Peg 1, Sunday, Oct 30
This was the last Fenland Rods match of the season, and the Bedford Cup, given in memory of Les Bedford, by his family. Les died at Decoy immediately after a Fenland Rods match in October 2018, and Damson was his favourite lake, so this match is always fished there.
This was the last Fenland Rods match of the season, and the Bedford Cup, given in memory of Les Bedford, by his family. Les died at Decoy immediately after a Fenland Rods match in October 2018, and Damson was his favourite lake, so this match is always fished there.
Peg 1 is the swim everyone fancies, and on this occasion I got it! I've never fished it before, so I was surprised, on plumbing up, to find that the lefthand margin was very deep, at nearly four feet, while the right margin was only about 18 inches, which is typical for the margins on this lake. The weather was lovely - overcast but with a warmish wind, with Peg 1 well sheltered, so the water here had very little ripple, and was flat calm most of the day. That's my excuse, because I can tell you now that I didn't win!
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| Peg 1 - sheltered but with lots of features. The peg everyone else wanted... |
A slow start
I started shallow on a banded pellet, to the right, and got several dips of the float, but no proper bites. A switch to the left also brought nothing. An expander was knocked off the hook so I changed to a grain of corn, which at last brought one or two F1s from about two feet of water, a little out from the right bank. Dick Warrener, on my right, had already had some fish on what looked to be the very edge of the shelf, at about four feet.
I started shallow on a banded pellet, to the right, and got several dips of the float, but no proper bites. A switch to the left also brought nothing. An expander was knocked off the hook so I changed to a grain of corn, which at last brought one or two F1s from about two feet of water, a little out from the right bank. Dick Warrener, on my right, had already had some fish on what looked to be the very edge of the shelf, at about four feet.
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| Dick Warrener in action next to me on peg 2. |
I was certain I would get fish in the deeper left margin, and had been flicking corn in there, but the fish were slow, and after about an hour I had only about eight F1s. I then had a brilliant idea, and flicked in some maggots. This had a miraculous effect, and brought fish in within seconds, fighting just below the surface for the sinking maggots. I dropped in a hook with three maggots on...and promptly came up with a tiny roach.
I foulhook some
It was very frustrating - I could out in four maggots and the fish would be in a frenzy, but mainly ignoring the hook bait, and I foulhooked two or three. However, I was at least putting odd fish into the net, and a switch back to corn also brought some. Halfway through the match I had caught about 40 lb, all F1s, up to about 2 lb. I didn't think that would be enough, as Kevin Lee, two swims to my right, was catching on a feeder cast to the far bank, though Dick appeared to now be struggling.
It was very frustrating - I could out in four maggots and the fish would be in a frenzy, but mainly ignoring the hook bait, and I foulhooked two or three. However, I was at least putting odd fish into the net, and a switch back to corn also brought some. Halfway through the match I had caught about 40 lb, all F1s, up to about 2 lb. I didn't think that would be enough, as Kevin Lee, two swims to my right, was catching on a feeder cast to the far bank, though Dick appeared to now be struggling.
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| At last - a decent picture of John Smith, our chairman, on peg 9, who arranges all the fixtures for us. Many thanks, John. |
I had one particularly galling incident, when I hit what seemed to be a big fish and found the line had caught round the pot on the end of the pole, and the fish broke me. I can't remember that ever happening before.
'Proper' carp from the deep water.
Soon I went out into the deep water - about eight feet deep - next to the aerator at six sections of pole, and immediately caught mirror carp of 3 lb and 8 lb, followed by two more F1s. I wasted a bit too much time there, trying cat meat which produced only one fish, but had only a few F1s in the next hour, though I did get broken by a particularly big fish. The deep rig, which broke at the loop, was made up some time ago, on 5.5 lb line. I must remember that now the fish are much bigger, I will have to remake those rigs on 10 lb line if I use them in Summer. I will probably get away with it in Winter, though.
Soon I went out into the deep water - about eight feet deep - next to the aerator at six sections of pole, and immediately caught mirror carp of 3 lb and 8 lb, followed by two more F1s. I wasted a bit too much time there, trying cat meat which produced only one fish, but had only a few F1s in the next hour, though I did get broken by a particularly big fish. The deep rig, which broke at the loop, was made up some time ago, on 5.5 lb line. I must remember that now the fish are much bigger, I will have to remake those rigs on 10 lb line if I use them in Summer. I will probably get away with it in Winter, though.
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| Martin Parker had 84 lb 5 oz and you can see that his fish were mainly mirrors unlike my catch. Martin does fantastically well considering he is completely blind in one eye. |
In about 20 minutes I must have landed ten more F1s and one 3 lb mirror on corn - every cast the float was dipping, though some were obviously liners. Then the rain stopped, the surface became calm again, and bites tailed off. Minutes later the match ended. It reminded me of a recent match when I caught in the rain but the fish went off when the surface calmed down.
The weigh in
I was first to weigh. I estimated I had about 80 lb, but in fact the total was 96 lb 4 oz. Kevin had fished a banded pellet on his feeder, and said that when it landed, the far bank - about 35 yards distant - became black with carp. He ended with 119 lb 12 oz; but to his right Shaun Buddle had been matching him fish for fish, on the pole. It was quite tense as Shaun weighed, but he finished exactly 1 lb short of Kevin's catch.
I was first to weigh. I estimated I had about 80 lb, but in fact the total was 96 lb 4 oz. Kevin had fished a banded pellet on his feeder, and said that when it landed, the far bank - about 35 yards distant - became black with carp. He ended with 119 lb 12 oz; but to his right Shaun Buddle had been matching him fish for fish, on the pole. It was quite tense as Shaun weighed, but he finished exactly 1 lb short of Kevin's catch.
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| Mel Lutkin on end peg 13 also had lots of mirror carp in his 89 lb 10 oz. |
I walked along with the scales, and it slowly became apparent that the farther I walked the more 'proper' carp were in the catches. Peter Spriggs, on 5 with 94 lb 12 oz, said he had, like me, mainly F1s. But you can see from the catch pictures of Martin and Mel that they had mainly mirrors and commons. Perhaps this is proof that the fish are slowly moving into their normal Winter areas, as happens every year.
Anyway, I was mightily surprised that I ended third. Well done to Kevin - the most consistent angler in the club. Next blog will show the presentation pictures.
The next day...
Next day was a Spratts match on Yew, and if the weather was going to be anything like it had been for this match I fancied that it could be a good day. Alas, Winter was about to remind us what might be in store around the corner...
Next day was a Spratts match on Yew, and if the weather was going to be anything like it had been for this match I fancied that it could be a good day. Alas, Winter was about to remind us what might be in store around the corner...
THE RESULT
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