away
as fish were topping all over the swim. Half an hour later I had my first
fish a 4 oz carp, the smallest in there! In again and another small carp
after 15 minutes. Out on the pole line and another half an hour later and
a small skimmer came to the net. Out went the feeder again but nothing.
Out on the pole. . .nothing. I tried everything. By this time I was
struggling for ideas. Three times my feeder went out and three times I
cracked off because of the wind. The feeder rod went up the bank, I was
now pis..d off.
I decided
to have a go at the waggler, after all I had nothing to lose, I was
probably last in my section at this time. The fish were still jumping
within the peg so I set a 4aaa waggler to two feet deep and threw it out.
My line clip stopped the float just in line with a clump of reeds on the
far bank. The waggler moved slowly down the swim, being towed by the wind,
when it slowly disappeared before coming back up and then burying. I was
into a 2 lb carp. I did this 10 times and every time the float hit the
same mark I was into another fish. 10 casts 10 fish. I missed a few bites
after this and I didn't know if I had done enough for the section. The
scales arrived and I asked Clint Elliot what had been the best weight to
date. He said 22 lb and asked if I could beat it. I didn't think I could.
I put my fish on the scales and they steadied at 19 lb 4 oz. I was gutted.
Clint congratulated me and said that was the best weight so far, I won't
tell you what I called him!! I followed the scales round to peg 18. I knew
the angler had been catching and that the weights could be close. He
weighed 16 lb after Clint had taken his hands from the scales reading 20lb
something. I gave Clint a big kiss and went off as pleased as punch for
coming back to win the section.
 The
Waggler should have been set up at the start even though the wind was bad.
The wind may drop, change course or anything. I was fortunate in that
people were not catching allowing me to come back. Set everything up, even
if you don't use it because if you don't it could cost you dearly. No good
looking back wishing you had done something you hadn't; well you know what
I mean.
Day Five - Gwinea Final Day.
After that
match on Trewlawny, I returned to the lodge knowing I had a good chance of
winning the festival and with a good draw for the final round it was a
possibility. I said to Steve Saunders, " I think I will do two power kits
with 14 elastic for peg 28 on Gwinea" Peg 28 is the flier on the bridge.
Get to the
draw the next morning. . .YES peg 28! I couldn't believe it. Harry Billing
was winning the festival and I needed a section win to drop that first
days result and I needed Harry to be second in his section. I told myself
not to worry about it and just fish my match. Worry about things at 5 pm
when the event is over. I drove to Gwinea and sat at my peg and looked
around. The bridge was to my left. I was told to keep away from it as the
fish run straight under when hooked and you end up losing loads. I plumbed
up 4 metres from it and found it to be 5 feet deep. I also plumbed up down
the edge and found this to be about 2 1/2 feet deep. At the start I fed
chopped cat meat with small cubes of ordinary meat and after five minutes
had my first bite. I struck and broke my number 4 section in half! Great
start. I turned and saw that peg 29 had caught one already and I was
playing catch up. Out I went again and within 15 minutes I had my first
fish and then sat there bite less. Craig Evans, directly in front of me
had got 6 or 7 fish and Alan Barker was bagging on next peg, 27. I could
see my section slipping away. I needed to change my tactics and quickly. I
decided to go against the advice and have a look at the bridge, after all
what had I to lose? A foot away and I found it was two inches shallower.
Out went some bait and the float buried, I never looked back.
I caught
steady until the last hour when I started to have one a chuck. Alan Barker
had slowed up but I knew I was still behind. I started to catch better
fish but by now I was giving them some serious lip ache with my power
kits, 14 elastic and 0.15 Preston power line to a 12 hook.
The end
came and so did the scales. I placed 119 lb into the net and Alan placed
85 lb. I shook his hand and said well done. I had won my section. I was so
pleased to do so after a terrible start. On my way back to the lodge all I
could think about was Harry and if he had won his section. Back at
Whiteacres Richie Hull came and asked how I had faired I told him but was
more concerned to find out how Harry had done. Richie had heard that Harry
had been bagging, so I had resigned my self to second place. Getting into
the lodge and Pete told me Harry had come second in his section. He had
been beaten by a mere pound in weight, (I know the feeling) which in turn
meant Harry had 3 first places and a second. I had 4 first places. I was
over the moon and it was time to celebrate!
Final
Tip. - Over the week I changed my tactics to suit the match and it paid
off on more than one occasion. What I am trying to say is be versatile, be
willing to try something different it could make all the difference.
It did for me!
Grant.
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