I’m having one of those runs at the moment when the ‘Bag of Dreams’ is not being very kind to me, it’s definitely the bags fault you understand nothing to do with my fishing ability! Well, we all say that don’t we? Before the ice age I was having a nice little run, drawing well, catching a few and putting the odd brown envelope in the trouser pocket but since the big melt it has all gone pear shaped! I seem to be getting pegs where I am fishing for second or third in the section with no real chance of winning the match. Let me explain what’s been happening to me down here in the South West.
It all started when I drew next to Clint on peg 10 on Python at White Acres, since then I have had an end peg on Jennies and the fish ‘were down the other end’. Twice I fished matches at Gwinear, just out of it, again wrong end! This brings me bang up to date with this week’s episode of aquatic bingo!
Records tumble
Last Thursday I went to the Barns at Summercourt a venue I really enjoy fishing, it’s situated in an idyllic Cornish Valley that is really unspoilt, you really feel you are way out in the country. They are only small matches at this time of year but when I have the opportunity to attend mid week I go without hesitation. This week it was to be held on Joan’s lake which is a small circular lake with an island down the middle. It is only 13m wide but stuffed with Carp and Tench. The lake is less than two years old and has only been open for fishing for around a year. It already has its flyer which is peg 14, for some reason the fish just want to live there and it has been responsible for some good weights. Normally if you sit on this peg you will frame.
Who drew me that?
I actually left the actual drawing to chance this week as I knew I was going to be late so I phoned Kevin and told him to put a peg in for me I would definitely be there. When I pulled up in the car park I was told I was on peg 5 which is the middle of the straight. Looking around the car park and Andy Dare had a big grin on his face, peg 14 Andy? Yes mate was the reply first out of the bag! There was definitely trouble ahead, especially when I realised venue expert Manchester Mick Heacock was opposite Andy on peg 11.
It didn’t take me long to set up two 4 x 12 J15 floats to fish at the bottom of the far slope at 12m at an angle to my left, I plumbed around on the nearside to find somewhere that I could use the same rigs, I found the ideal swim again at an angle at 5m. Two 4 x 8 J1 floats completed my rigs to fish up the slope tight to the grass.
Blinkers!
The whistle went but I was just finishing off putting the bait on my tray and settling down when I noticed Andy playing his first carp. By the time I was shipping out to feed and fish he was playing his second! It was time to put the blinkers on and concentrate on my float, fortunately I was fishing to my left and he was out of sight! Before long I had carp on triple red maggot and a change to corn on the hook started them coming my way. I was feeding a few garlic micros and the odd bit of corn via a kinder pot and enjoying catching.
It was all going ok, or so I thought with around 12 carp in the net after around 90 minutes. That was until I heard that Mick was asking for another fishery keep net as he had 30 fish and Andy was beating him! Oh man fishing for third when they are paying two! Never mind mustn’t grumble, the fishing was great considering it’s January and I was in participating in something I really enjoy.
The long and short of this match was that Andy easily won the match adding a venue record to his CV with 120lb 6oz Mick Heacock was second with 61lb and I was third with 46lb It was a really good match and we all had a good days fishing. Congratulations to Andy on breaking the record.
Return of the ice
Sunday saw us assemble at White Acres for the individual round and it was a bitterly cold morning. The pegging had to be changed as part of the complex was frozen again. It was a shame as I was really hoping to draw on Trelawney, it had just received a further 1000lb of big skimmers F1’s and Tench and was now frozen solid and out of the match! Instead the bag of dreams gave me peg 11 on Python! Slightly better at this time of year than 10 but in my opinion still a couple of pegs away from the epicentre.
Déjà vu
Having had the experience of fishing on here a couple of weeks ago I set up two pole rigs to fish at 12.5m the floats were 4 x14 J5 floats The only difference was the size of hook. One had a Middy 6313 18’s and the other a Milo T213 18’s in case the fish turned on! The rigs could also be fished at 5m where I found a similar depth straight in front of me. This time my chosen main pole line was as far to my left as was possible, I was desperate to fish as near to the middle of the wides as possible. The other reason was that I could see my pole float easier there as once again the light was a mare. I also setup a 2.5g Cralusso Rocket light as I wanted another go at catching those Cornish F1’s that live near to the reed bed around 30m from me. As this was another float only round the feeder was out of the question.
At the start I fed two large balls of Swimstim and YB Green Betaine containing casters on my pole line. I went straight out on the waggler and fired two small balls in the general direction of the float, I definitely benefitted by the practice last time as they landed reasonably close. This time there was no Rudd taking the double red offering. The float remained stationary for about 5 minutes or so until I struck into an F1. At the same time I could see the reeds moving as the F1’s moved around in my swim. It did give me confidence to stay on that line. But I’m afraid it was false hope as in the next 15 minutes or so all that happened was that I missed a couple of bites and lost one! At the same time Nigel Sanders on peg 14 started sacking on the pole.
Follow the leader
I followed the lead and shipped out the pole and managed a couple of quick skimmers before the line slowed. After the promising start it became the familiar struggle for bites but I did manage to keep a few fish coming by starting another pole line slightly to my right. By alternating the two lines I managed to keep some fish coming until the end of the match but it was slow with a few long blank spells. I went through all my baits and found that double red maggot was best, so that is what I fished for most of my match despite loose feeding caster for most of the match at 5m I never had a bite there.
To be honest I was surprised by my weight of over 14lb and I was much closer to section winner Nigel who had 20lb and the 18lb of Dave Hillier. It left me feeling that with a bit more effort I could have perhaps improved my position. To be fair though Dave was cursing his luck having lost 5 good fish and felt he should have won! I did leave the peg scratching my head wondering what I would do differently if I was to draw the peg tomorrow.
In spite of the sudden cold snap the White Acres silvers provided good sport with Andy Dare winning the match from peg 15 on Jennies with 30lb plus and Andy Partridge was second from peg 29 on the match lake also with 30lb but unfortunately for him he had 2 ounces less than Andy. There was no doubt that Andy P was ruing the fact that he lent his namesake a kilo of worms at the start!
Gwinear
My last match to report was the Tuesday open at Gwinear, fortunately the frosts had stopped but the winds had returned with a vengeance and the ‘Cornish Sun’ was falling down on us and there was no doubt it was going to be a wet old day. I had my dip and I was pleased to find myself on peg 50 on phase two. The second time I have drawn this peg recently. I had been giving Andy Dare a bit of good natured stick about his drawing ability, so he turned the tables on me by asking me to draw his peg for him. I duly obliged by handing him peg 1 on phase one. A good peg but one that had been out of form lately, which will teach him!
Waggler attack
I decided to just fish the waggler today and consequently set up a pair of 2.5g Rocket lights. The only difference was the hooks; on one I had a PR36 18’s with an F1 micro band hair rig. The other was a Middy 18’s 7313 for the maggot. My rods were a pair of SPRO Pellet waggler rods coupled with Red Arc reels which I find absolutely perfect.
The match started slowly with no indications for 20 minutes or so, Kevin Harmer to my right was first to catch a small sample on the GB feeder and soon Mark Lazell on end peg 46 opened his account. I had one carp going into the second hour but then it got promising with a flurry small carp going into the net. After that it slowed for me and ‘The Whistler’ Billy Arch to my left started to get a few fishing towards the bank on his left on the waggler and later the feeder. But Mark took the lead and we never recovered the strong wind and rain having its effect. Mark won our lake with 36lb; I had 23lb just edging the whistling Billy by a couple of pounds.
Draw bag!
Well at least I drew the winning peg as Andy Dare took the honour with 38lb which incidentally was his third match win on the spin. Well done mate you are still a draw bag it doesn’t matter who pulls the peg for you! The trouble is you are also a very talented angler and if you put the two together then we are all in the mire. As you so often remind us ‘There maybe trouble ahead’
I would like to leave this week with a question and I would be interested in your thoughts on the matter. Should flyers such as peg 14 at the Barns be put included in the match or should we peg around them?
My view is that they should be included as they can be a leveller in the match. They also give us all the hope of drawing a fantastic peg and having a day to remember, what do you think?
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Thank for the write up about the barns i will save peg 14 for you next week LOL. Totally agree put the flyers in . A top angler will have a big hit. but put an average angler on them and a top angler on a average peg will make a fair match.
Good reading, thanx stu. Andy Dare woohoo
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