Commercial Matchman: A 'respectable' catch from Magpie, Rookery Waters

Peg 13, Magpie, Wed, Feb 22
Thirty-one of us 'Pidley Pensioners' fished this match, on Raven and Magpie at Rookery Waters, with my peg 13 right next to where I had been the previous Wednesday on 14. I had Shaun Buddle to my right on 11 and Steve (Ivy) Tilsley farther round the bend on 9, a peg he didn't want because it's been unkind to him in the past. Diddums! I must confess, however, that I would have preferred 1 to 8 or anywhere on the island 28 to 36, or even in the big bay in the 20s, ,as there are underwater lily pads or reeds to fish to in many of those swims.

End of the match, and there was still the hint of a breeze.

A good start

At the start there was hardly any wind, and our swims were flat calm. Like most others I started on the bomb and bread, cast about halfway to the ropes which prevent these pegs from overcasting into 34 and 33 on the island opposite. Ten minutes later the rod rattled round and a 4 lb mirror came in. But then the Lucky fairies who had been watching over me turned their backs and glided away, and I had nothing more for the next 40 minutes.

A change to the pole at 13 metres, with 4mm expander pellets, saw some liners, and I immediately switched to a dobbing rig, which had allegedly done well on this bank the previous weekend. The light was so poor I could not actually see the yellow-tipped float unless it was against the dark reflections of trees opposite, but I was confident that if there were fish willing to feed up in the water I would get an indication of some sort. Nothing! Back to the main rigs.

A 5 lb carp came in on the expander, and then there was a long spell when all I could do was briefly hit two fish, obviously foulhooked, which came off after a second. I tried in the deep margin

I bring Shaun luck...
Three hours after the start I wandered up to Shaun who had, I think, five fish, and just as I got up to him his rod went round and a five-pounder came in, hooked on a bright yellow pop-up. I went back and tried it, but never had a take. However Shaun then started to take the occasional fish on his pop-up, casting towards the reeded island, which was not in my swim.

Shaun Buddle lays his last fish, hooked just before the whistle.

I switched to maggot on the pole and at last took a couple of F1s, and another carp or two, but I had to keep switching swims, and altering the length from 13 to 14.5 metres to get a bite. Then, with about an hour left, I had two fish in two casts, on sweetcorn, and felt that more were due. But at that exact moment the North-Westerly wind started, right into my face, which would have been fine except that it suddenly became very cold.

My best fish comes late
That wind, which also blew lots of dead reeds and stuff through my swim, put the kybosh on my swim and I couldn't get a touch. Then it suddenly died down and the air felt much warmer, and with 15 minutes left I hooked my best fish, about 6 lb. By now Steve had packed up, having had just a couple of fish, I think.

With ten minutes to go I hoped for another, but when the whistle went all I could do was get off my box and photograph Shaun playing yet another fish. This turned out to be his best of the day at around 9 lb.

Nearly there.

The weigh-in
I hadn't seen the weighers approaching Shaun, so couldn't get a picture of his fish. I guessed he had 50 lb-plus, and indeed he weighed 58 lb 6 oz, just 2 oz behind Mick Mister on 1. I totalled 26 lb 8 oz which was at least respectable, but nowhere on the lake, won again on peg 36 by Colin Walker with 112 lb 3 oz.

The weights on Raven were smaller, won on end peg 29. But overall the weather had been kind to us, I'm stewarding at the Winter League final sections on Decoy on Saturday, and not sure whether I will be fishing on Sunday.

Results below.