Help, I've gone to the dark side !! - Talk Angling fishing chat and tackle advice

fish farmer · 8th June 2009, 12:09 AM

OMG ! I think I may be a matchman trapped in a purists body! And those of you who know me will agree, that is less likely than a politician going to prison for defrauding the public out of their hard earned cash !!

Tonight I fished our Laugherne Island Pool for the first time ever properly (I've had the odd cast with other people's kit before) as a practice session before attempting the open match on Wednesday. There have been 2 clubs on there this weekend. Yesterday the best weight was 19lb and today it was won with 37lb. I have been perplexed by the low weights coming out of late, especially given the huge winter bags we had and this was another reason I went to fish it - I suppose to see if could do any better, although I couldn't see why I might.

So what did I catch? 28 carp in 3 hours. Given that the carp in that pool are now averaging over 3 lbs, I took at least 84 lbs of fish and to be honest, those fish averaged more like 4 lbs !! In 3 hours !! So what did I do right? I haven't a clue. I fed and fished my hook bait over the feed - isn't that what all anglers do? I suspect I just hit the fish at their favourite time of day for munching down!

I have calculated that if I catch at the same rate on Wednesday for the 5 hour duration, I will almost certainly win the match and could quite possibly beat Grant Albutt's record for the pool. How bizarre!!

What's even more bizzare is that I thoroughly enjoyed it!!! Someone pass me the bleach, I need cleansing.

justin case · 8th June 2009, 06:55 AM

Love it, Well done

FF the TA get togethers are coming up fast

What was the buzz the competing or winning ?,

fish farmer · 8th June 2009, 01:57 PM

Winning?? I haven't won anything yet!

The buzz for me was that I sat on my old shakespere box using a float rod I've had for over 20 years, fishing a waggler that suited the conditions with a proper shotting pattern to do what I wanted to do and proving two things to myself..... that the fish are definitely still in there - despite anglers moans to the contrary (and they are growing well too!)- and that I could actually catch consistently as I would hope to in a match.

I'll probably do crap now on wednesday!!

getinback · 8th June 2009, 03:33 PM

A lot of venues fish very differently in match conditions, with numerous arguable factors why.

Good luck in your match. With your knowledge and confidence from a good day on the venue, you stand every chance of doing well! Go for it!!!

PUD · 8th June 2009, 04:40 PM

What peg were you sat on??

Pud

billynobites · 8th June 2009, 04:44 PM

Yes it can be markedly different on match days as the fish back off from the extra disturbance on the bank. The greater activity can mean match weights on some waters are a lot lower than weights when pleasure fishing. Also when pleasure fishing you can pick where you want to fish.

fish farmer · 8th June 2009, 11:02 PM

Pud - I was on 32, any reason??

Getinback - cheers mate, I am also attempting to dispel another matchmans myth - more details if I manage it!! Also, our wednesday opens are somewhat underpopulated, so normal 'match conditions' wont really apply me thinks !! We need some of you guys to pay us a visit now and then.

billy - cheers mate. I realise that more disturbance affects the fish, but this is still a relatively underfished pool (and I can assure you the disturbance caused by the quad when we feed it doesn't upset the fish!). The method I used last night takes that into account.

If you don't hear from me for a while after wednesday guys, it means I have embarassed myself, lmao