Peg 18
Twelve of us fished this club match on Horseshoe – a lake I
like because it’s a short walk, the banks are good, and there are no real
fliers. Peg 18 (an end peg on the day) stuck to my fingers, and I remembered when I got there that
Trevor Cousins had had this swim in an earlier match, when I was two to his
right. At that time there were fish moving near the lillies, which are about 13
metres to the left, and when I got there this time the fish were there again.
Big black ones, all approaching double-figures.
The temptation was to go straight to the lillies, but
honestly it would have been suicidal, so I dismissed the idea.
I take a long time to set up, but Spratts matches give even
me plenty of time, so with ten minutes to go I had a wander along the bank and
had a word with Wendy. While we were talking I pointed out a great big mirror
carp which was hanging about next to her margin. It was there for a minute of
two, so at that point I decided to start in my margin.
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| The sun was from the left at the start, which would have made fishing towards the lillies difficult, but suicidal as the fish moving there were really big! |
When the match started I threw some corn into my right
margin, potted out some pellets and hemp to nine metres, and had a look in the
margin. First drop-in I had a bite which I missed, and second drop-in had
another good bite which turned out to be a 5 lb common which ended in my
keepnet. Five minutes later a three-pounder joined it, and a few minutes late
another three-pounder.
One fish shallow - then no more
But then the bites petered out. After the match it seemed
that most of the anglers found fish in that first few minutes before they went
off feed. Anyway, I went out to nine metres and in the next hour found four or
five fish from 2 lb to 4 lb. I kept looking inside, but had only one more. As
there were fish moving nearby I started pinging 4mm pellets out, and on the
first drop-in with a banded 4mm pellet an F1 took the pole round. Cracked it!
No. For the next 30 minutes I fished shallow really hard and never had another
touch.
 |
| Wendy was seventh with 52 lb 1 oz. It was a big fish I saw in her margins before the start that decided me to start fishing there. |
Occasionally a fish would saunter into my swim near me, just
under the surface, and I managed to mug two of them. One took me straight into
the lillies and broke me, but the other one I landed. Then I took a chance and
started a margin swim about three metres to my left, towards the lillies, but
still ten metres away. Every time I put bait in I saw swirls, and usually got a
bite.
Then I noticed that the fish near the lillies were coming
closer, swimming into the margins near me and out again, but coming closer each
time. And suddenly they started taking my cat meat.
A good spell in the left margin
A steady stream of carp came for about an hour before they
dried up, and I lost four or five fish, one of which broke me, possibly
foulhooked. I estimated I had about 65 lb with an hour to go, and in the next
30 minutes had enough to bring that up to 80 lb, so I went and got another net.
I was surprised to see Peter The Paste with just two nets, as peg 1, where he
was sat, has won several matches lately, and I assumed he would be well ahead
of me as he’s a very good, consistent matchangler.
 |
| Trevor took an early lead with 74 lb. |
In fact I know that most of the winning weights here were
taken largely beside the reeds to the right of the platform, on a fairly long
pole. Peter was fishing out in front, as he usually does, but I decided, after
due consideration (about half a second) not to upset his carefully-laid plans
and tell him.
Of course, when I got back with 23 minutes left to fish I
couldn’t carry on where I left off – isn’t it always the case? It took me
almost 15 minutes to get the next fish, which was about 5 lb, and two more
came, about 2 lb each, before the whistle blew...actually it’s not a whistle;
more an “Aay, Aay, Aay. That’s it lads, Mac, Mac, Mac, Finish, Finish, Finish.”
Then there’s a chorus of: “Mac, that’s it mate. All Over.” Anyone would think I
am deaf!
Help needed from John (again)
It takes me longer each match to pack up – not helped by the
fact that I usually have six or seven different rigs to pack up. So by the time
I had packed up my gear and John Garner had pushed it back to the car for me
(thanks, John) the weigh-in had started. And indeed Peter Spriggs on peg 1 had
only 54 lb, so those early pegs probably hadn’t fished any better than mine –
if they had Peter would have had more.
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| Mick Ramm, 51 lb 9 oz, peg 2. |
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| Callum, 56 lb 13 oz for third place. |
Mick Ramm also had 50 lb-plus – the first of several weights
around that mark.
Then to Trevor, who took the lead with 74 lb, all taken shallow on pellet waggler and then pole. Callum on
corner peg 12 had 55 lb 6 oz and then to Wendy, who almost made the frame with
52 lb 1 oz, taken on a feeder. I probably should have put on a feeder during
the slack times – it’s a failing of mine.
I admitted to about 90 lb, was last to weigh, and finished
with 98 lb 15 oz for the win. I have to say that a really good angler on my peg
would probably have had a lot more.
Next match on Buttonhole on Sunday, but the forecast is for
searing temperatures, so it might not be easy.
 |
| John Garner fourth with 55 lb 6 oz from peg 11.. |
Peg 18 M Campbell 98 lb 15 oz
MEDICAL BULLETIN
My mates all know that the hormone treatment for
my prostate cancer really has taken away a lot of my strength. The good news is
that following a colonoscopy carried out because of consistent bleeding, the
hospital has confirmed that the colon is OK and the polyps they removed are
benign. So everything on that front (or
rather that backside) is satisfactory.
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