It started off by not being able to get out of my road, there was a lorry on fire by all accounts on the M25 it had backed up some 15 miles and I was blocked in.
I managed to get out eventually and get to the venue 10 minutes away as a rule it took half hour
In we go I draw peg 32, Im dissapointed to say the least as yesterday I was watching an article being filmed by match angler magazine. Chris Vanderfliet, and the owner of the lake Colin accompanied by Jon Arther and Dave Harrel, and yes, you guessed it my peg was one of the ones used for the article,
I walk dispondantly to my peg Mick Scanlan was on the other peg used, we kind of face each other as we were in a corner , at least we will have a good laugh.
Off we go normal proceedure around 8 balls of groundbait laced with about a pint of the new white micro pellets from Carp vader plus a good helping of caster then a big pot of chop over the top, proceeded by 3 balls of the same at 4 to hand,
I was in a corner so I potted 3 maxi cups of 4mm white polar ice feed pellets tight down the inside at around 12.5 metres followed by a reasonable helping of corn and a few grains of cubed meat ( thanks Le:mo)
we had the wind in our face so I was half hoping the carp might show in the corner,
off we go with the 4 to hand its one a chuch for 20 minutes net skimmers and a few good roach, im constantly throwing 20 or so pellets on that line to keep em comming, then I foul hook a big skimmer it comes off I say the proverbial B@#£$@@ it gets said a lot on this venue, then I proceed to do this 4 more time in a row and the fish seem to vanish.
in with two more balls and I try the long line, not a single bite 20 minutes goes by and I can see most of the anglers are catching well, me and Mick are struggling, two more balls long another pot of chop and back short again
I nick a few more fish Im probably up to aroiund 15lb and 1.5 hours are gone
I light up a ciggie and think Rivet, I sit there half hearted thinking I have drawn real crap, of all the pegs I get one that was hammered the day before.
Lets give the carp line a go I havnt seen any movement what so ever but I have nothing to lose.
I put a half inch cube of meat on the hook, the rig is a 4x10 Garbo DC6 0.17 mainline to 0.15 size 12 911 blue middy hi vis I think its rated at 20 basically my lasooing gear
Out she goes the bait hits the bottom and sails straight away I lift into an large fish it goes off like the orient express, a few minutes later and I have tamed a 15 pound mirror sadly carp over 10 pound only count as 10 pound
in we go again a few bobs and sideways movements tells me there is another fish down there, and then the strangest thing the float goes I hit it and I have a real wierd fighting fish a few pulls then it seems to give in then it has another go, then I see red yep red I have some kind of red fish maybe a sun burnt golden tench nope a Koi Carp,
One of the lads took this pic after the match the pic isnt that good due to the light but you will get the picture
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The next cast produces a lightning bite I hit it and im straight into trouble through the boat house landing stage up a tree you know the ones probably only 8 or so pound but quick off the mark, the hook pulls
Its goes real quiet so I top up with exactly the same as I started with I have neary 3 ft of water it can take it if I feed light the skimmers will move in I need carp really from this peg today to frame.
I go in right on top iof my cups a quick bite and 5 minutes later I have a mirror over 20 pound I struggled like mad to get it into the supplied landing net, I call it on the bank the guys either side agree its 10 plus infact they said some other non repeatable words, it was a huge fish my biggest on the pole by far sadly the fish flipped from the landing net and broke my number 3 clean in half only the laccy is keeping it together, the fish was ok it landed on my carryall
once again despite all my hard work its only classed as 10 pounds.
I made a quick repair as the match was nearing its close, I slid a spare number 3 right over the lot holding the break firm.
I lost 2 more during the closing stages one was probably between 25 and 30 pound I didnt have much chance some fish are just too big, I did manage to snag a few moree plus some nice bream and a tench on the same line
I weighed in 72lb 8 oz fifth again for the 3rd week running one day I will get some coin out of this place, the match was won with 117lb of skimmers plus 3 carp 89lb was 4th I was too far from the fish but made a few changes and made the peg work for me.
once again the white polar ice pellets seem to score for me, sadly my main line,the long pole was a waste of time I put this down to the hammering it took the previous day.
JC