As I was going to St Ives…

Kernow Match Group were holding a match at Nance Fisheries on Saturday, word was that it hadn’t been matched fished for years. I am really keen at the moment to try out new venues so was looking forward to the day. I didn’t know anything about the place and all I could establish was that it was a mixed fishery with some carp! I really had the kitchen sink with me in relation to tackle and bait as I wasn’t sure what to expect.

When Harry and I arrived we were keen to have a look around and our initial thoughts were that it was a fantastic looking place. The fishery is situated within a farm that sells local food produce near St Ives, the location is off the beaten track it really is a nice looking complex. Our match was to be on the middle of three lakes. We wandered up there to have a look around. It was a shame about the weather there was quite a heavy sea mist and it was raining and windy, bizarre weather!

First Impressions

As we got to the lake it was obvious that it hadn’t been fished in quite awhile, some of the pegs were overgrown it did however look fishy. The water looked clear and as we walked around to the back of the lake by an island it looked a little cloudier, this may have been our imagination but, it’s where I was hoping to draw. Back to the car park and John Forster was about to start proceedings. I had my dip and came out with peg 11 it was around the back so was pleased with that. Harry drew and he had peg 10. It’s amazing how often we get pegged next to each other, I knew I was going to have my work cut out today.

My peg did look the part, it was a little cramped with a gorse bush to my right. Straight in front was the point of an island at about 35 yards or so. To my left was another island and it was only 16 metres away. Too many features in this peg, where was I going to fish! As I was tackling up I saw a carp feeding near the island to my left so I decided this is where I was going to concentrate. The main problem was the wind, I had it straight into my face, which meant it was sideways on if I was to fish the island.

Close to the island I had about 3’ of water, it had a steep slope and was very shallow up against the bank. It was going to be difficult fishing, but I though it gave me a better chance. The peg was so tight I was forced to use a short 4th section as I couldn’t have any pole left behind me. I tackled this swim with a .2 Cralusso Capri set on a longish line as the water was clear and the wind was really gusting. The long line helped me present the bait naturally and it also kept the pole tip out of sight of feeding fish. Line was 0 .16 to a 16 PR36 hair rig. I had a similar rig that was set at half depth in case they were up.

I also set another pole rig up to fish at 5 metres where there was a bit of a flat spot before it got deeper. I found about 8’ of water so a Cralusso Capri .75 gram seemed perfect for this. Hook was a size 18 to .10 bottom.

Did I pack everything?

Just before the start Harry realised that he had forgotten his nets! He has been going to Mawgan Porth, (where nets are provided) so often recently that he forgot to pack them. The Pirate of Penzance was able to help him out with spares. There was I thinking that Harry heeds handicapping and Jim making him evens again!

At the start I fed 4 balls if Green Swimstim GB with some worms and casters hoping to attract some bream that people had been talking about. I then hair rigged double corn and shipped out to the island. I had a kinder pot on and dropped a few pellets and some corn around my float. No immediate bites so I fed a little more which resulted in a bite. The carp fought very hard and I was thinking it was really big, I was surprised when a 5lb fish eventually surfaced. As I attempted to net it the carp decided it didn’t want to say hello just yet. It swam at me and around the leg of my footplate and back out into the lake! I had to thread the top kit under the footplate to keep in contact with the fish, fortunately it was still on and at the second attempt was in the net!

I had another fish fairly quickly which was smaller it still fought really hard but I was now aware of their antics so there was no repeat show.

I went without a bite for about 30 minutes and I decided to feed a large pot of hemp and a few grains of corn on the long line. I went on the deep line and had a few small skimmers and a small carp that was fun on blue hydro! Back on the long pole and I was into another carp. Harry at this stage had three and Martin Newstead to his right had four. The only other person I could see catching was Alan Hurley who was opposite me, it was a close match. I lost a fish which was foul hooked so decided to go up in the water and ping pellets at the float. This worked really well and produced three quick fish.

The rest of the match was similar when it went quite I potted in some more hemp and fished shallow over the top of it with pellet. I finished the match with 12 carp. I lost about 6 as well, they were hooked properly, but due to the wind at times I just could not move the pole after I had hooked them. On a couple of occasions the wind pushed my pole so far to the left if there had been anyone next to me I would have knocked them out!

Martin finished with 10 carp and weighed 34lb 11oz, Harry had 6 for 25lb 4oz, he had lost a few as well but this was due to a bad snag in his swim. Harry was just pipped by Rob Baker who had 25lb 12oz. My fish went 43lb 3oz which was top weight on the day.

Dying for a fag!

Trev Conroy was the other section winner beating Alan Hurley by a few ounces. With an hour to go Alan walked around the whole lake trying to find someone with a spare cigarette. Just think Alan if you had stayed at your peg you would have been able to afford some of your own!

Nance Fisheries is a great place to fish, I would thoroughly recommend it for a day’s pleasure fishing, as a match fishery I will reserve judgement; I would like to give it another try though maybe on one of the other lakes.
I have a few commitments that will keep me away from the bank for a week. I’m not sure if I would have been able to fish on Sunday though as I was really aching after fighting the wind with 16 metres for the whole match. I am really looking forward to next weekend with another visit to Oakside on Saturday followed by Mawgan Porth on Sunday.