Red Letter Days….

I actually managed two trips during my enforced sabbatical from fishing over the last three weeks and I have to say they were both red letter days, I am very grateful for friends that looked after my daughter for the day which allowed me to get out. Both outings were at the brilliant Mawgan Porth fishery which is nestled in the rugged but fantastic North Cornish countryside. The first match was the Friday open and I was pleased to see a reasonable attendance. Well, Janet told me it was a good turnout as she handed me peg 46, I was late and didn’t make it in time for the draw!

First time

I have never been on this peg before but it is a cracking peg and one that I was keen to fish, it was a bit of a rush getting ready on time but by the start I had three J13 float rigs for fishing the edge, they were going to double as my up in the water rigs as well and I also had a rig for fishing at 4m straight out in front of me on the deck. This was a 0.3g Cralusso Capri float, all the rigs had 0.18 hook lengths to a size 18 PR 36 hook which had a F1 micro band attached on a hair rig. Bait was simply 6 pints of fishery 4mm pellets and I had a few 6mm pellets for the hook. I had some soft Garlic pellets in case it went hard.

On the whistle I went down the edge to my right and was pleased to see the float disappear within seconds! Attached was an angry mirror carp of around a pound which was soon in the net. Plenty of his brothers and sisters followed and I had over fifty in that first hour, I guessed they were getting on for 60lb. I had been feeding pellets at 4m on my shallow line and was keen to see if there was anything up in the water, sadly it was only those pesky skimmers; the line was solid with them! They were not a bad stamp but they don’t count so it was no good persevering and staying there hoping for the carp, so I was soon back down the edge.

Disappearing carp

The match continued with loads of fish taking the bait until the last 90 minutes when it all went pear shape! I just put the first fish in my third net when it all went quiet and bites just stopped! From what I could hear a few others were struggling as well. I chopped and changed but all I could manage was the odd fish from all of my lines. A couple shallow followed by the odd one on the deck and the occasional one from my banker edge swim! I know for a fact that in that last 90 minutes all I managed was 16lb which was the total contents of my third net. This match really has me totally flummoxed as I actually weighed in 225lb for second place! I don’t think I personally did anything wrong as everybody said the end of the match was slow, maybe we had a massive change of air pressure but whatever it was I hope I don’t experience it again! Harry Billing was the winner on the day with 250lb from peg 12. He later had a dip in the bag of dreams to try and find his own peg 12 for the golden peg money, which had accumulated to two hundred pounds! He dipped his hand in and was ecstatic when he showed everybody peg 12 stuck to his mitt! That is until Janet said to him ‘It’s about time you have probably had 200 goes at winning that golden peg’! Everybody knew exactly what she meant, wondering why the great man had won the golden peg for the first time!

Round Two

My second outing put me on peg 6, one that I drew for myself and one that I was really happy with as it is definitely one of the best pegs on the lake, a peg that I have broken the 300lb barrier from on a previous occasion. There were seven fishing which is a shame as three had cancelled on the day. The only thing I can say about the absentees is that they are Sheffield softies! Obviously frightened of failing to record a personal best!

Duel

Harry Billing had drawn peg 41 which is also very good peg and one that if we each fished a 13m pole we could have had a carbon fencing match! We both had no intentions of that as we assembled poles that were no longer than 5m! Today, it was one line only and that was the 5 m line where I was going to fish up and down. I had four shallow rigs made up and one for fishing on the deck they were the same as mentioned previously.

At the start I went out with my deck rig, I didn’t have a fish immediately, first blood went to Harry who had one fishing very close, within a couple of minutes or so I had a carp followed by a few more and within 10 minutes I was getting liners so I was up in the water. The fish started coming but they were on the small side which is unusual for this area but it’s no good looking for bigger samples you have to take what is in front of you.

Closer than your shadow

Harry was also soon up in the water and catching well, we were practically fish for fish and this was turning out to be quite a match! It wasn’t exactly fast and furious as there were spells when we both slowed down, the fish were there though, you just had to work out how they wanted it. At times I had a better run and felt that I was getting in front of Harry and then he would get a good head of steam going and pull into the lead and I felt that it was too close to call.

I did have four or five better fish during the match which were in the region of 3lb and I didn’t notice Harry have any of that stamp. I had a bad day with rigs though and going into the last 30 minutes I was down to my last shallow rig all the others had gone to the tackle graveyard! I looked at my phone and it showed 5 minutes left, I wanted another 5 or 6 fish in that time but on the third one I pulled too hard and lost a fish, unfortunately for me the rig tangled around the pole in a terrible mess and that was it my match was over! I had to watch Harry put a couple more into his keepnet whilst I kicked myself for a bit of bad angling.

How about that then!

It had been a brilliant match and I felt that I had a very big 200lb Harry was saying that he thought I had beaten him by around 30lb but I still thought it was too close to call as we had been neck and neck all the way. Janet arrived with the scales and my fish eventually were totalled at 302lb 10oz. We wandered around to Harry’s peg to watch him weigh and I couldn’t believe it when the last few went onto the scales and he totalled 302lb 1oz unbelievable I had beaten him by 9 ounces! The calculations were checked a couple of times but the result was the same what a fantastic match that was! Congratulations must also go to Phil Terry who was third with a personal best weight of 178lb 14 oz beating his old pb by nearly 100lb!

Stuart

I enjoy your reports stuart, seems you and Harry have now got here and Trewaters pretty sewn up … not surprised that the attendances have fallen away a bit when you are doubling the next person’s weight on a regular basis
Tom

I see your point and am sure you are right Stuart, but I think it is sad if people aren’t going just because Stewart and Harry are doing well at the venue. What they should be doing is trying to learn what little edges Stew and Harry have got and developing them so they can be beaten. To me seeing two anglers doing well at a venue means only one thing- the venue is fair!

I am really close friends with Stewart and know for a fact there are no secret methods baits or additives, just basically robust tackle and confidence to keep feeding a line until it comes good by the sound of it. I would urge anybody to get themselves down, if you decide not to go just beacuse those two are going all you are doing is robbing yourself of the oppurtunity to learn, and have a great days fishing!
Stuart

I have fished with both guys on many occassions, I have absolutely nothing against either of them and Harry especially, as been very helpful to me and a lot of other anglers. I fished Trewaters last week for the first time with Marazion angling club, where all the anglers are of a similar ability and all the weights were in the 50lbs……except Mike O’Gorman turned up too…. Now Mike is also a great guy and has helped me when I have fished Bolingey, thats the point really, they are all nice but of course, Mike won the lake with 60 odd lb. This is not a moan at Stewart, far from it, it is a comment on the sport I guess, because nowadays, every venue down here has two or three guys who fish it on a professional basis so your normal angler is reluctant to spend £15-£20 entry, £20 in petrol and £10 on bait, when their best hope is 4th or worse. As much as these guys are only too happy to help you, they are better anglers but more importantly, they are on the bank at least 3 times a week. Of course, this may sound like sour grapes to some but I assure you it is not, it is something I hear from local guys all the time. I have fished many of the festivals for the reasons you gave, I have sat on the bank with Scotthorne, Will Raison, Stevie Cooke etc, all in the same section/group as me…. and a few more and what a Buzz that is. The queue to Steve Ringer’s caravan in the morning after the draw is an indication of how helpful these guys are. But ulitimately you are not going for the chance of winning are you. A festival is one thing, as there is more to it than just the fishing and you do come away with a lot, but to travel for an hour to fish against Stewart and Harry and Andy Partridge on Mawgan or Andy Dare and Chris Hancock on Gwinnear or Stewart and Harry and Mike on Trewaters etc etc is what is putting people off. I have no doubt at all that this is what it is like everywhere in the country and although I have only been fishing for about 5 years, I have noticed how the guys I fish with have lost a lot of interest and that places like Bill Knott’s are getting more anglers going. I am fishing Clint’s winter league this year, simply because it is seeded into two groups after the first five matches, match fishing is a competition so it is important that guys feel like they are competing and not just turning up.

It is great for Hull city to play Man Utd, they have a chance every time, just not a good chance….. they wouldn’t want to play them twice a week every week, 52 weeks a year, every year…..
Stuart

Just like to add….Firstly… sorry for posting that twice, technical hitch somewhere and Secondly… I thought Trewaters was excellent, we fished the middle lake and, even though there was a stiff breeze to one end, the fish came out from all around the lake. Being an avid reader of Stewart’s blog and, seeing as there was the seemingly essential “ripple” on the water, I wasted 45 minutes on and off, fishing shallow until finally, and against everyone’s advice, I went back to the car and got my tip rod. Although it was too late really by that time, I had another 40lb on the pellet feeder for 50lb and a joint fifth. To show how fair this venue is, there was a 52lb at my end and two 54lbs and a 58lb from the top end. The other plus is that they are really mixed bags of tench, skimmers and “carpsies”, I hadn’t had the chance to fish a match for a few weeks so and I must say that I left Trewaters with a real Buzz.
Tom

I understand totally where you are coming from Stuart, and I know a lot of people feel the same way as you do. It just strikes me that a defeatist attitude will get you nowhere in match fishing. Nobody has more respect for Harry or Stewart than me, but trust me when I say they arent unbeatable at those venues, nobody is anywhere ever. Find out what they are doing, get so you can do it almost as well, sooner or later they will draw bad and you will draw well and bingo.

Then you can begin to tweak the method to suit your style and on it goes. The old addage is true, the only way to improve as an angler is to fish with people who are better than you. Not only does it make you work ten times as hard and so get more out of your fishing, but also when success comes it is ten times as sweet.

Another old addage that I think is true is that you pay to learn, and if you are really that bothered about losing a few quid in the name of self enhancement maybe match fishing isnt for you. buy a point of maggots and a dayticket for under a tenner and go and sit on your local commercial and bag up all day.
Tom

that wasn’t directed at you personally by the way, just in general!
Stuart

Thank you Tom. The point has been raised on here several times that it is some kind of mystery why such good venues have such poor attendences, I was simply providing the answer, take from it what you will.

It is true that I am just an amateur, I don’t live with my mum and get to spend my time either working or fishing, I am not retired or on the sick, I get out once a week if I am lucky. I roomed with Andy Taft on the Dutch festival this year… Andy told me, in all seriousness and I quote “I dont have time for a girlfriend because I fish in the week and Saturday and Sunday”…. Yes, I guess it takes a special kind of commitment to be quite that good, fishing has to be your life, I wish fishing was my life but sadly I already have one, maybe in 15 – 20 years when I am retired, I will be able to spend the required amount of time on the bank to reap some reward but until then I guess it’s a day ticket and a pint of reds for me then. Thanks for the advice.
Tom

I think its something of a myth that all top anglers are obsessive people with time for nothing else in their lives as you seem to be insinuating Stuart, the vast majority of top anglers I know have wives and girlfriends and full time jobs, and a lot of them only get out once or twice a week. Stewart Lister is perhaps the perfect example, he has a young daughter, a wife and runs his own business as well as competing at the highest level.

Obviously, having time to prepare and practise and fish a lot of matches is very helpful if you have got it, but plenty of people who live ‘normal’ lives like you do really well in fishing.

As long as you enjoy your fishing that is the main thing, but I think it is better to look at anglers such as Stewart and Harry doing do well at a venue as reasons to go to a place rather than reasons not to.
Stuart

“I think it is better to look at anglers such as Stewart and Harry doing do well at a venue as reasons to go to a place rather than reasons not to”.

Sorry Tom but one of us is missing the point, this began with my thoughts on why your “occassional match angler” is not fishing the matches as often now. My commitment to angling or other wise is not important, in fact, I am not important in this at all, the fact is they dont go and that is why, whether you think it’s a shame or not, that is what anglers have said to me. I am lucky in that I can afford to match fish and not win…. many guys cannot and it is OK for you to expect them to take it on the chin week after week in the name of learning something, the fact is, not many people want to be forever pools fodder and so they dont fish the matches as much now. Contrary to my last, rather flippant comment, I will be fishing the Silver Fish and the winter league at WA, but I know a lot that won’t!
Terry Palmer

Hi Stewart, I am running a small festival at the end of September for 20 anglers. We have two days on Gwinear with 10 anglers phase 1 and 10 anglers on phase 3. What are the best pegs numbers to put in a 10 man section on each lake. Also what stamp of fish are we looking at as we have not fished the water since redevelopment into the three lakes. We have been told one is big carp and the other is stockies and big skimmers.
Any info you can give us will be most helpfull.
We are also booked on Penvose Farm Match Lake 1 day, Lake View 2 days(10 on each lake) and 2 days on Morgan Porth for 2 days if you have any other info you can give us.
Cheers Terry
Stewart

Wow, that caused some debate! Thanks for your opinions on the subject of failing match attendances. It is interesting what you say. This is my take on the subject; it’s not meant to wind any person up it’s just how I got into match fishing and some thoughts on what the meaning of match fishing is to me. Personally I would love to see a united circuit in deepest SW where we have good turnouts on a variety of waters.
I first started fishing a long time ago in fact it’s getting on for fifty years! I enjoyed pleasure fishing as a kid but soon the lure of match fishing took hold. I used to fish in senior matches that allowed juniors to attend and I have to say I was hooked. In my early 20′s I held down a professional career that lasted 30 years. I started fishing club matches some I won and others I lost, mostly I lost! I was also married and we had three boys, my daughter came along much later. I was fortunate to be able to go fishing and it was only match fishing that interested me. Club matches lost their interest to me and soon I was getting a drubbing week in week out by the likes of Steve Gardner, Steve Sanders, Kenny Collings and other greats like a very young Will Raison. But fishing against and talking to these anglers taught me loads and believe me I am still learning from better anglers than I ever will be.
I do not consider myself in the same league as any of the anglers I have mentioned, and believe me there are many others to add to the few above. But by competing against them I have been able to on occasions hold my own and frame / win a few. But it has taken a lot of determination in what is a sport that you have to put the time and effort in.
The meaning of ‘match’ to me means contest, competition, a challenge and if I am involved I fish to win. I do not like to think that I am there to make up the numbers, if that is in your mind then indeed you will be fodder. In the vast majority of the matches in my area it is not the money that spurs me on personally, prize money is on the low side and is quite rightly spread around in larger section payouts for fewer anglers in sections. That said I enjoy putting an envelope in my back pocket just like everybody else.
I cannot understand people that call themselves matchmen and shy away from competition. They then fish other matches where they obviously think they can win. Is it because they think can win against weaker opposition? If so is that not hypercritical? What happens when someone becomes a venue expert there and starts taking all the coin? Where do you go next? Believe me anglers need a broad experience to be able to compete on any open circuit. Experience on water is also useful and personally I have loads of failures that I recount whilst learning a water.
When Tom first asked me to write for this website I agreed on condition it was ‘warts and all’ this I have done detailing every match that I have fished since. For those that read my ramblings you will notice that I can go weeks without winning anything. Take the spring and autumn festivals for instance; I don’t think I won a penny! It is not just that standard, I have struggled and I am often beaten on our local waters. I have thought long and hard as to whether or not I am good enough to fish at festival level but I have entered again this Autumn to take on the stars, I have the desire to be there amongst my peers.
There is one thing for sure no angler is unbeatable BUT if you think you cannot beat the anglers on the next peg then believe me you will fail.
Stewart

Hi Terry
That sounds like a great weeks fishing! I have not been fishing Gwinear on a regular basis so don’t feel qualified to give you peg numbers. Andy Dare or Chris Hancock are your men for that info. Phase 1 has the bigger fish and the far bank (right as you look at it) is slightly better for the carp. There is a huge head of good skimmers in here ignore them at your peril! They love caster. The 1st and last pegs on the near bank are great fishing long to the bank. Phase 3 has plenty of carp and some good skimmers. At the moment feeding micros is the key and fishing corn or paste on the hook. September will more than likely be pellet.
Penvose and Lakeview I have never fished so cannot help. Janet will be able to help you at Mawgan Porth. Hopefully I will have some updates here for you on how it’s fishing. I suspect caster and maggot and soft hook pellet will be making an impact at the end of Sept.
Best wishes
Tom

Couldn’t agree more Stewart,
Terry

Cheers Stewart if you get any other info please let me know.
Terry
Ticky d

Here is my five pennies worth, I used to fish club matches with stewart when he was living up in London and he also encouraged me get go into some opens with him and we did a lot of travelling together, I was the pools foder, I almost set up a standing order every month to give him my pools money direct and cut out the middle man. Anyway the point is although he beat me easily, he was also straight about giving advice on how to fish and didn’t hold anything back, if I asked a straight question I got a very truthful and long answer. I think the point is all anybody has to do is ask one of the stars what they did on a given day and most of the time they will tell all, because they know they will 9 times out of 10 still beat you because they are a better angler, it isn’t about luck. I did manage to beat Stewart twice of the next peg and he was the first person to come up shake my hand and say well done.
Stuart

I cannot argue with any of that. Ticky D. I agree absolutely, No one is shy about telling you what they did because, as you have said, there is a lot more to fishing than how you lasso your pellet or whether you lift and drop it etc etc, it is a knack that you learn and I think we all know this. The thing is, there are only a few anglers who, as Tom suggests, look at match fishing with the goal of striving for years, to become as good as those top anglers who are more dedicated and experienced, the rest just want to fish in a match where all the anglers there are as good as they are…… it is never going to happen of course at any kind of top level and apart from handicapping the better anglers, just for being better, what can you do? nothing! Like Ticky D, I have had some good teachers in my few years in the sport but I personally feel that the biggest edge is fishing regularly. I think that you can get by with just one method that you can fish well and that this will be enough on the knowledge front in most cases. having the up to date knowledge of the water you are fishing, how much you need to catch to compete and even, what you are fishing for! is equally as important in a match and it is this that you lack if you dont get on the bank enough. When you are sitting next to a guy who knows every peg, where every bar is, what size the fish are, whether you can fish maggot or will get plagues by bits if you do, if paste is working on that water etc etc. I just think that these aspects are more important. Of course some guys can fish paste or pellet better than others but fishing any of these methods well enough to catch is not hard, it is the other factors that mean you dont waste an hour in a five hour match, thats 20% more fishing straight away that the next guy. It has been said many times before that the top anglers dont do anything different and I know this. I have fished matches when I was unable to really fish, but I went along just to watch and they do nothing different, it is more about WHAT to do and WHEN to do it rather than how you do it. All of the above applies to feeding too of course.
Terry

I have found that most of the top anglers have confidence in the methods they use and will only take maybe 2 or 3 baits and fish them all the way through the match. Where as a lot of anglers turn up and try copy other peoples methods and end up wasting a lot of time feeding swims and fishing method they are not used to. I have found most of the top open anglers keep it as simple as possible and not over complicating things.