Feast or Famine

The phone rang on Wednesday and it was the second person that day asking ‘what was on Saturday?’ There was nothing on that I knew about so a quick call to Charlie and a Sweep was arranged at Gwinear. I sent a few texts and was pleased with the response as twenty booked on. In the end 17 anglers turned up to fish.

We spread the pegs around the lake to give everyone a bit of room, it would also give us an idea on pegging for the last round of the winter league next week.

As I was organising the match and fishing it I didn’t want anything to do with the draw bag so I asked if anyone wanted to draw my peg first. Tony Williams stepped forward and pulled out peg 2 for me, I had a few words for him that really cannot be put into print! He made matters worse by drawing peg 10 for himself, the peg that I had 124lb from on Tuesday!Man, he can draw, especially for himself!

Dining Table

My peg had to be put in the bag, but that didn’t mean I had to fancy it! It can be a great peg but in my opinion it needs: (a) the wind blowing into the ‘banjo’ and (b) the water temperature to be a couple of degrees warmer, still never mind there was nothing I could do about either of those things, so I just had to get on with it. There is a shallow bar in the peg directly in front of you at about 12 metres it is about 4’ deep and if the carp are on the dining table it is time to feast, if not Weightwatchers here I come!

A 4 x 10 KC Carpa was setup for this line with my normal PR36 size 16. I also setup two half gram Capri’s with a view to exploring my swim with these rigs as I felt I may need to fish a few lines to compete. I also set up a straight lead, again to explore my swim.

At the start I fed the bar and a line at six metres. I was expecting a bite first drop and was not disappointed. The only problem was it took 15 minutes in coming! It was a good Common of about 6lb that took a liking to my 8mm pellet. Next drop and I hooked another one immediately, unfortunately it was fouled and I lost the battle.

The next bite came on the hour mark on the straight lead this really was not the start I had become used to in the last few weeks. No more bites on the lead, in fact I never had another bite on that method despite trying it off and on during the match. I caught the odd fish on the six metre line and a couple down to my right in the deeper water.

The best run of fish came at 12 ½ metres to my left I suppose in line with peg 3 where I had about 10 fish. The fish were definitely on a diet and certainly not hanging around Stewarts bar. I finished up with 16 carp for 46lb odd and agonisingly close to winning the section. Trev Conroy took that accolade with 51lb an impressive weight from peg 43, especially considering that he fished into the teeth of a gale to achieve his weight.

Individually Harry Billing took the honours he had a brilliant days fishing and recorded 127lb from peg 34 on the back of the island. All taken on the pole and pellet. He is on top form at the moment and is looking very dangerous for the coming festivals. Second place went to Roy Booth with 82lb who was on peg 7. Again pole and pellet did the damage. Third place went to Neil Kippax who had 75lb from bridge peg 28.

Final Individual League White Acres

Wow, the 17th match of the series I cannot believe we have reached the end of this league that started sometime last year. It has been a great league that has kept us all busy throughout the winter. Hopefully the league will go ahead next year with a couple of small rule changes concerning the silver fish rounds. Before I forget, I must say thanks to Clint Elliot and White Acres for running the league.

Preston Sandwich

This match was carp included and was on to be on Nelsons, Twin Oaks both lakes, Canal and Acorn. I put my hand in the hat and pulled out peg 8 on Twin Oaks I was happy with the draw and had Clint Elliot on peg 6 and Martin Cox on peg 10 for company.

Harry had drawn peg 24 on the other side of Twin Oaks and went to his peg knowing that he had to win his section and catch at least 105lb to win the league and overtake Andy Dare. He was missing this week as he is lounging around in the States on holiday. Harry was up for the challenge.

Decisions, Decisions

Back to my match, as I unloaded the van I thought for a few moments on how I was going to approach the match I also had to get my bait ready. It’s difficult to do before the draw as the venues although carp orientated are diverse, plus the rules only allow you a certain amount of bait. I could see the lake from the car park, the wind was gusting but not too bad. Out and out carp, waggler straight lead and an edge rig was to be my plan of attack. I took four pints of pellets and two tins of corn. At the peg I setup two wagglers both 4 gram Rocket Lights, one set at depth and the other shallow. A straight lead and one edge rig. It had to be positive as only a section win could improve my score.

The match started and I cast the straight lead just short of the far bank fired a few 8mm pellets over and waited, and waited! Clint was into fish from the off and so was Martin both were fishing the pellet feeder. I swopped between waggler and lead for the first hour and really struggled I had just three fish. Martin who counts his fish had 12 smallish carp and Clint was admitting to around the same. Absolute disaster for me. I had no micros or groundbait on the bank. It was time for a re think but deep down I knew I wasn’t going to win the section. The only thing that I could think of was to soak some 6 mm pellets and leave them for a bit, whilst I tried to get a couple more fish. My neighbours although still catching had slowed down. After awhile I pushed the pellets through a riddle put on a small cage feeder and cast tight to the bank. Immediately I was into a carp another followed next chuck. I would love to say that I went on to win the section and the match but I didn’t! I caught up a bit but finished a few fish short. Clint won the section with 61lb+ and Martin had 60lb+ I had 49lb for third in a very tight section. Oh well, that was one decision that I got wrong, it was not the first time I have got one wrong and no doubt it will not be the last.

Other results were Mark Lazell on Twin Oaks peg 18 with 82lb. John Hethrington won Canal with 104lb comprising of over 200 small carp taken at 6 metres on 6 mm pellet. John Waples won Acorn with 102lb all on 16 metres and pellet and I think Bob Rand won Nelson with 75lb.

Harry on peg 24 had 120lb not only did he win the section but the match and the league! A brilliant performance, very well done. He caught some on the pellet feeder and some down the edge on the pole.

Clint seeds everyone in the league and splits them into two divisions. I think this is a great idea as it gives a chance for club anglers as well as those up and coming matchmen to compete against some of the very best anglers in the South West and gain some valuable experience in the process.

It also allows them the opportunity of winning some serious coin as you can see from the results. It is a free draw so a total novice can draw next to the likes of Harry and Andy etc but their points are recorded in their own division.

Results (Best 10 matches count)

League A
1st Harry Billing 48 points 656lb 06oz £250
2nd Andy Dare 48 points 635lb 12 oz £225
3rd Clint Elliot 48 points 471lb £200
4th Skip McCabe 46 points 409lb £175
5th Stewart Lister 46 points 362lb £150
6th John Waples 45 points 553lb £125

League B
1st. Andy Hadfield 40 points 288lb -£250
2nd. Dave Hillier 39 points 341lb -£225
3rd Rob Fuller 36 points 432lb -£200
4th Chris Hancock 35 points 356lb -£175
5th Trev Conroy 32 points 380lb -£150
6th Billy Arch 29 points 237lb -£125

This actually shows that the seeding worked out ok. If you put Andy into the A league he would have finished in 16th place and well out of the frame! As it happens he is champion for the year, well done mate and to all the others as well. Do they get promotion next year? You will have to ask Clint on that one!

The whole of White Acres is fishing very well at the moment, let’s hope the changeable weather settles down and we can have a brilliant spring session. Pellet seems to be doing the business at the moment, no doubt meat will have an impact in the next few weeks especially if the temperature rises.

I was a little worried the way Gwinear fished on Tuesday but thinking about it the weather has been horrendous with wind and rain. The temperature as also been up and down it is no wonder the fish are unsettled. I am not sure what it’s going to be like this week because as I write we are experiencing the worst storm of the winter!