The Good Run Is Finished!

Well after the serious team matches of last weekend I was really really looking forward to the last evening match of the year at Carpvale and as it was going to be on the front pond- I couldn’t wait!

There was a lot less there this time as it was chucking it down but there were 9 of us so at least we would catch a few fish, and it beats watching the telly. Anyway I drew peg 69 two pegs away from where I won last time so really fancied it, although Lee Kerry drew it a couple of weeks ago and his fish drifted off so I didn’t know what to expect, I also thought it would be rock hard after all the rain so set my sights on around 60lb to win-how wrong could I have been!!!!!! I set up one rod to fish the method and that was it.

I did however change my mix this week and used 60% Dynamite’s Method Mix, 20% green Swim Stim for the colour and 20% brown crumb mixed with a full bottle of Swim Stim liquid. The rule for the night was fish as soon as you were ready and we would call it at 8 to see how dark it was, as to how long to fish for. The draw was about 5.45 so I quickly ran and put my gear down and pinged my method across and after 2 chucks had my first one while everyone else was setting up! And after 45 minutes put my second net in after 20 fish!!!!! This is going well I thought!!!!!

I noticed Darryl catching a few big lads but I knew I was on for something special as every time my feeder clipped the iris’s it just went straight round. Interestingly even though it was solid with fish I still needed to be incredibly accurate and literally cast it ‘under’ the reeds to get the quickest bites. I caught my next 20 fish even quicker and knew I must have a ton by now as last time I had 30 some fish for 92lb and I’d had a 10lber in this match. At 8 o’clock Martin decided we would finish at half 8, and by this time everybody was emptying the place!!!!! Ive never been involved in such a bag fest before but the carp where in a very obliging mood.

At the weigh in everyone was asking if I had a ton and I was sure I had with my 52 fish, but Darryl was admitting to a ton so I wasn’t sure if I would have enough. Martin to my left weighed in 79lb and had hardly caught anything so suddenly I was thinking what will I have then! Darryl and Jim Atkinson both had over 90lb and thought it would be close, how wrong could they be, I put 173lb on the scales and everyone was gob smacked, they did all pat me on the back though and I must admit I was very pleased with myself afterwards!!!! I laughed though when I told Darryl my mix and he said that it breaks down far too slow, errrrr nice one darryl try again mate

Anyway Saturday and I was back down at Lakeview for the second round of our Super League, and to be honest I quite fancied it as it was maggot fishing, anyway the team where well up for it and I thought we had a right chance of winning this round. Anyway we got there and the match was on different lakes to what we had practiced on last week!!!! Good start I thought, I drew canal peg 2 in a corner with the wind blowing in the opposite direction. I could have cried and with Andy Moors on boss peg 9 with the wind aswell I knew there was no way id beat him, also venue regular Jason Le Bosquet was next to him and I thought im gonna be 3rd at best here. At the all in I had a skimmer straight away and after that just couldn’t get a bite! With everyone catching to my right I knew there was just nothing I could do, I was trying my heart out and couldn’t get a bite!

Going into the last half an hour I started catching but it was a case of too little too late and I only managed 18lb for last in the section with Bob to my right 3rd Jason to his right second and Andy walking the section, it just carried on getting better up that bank. I was gutted. We had 5 lads in the same situation even carping ace Jamie Masson was last off a flat calm corner peg. And we finished last on the day too and everyone was so gutted as we drew so badly!!!!

Anyway on Sunday it was back to the Oaks at Sessay to try and continue my good run up there, now over the last few matches I’ve really had to graft to get the maggot to work properly so really fancied trying something different and decided to fish worms and groundbait. I felt this would be a way to keep the fish down on the deeper swims I like to fish. Anyway I drew peg 2 which is a really good peg and I already wished I had my maggots cos it’s a definite match winning peg. I decided to fish pellets down the edge at 5m, worms in front of the sedges and pellets on the mud line.

Rigs where a 4×10 Malman Elvis on 0.12 and an 18 hook with 13 hollo for down the side, a 4×12 Malman Cedar for the sedge swim with a 18 PR21 on 0.10 for the worm with yellow vespe, and a 4×10 Malman Cedar for the mudline on 0.12 and yellow vespe. I put a ball of mix and a few casters next to the sedges and a few pellets across and a few down the side and caught an f1 immediately on the worm and that brought a big smile to my face and I caught a few for the first hour on it but I knew it wasn’t right, I then got bitted out so tried to put bigger balls in less often whilst having a look on the mud, this was slow but the fish where big, any thoughts I had of winning the match were gone though as it was just simply too slow so I decided to sack the worm and concentrate down the edge on pellet and hopefully pick the odd lump up across in the last half an hour.

I caught steady away down the side and thought maybe I might sneak a section win. At the all out I probably had 50lb and was pleased I’d tried the worm to rule it out but also annoyed I’d wasted a good draw. I weighed 55lb and just missed out on the section.The run is finished!!!!! Anyway Ian won the match on wait for it……… maggots so that was a kick in the teeth too. Oh well. Ive got an Oaks 3 day weekend next week and cant wait to get them maggots out again. Anyway tightlines!