I’m happy on Jay Lake, Pidley - Xmas Open

This was a Saturday Christmas Open fished by 38 on Jay, Magpie and Raven. I drew 47 on Jay, beside the bridge. It’s recognised as a good peg but I had never fished it. A few weeks ago I went and helped Alex weigh in a match on Jay, and it was noticeable that while a lot of fish of 3 lb upwards were weighed in, the fish from pegs 2 and 47, each side of the bridge, were smaller.

So when I took two 4 oz carp, on maggot, in the first two drop-ins at 11 metres over hear the aerator on the corner of the bridge I had the feeling that it might be better to keep catching these smaller fish than to look for  better ones. Strangely I could catch fish only on the bottom, and never had a single fish off bottom.

Magpie produced the biggest weights

,,,but Raven was most consistent

However, the fish came in fits and spurts – I would catch two, then cast around trying to find them and after a fruitless 20 minutes, when I was about to start another swim, I’d get another fish. So I basically kept fishing around the aerator and taking fish intermittently. Two better ones (probably around 2 lb) came off early on, and in fact I did try bread off bottom over on 14 metres next to the far-bank reeds, looking for 'proper' carp, but never had a bite. I had the feeling that there were plenty of fish in front of me, just not really interested in feeding. All came to maggot, though I did try pellet.

The first half of Jay.

Tree On!

A look in the margins and under the bridge also never brought any result. I estimated I had 10 lb to 12 lb by the end, but wasn’t sure how this compared with any of the others, as I couldn’t see them properly. Five minutes from the end I had hooked another good fish but soon realised it was foulhooked, and as it neared the net the hook pinged out and caught in the overhanging tree.

Before I could extricate the rig from the tree the shout went up to end the match. I considered immediately shouting “Tree On” but realised everyone was so far away they wouldn’t have heard me! I assumed someone would probably have near 100 lb on this lake, but honestly didn’t see how it could have come from my swim.

I fact I weighed 20 lb 9 oz, which beat four of the 13 on Jay, and considering the standard of angler –all of whom are regulars at Pidley, I was very satisfied. The angler to my right, on 41, seemed to be fishing long almost all day and I assumed he was finding fish on bread off bottom, but he couldn’t have had many as he weighed only 10 lb.

The second half of Jay.

Back at the cafe

Everybody went back to the cafe afterwards, where Alex had a table full of prizes- everbody got one, and the three lake winners had a hamper of food and goodies. Free tea was provided, together with Claire's special home-made mince pies, infused with port.

At that point I was able to see the weigh sheets. Magpie produced the best weights with peg 19 a bit of a surprise as it produced 115 lb 5 oz to Flip Flop - he wears sandals in all weathers (they breed 'em hard round here). The other best pegs were 24 and 36, which tend to give good weights (I even came second in an Open once on peg 24 so it must have been a good 'un).

Raven was very consistent, though I got the impression that bread did not work as well as it has recently. Mark Pollard won (again) on peg 5 with Jimmy Brooks Jnr a close second.

As often happens Jay was more peggy - so often the wind affects the weights here, though today I and peg 41 had back wind and the best weights came from some of the worst-affected swims. But with top weight just 46 lb 10, that would constitute quite a hard day for these blokes.

PS. The weight sheet has me on peg 47 with no position beside it – Alex missed my weight when working out the positions, but as the prizes were drawn for it made no difference. My prize was a selction of cheeses, biscuits, some Bag-Em meat, and a Frenzee pole sock, which is the one thing I needed to renew. So Happy Days.

I fact I weighed 20 lb 9 oz, which beat four of the 13 on Jay, and considering the standard of angler –all of whom are regulars at Pidley, I was very satisfied. The angler to my right, on 41, seemed to be fishing long almost all day and I assumed he was finding fish on bread off bottom, but he couldn’t have had many as he weighed only 10 lb.

PS. The weight sheet has me on peg 47 with no position beside it – Alex missed my weight when working out the positions, but as the prizes (everybody got one) were drawn for it made no difference. My prize was cheeses, biscuits, some Bag-Em meat, and a Frenzee pole sock, which is the one thing I needed to renew. So Happy Days.