By Joe | No Comments
Last updated: Wednesday, June 17, 2009

(just for chappy) WELL ive got loads to catch up on so much so that I cant remember most of the things ive been up to so ill just tell ya about the bigger matches and more memorable ones. First up is me and Adam Richards’ Maver pairs campaign for the year. We decided to have a real good go this year so entered 5 qualifiers to make sure we got through to the final in august.

First up was a match at Larford Lakes, this was actually the first qualifier of the year so there was plenty of big names there all wanting to get through. We were buzzing for this match as any trip to Larford is usually met with good fishing, my peg for the day would be peg 76 on the speci lake. I was pleased with this as the strong cross wind would write off the waggler anglers. Adam had drawn in the middle of the bank on arena pool, I knew straight away he would win the match there, and he did too!!!!

My plan of attack was a method feeder cast about 25 yards out to hopefully snare a few early carp and a pole at about 13m to fish pellets on the bottom for everything that swims and also a meat line about 5m out. I had Dorkings Tommy Hiller for company to my left so was sure to have my work cut out to beat him, I also had fellow blogger Nick Speed in my section and Ian Giddins who is a venue expert. So chances of me winning the section where slim to say the least!!!!

At the all in I decided to cup in a pot of pellets and corn to 13m, a pot of meat and hemp at 5m and then loaded my method and cast it out after an hour I had a few skimmers whereas tommy had 30lb!!!! Not good. So after feeding my pole lines religiously I thought I might aswell have a drop at 13m with a soft 6mm pellet on the hook. The lake was towing against the wind so presentation was excellent and I could get away with a 4×16 chimp in the 10foot of water. I was soon catching skimmers to about 2lb nearly every cast and all was going well, I started feeding with a catty but soon binned this in favour of a quarter of a pot of pellets every 15mins seemed to keep them pinned to the bottom, I also managed a few small carp altho frustratingly I lost a couple that tore off, more than likely foul hooked.

After about 2 hours catching steady on the pole I felt I was catching up with Tommy and Nick seemed to be catching well too. When all of a sudden the wind got up and it was impossible to fish 13m, I stupidly battled for a while and couldn’t catch when I decided to chance a method chuck on my pole line and it was brilliant!!!! I had about 10 more skimmers and a carp, and with 90 mins to go decided a look on the 5m swim, 2 bream for 10lb in my first two casts where encouraging followed by 2 6lb carp followed by a big one of about 12lb before it went a little quiet.

Then I started snaring em again, I did foul hook a few which tore off for the middle and with 5 minutes to go hoped id have time for one more when I hooked something very ponderous. They shouted time but this fish was nowhere near beaten. A phone call from Adam met with the response of ‘ill have to go im attached to a large portion’, anyway I finally landed it and at 15lb+ it was well handy!!! When I rang Adam he said he would have 250lb+!!!! And I knew id be up there but knew that bad first hour would cost me but my 50-60lb final hour would get me back in the reckoning.

At the weigh in ian giddins had 109lb tommy had 110lb and nick 70lb, after 3 weighs I managed 106lb!!!! My first hour had cost me massive!!! Adam then came round and had weighed a massive 297lb to walk the match!!! I was gutted. One more fish would have done it for us.
The long drive back was strange as we had both bagged up and yet where gutted not to get through. Hopefully our next qualifier at tunnel barn farm would be better.
After Adam had won the fish o qualifier at tunnel we had decided straight away to just fish worms long no matter where we drew, and we where both extremely confident of success as it’s a very fair venue that suits both of us down to the ground, with loads of f1s to be caught. After an early set off at half 5 we got there in plenty of time for a wander round extension pool which is where I fancied and adam fancied a go on canal pool again, as it proved I drew extension 27 and adam drew canal 22!!!! Perfect. When I got to my peg it was exactly where I wanted to be, nice and wide and a bit of room. Adams wasn’t perfect as its proper deep across there but soon as I heard he had 7 spare pegs I knew he would empty the lake!!!!

Now whenever ive fished tunnel barn its been bigger than average matches so ive learnt loads about the methods and what seems to happen is most people get pre occupied with fishing short down the sides, which leaves all the islands angler free. Saturday was a prime example of this. My peg on extension was a good 16m wide and with new pool behind me you are forced to break down twice, so most people don’t bother as they think its too slow, but by fishing worms across your almost guarenteed to come back with a fish, which in my mind is more important than speed.
I decided to set up a rig for 2 foot of water about a meter from the bank on a nice slope and one for the mud line in probs 18inch of water which tio be honest was a little deep but the bank was very steep. Rigs where a 4×10 fox mp1 for the deeper line(more like a 4×12) on 0.10 to a 16 hook and 12 latex elastic and a 4×10 carpa raisor for the shallower water with same hook and elastic. I also set up a rig for the edge where I had a bare bank on a top kit and would feed meat there and if I saw a fish id snare it.
At the all in I shipped a full kinder of worms and casters across and flicked a few bits of meat down the side. Within ten minutes I had the fish crawling up the bank so a switch to my shallower rig soon came and I was catching an f1 every cast and after 2 hours had 50 fish which was better than I was expecting!!!! The guy to my left seemed to be catching well short and shallow but I was sure id beat him if I just plodded on across.

All the time I was feeding meat in with my worms with the intention of catching on meat in the last hour. After 3 hours I noticed the fish going a little iffy so plumbed up a new line a few meters to the left and started again. This line again was solid and at times there was simply too many fish there and if I could have got into 10 inch or less id have had a massive weight.
Going into the last hour and I was still catching consistently so decided I had nothing to lose and try the meat, I cut the worms out completely and was instantly rewarded with a 4lb mirror followed by a 6lb common and a big f1 also. At the all out I was absolutely shattered, I Must have had 90 fish maybe more and had done a lot of shipping!!!! I lifted my nets and thought id have roughly 100lb and with the guy to my left admitting to 100lb

I thought it would be close. Adam soon came round to say he won his section with 151lb, and when the guy to my left weighed 89lb I knew id beaten him and so it proved as I had 118lb for the much needed section win!!!! As far as awe knew the only two others with two wins was Steve Hemmingray and Paul Newell and we would beat them on weight. And so it proved and with Adam coming second in the match we picked up some nice dollar also. But the main thing was the pairs and we where over the moon to win it and cant wait for the final in august!!!!

Popularity: 15% [?]