A quick update….

I have fished a few of the evening matches at a local lake called None-Go-Bye. It is on a farm and the owners are still learning and boy, do they have a lot to learn.

I have fished a total of 7 evening matches and won money in all but one of them. I have had weights of 20lb (2nd), 42lb (1st), 47lb (1st), 38lb (2nd) and a few other weights in between. This isn’t bad for a 3 hour evening match, where the bonus fish are about 2lb and the main stamp of fish are in the 10 – 12oz bracket. I have been fishing pellet across to the farside and I have just started to fish paste down the middle.

I have started to fish with a maggot and Groundbait approach on the Sessay Opens and the weights are steadily increasing, the first time that I used it I caught 36lb (13lb one side of me and 7 fish the other) for 2nd in section. I have also had 57lb (with a DNW (about 20lb) one side and 22lb the other) for a section win and about 10th overall. I used it a couple of weeks ago and had 42lb, again, coming 2nd in my section with 44lb winning the section. I got broke by one as I couldn’t get my top kit back on to my pole and it bottomed out my elastic. Dave Pimlott had 57lb one side of me and I had a DNW on the other side. I used it yesterday and had 52lb with 74lb one side (Dave Pimlott (again) – 4th overall) for 2nd in section again.

I went to Woodland View, Droitwich for a charity do taking the format of the old ‘uns v young ‘uns and took Total Fishing.com poster ‘Budnudd’ with me. I quickly renamed Budnudd – Dudone as it had a better ring to it than budnudd. I had a quick chat to Giles to see if he had any top tips and to also say thank you for helping me to win £600 quid when I first started to us the HITL method. I managed to draw Front Deans pool, peg 9. I had Steve May a couple of pegs away on about peg 6 or 7 and Corndawg was next peg to Steve. A quick quid was struck up with both. I had Steve’s Lad – God, opposite me and Dudone was within earshot on Front Deans peg 3. Giles was unsure about which way to swing due to his age as the average age was 42 years old. If you were this old or older, you was classed as an oldie. Giles stood there with a look of what do I do. I am only 42. A quick shove from yours truly and he was soon on his way to the old ‘uns.

I fished with caster up in the water and ended up with 31lb for 2nd in my section (again). Gary Thorpe won my section with 47lb. The lad next to me was tapping with water, I thought that this wasn’t allowed and I told him on a couple of occasions. But he still continued. God managed to win our lake with 80 odd pounds. Peter1984 (not sure of his real name, who organised the match) was a clear winner with 168lb. Giles was 2nd with 118lb. I was on the wrong lake and wrong side. Everyone on the opposite bank had 40 – 80lb, whereas on my bank we mainly struggled. Steve ended up with 14lb odd and Corndawg had 15lb odd. I had to beat an old fella next to me (Mike someone was his name) and he had 4 fish. Job done. I won an envelope for 2nd in section, which I donated to the cause (and additional £35).

Back at Hosticks, I was 14th to draw, so all I did was to look around for a bit of room. Dudone was in attendance again, courtesy of yours truly. He was even further down the draw than I was. I ended up on Kingfisher peg 26 and Dudone ended up on Kingfisher peg 24. He only managed to get done 8 times and ended up with about 8 fish out. I fished maggot for a couple of hours and then switched to pellet to end up with 70 odd pounds and a most enjoyable days fishing.

I have just taken delivery of some Ultima Power Match line and I am totally impressed with it on my initial trials. I used it at None Go Bye on the old original lake. I rigged up my G995 pole with some Red Hydro elastic and rigged up with .20 line direct to a size 12 hook. I plumbed up about 5” away from a lily bed. I used a short power No. 4 which had a small crack in it that I had taped up, so I wouldn’t be too bothered if I broke the section or not. I let Jasper have a go and he only went and broke the said section as a large carp made a big for freedom. After a 4 minute tussle (if you could call it that), we managed to grab hold of the end of the section that had broken and tried to pull the fish back through the lily bed, but no such luck. It managed to break me, but not without a battle first.

On Sunday, I gave a bit of line to Dave Pimlott and asked him to break it. He couldn’t, and it nearly cut his hands. I did the same with Andy Stonner and the same happened. I then showed them the breaking strain. 0.14!!!!

That’s all for now, but more will follow.

Tightlines

Mike