By Matt | No Comments
Last updated: Monday, April 7, 2008

Eyup everyone! Plenty to report in this week’s blog as I spent the whole of last week down at White Acres in Cornwall for the Van Den Eyne spring festival. Summed up in short term….IT WAS AWESOME!!! It has to be one of the best weeks fishing I’ve had. In fact, the fishing is only a fraction of it all; the whole atmosphere was great, being surrounded by many of the countries best anglers, with 6 days of solid wall to wall fishing!!!

We arrived on the Saturday, and after 10 minutes walking around the lakes, my mouth was already watering. The draw is done in advance, so you know where you are, and I was placed in D section, which meant I was on Porth Reservoir on the Monday. I managed to just about fill the caravan with bait and fishing tackle! You get the Sunday to practice, so I decided that I would go and have a crack at Porth, as I had previously fished to other 4 venues. We had a nice night up at the club, a few games of pool and a few drinks, before heading off to Porth early the net morning to have a go.

Warm up…..

I can honestly say that Porth Res is one of the nicest venues I have ever seen. It’s so big and natural, and there was loads of fish topping. I was sat out in the water, which I love doing, and set up a few lines and methods for practicing. At the end of the session I had a lovely 10lb mixed catch, caught both on the long and short pole and the feeder. For the next day, I settled on a proper roach mix for the pole, and a basic swim stim mix for the feeder, as I would be targeting primarily skimmers.

Day 1…Porth

The draw is brill at these festivals’, as it isn’t until 9.30am……so you don’t have to get up until 9.25am!!! I ended up pulling out peg 40, an end peg at the far end, the furthest walk, but I was definitely pleased with it. A few people mentioned that these pegs at the far end hadn’t been fished for 8 months, so it might be hard work. The wind was strong and blowing straight down the lake, making it difficult to hold he pole. I set up 2 identical feeder rods, along with 3 pole rig to fish at 11m. I would have liked to have gone further, as I only found around 4 foot, but the wind wouldn’t allow. I initially cupped in 8 balls on this line, containing dead pinkies and plenty of casters. The rigs I set up were all quite positive, consisting of Jean François floats, in sizes 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6g, all with a bulk and two number 10 droppers.

The feeder rig was dead simple, and I used a large drennan green feeder, running on 4lb main line, with a long 3½ foot tail of 0.10 powerline, to an 18 B560 hook. Lines on the pole were 0.10 to 0.07, and 18/20 Sensas black nickel hooks to number 4 elastic. I started on the tip, having 10 quick chucks with the feeder full of dead maggots and pinkies, casters and worms. After a bite less hour though, things were looking bad for the ginger. A quick look on the pole saw no response, but there had been the odd fish caught on the tip, so I scaled down to an 0.09 hooklength and 20 hook with pinkie. This brought an instant response from a 6oz skimmer, followed by another 2 in quick succession.

The third felt a much better fish, but was scoffed by a pike on the way in! They always take them better ‘uns!!! I was picking the odd small roach and skimmer up, but three hours in, I probably had around a pound and a half. Everyone was in a similar position, and the wind eased of a little so I decided to make a move. I got up and got out my 16m sections, plumbing up where I found around 6 foot. I cupped in three balls with a few pinkies, and for the next hour sat on the tip whilst flicking casters over the line. With 45 minutes left, I picked up the 0.6g rig for the new long line, and was pleased when I connected with a small roach straight away. To cut the story short, I did it for the rest of the match, catching 30 or so on caster. When the scales arrived I tipped on 4lb 10oz, and I was winning the section right up to Steve Mayo who was next to the other end, and I was guttered when he weighed 4lb 12oz!!! If only id had that skimmer! The guy on the end did very well to catch 6lb odd, but I was pleased with a third in section for the first day.

Day 2…Bolingey

Day 2 saw me draw peg 45 on the right arm of Bolingey, which is an absolute flyer!!! There had been 120lb of it the day before, so I was confident of a few fish. Will had caught 230lb the previous day at the venue, so there was the odd fish about! I had a word with Stewart Lister, who helped us out a lot. It was a corner peg with the wind blowing into it, with a long bank to fish up to. I settled on a line at 14m to the bank, as well as an open water line at 7m and 13m, and a margin line to the other side, where many people say the lumps are. Rigs were all on 0.17 powerline, with 14 and 16 hooks, and most of my bait limit was made up of meet and hemp. It was probably going to be the best draw I had all week, and I made an absolute ballsing cock up of it!!!!

You don’t want to read about how I caught 54lb from a 100lb peg, and to cut it short I was 7th in my 9 peg section. I felt that there was a lot of fish there but I just couldn’t catch them. I started well, with 8 in the first hour, but things went down hill. I must have lost 30lb off the hook!!! But I must say, I spoke to Lee Kerry on the phone that night, and realised my problem. I went to the peg thinking I had to catch a fish a chuck all day for a big weight, but in Cornwall, that’s not the case.

They’re big fish, and the match can be won in the last hour. I also realised that everything is ‘upped a gear’… feeding… rigs… and there just seems to be more fish to catch. I can’t complain, as 18 fish for 54lb is a days fishing, and I still enjoyed it. However, I was hoping to drop that as my worst result, and it was chins up for Pollawyn the next day!!!

Day 3…Pollawyn

Peg 52, right down one of the arms, horrible! The peg was second to last in the section the day before, with 28lb, so I settled on a silver fish attack, and gave myself the chance of a few carp early and late. I set up a rig for across the island at 16m, where it was only 18 inch deep. I used a 4×10 PB4 float on 0.17 powerline and a 14 PR28 hook. I set 2 identical rigs up, as they were the same for 16m down the edge too. I fed a kinder pot of meet and hemp across, as well as a large pot down the side, and also set up a silver fish line with caster and worm at 5m. Here I used a 4×12 rig with 9 hollo elastic and 0.12 lines. I had been told to have a go for a carp early. I got indications straight away on the long line. The first fish as a skimmer around the pound mark, and this was followed by a foul hooked carp that came off.

No more bites followed so I kept putting in small amounts of bait, and came onto the silver line where I was loose feeding casters by hand all the time. I had a good hour here, catching the odd skimmer and plenty of Roach and Rudd. I was feeding my margin and far lines regularly, and at the half ay stage decided to have another look on the long line. I had a skimmer again, and then hooked another carp on meet. After a good fight, an 8lb mirror was in the net. No more followed, so I kept feeding and was back onto the silvers. With 2 hours to go I had another look on the long line, and lost another carp. I then landed a smaller sample around 4lb, and was back onto the silvers. With an our to go I had around 12lb of silvers and 2 carp for 12lb….24lb.

I had been feeding the margin, and decide to have I look. I dropped in a kinder pot of bait and lowered the rig smack over the top. I was getting the odd indication and after 5 minutes or so I had a proper indication from another carp around 5lb. I had to pot in the bait, put my rig right over the top and wait, but three more followed before the end of the match. When the scales arrived, I tipped on 41lb 10oz. The sections are really weird on Polly so I found out later in the club that I was third in the section again with that, and 10th on the lake. I thought that was a reasonable result considering the poor result on the peg previously, but the following day, Thursday, Ben Leach drew it and had 99lb off it!!! Those stars are blooming awesome, they throw up good results all the time, and it was great to be fishing against them.

Thursday…Jenny’s/Python

I was pleased to draw peg 8 on Jenny’s, as its one of my favourite lakes. The peg has open water, but I just wanted topenjoy the last few days, so decided to set up three lines. A caster swim at 4m, a meat swim a 14m, and then a fishmeal feeder with dead maggots for f1’s in the open water. I potted in some caster, hemp and meat at 14m and started on the tip. First chuck, I had a rattle from a 6oz skimmer, I then had 2 f1’s and a small mirror, followed by the usual, nowt!!!

I had been feeding casters heavy at 4m, and Steve Saunders and Adam Wakelin were already catching roach well on it. I started with 4×10 Chianti, 2 foot deep on 0.12 line and an 18 hook to number 6 elastic. I had a lovely match and stayed on this until the last half hour. I was catching dumpy 4-6oz Roach and Rudd all the time, and just kept flicking some meat long for a big fish in the last half hour. I had a quick look but nothing was playing, so I went back on the Roach for the last half hour. I thought Adam would have a big weight as he had stuck with the roach from the off, and put a fab 63lb of them on the scales. Steve had 44lb, and Andy Dare had 39lb.

I definitely regretted not fishing for them from the off and put 37lb odd on the scales, but still, a cracking days roach fishing, especially considering I only did it for 3½ hours. That weight put me 4th in section, and I really enjoyed it.

Friday…Grim ere!

This was the lake that we had all been dreading, as it was really Peggy, and only 10lb weights were enough to win some sections. I drew peg 10, right at the bottom end of the best section. 19lb had come off it the day before, and it had been well down I the section everyday, but it looked ok, and I had Steve Cook to contend with next door. I found a bar at 16, as Stewart kindly advised, and set up a 4×14 Carpa Porth for on the deck here, as well as a Carpa shallow for up in the air. I also set a rig up for in the deeper water at 8m, again a 4×14, as well as a margin rig. All were on 0.15 line with a 14/16 PR28.

I fed meat caster and hemp on all the lines. I started on the bomb, with meat, and loosefed caster regularly over my long pole line. I had two stockies first of, before coming onto the pole. I caought the odd fish all day long, but couldn’t catch any short. I didn’t get any lumps, and had only a roach down the edge. Triple caster, meat or worm was best long, and I managed a bream and two small carp shallow. The pegs t at the far end of the section blitzed it as expected, but I had around 20 smallish carp and the odd skimmer for 28lb.

Steve Mayo Blinded the lake with 200lb, and I only beat Cookie next door, which I expected from the peg to be honest. The best weights were at the top of the section, and it got worse as you came down. I chucked the gear in, and it was shower and out on the last night!!!!

IT’S ALL GOOD!!!

I had some good draws and some gruellers, but I enjoyed every minute of it. We had some right laughs, and still had a good days fishing everyday. I learned loads and met loads of new people, which is always good, and I even got better at pool as the week went on! The top lads all performed, good or bad draws, showing that there aren’t any excuses for me!

Will put on an amazing performance, with 4 wins and a second. He really is awesome. That takes some doing against all them quality anglers. Thanks for the info and help of everyone before hand and whilst I was there too, I learned loads, and it was a real eye opener. Also, the whole event was run brilliantly and the fishing was great as a whole, White Acres has got it sorted, and I definitely can’t wait to get back down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!