The Phone is Ringing!

The house phone rang at 07.30 am and I dashed to answer it before the whole house was woken. It was Jan from Mawgan Porth telling me that today’s match had been cancelled due to lack of numbers, it was a real shame as I was desperate to fish a match. Harry had told me that if there were not enough fishing at Mawgan Porth, he was going to practise at Porth reservoir for this weekend’s Super League, so there was no point calling him. I quickly sorted some extra gear out of the garage got a bucket full of pellets and hit the A30 I was off for some fish and chips at Stafford Moor.

I stopped off at Zukis a cafe near to the fishery and had a breakfast as I didn’t have time to have anything before I left home. What a breakfast I had for under a fiver, if you are in the area I thoroughly recommend this cafe, it certainly set me up for the day!

Moment of truth

I had a dip and pulled out peg 5 this was met with a big grin from owner Andy Seery. Great draw says the wise man, you should catch on the waggler today near the island. Be careful though as they all want to swim behind the island when hooked he added. I have to say I was a little worried about Andy saying it was a good peg as the last time he said that I struggled on peg 36. The last couple of times I have visited he hasn’t enthused about the peg I have drawn and I have had a few! Anyway, I arrived at the peg and it did look good. There was a South Westerly blowing into the island and slightly towards me.

The island I guess is about 35 metres away. There is a gravel bar off the point of my island going to the right and it continues to the next island. It was on or around this bar that I expected to catch the bulk of my fish.

Tackle wise it was very simple I set up two SPRO pellet waggler rods. One had a 4 gram Cralusso Rocket light which was set at about 2 ½ foot to fish on the bottom and the other was a 4 swan pellet waggler to fish shallow. I also set up a 2.70 metre SPRO Escape Picker Road to fish the straight lead. This had a 0.18 hook length to a size 14 PR28 hook with a band on a hair. I did set up a margin rig that was a 0.2 gram Cralusso Capri. Bait wise I had plenty of 8 mm coarse pellets and some halibut pellets in 8 and 11 mm.

Anyone in my bar?

The match started and I cast an 8 mm pellet onto the bar and started spraying pellets at my target area. After a couple of minutes the rod was nearly off my knee and I was playing a good carp that definitely wanted to see what that back of the island looked like!

I gave it some to try and stop it but lost that battle. Looking at the remains of my hook length I could see that it had been snapped on gravel, the line was very rough. Out again and before long I was into another this went to the right and I managed to net it to open my account. I had a couple more and then lost another on the bar. In the first hour I had 10 but I had lost four. I thought I was behind Paul who was to my right and obscured by a tree, but Andy was doing the rounds and I heard him say to him he had 8 and had also lost four! We were having a bit of a battle but during the second hour things were slowing down for both of us. Both had a look on the waggler with no success. I must admit I only had three casts and was back on the lead. I have made that mistake before!

The carp came back onto the bar and I knew I was creeping in front of Paul, but was surprised to hear him say couple of hours later that he had only added another two or three fish. By the half way mark I had at least 20 in the net and obviously had the bulk of the shoal in my swim. I had also worked out that on hooking a carp and by holding the rod high pointing to my left and the island, the carp kited to the right away from the danger area. A few didn’t play ball but there were plenty there. So it was just a case of putting on a new hook length and getting on with it, I was now on a size 12 PR36 and using an 11 mm halibut pellet. I had to chase them around a bit by casting over the bar on occasions. This kept them coming and I was really enjoying trying to keep in touch with them.

I had a couple more looks on the waggler but could not tempt them shallow, several goes down the edge only produced small roach and skimmers. The majority of my match was on the straight lead.

Slow hour

With an hour to go Paul had decided enough was enough and he packed up as he had some work to do. Unfortunately, he put all his fish back! I never had another bite for half an hour and then only had four in the last 30 minutes. I was having one a chuck just before then. Coincidence, I don’t know, but I am sure it didn’t help. But, I certainly am not complaining as I became a member of the ‘Stafford Moor double ton club’ I actually had 213lb 6oz and a match win! What a great days fishing at a superb fishery. Thanks for the call Jan!

I have to plug my 2 .7 metre SPRO Escape Picker rod that I used, I just cannot fault it! I have so much confidence in it for match carp fishing. This is the biggest weight I have taken in one match on the straight lead and the rod was brilliant. I have had several good results using it in the last year including carp up to 15lb not bad for a short rod.
Second in the match was David WYKES from Ashburton 152lb 1oz peg 32 Tanners Carp on straight lead and some down the edge on the pole. 3rd Steve Jarrett 126lb.12 oz. 4th Keith HILLIER 111.13oz Special mention to 5th place Simon LOWRY with 109.4oz taken on the straight lead from Peg 3 on Tanners This was his first ton in a match and I am pleased to say he was ecstatic ! Well done I hope you get a few more, the first one is always the hardest!