Just six fish for me - Oak Lake, Decoy

Peg 5

The forecast for this 14-entry Spratts club match was high winds, and Trevor put us all down one side of Oak Lake, which filled that side as we had been told by the fishery that Peg 8 had a problem with the platform. The wind, which was cool all day, was roughly over our backs, veering a little either way at times. 

In the Winter League Final two weeks earlier four of the top five weights came from 11, 13 and roughly opposite on 20 and 22, so I would have liked pegs anywhere from 11 to 15. There were two discs in the hat when I drew – 13 and 5...and of course I drew (need I say).

Terry Tribe on 3 was the best of the low numbers.

I started on a feeder with maggot and then a pop up and although I had small liners on and off all the time I never had a fish. So it was out to the 13-metre line on the pole with maggot, which was not difficult with back wind. An hour passed with nothing, but Martin on my right had a couple of fish there, best around 6 lb by the look of it.

Suddenly, out of the blue, I had a bite and landed a carp around 2 lb, and shortly afterwards a 2 lb ide. Martin then out out a waggler, to the far side, and first cast had another good carp. I then saw ninety-two year old Ted on Peg 1 packing up and I went up to help him load his gear into the car. He was cold and hadn’t had a bite. By the time I got back Martin had had another fish on waggler!

Then a  7lb fish came on maggot to a bomb cast right across, giving me a drop-back bite. Now Peter and Bob, to my left on 6 and 7, started to catch occasional fish in the margin on paste. I have some wonderful paste, made to my recipe, but...I hadn't brought it with me. So on went a piece of cat meat. I tried that for half an hour, but never had a touch. But when Bob had two quick fish on a cage feeder I cast one out right across and first time a 10 lb mirror came in eventually. This also gave me a drop-back.

Peter Barnes - smiling even in the rain.

Then – nothing. So I went back on the pole at 13 metres and suddenly saw two fish hump in the waves. Then a bite which I missed – probably a liner; then a pricked fish; then a good fish which turned out to be another double-figure carp, which took two live red maggots. Peter on my left had a barbel on paste in the margin, so I put in some dwead maggot and a little hemp as I know barbel love that combination, but not today!

At this point the wind suddenly became colder and my action was over for the day except for another ide an hour before the end. But Bob on 7, had several more good fish and had obviously done well in our area. He had to wait a long time for bites, though.

The weigh-in

I weighed 34 lb 5 oz, which turned out to be ninth. The top two weights came from the far end, as I had expected, with Trevor on 13 winning with 124 lb 9 oz, most caught on a Middy maggot feeder with maggot cast well across to within a few feet of the far bank. He said he had to wait a long time for every bite. In the corner on 15 Peter Harrison was second with 78 lb 13 oz, all but one taken on pole fished to the end bank. Bob ended third – a good performance on that swim, with Terry Tribe on 3 fourth.

Trevor Cousins - an easy winner with 124 lb 9 oz.

Runner-up Peter Harrison, 78 lb 13 oz.

Mark Parnell's best fish was around 13 lb.

The (wet) result sheet.

My soggy bottom

My new wheelchair ramp system was great – the loaded trolley pushed straight into the back of my van. But I had left the drivers door open, and the rain had started by now, and was blowing straight in. It was only after I had followed the scales around that I realised the door was open and my seat cover was very wet. It’s plastic, not material, and foolishly I sat in it thinking it wouldn’t matter. Seconds later I realised it had permeated right through and I had a soggy bottom until I got home!

Next match probably Tuesday on Six Island, where the wind will determine which swims fish best.