Preston Pairs

Monday saw the start of the inaugural Preston Innovations Pairs festival at White Acres, it was to be held at Trewater’s and Twin Oaks with each angler taking it in turns to fish the four lakes in rotation starting down the farm, Following a few late cancellations the 13 pairs met in glorious sunshine outside the fishing lodge to hear Clint welcome everyone to White Acres he also introduced a new rule for this festival and I believe that it will now be permanent, I have reproduced part of it from the document sent to me before the match. It certainly makes bait selection much easier and in my opinion anybody who now takes more pellets to their peg is cheating! You can still have worms groundbait and bread as part of your allowance.

New Rule

‘Your bait allowance is 8 pints made up of carp/coarse pellets, combined maggots & casters, meat, corn & hemp.

You cannot have more than 4 pints of combined maggots & casters or meat’.

Draw Bag

It was a random draw on the first day which would determine each angler’s rotation and surprisingly Harry asked me to do the honours. I was in the queue early, I drew for Harry first and out came peg 42 which is on the bottom lake and a peg that he has drawn on numerous occasions, my dip put me on peg 19 and on that I was really happy with especially after drawing the same peg last Wednesday and peg 21 the previous Saturday, I couldn’t wait to get to the lake and get started.

My rigs to fish pellet and paste were assembled at 5m plus an edge rig. I also had a couple of up in the water rigs. For bait I had my usual groundbait, soft hookers and some 4mm and 6mm pellets. By the start of the match it started drizzling and before long we had torrential rain so much for the glorious sunshine! At the start of the match I fed my lines and started on the 5m line with pellet. No immediate bites and I could see the chap on peg 36 into fish immediately. I really paid little attention to him as I was reliably informed by Cornwall’s radio star John Forster that my section ran to my right that will teach me for not checking myself!

Sun, what sun?

In between very heavy rain showers I managed to get some fish but I have to admit I didn’t find it easy fishing. I would get spells of catching on the deck and getting some up in the water but the extra large rain splashes put the fish off. They must have thought someone was going mad and throwing bait everywhere! I just didn’t seem to be able to put anything together half a dozen fish followed blank spells searching around with different baits.

The match was one of those that flew by I actually couldn’t believe that five hours had passed so quickly and was surprised when I say the White Acres staff turn up for the weigh in. I was first to weigh and ended up with a level 36lb which was only good enough for third in section. I was beaten either side of me, Ian on peg 20 had 42lb fishing at 5m with paste for most of the match and the guy on peg 36 had had 37lb which included a fantastic F1 of over 5lb. Harry managed to win his section and at the end of day one we were lying second by hind the leaders Adam Wakelin and James Hawkins.

Twin Oaks

Tuesday came and with it much better weather, Harry did the honours at the bag of dreams today and he came out with peg 8 for me on Twin Oaks. He pulled out peg 21 for himself, a peg he didn’t really fancy, I told him that I thought the top end of the lake would be ok and that I was sure he would do well. The end peg in my section was 9 and as I walked down to the lake I couldn’t believe how many fish were in the margins to peg 9 and to his right, it was solid. In fact whilst the guy was tackling up they were topping in his margin swim. I have to say I was worried!

In the White Acres resident matches the weights had tumbled slightly so the plan was to cover a few options, these included the method, pellet waggler, pole and not forgetting the margins so I had a bit to assemble whilst we were getting ready the fish were still in attendance in the margins of peg 9. At the start I put some feed in the edge more out of hope really as I wanted to get some feed down just in case. I was immediately out tight to the far bank on the method; my rod was angled to my left so I could keep an eye on my margin. Next door started on the pole and before long he was playing a carp.

Down the edge

After a couple of casts over without any signs I saw a vortex over my feed in the left margin. Now I know these fish don’t normally stay in the near edge for long so I was on it immediately. I had a couple of indications of fish with the float bobbing around and it buried great, a firm strike and a 12 ounce skimmer came straight out of the water! A least it was a fish but not what I wanted. Re baiting with double corn and after a couple of minutes I was into a carp it moved out of the edge and just kept going at an horrendous speed, obviously fouled , the angle was wrong and I just could not get any more sections on, I soon found myself with a top four challenge! Problem was I lost not only the fish but my rig as the line snapped above the float.

Out with a spare rig and I’m afraid there was nothing else there I fed it heavily and was out on the method. There was not much happening Nathan Fox to my left had a couple of early fish on the method and my right hand neighbour had two big fish from his margin. I could see everybody in the section so it was useful in that respect.

Working the swim

Eventually my tip moved and surprisingly it was another skimmer not what I needed really. I eventually got a couple on the method but could not make it work properly. I had a look for silvers and caught a few close but felt that I wasn’t catching them quickly enough especially as Nathan now had in the region of 7 method fish. I had been pinging pellets over and tried the pellet waggler I was pleased to get a couple of bites but they were hard to hit, maybe F1’s I thought when the float went again and a 5lb common was the culprit. I eventually had 5 on the waggler which I was pleased about. I used a Cralusso Rocket Pellet and it was fantastic, they cast so easily I was just getting into it when unfortunately my main line snapped whilst playing a fish, for the second time that day I lost the fish and the rig, you just know when it’s not meant to be.

The last hour

I managed one on the straight lead before I noticed movement down the edge we were in the last hour so I hoped I could redeem myself. The float went and I was attached to a big fish which I immediately knew was hooked correctly, it came to the net and as I leant forward to lift it out of the water it nearly toppled me off my box, the sign of a big fish! It was a good double and much needed. There were fish in the margin for the last 20 minutes or so but all I managed was a 1 oz perch which to say the least was disappointing. I managed second in section with around 36lb beaten by Nathan who had a around 25lb of silvers in his 40lb, his fish on the feeder were not as big as I thought and now those lost fish were rankling me. Harry fished a blinder and ended up with over 25 fish for 84lb and another section win. The days efforts left us in second place as Adam and James both won their respective sections, both had weights over a ton so they were building up a useful weight advantage should a tie on points happen. Mick and Clare Dagnell were snapping at our heels so we had to perform after the Wednesday break.

The farm revisited

Thursday saw us back down the farm and my home for the day was peg 52 on the bottom lake. I wasn’t unhappy with it but would have liked the end peg 54 but that wasn’t to be. I had James Hawkins for company on 51 and I knew that for us to have any chance of winning the competition I had to take a point of him. Harry was happy with his draw of peg 36 and was confident of returning good points.

The match started with a small tench on the first drop but it was the only bite I had in that opening 15 minutes. James started shallow and the fish were noticeable by their absence, Nathan to my right was also struggling for bites but the lad on peg 54 was getting fish on a regular basis. In the words of the prophet ‘There may be trouble ahead’

I eventually put a few fish together but it was rock hard, perhaps the heavy rain on Wednesday had had an adverse effect on the lake. James tried the method a couple of times but it didn’t work. I was pleased about that as I didn’t bring one to the peg! I was getting my head in front of my immediate neighbours but it was hard work. This does make the farm an interesting water to fish when you have to work how the fish want the bait on occasions.

In the last couple of hours James went back on the method but this time he started to catch, not at any great speed but he was now in front and extending his lead with every fish, in fact he was catching up on Ian on peg 54. Nathan and I just struggled on the pole and I honestly thought I was last in section it was that hard.

Moment of truth

The match ended and the moment of truth arrived in the shape of Clint with the scales, my 16lb was only good enough for fourth in section, to be honest I was pleased with that, not really but I did initially think I was last. James weighed 35lb for second and the section was one with 42lb from peg 54, Clare was third in section with 28lb. Harry came second in his section behind Mick Dagnell so they had gained points on us today it was getting close. Not for Adam and James though they were way out in front after another good performance.

Wayne Ledbury also known as ‘Wrong Lake’ won the other section on the bottom lake just shows what he can do when he fishes the right lake! Regular readers will remember that in a recent festival he actually fished on the wrong lake in a match, I must admit with his initials it is not surprising!

Kidnap!

The last day was interesting as we needed a strong performance to stay in second place, without kidnapping James and Adam that was the best we could achieve. I was surprised when Harry asked me to do the honours at the draw bag. I could not believe my eyes when peg 2 on Twin Oaks stuck to my hand, it would have been bad enough if it was for me but it was Harry’s turn to be on that lake, I had just drawn him one of the worst pegs in the section! I really didn’t want to tell him especially as Adam had drawn peg 9 which was considered the strongest peg in that section.

I pulled out 21 the same peg that Harry had a few days ago so I was again confident of catching a few. Harry had caught all his fish on the method so that was my main plan for the day. I felt I had to set up a waggler even though the wind was blowing a hooley down the lake, I’ve made that mistake before not set it up only to see the wind drop in the last hour and see anglers bag on it! I also set up a margin rig, again just in case.

Method attack

Starting tight over on the method I expected a fish early and was poised for action! The tip moved and I picked up the rod only to feel nothing there, I reeled in to find a 2 oz roach on the end not what I expected especially as we were 1 ½ hours into the match! I wasn’t alone with nothing to show as the guy on the end peg was also blanking as was Wrong Lake two to my left. Tania Shuttleworth immediately to my left had managed two carp in the first 30 minutes it must be something to do with those pheromones as she was the only one to catch in those first four pegs in the opening two hours!

Eventually in the second half of the match I started to get some carp despite not doing anything different the tip just started to go round! I ended up with 10 carp for around 37lb which was second in the section behind James Hawkins who had 47lb with 20 fish. Incidentally he caught the majority of his fish in the first half of the match, strange game this fishing lark!

Bobbing poles

Harry despite a slow start on peg 2 came good and returned 80lb plus for second in section. He did this despite spending time chasing the top five sections of his pole around the lake! He hooked a large carp down the edge and found the angle wrong to add more sections of his pole, as he struggled to add sections the fifth section came loose and was towed around by the carp! Harry uses clean caps on the majority of his sections so if any of them go in the water they will never sink as air is trapped inside the pole section. They are a great idea not only do they protect the joints but on this occasion allowed him to get five sections of pole back, just shows what a good investment they were.

To the victor the spoils

Adam won that section comfortably he had over 70lb to spare recording 152lb for a lake win and the top weight of the week. Both he and his partner James fished incredibly well all week, dropping just one point over the four days to win the first ever White Acres Preston innovations pairs festival.

Overall results

1st James Hawkins & Adam Wakelin 55 points 614lb 3oz
2nd Harry Billing & Stewart Lister 47 points 371lb 1oz
3rd Mick Dagnall & Claire Dagnall 45 points 420lb 10oz
4th Ian Ridgeway & Andy Patterson 38 points 222lb 8oz
5th Tania Shuttleworth & Mike Shuttleworth 35 points 230lb 3oz
6th Paul Varley & Steve Allerton 35 points 215lb 6oz
7th Nathan Fox & Del Faletto 35 points 182lb 14oz
8th Mick Kearns & Austin Williams 31 points 218lb 15oz
9th Nigel Taylor & John Forster 26 points 197lb 2oz
10th Jim Barker & Ian Crosby 26 points 148lb 6oz
11th Tom Cole & Clive Cole 25 points 202lb 2oz
12th Pete Thomas & Wayne Ledbury 22 points 136lb 3oz
13th Nick Green & Maria Green 19 points 93lb 2oz

I enjoyed the weeks fishing that I spent in good company it was a great festival and one that I look forward to fishing next year. Well done to Clint and his team for putting it together and thanks once again to Preston Innovations for sponsoring the competition with prizes.