Preston Pairs 2011

There are some festivals that I really look forward to and the Preston Innovations backed Pairs Festival at White Acres is one of those, it’s contested on just two of the lakes at the complex Trewaters and Twin Oaks. The thing that is worrying me though, is that this is the third anniversary of this festival, where on earth does time go! The festival itself consists of 36 anglers and quite a few like my partner Harry Billing and I have fished it since the start, the first morning is like a reunion, catching up with old friends. There are a few new faces and everybody is keen as mustard to get started. This year sees a slight change to the format as you can choose which angler starts on which lake; it’s a good idea as bait requirements for the two are different.  Apart from that each angler rotates around  the four lakes in turn, competing in nine peg sections, Wednesday is a rest day but I’m sure most end up fishing!

I had the choice of where to start and I plumbed for Trewaters, like everybody else I was keen to have a good start and hoping for a fish filled peg. Fishery manager Clint Elliott called each anglers in their pairs to draw Harry pulled peg 10 at Twin Oaks  from the bag of dreams and I followed with 33 on the top lake at Trewaters, we were happy enough with the draw as it put us both in good areas.

My peg was on the bottom corner of the lake, I had a big bed of Bulrushes to my right which was very close, starting at the end of my top kit, the wind was howling down my side of the lake, left to right. The way the wind was made tackle choice fairly simple a method feeder was the first choice, followed by pole rigs to fish at top kit plus one in front of me, a J8 4 x 16 and 4 x 14 were my choice, the wire stem would give me some stability in the wind. Hook choice was a Milo T213 size 16 and 14 my main bait was 6mm pieces of meat. I had a 4 x 8 J 1 float for a margin swim around a foot away from the bank and a J8 4 x12 for fishing on the edge of the Rushes in around 3’ of water.

At the start some meat was deposited on my pole lines and I cast the method towards the point of the island hoping for a few quick fish. That just did not happen; I just couldn’t buy a bite. What was even more frustrating was the difficult cast due to the wind; it was hard to keep it in one place. From the anglers that I could see not much was coming out on the thod and I was probably the first to reach for the pole. Bites were not coming thick and fast but what I did get were a good stamp my first fish was a carp of around 2lb which really fought well, my elastic was a J Range yellow on a puller kit it worked really well, perfect for the smaller F1’s and with the puller great for the bigger fish.

It really was difficult to put a run of fish together as lines seemed to dry up after a few fish, before long I had two pole swims going at angles to each other and that worked, but I never felt that I was catching well. I never had a bite from my close margin swims which was surprising; fortunately I managed a few carp to 2lb next to the rushes towards the end of the match.

Daniel Simper won our section from peg 27, catching on the method and the edge for a weight of 74lb after that the weights dropped to 45lb 14oz with Mike Shuttleworth who ounced local angler Andy Patterson  who was on peg 25. My 43lb put me in fourth spot and left me with the feeling that I must really try harder! I was cursing a few lost fish from down the edge, ragged in those rushes

Harry fished a blinder on the method feeder to record a section win with 113lb which left us as a pair with 15 points and second on the leader board, first day honours going to Daniel Simper and his partner Peter Garratt with 16 points. It was all very close with two other pairs on 14 points.

Day Two

I was really pleased with my draw on peg 12 at Twin Oaks as it put me in a great area with a chance of a few fish. Harry had also drawn very well finding the previous days winning peg 27 at Trewaters hopefully the fish would still be in attendance. I felt I had to fish a positive match on Twin Oaks which meant the method feeder and micro pellets. I set two rods up one with pellet feeder, I did assemble a pellet waggler which was a just in case alternative but in the end never used it as the wind again was so bad. I had a couple of J1 4 x 8 margin rigs and a 5m line with a J8 4 x 16.

At the start I tried down the edge just in case there were any ‘edge dwellers’ in residence giving each side just a couple of minutes. I didn’t have a bite but I never feel I am wasting time because occasionally one is there and they are big! Darren Oakley next door to me on peg 14 was not wasting any time either and he was into carp straight away on the method he was setting a blistering pace! My start on the method was much slower in fact it seemed ages before the tip slammed round and the first Mirror around 3lb came to the net. Martin Allen on my left was catching also on the method but I think he was getting mainly F1’s.

It was a day to put the blinkers on and forget about Darren bagging on the next peg, easier said than done! I had to hope that the fish would turn on in my swim; I had a steady match catching some nice sized carp with a few quiet spells. I found it was definitely a day for ringing the changes bait wise. I seemed to catch three or four on one bait before bites would stop but a change would generally get them back again. It amazes me how this happens catching a few on one bait before they seem to wise up to the fact that the particular bait is dangerous, change bait and catch some more before suddenly they stop. How on earth do the remaining fish know to stop eating what you have just caught on? After all the ones that took the bait are in your keepnet! I have this vision as you hook a fish and steer it out of the shoal of them shouting in a carp language ‘He has changed to corn, avoid the corn’

That last hour was really good for me and I caught very steadily, I actually felt I was catching up with Darren and I think if the match had gone on for another 15 minutes I would have, my swim was now absolutely solid with bites coming as soon as the feeder hit the water! I finished with 106lb which was 7lb behind Darren, I was again ruing a couple of lost fish which came off at the net, after all the hard work had been done, never mind mustn’t grumble as I am sure Darren lost a few during the match as well.

Harry had a great days fishing down the farm, catching 110lb for his second section win of the festival. We managed to move to the top of the leader board with 32 points and now had a buffer of four points on second placed pair Martin Allen and Darren Jackson who had 28 points the same as Daniel Simper and Peter Garratt.

Day Three

Thursday saw me on peg 49 at Trewaters which is the same peg as I drew in the festival last year; I just hoped I could do a little better this time around. Harry had drawn peg 29 on Twin Oaks and was practically getting his method rods out in the car park he was so keen to get going!

My plan today was to concentrate on the method and hopefully catch well on that to achieve some good points. My other plan of attack was the pole at around 5m and an edge swim to the right and a long pole edge swim to the left as well as very close edge swim to my left. It was difficult finding a place to get in on my left without spending a long time gardening. It would be interesting to see how the day went as the weather had turned much colder, overnight we had torrential rain.

At the start like everybody I could see I started on the method. Unlike everybody else my tip remained motionless! Mike Shuttleworth was playing a big fish and the guy around the corner to my left was getting a bite as soon as his feeder landed, I do find this very frustrating! Eventually I had a bite and a small carp came to the net as I attempted to play catch up with those around me. A few fish came, just when I was starting to feel confident of getting a few a wayward cast saw my feeder land on the island. Would you believe as I pulled the feeder out of a large cowslip, the plant bent in half and covered the water where I was catching! Victor Meldrew was back in town, as I just could not believe it! I had to start a new swim and I was back to not catching!

I managed to find some fish on the pole and was soon enjoying myself. I also had some small carp fishing long down the edge; unfortunately a few were foul hooked and lost a nice F1 of around 4lb was the best fish from this line. I didn’t have a fish on my close margin swim until shortly after I fed three balls of Yorkshire Baits Bloodworm Groundbait on this line. Within a few minutes I noticed a big cloud of the red GB wafting in the water; I dropped a rig in with an 8mm pellet and found myself attached to a 4lb Common which was a nice bonus! I could not get another one though.  I had an enjoyable days fishing in the end, but again should have tried that little bit harder as once again I found myself in fourth spot, missing out on second by around 5lb! Mike to my right took those 8 points. Daniel Simper again won the section with around 60lb from peg 39 mainly caught on the method and short pole.

Harry was the match winner with a fantastic 151lb of method caught carp from his peg Twin Oaks. After three days we had managed to hold onto our four point lead but it was close with the lads chasing us waiting for any slip.

Day Four

The last day saw me on Twin Oaks high numbers, I hoping for Harry’s peg from the previous day, that didn’t happen as Martin Allen had the pressure applied to him as he plucked that from the bag of dreams. I found peg 25 which I was more than happy with, it is normally consistent. I was drawing for Harry today and actually had the last peg which was flyer peg 53 at Trewaters, unbelievable why couldn’t I pick that when I was on the lake!

The weather was dreadful today with rain and high winds forecast all day and that really made my mind up as to how I was fishing. At the peg I set up two method rods and one pole swim to fish down the edge and that was it. Bait wise it was micro pellets for the feeder with plenty of change baits for the hook. For the edge it was two bags of groundbait some 8mm pellets and worms. I really wanted to set up my brolly and hide under it but it was going to be hard enough casting without the added hindrance of that.

At the start I had a look down the edge and before I had dropped the rig in the water I saw Martin on peg 29 playing a fish on the method, Oh man I really thought we were in for a hiding today! There was nothing showing down my edge swims so I was out on the thod. I must admit it wasn’t the easiest of casts and the wind was making it really tricky but even so I was really surprised not to have a fish in the net after nearly 40 minutes! Eventually the tip went round and I found myself playing a small fish. I could see it was an F1 of around 12 ounce but remember thinking at least it was a point, I slipped the landing net out and just before the fish went in the net the hook pulled, what’s more the feeder under tension flew back towards me and hit me smack in the middle of the forehead! Man, I was not impressed I can tell you as I sat there soaking wet and still blanking with a sore head!

That’s better

Fortunately, the day got better and a few carp started to come my way, some good samples as well. I was getting the odd 5 pounder they were taking a liking to 6mm pellet but I did have a couple on red boilie. There were a few quiet spells but I felt I was well up in the section. Martin was catching but not as quickly as the beginning, plus I found out later that a lot of his fish were F1’s.

Going into the last hour and I had a purple patch when fish started to come at good pace. Unfortunately I lost a huge Common just at the net it was well into double figures, I have no idea how the hook pulled but it is always disappointing when that happens. Fortunately though I hooked his big brother about 5 minutes later and landed him, he only just went into my landing net, I had to net it tail first and let it fold into the confines and safety of my net! It was a very nice looking carp and one that I was really pleased to put in the net as it was worth quite a few smaller carp!

The all out ended the festival and ironically the rain, how often does that happen? Sit out in it all day only for it to stop at the end of the match! My fish went 91lb plus which I was pleased to find out won the section. Mike Shuttleworth taking another second spot with his 74lb, Mike has been fishing the festival from the start and he is definitely improving on the lake. Martin mainly had F1’s in his net of 69lb which was good enough for third place.

I had a call from Harry and he had won the lake at Trewaters with a weight of 92lb which meant that he had four section wins. Ironically he failed to record a ton plus weight for the first time in the festival! With both of us winning our respective sections on the last day we knew that we had won the festival which definitely made it third time lucky.

Another angler definitely worth a mention is Daniel Simper who fished a brilliant festival winning his section on all four days, well done mate a top achievement. I’m very pleased it wasn’t an individual festival!

It was a great weeks fishing and one that I enjoyed, shame about the weather especially the last day, but I have to say it really didn’t dampen anybody’s spirits! Many thanks once again to the fishery team at White Acres who did a great job in organising the festival and also to Preston Innovations who sponsored the event with some great prizes.

List and photograph courtesy of White Acres and Newsreel