Day two at Grange Park

 Peg 22, Sun, Sept 10
This won't take long. Second day of the JV away-weekend was on Curlew. I've never seen a water quite like it - two inches deep against the bank; six inches deep over a metre out; and about nine inches of water at two metres. But the platforms on this lake and on the previous day's lake were excellent - five feet from front to back, four feet wide and solid as a rock.

Hot again, and the sun was in our faces on this bank, so no point in putting up an umbrella. But there were fish there - lots - and Lee Kendall had a bit of a preview, managing to catch one before the match, when it took his band! The fish showed in the margins seconds after the match started - fish to 8 lb cruised along, showing everyone their tails and stirring up the mud. But we couldn't catch them.

Ripple? I don't remember seeing much of that on Curlew lake.

A fish!
I had one fairly early which took a banded pellet on the bottom in about  a foot of water, level with the front of the platform, to my right, but the next two or three hours passed without incident. To my right Richard Linnell had the  (doubtful) pleasure of my company again, and he had a couple early and then one on a feeder. On the far bank Lee had started on a feeder to the island and I saw him land several fish in that first two hours.Otherwise everybody was struggling.

On my left Justin Hayes had, I think, a couple in the first half of the match and spent the rest of the time fishless. I had a look out in front of me in about four feet of water and somehow managed four fish in the next four hours on small cubes of luncheon meat - carp all around 3 lb. I had several more tugs that looked like bites, and am convinced that, as on the previous day, the better fish were just hitting the bait.

I got the impression that putting bait in did more harm than good - after the fifth fish, having had three in about an hour, I put in some luncheon meat and micros, and never had another touch of any kind in that swim.

Worm did the business
Richard then went out towards the vacant platform between us, with worm, and snared about four or five, also losing one. That convinced me that worm is a bait I should have with me at all times - so many of the anglers took fish on it when they couldn't catch on anything else.

Should I have a drink or play the fish? In the heat it was a no-brainer for |Richard Linnell - down the hatch...

...but it had a happy ending. Richard got his drink and the fish.

Everybody had the same experience in the shallow water on this lake - fish would be there but when they drifted up to out floats they took fright and swirled away. I tried laying on about 20 inches and briefly hooked one fish which might have been foulhooked. And right at the end I set the rig to six feet, laying it in the margins so the line was on the bottom. The float slid away once, and again I pricked something, with no way of knowing whether it was a proper bite.

Then half an hour before the match finished it started to rain, and I couldn't resist t6he opportunity to start packing away. Justin, next to me, had exactly the same thought at exactly the same moment. It's very rare for me to pack up early, but circumstances were unusual - the heat was really oppressive and the atmosphere very muggy and close. I forgive myself, and all the others who did the same! 😉

Dave Parsons tips his fish in - third place to him.

The weigh in
The top weights came from the far bank, where Andy Kelk in the corner fished worm for 72 lb 15, caught a little way from the bank in water  between nine and  18 inches deep, followed by Andy Bull in the corner at the other end of the far bank.  He fished worm tipped with maggot for 66 lb 14 oz. Dave Parsons was third, fishing just maggot (more food for thought). I wonder whether the movement in worms and maggots was attractive to the fish? 

I was told that the water was a foot down on normal level, and that the fish normally feed in the margins, but of course must feel more secure with more water over their heads. A pity to travel that far for not much - but spare a thought for Brian White and John Taylor, friends of Carl White, who had a nine-hour journey back to St Ives in Cornwall to make the next day.

Andy Bull - second with 66 lb 14 oz taken on worm and maggot.

My journey home

Carl White and Lee, who organised the event, announced the results and made the payouts quickly, which enabled us to get away in good time. I wanted to go via Lincoln and Newark onto the A1, but my sat nav took me via Gainsborough, which was OK with me as I knew it wasn't much farther.

But then she wanted to take me over the Trent at Dunham bridge. That was also OK with me...until I drove up to the bridge and saw it was a toll. Fifty pence to cross! Bugga that - I turned round and went on my original road to Newark, which gave me no problems and I was home in about two hours and 20 minutes, which is not bad for a van limited to 50 mph on all roads except dual carriageways and Motorways.

Marks out of ten
I give myself, and everyone else, ten for sticking it out. So another little adventure ended with my congratulations to everyone who took part, and especially to Lee and Andy for ending up on top of the heap, as it were.Next match with Spratts Wednesday on Yew, when I will have home-grown worms with me!

Busiest man over the weekend was Carl White, who had 32 lb 2 oz on the last day. Many thanks for all your work, Carl. It was a good weekend, despite the heat.

THE RESULT