April Matches

Holmes Farm Peg 7

One of the series I am running using up the bookings of the old Aquaflow club. The wind was predicted to get up to 40 MPH later in the day so I pegged just two banks so no-one was facing into the wind. On these matches I am paying sections and a winner takes all optional super pool. So in effect you are only, on this day, fishing against three others.

Set up the pellet feeder as I had a cast to the island and then due to the wind used my margin pole at topkit + 3 sections in front and either side's margin. Fed the pole lines with micros and was looking to fish pellet and corn on the hook. For a couple of reasons I was totally under-prepared for the match. I hadn't really thought it out in my mind and really went on auto pilot. In part I was more worried about getting the organisation right than actually fishing myself. This lack of thought beforehand eventually cost me I think.

Two small carp on the feeder in the first thirty minutes wasn't a bad start but I knew no where near good enough over the course of the match. So out came the pole. Going round the swims with pellet then corn on the hook and I didn't have a bite. Not too worried at this stage as none of the guys around me were catching much either.

Then Derek to my left started to have a few fish on his pole line. Not loads but just the odd fish and bigger than what I was less frequently picking up on the feeder. Bites were not consistent enough on the feeder line for me to stick with it. So I kept looking at and feeding the pole swims but apart from one missed bite I was struggling. Derek told me he was catching on meat. I didn't have any with me. Its not a bait I use a lot and so in my unprepared state I had ignored getting any ready.

Not only that but I had been wondering why my expanders were breaking up when hooked or after a short while in the water. Halfway through the match I discovered that I had been using a tub that were left from the previous week. I hadn't realised that I had left them in my bag. Things got a little better when I started to use the freshly prepared ones./

I tried taking a section of pole off and fished a line closer in at +2 and picked up a couple of skimmers that were approaching 2lb each. If I could keep those coming I'd be happy. Wasn't to be though those were the only two.

Gradually Derek's fish started to come quicker and I knew I was in trouble. Finally with under two hours remaining I saw a big (8-9lb) ghostie in the left hand margin. I knew then that if I had any chance I had to concentrate on the margins. Fairly quickly I picked up a fish of around three pound from the right and an F1 of 1 1/2 from the left. Tail swirls told me the fish were present so I had to get my head down and catch some.

I still struggled but picked up the odd fish and spooked a few. With around twenty minutes left I finally got the feeding right and had five more fish before the end, three in the last ten minutes.

Unknown to me Duncan on the end peg had picked up fish regularly and weighed 44lb, Derek 65 and I had 47. I probably put half of that in the net in the last hour.

Missed out on the section and was fifth overall out of twelve. Match was won with 77 lb from peg 17. Mainly bomb and pellet to the island I think.


I'm off now to cube some meat and put it in the freezer in small batches so I can take it out on the day and ensure I have this change hookbait just in case.

My next two matches in April were complete washouts. The first on Castle Ashby's Brickyard pond saw me draw a peg (3) that the bailiff told me hadn't bothered weighing in on an open match the previous day. I need not have bothered either.

Then on Willowbrook at Islip. If it hadn't have been for one DNW I would have been last with under five pound.

Makins Lake 5, peg 9

Fishomania qualifier and the only reason I'm writing about it.

Given my skill level I know that if I am going to do any good in a match like this then I have to fish to my strengths. That means short and margins. Before the match the lads in the tackle shop at Makins told me they expected the winner to come from lake 5 and that I should go for the win. As it turns out they got it wrong.

So my plan was to concentrate on a short, 2+2 line and margins. Fed the lines and put a straight lead with 8mil pellet for a few minutes while the feed took effect. Had a small carp on this and then nothing. Tried the 2+2 and despite what was probably bites from silvers had nothing.

Into the margins and within ten minutes had a 5lb carp. That got me excited. An hour later I foulhooked one of 8lb. At least that proved there were fish there. About 90 minutes later and I had another fish of seven pound and that was my day done. Total 22-10 and near last in section which was won with 47lb. The other section on the lake was won with 51, roughly half the overall winner's weight. So the recent form of lake 5 didn't carry through to this match.


I am on the reserve list for Boldings in May. A bit of a drive but I may go as its midweek. Fingers crossed.

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