Thursday, November 23, 2006
One of those incredibly rare moments. A picture of Stef 'Slob' Armitage. People couldn't believe that I had captured this picture. He still moaned all the way throughout the match though!!!
I recall a few years ago, Slob won a match and the Anglers Mail published a picture of Stef Armitage. The only difference being that the bloke the AM used was about 80 and also was only just slightly slimmer than Slob.
I recall a few years ago, Slob won a match and the Anglers Mail published a picture of Stef Armitage. The only difference being that the bloke the AM used was about 80 and also was only just slightly slimmer than Slob.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Sunday 12th November 2006
I persuaded my one time halves partner to go today, as he needs to get his 4 matches in to qualify for the Xmas Cheer. Bram had also booked on and arranged to come to my gaff and pick us up. Bram arrived at 7:15 in his speed demon and good headway was made and we arrived in plenty of time for me to have a brekkie before I start to get everyone organised.
I had been turning people down all week as I had been booked up and I also had a few names in reserve in case anyone cancelled off. By the time of the draw, I had 74 names on the match and that included the people that had turned up to try to get on the match. If people are not there but the time of the draw, I give their places to other people waiting to get on, so it was still a good turn out none the less. Saturdays are also starting to fill up now as they had 57 on the match yesterday.
In view of Polecrusher Payton not paying me my quid from last week, as he arrived today he handed me a £20 note. I asked him for a quid, implying that I was going to give him a fiver change. He gave me a quid and I then said ‘that’s me paid, give us another quid and I will give you a fiver’. Quid’s were also set up with John ‘Silverback’ Chapman, Bedpan, Nightie, Polecrusher, and a new recruit Anthony ‘Jasper’ Scarlett. Byron ‘Fullstop’ Dell (have you seen the height comparison between Byron and a Fullstop, not a lot in it if you ask me), had booked on the match and quickly set up the quid from last winter’s matches. Ian ‘Exman’ Exley also asked me if I want to have a quid with him, I quickly turned him down, have you seen his results of late?
I put my hand in the bag and managed to pull out peg 2. Peg 3 had won yesterdays match with 50 odd lb’s. Rosie and Jim look-alike, Andy Stonner, had won the section off my peg with 28lb odd.
Upon arriving at my peg, Billy ‘Split Shot’ Brierley, who had drawn scales help peg 1, offered me out for a quid, doesn’t he know of my result last week? I also roped Steve ‘Ena’ Sharples into a quid who was to my right on yesterdays winning peg. Call me a glutton for punishment.
I set up 4 rigs as follows:
2 rigs across. Both of them were Garbolino DC6 floats, one taking .05g and the other .2g. I shotted both of them shirt button style. They were both made up using .10 Novotech line. One of them had a size 18 Preston Pr23 and the other had a Size 20 Preston Pr23 hook attached. The .05g rig was attached to white hydro and the other rig was attached to the yellow 6-10 Maver Dual Core elastic. I plumbed up across and after finding the depth, I added a floats length to the depth.
On the subject of line diameter, I have just been reading an article by Giles Cochrane in one of the magazines. I usually get comments from people with regards to the line diameter that I fish as I tend to fish slightly heavier than most. A couple of Giles’ comments are along the lines of ‘fish do not swim towards .08mm line’, ‘scaling down to .08mm may get you the extra bite, but you still have to get the fish in the net’ and ‘Matches are decided on what you have in the net and not what line diameter you are using’.
I also had 2 rigs down the middle.
Deep rig one was a .4g Paste Corn float attached to .12 Fox Match Plus line straight through to a size 18 Preston Pr 23 hook. I was planning on fishing with corn on this rig and after plumbing up; I found that I had about 5ft of depth. I added a floats length of depth to my rig. I was using the Maver Dual Core Yellow with this rig.
Deep rig No. 2 was a 4 x 12 Drennan Roach float attached to .10 Novotech straight through to a size 18 Preston PR23 hook. I planned on fishing with double maggot down the middle with this rig. Again, I plumbed up and added a floats length of depth to my rig. White Hydro completed the set up.
For bait, I had a small tin of corn and 1pt of red maggots. That was all. In view of the way that I intended to feed, I got my catapult only out of my box.
At the start of the match, I catapulted a few maggots down the middle and put the same number across. I baited up the Drennan Roach rig with a couple of red maggots, dropped in down the middle and waited. Both Ena and Split Shot went across to the far side.
After a couple of minutes, Ena was into a fish. But, alas, it came off (thank you God!!!). I waited a couple more minutes, the float trembled and I struck. I was up for it, but the fish wasn’t. I dropped back in. The float settled and carried on going. A skimmer of about 8oz was doing its best impression of a carp, but it lost. I catapulted some more bait out, and shipped back out again.
Ena had by now managed to snare a couple more carp, both of which he managed to get out. Split Shot on the other hand was getting a bite a chuck and was putting a fish in his net every put in. Unfortunately, the skimmer that I had caught weighed more than all of his fish put together.
I persevered down the middle for the next 1 hour and 20 minutes. By now, Split Shot was starting to catch carp from the edge of the sedges to his right (about 2 yards from the start of my swim) and Ena was starting to string a few fish together. Ena has got to be one of the funniest people around when there is a fishing match on. With every fish lost, a tirade of expletives would erupt from his cesspit of a mouth. He would get very annoyed and start swearing at himself and the fish. The more that it happened, the more irate he got. At one point, I thought that the Incredible Hulk had better go into hiding because Ena Sharples was about.
Throughout my time down the middle, I had been flicking a few maggots over to the far side and also down the middle. Split Shot was also flicking a few maggots around his peg. Ena hadn’t fed anything to my knowledge!!!
Having lovingly primed my swim, it was now time to go over and have a look across.
I baited up the .05g rig with double red maggot, shipped across, dropped (or should that be laid) the rig in, catapulted a few of maggots over the top and waited, or at least I would have done had the pole not been dragged to the right. The white hydro was getting a good seeing to as I tried my best to control the fish. Whilst shipping back, at one stage all I was getting was slow nods as the fish made it’s best impression of a bream, but I knew it was a good carp that was using its weight to fight me. After a 5 minute battle a carp of about 5lb was in the net. Caught them all up with one fish, never mind with the other fish in my net.
I re-baited, catapulted a few maggots across, and went back out with the same rig. I dropped in the same hole and this time I had to wait about 5 minutes before the float buried again. A mirror carp of about 1lb was running all around my peg, it was soon in the net. Why is it that smaller carp give you more a run around than larger carp? I was flying.
Split Shot was shipping across to the far side and was catching the gudgeon and roach that I was desperately trying to catch, NOT!!!!! In the time that I caught a 2lb+ carp, Split Shot had about 6oz of roach and gudgeon, things were not looking good for him. Ena on the other hand was still managing to hook the carp, but failed to get them out. I commented to Split Shot that by the end of the match Ena would have less hair than Haircut, and he’s nearly bald.
2 hours into the match, the float dipped. I waited. It dipped again, and then shot under. I struck and the float stayed where it was a metre of white hydro extruded from the pole tip. The ‘bottom’ then decided to start moving. After a long battle and 4 sections of pole in the air (which I never do) the fish came up off the bottom, it rolled and went back down sulking. I shouted to Split Shot that it was bigger than the 5lb ‘er that I had caught earlier. The task of getting the fish into the net was made more difficult due to my using a small landing net head and also the fact that the fish had been hooked in it’s anal fin. Oh hum. I tried to shake the fish off and prod it with my landing net, but it wouldn't come off. Oh well, best net it and put it in my net then. I was trying to wind up Ena more than he already was as I gave a running commentary of my netting prowess and the size of the fish.
I had by now got an estimated 20lb and most of that was made up with 2 fish. I re-baited the same rig and went back out. I let the float settle, put a few maggots over the top. The float settled, then dipped sideways, then shot under. I managed to squeeze the 5lb ‘ers twin brother into my already bulging keepnet.
Split Shot asked me what bait I was using, what hook size and also, what line. I told him that I was on .13 Preston Powerline direct to a size 16 Colmic WN501 hook. I asked him what he was using, his reply was .08 to a .07 hooklength and a size 22 hook. He quickly rang Haircut to say that I was using 3 maggots on a size 14 to .15 Preston Powerline straight through and that he couldn’t get a bite off a carp. It goes to prove Giles’ point above in that if you are on them, it doesn’t matter what line, etc, that you are using.
Going into the last hour, I would estimate that I had 6 carp for about 28lb and about another 10lb of smaller carp for about 38/39lb.
The last hour was the slowest part of the match. Ena was still managing to pick up the odd carp by searching all over his peg and I was having to wait twice as long for a bite. I had been flicking a couple of maggots down the middle all the while, whilst I had been fishing across. I decided to have a look. I dropped in with the deep rig and waited. After some 10 minutes, I had had enough and quickly went back over to the far side.
Over the remaining 50 minutes, I managed to snare a couple more carp and half a dozen roach and gudgeon. See, I can catch them when I try. By the end of the match, I would estimate that I had about 45lb and that it would be close between Ena and I, but I had a feeling that it would just go in my favour.
The scales quickly arrived and Split Shot set the mark. He plonked 15lb 8oz on the scales. I lifted my net out and managed to put 43lb 6oz on the scales (my 2nd 40lb+ weight in two weeks). Ena lifted his net out. It was going to be close. He weighed in 40lb 2oz. £2 up already and there was a few more victims to weigh in yet. Polecrusher - 29-12, Bedpan – DNW, Chappy - 21-11, Nightie 15-2 and Jasper 28-08. Not a bad day at the office thus far, £7 up!!!!
Fullstop managed to spoil a clean sweep as he was pegged next to the winner and managed to snare 44-14. I should have had a quid with Exman as he only managed
25-10. In view of The Pacifier and Macca not being present either last week or this week, I was now down £8. Come back, please, I will pay your petrol.
Ooooppss, nearly forgot (as if). I managed to sneak 3rd overall and another brown envelope.
Full result:
Matt Lord (KL Tackle) 45-02. Peg 64
Byron Dell (Bob-Co) 44-14. Peg 63
Me (Bob-Co/Oaks) 43-06. Peg 2
Dave Pimlott (Garbolino Elton) 41-04. Peg 66
Adam Richards (Garbolino Elton) 40-06.
Steve Sharples (Bob-Co) 40-02. Peg 3
Tightlines.
I persuaded my one time halves partner to go today, as he needs to get his 4 matches in to qualify for the Xmas Cheer. Bram had also booked on and arranged to come to my gaff and pick us up. Bram arrived at 7:15 in his speed demon and good headway was made and we arrived in plenty of time for me to have a brekkie before I start to get everyone organised.
I had been turning people down all week as I had been booked up and I also had a few names in reserve in case anyone cancelled off. By the time of the draw, I had 74 names on the match and that included the people that had turned up to try to get on the match. If people are not there but the time of the draw, I give their places to other people waiting to get on, so it was still a good turn out none the less. Saturdays are also starting to fill up now as they had 57 on the match yesterday.
In view of Polecrusher Payton not paying me my quid from last week, as he arrived today he handed me a £20 note. I asked him for a quid, implying that I was going to give him a fiver change. He gave me a quid and I then said ‘that’s me paid, give us another quid and I will give you a fiver’. Quid’s were also set up with John ‘Silverback’ Chapman, Bedpan, Nightie, Polecrusher, and a new recruit Anthony ‘Jasper’ Scarlett. Byron ‘Fullstop’ Dell (have you seen the height comparison between Byron and a Fullstop, not a lot in it if you ask me), had booked on the match and quickly set up the quid from last winter’s matches. Ian ‘Exman’ Exley also asked me if I want to have a quid with him, I quickly turned him down, have you seen his results of late?
I put my hand in the bag and managed to pull out peg 2. Peg 3 had won yesterdays match with 50 odd lb’s. Rosie and Jim look-alike, Andy Stonner, had won the section off my peg with 28lb odd.
Upon arriving at my peg, Billy ‘Split Shot’ Brierley, who had drawn scales help peg 1, offered me out for a quid, doesn’t he know of my result last week? I also roped Steve ‘Ena’ Sharples into a quid who was to my right on yesterdays winning peg. Call me a glutton for punishment.
I set up 4 rigs as follows:
2 rigs across. Both of them were Garbolino DC6 floats, one taking .05g and the other .2g. I shotted both of them shirt button style. They were both made up using .10 Novotech line. One of them had a size 18 Preston Pr23 and the other had a Size 20 Preston Pr23 hook attached. The .05g rig was attached to white hydro and the other rig was attached to the yellow 6-10 Maver Dual Core elastic. I plumbed up across and after finding the depth, I added a floats length to the depth.
On the subject of line diameter, I have just been reading an article by Giles Cochrane in one of the magazines. I usually get comments from people with regards to the line diameter that I fish as I tend to fish slightly heavier than most. A couple of Giles’ comments are along the lines of ‘fish do not swim towards .08mm line’, ‘scaling down to .08mm may get you the extra bite, but you still have to get the fish in the net’ and ‘Matches are decided on what you have in the net and not what line diameter you are using’.
I also had 2 rigs down the middle.
Deep rig one was a .4g Paste Corn float attached to .12 Fox Match Plus line straight through to a size 18 Preston Pr 23 hook. I was planning on fishing with corn on this rig and after plumbing up; I found that I had about 5ft of depth. I added a floats length of depth to my rig. I was using the Maver Dual Core Yellow with this rig.
Deep rig No. 2 was a 4 x 12 Drennan Roach float attached to .10 Novotech straight through to a size 18 Preston PR23 hook. I planned on fishing with double maggot down the middle with this rig. Again, I plumbed up and added a floats length of depth to my rig. White Hydro completed the set up.
For bait, I had a small tin of corn and 1pt of red maggots. That was all. In view of the way that I intended to feed, I got my catapult only out of my box.
At the start of the match, I catapulted a few maggots down the middle and put the same number across. I baited up the Drennan Roach rig with a couple of red maggots, dropped in down the middle and waited. Both Ena and Split Shot went across to the far side.
After a couple of minutes, Ena was into a fish. But, alas, it came off (thank you God!!!). I waited a couple more minutes, the float trembled and I struck. I was up for it, but the fish wasn’t. I dropped back in. The float settled and carried on going. A skimmer of about 8oz was doing its best impression of a carp, but it lost. I catapulted some more bait out, and shipped back out again.
Ena had by now managed to snare a couple more carp, both of which he managed to get out. Split Shot on the other hand was getting a bite a chuck and was putting a fish in his net every put in. Unfortunately, the skimmer that I had caught weighed more than all of his fish put together.
I persevered down the middle for the next 1 hour and 20 minutes. By now, Split Shot was starting to catch carp from the edge of the sedges to his right (about 2 yards from the start of my swim) and Ena was starting to string a few fish together. Ena has got to be one of the funniest people around when there is a fishing match on. With every fish lost, a tirade of expletives would erupt from his cesspit of a mouth. He would get very annoyed and start swearing at himself and the fish. The more that it happened, the more irate he got. At one point, I thought that the Incredible Hulk had better go into hiding because Ena Sharples was about.
Throughout my time down the middle, I had been flicking a few maggots over to the far side and also down the middle. Split Shot was also flicking a few maggots around his peg. Ena hadn’t fed anything to my knowledge!!!
Having lovingly primed my swim, it was now time to go over and have a look across.
I baited up the .05g rig with double red maggot, shipped across, dropped (or should that be laid) the rig in, catapulted a few of maggots over the top and waited, or at least I would have done had the pole not been dragged to the right. The white hydro was getting a good seeing to as I tried my best to control the fish. Whilst shipping back, at one stage all I was getting was slow nods as the fish made it’s best impression of a bream, but I knew it was a good carp that was using its weight to fight me. After a 5 minute battle a carp of about 5lb was in the net. Caught them all up with one fish, never mind with the other fish in my net.
I re-baited, catapulted a few maggots across, and went back out with the same rig. I dropped in the same hole and this time I had to wait about 5 minutes before the float buried again. A mirror carp of about 1lb was running all around my peg, it was soon in the net. Why is it that smaller carp give you more a run around than larger carp? I was flying.
Split Shot was shipping across to the far side and was catching the gudgeon and roach that I was desperately trying to catch, NOT!!!!! In the time that I caught a 2lb+ carp, Split Shot had about 6oz of roach and gudgeon, things were not looking good for him. Ena on the other hand was still managing to hook the carp, but failed to get them out. I commented to Split Shot that by the end of the match Ena would have less hair than Haircut, and he’s nearly bald.
2 hours into the match, the float dipped. I waited. It dipped again, and then shot under. I struck and the float stayed where it was a metre of white hydro extruded from the pole tip. The ‘bottom’ then decided to start moving. After a long battle and 4 sections of pole in the air (which I never do) the fish came up off the bottom, it rolled and went back down sulking. I shouted to Split Shot that it was bigger than the 5lb ‘er that I had caught earlier. The task of getting the fish into the net was made more difficult due to my using a small landing net head and also the fact that the fish had been hooked in it’s anal fin. Oh hum. I tried to shake the fish off and prod it with my landing net, but it wouldn't come off. Oh well, best net it and put it in my net then. I was trying to wind up Ena more than he already was as I gave a running commentary of my netting prowess and the size of the fish.
I had by now got an estimated 20lb and most of that was made up with 2 fish. I re-baited the same rig and went back out. I let the float settle, put a few maggots over the top. The float settled, then dipped sideways, then shot under. I managed to squeeze the 5lb ‘ers twin brother into my already bulging keepnet.
Split Shot asked me what bait I was using, what hook size and also, what line. I told him that I was on .13 Preston Powerline direct to a size 16 Colmic WN501 hook. I asked him what he was using, his reply was .08 to a .07 hooklength and a size 22 hook. He quickly rang Haircut to say that I was using 3 maggots on a size 14 to .15 Preston Powerline straight through and that he couldn’t get a bite off a carp. It goes to prove Giles’ point above in that if you are on them, it doesn’t matter what line, etc, that you are using.
Going into the last hour, I would estimate that I had 6 carp for about 28lb and about another 10lb of smaller carp for about 38/39lb.
The last hour was the slowest part of the match. Ena was still managing to pick up the odd carp by searching all over his peg and I was having to wait twice as long for a bite. I had been flicking a couple of maggots down the middle all the while, whilst I had been fishing across. I decided to have a look. I dropped in with the deep rig and waited. After some 10 minutes, I had had enough and quickly went back over to the far side.
Over the remaining 50 minutes, I managed to snare a couple more carp and half a dozen roach and gudgeon. See, I can catch them when I try. By the end of the match, I would estimate that I had about 45lb and that it would be close between Ena and I, but I had a feeling that it would just go in my favour.
The scales quickly arrived and Split Shot set the mark. He plonked 15lb 8oz on the scales. I lifted my net out and managed to put 43lb 6oz on the scales (my 2nd 40lb+ weight in two weeks). Ena lifted his net out. It was going to be close. He weighed in 40lb 2oz. £2 up already and there was a few more victims to weigh in yet. Polecrusher - 29-12, Bedpan – DNW, Chappy - 21-11, Nightie 15-2 and Jasper 28-08. Not a bad day at the office thus far, £7 up!!!!
Fullstop managed to spoil a clean sweep as he was pegged next to the winner and managed to snare 44-14. I should have had a quid with Exman as he only managed
25-10. In view of The Pacifier and Macca not being present either last week or this week, I was now down £8. Come back, please, I will pay your petrol.
Ooooppss, nearly forgot (as if). I managed to sneak 3rd overall and another brown envelope.
Full result:
Matt Lord (KL Tackle) 45-02. Peg 64
Byron Dell (Bob-Co) 44-14. Peg 63
Me (Bob-Co/Oaks) 43-06. Peg 2
Dave Pimlott (Garbolino Elton) 41-04. Peg 66
Adam Richards (Garbolino Elton) 40-06.
Steve Sharples (Bob-Co) 40-02. Peg 3
Tightlines.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Sunday 5th November 2006
There was no blog last week as I sat behind Alwynne Ingham and watched what he does throughout a match, so this week with my newly acquired knowledge, we will see what happens.
My phone has been hectic this week with people trying to book on and off for today’s match and as at yesterday, I had 80 people booked on the match with half a dozen turning up on the day to try to get on.
By the time of the draw, I managed to get on all those that were there at the draw. What I do at The Oaks Lakes, is to take the monies from all those that have booked on and come 9:00, I offer the places to people that are waiting to get on but who haven’t booked.
Whilst sorting out the pegs, Nightie took peg 62 off the board and indicated that he wanted that peg. We will see what happens. 3 jackpot pegs were drawn and they were pegs 67 (Mick Grant), peg 78 (Lizard, see picture below) and peg 79 (Craig Lealand). I put my hand in the bag and upset Nightie straight away as peg 62 had only gone and jumped into my mitt saying ‘pick me, pick me, don’t let Nightie get me’. The only problem is that although 62 can be a good peg, more so when it is colder during winter and it hasn’t yet been cold enough. Barry ‘Two Nets’ Rabjohn was on the peg yesterday and had about 20 odd lb.
My quids were going to pegs 12 (Nightie), 29 (Orc), 55 (Pole Crusher Payton), 59 (Mr Chappy) and peg 64 (Bedpan Movely). Looking at the list, I was going to lose a couple of quid’s at this rate, in particular to Mr Chappy and Pole Crusher.
After sorting everyone out and the pay packets I arrived at my peg. To give you and idea of how long this sometimes takes, we started the draw at 9:05. I arrived at my peg at 9:40 for a 10:15 start, talk about having no time to set up. If I carried out the draw at 9:00 and fished 10:30 – 3:30, people complain about having too much time to get ready, and because I run the match for everyone else rather than running the match for me, where is the compromise?
To my right I had John ‘Elvis’ Fallows and to my left I had Raymondo Wallace. Bedpan was a couple of pegs away on peg 64 and Mr Chappy was within earshot on peg 59.
After arriving at my peg, I surveyed all around me to decide where I was going to fish, so that will be across and down the middle then.
I set up 4 rigs (within my 30 minutes or so) as follows:
1 rig with a .2g Garbolino DC 6 float attached to .10 Novotech line, direct to a size 18 Preston Pr23 hook. I attached this to Maver Dual Core hollow elastic 6 – 10 (the yellow one).
Rig two was the same as the above apart from the weight of the float. I used a .5g DC 6 float. This was set up on the same line and hook size. I attached this rig to Daiwa Hydroelastic – white.I plumbed up across with both of these two rigs, to fish across to the far side, where I had approximately 2ft of depth at the base of the mud slope.
Rigs 3 and 4 both incorporated Drennan Roach rigs for fishing down the middle. One was a 4x14 float on .12 Fox Match Plus line direct to a size 18 Kamasan B611 hook. This was attached to the yellow Maver Dual Core. The other deep rig was a 4 x 12 version of the above set up as the same. I attached this rig to white hydroelastic. Upon plumbing up with the two deep rigs, I found that I had about 5ft of depth at 9m, at the base of the far slope.
I was ready, with about 2 minutes to spare.
For bait today, I had maggots, maggots and some more maggots. In view of watching Alwynne last week, I planned on fishing with maggot only and also feeding by catapult only. I never even got a pole pot out of my box.
At the start of the match, I fed 10 (ish) maggots down the middle and on two lines across, one straight in front and one to my left. After about 5 minutes, I got my first indication. I waited with baited breath. The float buried and an F1 about 10oz was soon in the net. I dropped in again and 10 minutes later added another f1 to my net. Over the next 40 minutes or so, I added another 5 carp (4 F1’s and 1 Mirror) for an estimated 8lb.
Now’s the time to plunder the far side. I put double red maggot on the .2g rig and shipped out to the far side. I dropped in, picked up the catapult. Too late, the elastic was out. A carp of about 2lb was trying it’s best to get away, but it failed. I baited up again, shipped across to the same hole and waited (enough time to feed this time). After a further 5 minutes or so, the float dipped. I struck. A little too eager this time. I laid the rig in and waited. The float dipped, I waited. The float dipped again. My reactions were on edge. The float disappeared. Another carp was on it’s way.
After netting the carp, I decided to go to the swim to my left, where I had been feeding a few maggots. I dropped in and got a ‘dink’ straight away. I let the float settle. After a couple of minutes, the float buried and an ide of about 10oz was making a bit of a commotion. I decided that I should go back to my other swim across. By now, I was feeding about 10 maggots at various intervals on all lines, but I was getting carried away and ended up feeding too many maggots. I was feeding as often as I felt necessary in that whilst my float was in the swim that I was fishing, I was probably feeding more bait, than if my float was in another swim.
I was trying to feed all 3 across swims different to see what sort of reaction I would get and to try to ‘suss out’ how much feed the fish wanted. To my right hand swim I was feeding about 10 – 15 maggots, but not very often. I was feeding my middle swim more often and less maggots, probably feeding every 3 minutes (whilst my float was in the swim) and putting in about 6 maggots. To my left, I was feeding 10 maggots less often than my middle swim, but more often than my right hand swim. And when I went on my left hand swim, I feed immediately.
Elvis to my right had by now managed to snare his first fish.
The third hour was the slowest part of the match, I think that my fish had run into Elvis' peg to seek sanctuary rather than staying in my peg. Or was it because I had started to get a little giddy with the feed pattern.
Bedpan had a few fish, which all came off the farside and I felt as though I was still playing catch up. Raymondo was getting the odd fish, so I wasn’t fairing too badly. I eased back on the amount of bait that I had put in and was flicking a few maggots here and there. If I hadn’t had a bite or an indication after about 5 minutes, I moved to one of my other swims, still concentrating on the far side.
Over the 3rd hour, I managed to snare 4 carp, a gudgeon and a couple of ide for an estimated 5lb. I had by now about 20lb ish, with 2 hours remaining.
Over the next 2 hours, I was feeding less maggots but more often and trying to sneak a couple of fish off each line as the swim seemed to go quite after you had 1 or 2 fish. The wind was blowing left to right if I went to my left hand swim and it was off my back to my middle and right hand swim. Although it was considerably more comfortable fishing to my middle and right, I was struggling catching fish to my right and every time I caught a fish to my middle swim, the swim went quite.
With about an hour to go, the wind died down considerably and I was able to swap between both the middle and left hand swims. I was by now feeding about 6 – 8 maggots twice every drop in on each line, but I was only feeding whilst my float was in the swim and I wouldn’t swap swims until I had actually caught a fish (gudgeon didn’t count).
With about 45 minutes left, I was starting to get worried. I knew that I had been catching, but didn’t realistically know what weight I had. I could have anything between 35 – 40lb. Why was I worried? There is still a 2 net rule in force at The Oaks and if you have more than 50lb in one net, something will be said and a possible disqualification my occur. In view of the weight that I had and not having had too many weights over 50lb this year, I had only put one net in!!! To make matters worse, I was still catching.
A carp attached it’s self to my double maggot hookbait. I tried to shake it off, but no, it wouldn’t come off. Oh well, I will have to put it in my net.
When you strike and hook a fish, what do you think makes the fish go the way that it does. In that, if you hook a fish and it runs to your left, does it go that way because of the direction that you have struck, or does it go that way because of instinct, or is it the way that is has just come from? On Sunday a good few of the fish that I hooked all ran the same way - to my left. The fish running this way made it difficult as I was having to try to drag the fish back round to my right in order to slide my pole back along my pole roller, failing that, I broke the pole down and shipped back across the grass.
I shipped back out and dropped the rig in. The float buried, I struck and the fish shot off to my left towards Raymondo. After a tense battle and a big pull back my way the fish was soon under my feet. After a bit of toing and froing and trying to get the fish off the bottom, the culprit was in the net. A Barbel of about 1lb. The reason that it fought so hard was that it was foul-hooked in it’s fin.
The last 15 minutes where the longest that I went without catching a fish. I had received a couple of indications, but no fish.
Throughout the match, I had managed to feed less than ½ a pint of bait and only lost half a dozen foul-hooked fish. Elvis ended up tipping back his 3 fish. A quick walk down to Chappy and he was tipping back an estimated 15 – 20lb (a quid up already and the scales haven’t even arrived). Bedpan had a few, it was going to be close.
By the time that the scales had arrived there were 3 weights over 50lb, G2E (Graham Twohey) 73lb, Ena Sharples – 61lb and Middy 55lb. Both Ena and Middy were pegged next to each other.
Near to me, Charisma Pawlett had 30 odd lb’s. Finally it was my turn. I only had one net and managed to tip 44lb on the scales. Now it was Bedpan’s turn. He put 36lb on the scales, another quid to me.
Now for my other quids. Nightie had 24-01, Orc 23-05 and Polecrusher Payton 27-00. not a bad day at the office. Where were Macca and Barney Grumble, I would have been quids in if they had been here.
I should have had a quid with 'Young Adam' as well as he only managed 33-00.
Back at the cabin, I checked the results and realised that I had managed to snare an envelope myself. A section win. I had come 7th out of 80. What a result.
In view of spending all last week watching Alwynne, I shouted a Chappy to watch as I approached Alwynne and offered him my winning quid off Chappy. But, Alwynne being the gent he is didn’t take my hard earned.
Full result:
Graham Twohey - 73-00
Steve Sharples - 61-06
Andy Middleton - 55-00
Dave Pimlott - 53-10
Mark Calvert - 51-06
Billy Brierley - 45-06
Then yours truly.
Tightlines, and see how I get on next week. :-)
There was no blog last week as I sat behind Alwynne Ingham and watched what he does throughout a match, so this week with my newly acquired knowledge, we will see what happens.
My phone has been hectic this week with people trying to book on and off for today’s match and as at yesterday, I had 80 people booked on the match with half a dozen turning up on the day to try to get on.
By the time of the draw, I managed to get on all those that were there at the draw. What I do at The Oaks Lakes, is to take the monies from all those that have booked on and come 9:00, I offer the places to people that are waiting to get on but who haven’t booked.
Whilst sorting out the pegs, Nightie took peg 62 off the board and indicated that he wanted that peg. We will see what happens. 3 jackpot pegs were drawn and they were pegs 67 (Mick Grant), peg 78 (Lizard, see picture below) and peg 79 (Craig Lealand). I put my hand in the bag and upset Nightie straight away as peg 62 had only gone and jumped into my mitt saying ‘pick me, pick me, don’t let Nightie get me’. The only problem is that although 62 can be a good peg, more so when it is colder during winter and it hasn’t yet been cold enough. Barry ‘Two Nets’ Rabjohn was on the peg yesterday and had about 20 odd lb.
My quids were going to pegs 12 (Nightie), 29 (Orc), 55 (Pole Crusher Payton), 59 (Mr Chappy) and peg 64 (Bedpan Movely). Looking at the list, I was going to lose a couple of quid’s at this rate, in particular to Mr Chappy and Pole Crusher.
After sorting everyone out and the pay packets I arrived at my peg. To give you and idea of how long this sometimes takes, we started the draw at 9:05. I arrived at my peg at 9:40 for a 10:15 start, talk about having no time to set up. If I carried out the draw at 9:00 and fished 10:30 – 3:30, people complain about having too much time to get ready, and because I run the match for everyone else rather than running the match for me, where is the compromise?
To my right I had John ‘Elvis’ Fallows and to my left I had Raymondo Wallace. Bedpan was a couple of pegs away on peg 64 and Mr Chappy was within earshot on peg 59.
After arriving at my peg, I surveyed all around me to decide where I was going to fish, so that will be across and down the middle then.
I set up 4 rigs (within my 30 minutes or so) as follows:
1 rig with a .2g Garbolino DC 6 float attached to .10 Novotech line, direct to a size 18 Preston Pr23 hook. I attached this to Maver Dual Core hollow elastic 6 – 10 (the yellow one).
Rig two was the same as the above apart from the weight of the float. I used a .5g DC 6 float. This was set up on the same line and hook size. I attached this rig to Daiwa Hydroelastic – white.I plumbed up across with both of these two rigs, to fish across to the far side, where I had approximately 2ft of depth at the base of the mud slope.
Rigs 3 and 4 both incorporated Drennan Roach rigs for fishing down the middle. One was a 4x14 float on .12 Fox Match Plus line direct to a size 18 Kamasan B611 hook. This was attached to the yellow Maver Dual Core. The other deep rig was a 4 x 12 version of the above set up as the same. I attached this rig to white hydroelastic. Upon plumbing up with the two deep rigs, I found that I had about 5ft of depth at 9m, at the base of the far slope.
I was ready, with about 2 minutes to spare.
For bait today, I had maggots, maggots and some more maggots. In view of watching Alwynne last week, I planned on fishing with maggot only and also feeding by catapult only. I never even got a pole pot out of my box.
At the start of the match, I fed 10 (ish) maggots down the middle and on two lines across, one straight in front and one to my left. After about 5 minutes, I got my first indication. I waited with baited breath. The float buried and an F1 about 10oz was soon in the net. I dropped in again and 10 minutes later added another f1 to my net. Over the next 40 minutes or so, I added another 5 carp (4 F1’s and 1 Mirror) for an estimated 8lb.
Now’s the time to plunder the far side. I put double red maggot on the .2g rig and shipped out to the far side. I dropped in, picked up the catapult. Too late, the elastic was out. A carp of about 2lb was trying it’s best to get away, but it failed. I baited up again, shipped across to the same hole and waited (enough time to feed this time). After a further 5 minutes or so, the float dipped. I struck. A little too eager this time. I laid the rig in and waited. The float dipped, I waited. The float dipped again. My reactions were on edge. The float disappeared. Another carp was on it’s way.
After netting the carp, I decided to go to the swim to my left, where I had been feeding a few maggots. I dropped in and got a ‘dink’ straight away. I let the float settle. After a couple of minutes, the float buried and an ide of about 10oz was making a bit of a commotion. I decided that I should go back to my other swim across. By now, I was feeding about 10 maggots at various intervals on all lines, but I was getting carried away and ended up feeding too many maggots. I was feeding as often as I felt necessary in that whilst my float was in the swim that I was fishing, I was probably feeding more bait, than if my float was in another swim.
I was trying to feed all 3 across swims different to see what sort of reaction I would get and to try to ‘suss out’ how much feed the fish wanted. To my right hand swim I was feeding about 10 – 15 maggots, but not very often. I was feeding my middle swim more often and less maggots, probably feeding every 3 minutes (whilst my float was in the swim) and putting in about 6 maggots. To my left, I was feeding 10 maggots less often than my middle swim, but more often than my right hand swim. And when I went on my left hand swim, I feed immediately.
Elvis to my right had by now managed to snare his first fish.
The third hour was the slowest part of the match, I think that my fish had run into Elvis' peg to seek sanctuary rather than staying in my peg. Or was it because I had started to get a little giddy with the feed pattern.
Bedpan had a few fish, which all came off the farside and I felt as though I was still playing catch up. Raymondo was getting the odd fish, so I wasn’t fairing too badly. I eased back on the amount of bait that I had put in and was flicking a few maggots here and there. If I hadn’t had a bite or an indication after about 5 minutes, I moved to one of my other swims, still concentrating on the far side.
Over the 3rd hour, I managed to snare 4 carp, a gudgeon and a couple of ide for an estimated 5lb. I had by now about 20lb ish, with 2 hours remaining.
Over the next 2 hours, I was feeding less maggots but more often and trying to sneak a couple of fish off each line as the swim seemed to go quite after you had 1 or 2 fish. The wind was blowing left to right if I went to my left hand swim and it was off my back to my middle and right hand swim. Although it was considerably more comfortable fishing to my middle and right, I was struggling catching fish to my right and every time I caught a fish to my middle swim, the swim went quite.
With about an hour to go, the wind died down considerably and I was able to swap between both the middle and left hand swims. I was by now feeding about 6 – 8 maggots twice every drop in on each line, but I was only feeding whilst my float was in the swim and I wouldn’t swap swims until I had actually caught a fish (gudgeon didn’t count).
With about 45 minutes left, I was starting to get worried. I knew that I had been catching, but didn’t realistically know what weight I had. I could have anything between 35 – 40lb. Why was I worried? There is still a 2 net rule in force at The Oaks and if you have more than 50lb in one net, something will be said and a possible disqualification my occur. In view of the weight that I had and not having had too many weights over 50lb this year, I had only put one net in!!! To make matters worse, I was still catching.
A carp attached it’s self to my double maggot hookbait. I tried to shake it off, but no, it wouldn’t come off. Oh well, I will have to put it in my net.
When you strike and hook a fish, what do you think makes the fish go the way that it does. In that, if you hook a fish and it runs to your left, does it go that way because of the direction that you have struck, or does it go that way because of instinct, or is it the way that is has just come from? On Sunday a good few of the fish that I hooked all ran the same way - to my left. The fish running this way made it difficult as I was having to try to drag the fish back round to my right in order to slide my pole back along my pole roller, failing that, I broke the pole down and shipped back across the grass.
I shipped back out and dropped the rig in. The float buried, I struck and the fish shot off to my left towards Raymondo. After a tense battle and a big pull back my way the fish was soon under my feet. After a bit of toing and froing and trying to get the fish off the bottom, the culprit was in the net. A Barbel of about 1lb. The reason that it fought so hard was that it was foul-hooked in it’s fin.
The last 15 minutes where the longest that I went without catching a fish. I had received a couple of indications, but no fish.
Throughout the match, I had managed to feed less than ½ a pint of bait and only lost half a dozen foul-hooked fish. Elvis ended up tipping back his 3 fish. A quick walk down to Chappy and he was tipping back an estimated 15 – 20lb (a quid up already and the scales haven’t even arrived). Bedpan had a few, it was going to be close.
By the time that the scales had arrived there were 3 weights over 50lb, G2E (Graham Twohey) 73lb, Ena Sharples – 61lb and Middy 55lb. Both Ena and Middy were pegged next to each other.
Near to me, Charisma Pawlett had 30 odd lb’s. Finally it was my turn. I only had one net and managed to tip 44lb on the scales. Now it was Bedpan’s turn. He put 36lb on the scales, another quid to me.
Now for my other quids. Nightie had 24-01, Orc 23-05 and Polecrusher Payton 27-00. not a bad day at the office. Where were Macca and Barney Grumble, I would have been quids in if they had been here.
I should have had a quid with 'Young Adam' as well as he only managed 33-00.
Back at the cabin, I checked the results and realised that I had managed to snare an envelope myself. A section win. I had come 7th out of 80. What a result.
In view of spending all last week watching Alwynne, I shouted a Chappy to watch as I approached Alwynne and offered him my winning quid off Chappy. But, Alwynne being the gent he is didn’t take my hard earned.
Full result:
Graham Twohey - 73-00
Steve Sharples - 61-06
Andy Middleton - 55-00
Dave Pimlott - 53-10
Mark Calvert - 51-06
Billy Brierley - 45-06
Then yours truly.
Tightlines, and see how I get on next week. :-)
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
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