Day One – A section, Match Lake.
If I had the perfect start on the Van Den Eydne with a section win, the start on this festival was an unmitigated disaster! I drew peg 31 just off the high bank, and was not unhappy with the draw. I was not in the fancied high bank section but close enough to catch any strays. I know that the peg in the past has thrown up some good weights and that I would need carp to do any good in the section. So that was it I set up with carp in mind. My tackle was a 4 gram Cralusso Rocket light waggler, a straight lead and shallow pole rigs comprising of a .3 Capri to fish at 4’ deep. I also set up a .5 Capri to fish at 5 metres on the deck with meat.
On peg 30 was Tony Wilde an old mate from when I used to fish at Gold Valley and on 32 was Gary Smith, we all were looking forward to the festival and a good week despite the rain, it was absolutely tipping down! At the hooter I cupped in a large cup of hemp and meat on my 5 metre line and cast my straight lead tight to the far bank, trouble was it was too tight and I hooked the only small bramble that was over hanging! Fortunately it came off, I re baited and this time got the cast right and was into a carp immediately. I played it to the net and the line snapped! I guess I must have nicked the hook length on the bramble. I remember Kieran Rich telling me couple of years ago that brambles never lose, how right he was. I went out again and had a fish fairly quickly after a few line bites.
Change tactics
I could see Nigel Marchington two pegs down to my right catching on the waggler, my liners had stopped so I went on the wag. The aerator was on opposite peg 28 and my waggler was going through just like I was on a slow river! I didn’t have a bite on it. I tell a lie, I had one bite and came back with a perfectly hooked feeder, you have to be good to catch a feeder!
My match was quite slow I ended up with seven carp for 45lb all caught on the straight lead with either pellet or meat on the hook. Next door Gary had 65lb he caught 8 carp on the lead with meat and 20lb of silvers. He used the pellet cone that was a new one on me I will have to give the method a try it looks like a good idea. Tony had 26lb he like me had just fished for carp. To his left it was carp city and there were lots of weights around the 100lb mark. I like to fish then lead or feeder over my left knee, they were catching so many fish down there I contemplated turning around! The section and the match was won from peg 17 with 134lb. Second was Adam Wakelin with 88lb from peg 21. At least these weights made me feel I had fished it right as I needed carp to do any good.
Elsewhere there were some good weights with Andy Geldart recording 177lb from peg 20 at Bolingey. Porth fished hard again and was won with 12lb. Gwinear was hard for most with Paul Taylor winning with 70lb from peg 24 . Kieran Rich won from peg 10 on Twin Oaks with the meat feeder. The weather forecast is good for the rest of the week, so maybe things will settle down and improve.
Day 2 B section Trelawney and Twin Oaks
The previous night I had gone to bed dreaming of drawing peg 10 on Twin Oaks as it won the match on Monday, for some reason that part of the lake is nearly always the best. Well it wasn’t to be Rob Whooton had that pleasure. I found peg 22 on Trelawney a quick look on the board and I wasn’t impressed to see 3 points coming from it on Monday, still today is another day. I got down to the lake and find Lee Kerry to my left on 23 we had a chat and both agreed that we fancied the area. A little bit of banter ensued both putting a bit of pressure on each other, it was all good fun though.
My peg if I faced slightly to my right was just about 19 metres wide, the wind was left to right but by facing right it was mainly over my back. My plan was formed, I was going to concentrate on the very long pole. I set up two .2 Capri’s on .18 line to a size 14 PR36 hook on .16 hook length. I was going to fish meat on the hook and feed via the toss pot. I set up some other rigs to fish two lines at 13 metres and 6 metres these were .5 gram Capri’s. I also up an edge rig and a waggler.
To be honest I had a really enjoyable match, I fished 19 metres from start to finish and ended up with 110lb for a section win and third in the match. I caught about 30 carp between a pound and 6 pounds. I foul hooked and lost a few and that was the only thing that went wrong. I just could not work out how not to foul them. I tried fishing up and down and off my feed but nothing worked. In the end I just got on with it and didn’t let it worry me. I fed in all just over two pints of meat. I have worked a way out feeding with the toss pot when I fish long with meat, it works for me. I put some meat into the pot and squeeze it in, I then put some more in and just push it in with a little pressure. I then ship out and turn the pole over a little tap and the second lot of meat comes out. I leave the toss pot facing the water and when I get a bite the remainder of feed comes out on the strike. This way I am feeding the swim whilst playing the fish.
The other part of our split section was on Twin Oaks and Rob won that lake from fancied peg 10 with 180lb! Alex Bones was second with 170lb and Adam Wakelin was third with 108lb some section that!
Dean Barlow fished a god match at Bolingey for 159lb from peg 20. Porth was a low weight affair with 12lb winning and there was 90lb at Gwinear from 31.
I’m off for an early night as my back is playing up, plus a little prayer to Lord Pisces for a favourable draw at Gwinear in the morning maybe 31?
Well done Stewart, you sneaked into the top 20 in the end.
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