Sunday 18th June 2006 – The Oaks, Sessay.

Only one blog this week as I went for a walk along an old stamping ground of mine yesterday. I went for a walk along the banks of the River Wharfe, Boston Spa. I had a look off the bridge and could see a pike that was nearing double figures just basking on the central sandbank.

There was a group of 15 (ish) year old youngsters (sounds funny saying that at my age) fishing on the member’s side of the river. They were chucking in maggots by the handful, the chub were going mad. There was only one lad that seemed to be catching. He was fishing with bits of meat on a stick and fishing well over depth. Whilst watching him he caught 2 barbel about 2 – 3lb each and a chub about 4lb. There were a few chub around the day ticket side of the bridge and there was a good shoal of chub moving between the bridge and the weir.

I wish that I had taken my rod with me now. I took my kids with me with a net and bucket and went to the weir and caught bullheads, minnows and stone loach. It was nice to be besides the water and not fishing just having a stress-free day. I think that we all ought to try it sometime.

My assault on the Kamasan table starts today!!!

I suppose that us match anglers in Yorkshire are spoilt for choice for Kamasan matches as having a quick glance at the results from this weekend, there were approximately 6 or 7 Kamasan qualifying matches including The Oaks, Woodlands, Rivers Nidd and Ouse to name but a few. I often read on www.total-fishing.com that there is a lack of qualifying matches down south. I don’t know why as they have the venues, the anglers and the weather to cater for the numbers.

At the draw there was 55 of us anglers ready and waiting to do their best. In view of the jackpot money being capped at £400 it was time to introduce another jackpot peg, giving 3 pegs this week. The lucky pegs this week were pegs 30, 35 and 64. Granddad had drawn peg 35 and which had a chance of winning, when you also consider his form on the venue. Peg 64 had a chance, which was drawn by Joe ‘Carcass’. Carcass had won the match 2 weeks previous with over 70lb from peg 36, so was in good form.

The Quid’s

The obligatory £2 was set up with Purverted, £1 with Nightie and £1 with Chappy. I also had a consolation prize in the form of Return of The Mack. Paul ‘Macca’ McMahon was back. My piggy bank was back. When I first started having a quid with Macca, it was a quid, but after losing to him for about 3 weeks, I was after some pennies back, so asked him if he wanted to raise it to £2. Since the £2 has been struck, I think that he had beaten me a couple of times, but not for the last 7 or 8 matches, so much so that I asked him if he could set up a direct debit, but he wouldn’t agree to the direct debit guarantee. I wonder if he ever felt hustled. He obviously didn’t see me ‘accidentally’ dropping my fish back in the lake. I was in to the tune of £6 and Orc wasn’t even here this week. Vinnie (Diesel) Martin was Macca’s travelling companion and failed to turn up for last week’s match. He owed us £6. We agreed to ‘fish for it’.

The Draw

After drawing my peg the obligatory £1 side bet was struck with none other than Topshop who had drawn next peg. I was on Peg 54, which although was a good peg, had no recent form. Pegs 55 and 56 were the pegs with form. Topshop had drawn peg 55. Mick Dykes Sykes was on peg 56 and Jubby was next to me the other way on peg 52. Purverted had drawn 65, (Tim Moran had 117lb of peg 66 on Saturday’s match). Macca was on peg 21 (ooops), Diesel was within eyesight on peg 57 and Nightie was on peg 71.

Marco Drury had drawn peg 11, with pegs 10 (not in the draw) and pegs 12 (the only peg not drawn) empty. Marco has been on fire of late with winning weights of 149lb, 127lb (yesterday) and numerous other 100lb weights. Marco was going to be the man to beat. A weight in excess of 100lb on Cedar Lake is a considerable feat as the average stamp of fish is between 1lb to 2lb and with the method that is catching these weights (caster and worm shallow), the weights are also including silver fish.

Other than Topshop and Marco’s draw’s there weren’t any other notable draws and the winning weight could literally come from anywhere.

Here Goes!!!!

Upon arriving at my peg, there were numerous fish swirling in my peg. A shallow approach was the order of the day. I had 1pt of caster, 1 tin of Frenzied Hemp, 3 pints of maggots and a few pellets all for feeding up in the water. I set up 2 shallow rigs, one on white hydro and the other on grey hydro. They both consisted of DC6 floats, one in .05g and the other in .2g. Both rigs were set up on Maver Genesis .14 diameter line direct to size 16 Colmic B501 hooks. I also set up a .2g Colmic float for across to the island on top of the shelf. This was set up on .13 dia. Preston Powerline direct to a size 16 Colmic B501 hook. My final rig (at the setting up stage) was a .2g Colmic float on .13 diameter Preston Powerline direct to a size 16 Colmic B501 hook. I prefer to fish direct on my carp rigs as it creates less weak spots with knots, there are no snags in the venue (no need to create a weak link by having a bottom) and you can get away with fishing direct for carp, especially at this time of year with the coloured water.

At the all in, I started to catapult both casters and hemp out to 7/8 metres with the odd pouch of maggots. I had double maggot on the hook (red and/or white combination). After about 10 minutes, I finally caught my first fish, which dropped off (thankfully) a roach of about 1oz. It wasn’t worth the effort to ship back with these fish, so a quick shake and the fish was off (barbless hooks), I then dropped in with the same bait (hopefully saving time). The wind was steadily starting to pick up and was blowing from right to left. The float was pushing through slowly. I persevered with the shallow method taking 3 ide (between 12oz and 1.5lb), a couple of roach (that wouldn’t fall off) and 3 carp between 1lb and 2lb. Why is that every time you start to think about changing lines/methods, you catch a fish and think that they have finally turned up.


After 2 hours, I would estimate that I had less than 10lb. Drastic action was required. I cupped some bait across to the mud line (maggots, caster and hemp) and left it until I could see signs that there were fish in the swim. I decided that it was time to have a look down the inside. I had been feeding it steadily all the while. I baited up, dropped in, nothing. I proceeded on this line for the next 10 – 15 minutes and caught one little perch for my troubles.

I could wait no more. I had seen a tail appear across to the mud line. The time was right to empty it. I dropped in with 3 red maggots on the hook. The float dipped, nothing. I dropped in again, an ide about 2lb was soon in the net. I dropped in again, nothing. The float drifted sideways (from a fish being in the vicinity), I waited and waited. The float shot under, I struck with a little gusto and a roach about 2oz, flew out of the water and shed the hook.

Plan Z-26,000,000

I decided that I had to do something. Topshop was catching steadily but he was catching his fish more or less to the very edge of his peg going towards peg 56. Jubby was getting a few from across and also what appeared to be down the farside slope. Everybody else around me seemed to be a little quiet. I decided to get a deep rig out, big pot it and suck it and see.

I quickly attached a 4 x 14 series E float rig to grey hydro and plumbed up down the middle. The line was .14 Maver Genesis direct to a size 16 Colmic B501 hook. I cupped in a pot full of caster, hemp and maggots with the idea of not feeding over the top and trying to force the fish down. I left the deep swim for the next 5 minutes or so and went over to the mud line. I managed to snare one more ide about 1lb. I had approximately 14 – 15lb of fish in the net and I was 3 hours into the match.

That was it, I had to go down the middle. First drop in, I caught an F1 carp of about 10oz. I dropped in again and caught a steady succession of barbel. Every 5 or 6 fish, I re-potted to try to keep the fish there and on the bottom. I managed to put together a steady respectable net of fish and was starting to catch up all those around me.

Ooopsss, Time

I was so busy engrossed in my fishing (now that I had got into a steady rhythm), that I completely forgot about what time it was. Topshop shouted to me ‘what time are we finishing Mick?’. A quick glance of the watch showed that it was a couple of minutes past 4:15. That was it TIME!!!! Doesn’t time fly when you are enjoying yourself. I estimated that I had about 35 – 40lb as I hadn’t really caught much in the first 3 hours.

How had I done and how many quids had I lost?

By the time that the scales had arrived John Illingworth had weighed in 81lb and there was a 57lb. Jubby weighed in 1oz shy of 68lb. I put 49lb 11oz on the scales, so was a little pleased that I had more than I thought. Topshop put 76-10 on the scales (down a quid to start), Dykesy weighed 28lb and Diesel had 32lb, so I hadn’t done too bad, and I was £5 quid in pocket (up £6 courtesy of Diesel and down a quid to the superstar), now for all of my other quid’s.

Purverted weighed 37-05 (another £2), Chappy 31-12 (£1), Nightie 35-13 (£1) and Macca 31-08 (£2). Bloody hell, I don’t even get paid this much at work.

Final Result

Andy Dargue – 122lb 8oz. Paste down the middle. Peg 9.

John Illingworth – 81lb – 8oz. Meat down the middle. Peg 47.

Dave Topham – 76lb 10oz. Peg 55.

Adam Richards – 72lb 8oz. Peg 3.

Gary Jubb – 67lb 15oz. Peg 52.

John Allerton – 67lb 6oz. Peg 77.

Jonny Kenning won my section with 54lb. If I had gone down the middle about 30 minutes earlier, I would have won my section.

The Lizard

As I was driving round, prior to sorting out the final result rumour was going round that Pete ‘Lizard’ Baron had caught 137lb and was winning the match. As I passed him, I stopped for a chat and he was telling me that he caught here, there and everywhere and that he couldn’t get his bait in quick enough. I was asking the usual questions, what would a good angler have had? Did you have hook on? Etc, etc. John Illy was stood with Lizard and was straining to stop laughing. The Lizard hadn’t caught 137lb (I thought that it was hard to believe) and had actually caught 40lb. He only got them all to kid me on because I call him LIZARD!!! I gave him the moniker as he is like a lizard, he warms up with the sun!!!.

Next week is Fisho day at Viaduct Fisheries on Saturday, then back to Sessay on Sunday to sort the rabble out.

Tight lines and may all your dreams be match-winning ones!!