A frustrating rod-and-line-float-only match - Kingsland Silver

Kingsland Silver Lake

There were just ten of us in this ‘waggler’ match. Last year, as it was called a waggler match, I used ...wagglers, fixed bottom only, but found that lifting a dropping a bait in the margin didn’t work very well.  Afterwards I found  that any float could be used – including pole floats. So this year my initial plan was to target the small carp – up to 4 oz – with a 13-foot waggler fished to hand with a pole rig, for the first hour or two when the bigger fish were not  likely to show.

So it was definitely now described as a ‘rod-and-line-float-only’ match. Then a curve-ball – we were told on the morning that we could use a pole to cup in. Unfortunately I had left my pole behind so I could not be accused of using a pole in a rod and line match. Seemed reasonable to me! Not that it would have made a huge difference to the result – but at least I shall know for next year.

I admit I wasn’t looking forward to the match as I’m not much good on the waggler, and hadn’t fished one since the same match last year. I was also (still am) feeling a bit fragile after having had 12 of my 20 sessions of radiography for my prostate cancer; in fact the previous day I had rung to say I would probably not be there. But on the morning I thought I could manage. However I decided  I’d forget about winning, and just enjoy myself if I could, and hopefully catch a few on pellet waggler. Then I drew the £100 Golden Peg! But I accepted I couldn’t live with Tony and some of the others  on the float,  and forgot about the money.

Kevin had most of his fish on bunches of dead reds
fished in 18 inches of water in the margins.

My plan works

My plan of going for small fish with a single maggot worked well for the first hour or so, and I put about 10 lb in the net. Then I tried pellet waggler with 6mm pellet for half an hour, and didn’t get any indications at all. Tony, on the bank to my right, was getting some, though – mainly small fish. His feeding must have been better than mine.

All the time there were carp from 5 lb to 8 lb feeding in ten inches of water just a couple of metres out. Everybody had some in their swim, but few were caught. The fish seemed to be sucking up the mud, and not moving much. I later suspected they were after bloodworm. I caught three, all hooked properly in the mouth. But I never saw a bite. I remembered where my cat meat was, and when I saw a tail above it I struck, more in hope than expectation as the clouds of mud obscured the fish’s head.

Frustrating

But I wasted hours trying for more. Even dead maggots didn't work. Frustrating. Another five took cat meat over pellet and corm farther out, among some more carp about 4 oz which somehow sucked the lump into their mouths. I interspersed this with more small fish on the maggot, and quite enjoyed it all. Another try on the pellet waggler for the best part of an hour again produced nothing. At the end I had 20 lb of small fish and 41 lb of larger ones – eight fish around 5 lb each -  and to my amazement it was good enough for third! Dave, to my left, our Club Champion, fishes a waggler in every match, and he struggled. So I was quite happy with my 62 lb 3 oz.

I was surprised to take third spot, from peg 9.

There were just 4 oz between Tony and winner Kevin Lee, who was three swims to my right. He fed dead maggot in the margins and fished a bunch of deads for 132 lb 12 oz,  while Tony used mainly pellet for 132 lb 8 oz. If I had had a pole cup with me I think I would, in fact,  have vastly improved my weight. If nothing else it brought home to me the huge advantages a pole can give in many circumstances.

Saturday sees me on Beastie Lake at Decoy if I’m still fit enough to go. My favourite pegs 9 and 18 look like being not pegged, so I hope for 2, 7, 8, 26, 29 or 30.