By Matt | No Comments
Last updated: Monday, May 12, 2008

It was another open match weekend last week, with Balbrough lakes on Saturday, and Lindholme on Sunday. I had only fished Balbrough once before when I was about 8 years old, but it’s a really nice little fishery, and there were loads of fish moving when we arrived. I ended up drawing peg 10, which is in a corner, fishing up to the point of an island at 14.5m. it was a bit tight though, and there were 4 anglers fishing to the same are on the corner!

I decided to set up 3 lines. The first was tight over to the fat bank, where I had 18 inch of water. Here I fed small amounts of pellets and a few casters, mostly via the kinder pot. I fished 4×10 Chianti here, on 0.11 powerline, an 0.09 hooklink and an 18 B911, with a soft number 9 hollo. The next rig was to fish at around 11m, just up the far shelf, where I had about 5ft, and used a Crallusso Capri here, in 0.3g, set up on the same gear as the other rig, and was fed with micros and a few maggots. I then had reeds to my left, which I couldn’t ignore, and found the same depth here as across, so I just used the same rig.

The first half hour was dead quiet, but I then picked up a run of small hand sized skimmers on my 11m line. There was the odd carp being caught tight over, but I was reluctant to go over to early. I plodded away, and put probably 5lb of bits in the net over the first 1 ½ hours. I had been loose feeding my margin with 4mm pellets by hand regularly too. When I first went over I had loads of daft bites and there were definitely fish there, after a 3lb common and the odd skimmer, I re-plumbed slightly left, right up to the mud, in about 8inch of water, and fed only 4mms, so the fish couldn’t become pre occupied on micros. I worked a treat, and I stayed on this line most of the way through the match, catching the odd skimmer, small f1 and small carp. a 4mm expander was best on the hook by far.

With an hour to go I had a look down the edge, and managed another 2 f1s. I didn’t know what anyone else had done, but heard there were three bigger weights round the back of the island. 29lb was best when the scales got to me, and I managed 27lb 8oz. I followed the scales round, and was 2nd until the last two men, who weighed 37lb and 54lb. I was still happy with 4th though, and sneaked a section win too. Tom had a good net of fish 22lb, but mainly silvers, he was cursing for not catching them all day, and I was suicidal for losing 4 carp which cost me!!!

LINDHOLME….

It was the Lindholme open last Sunday and there was a good turn out as usual, 50+ anglers. We somehow always get there in plenty of time for breakfast, a walk round and to the loo, but are always at the back of the blooming queue!!! Still, there was a decent peg left, as I drew peg 1 on Oasis Lake. I was happy with it, as it’s next to the end bank, and there are a few things you can do.

I decided to set up my lines as usual, just up the shelf, 11m, and tight over in 2 ft 6inch of water, at 14m. I then set a line up 16m, right over to a clump opposite me in the corner, and a shorter line, again up to the bank to my left, at around 13m.

Rigs were dead simple, the usual, 0.3g Crallusso Capri for down the track, 0.10 powerline, 0.09 hooklength, and a 20 B911. Then for all the tight over and up to the bank rigs, I used a 4×10 Chianti, on the same gear as before. I found the same depth on all the tight over lines, so I could change easy, and set up 2 of the rigs as spares while I had time.

I started on the track line, but after a few quick fish, I had a really slow first hour, catching 10 small f1s. I then moved onto my other lines, but after catching three fish of each they all went dead too. I was getting liners, and just felt that there was a lot of fish in the peg, but that I had split them up too much. At the 2 hour mark I decided to pick my best line and loose feed only 4mm pellets over the top with the catty. After half an hour of doing this I started to put a good run of fish together. They were the smaller stamp f1s, 6-8oz, but I was into a bit of a rhythm so stayed on this line for the rest of the match. In the last hour I also managed 4 ‘proper’ carp, mirrors and commons, 3lb+ which were a welcome boost.

I definitely made the mistake of fishing too many lines, so next time, its one down the middle, and one across!!! I weighed in 63lb 05oz, which put me third on the lake, being beat by Greg Norris who had 65lb, and another guy who had 72lb. I was pleased to win the section again, and was 5th on the match! If I had caught another 10lb I would have been 2nd!!! But its easy to say afterwards I suppose!