Nothing much to report from my swim – Cedar, Elm and Damson, Decoy

Peg 11

This report is more than a week late, cos I’ve been busy. But at least you can see some results of this 34-entry Open. I started at 11.5 metres because the wind was blowing into our bank from the East – the right – despite the fast that the forecast was for Westerlies. But it never got much above a breeze, and I was able to push out to 13 metres. I had 14.5 metres ready, but there didn’t seem to be any more action out there than on the shorter line at any time in the match.

Pellet didn’t produce any bites, so I changed to maggot, for a few roach. Then the wind came round behind my bank, as forecast. Eventually I came inside to my right, with maggot, and managed to land a 2 lb carp. Simon Willsmore was on my right on 9, and was also struggling, and the angler to my left in the corner on 13 wasn’t catching much at this point.

Neil Pitfield was on Elm, on the bank behind me, in a  line
of anglers who all had good bags of barbel and carp. He
weighed in 69 lb 11 oz, and came nowehere!

Then he took four or five fish at about 13 metres in front of him, while I managed a 1 lb F1 and a 4 lb barbel foulhooked in the tail, in the deep water to my left on a top two. At that point I put in some hemp and caster and put a small worm on the hook, and immediately hooked another fish, which came off after about 15 seconds – probably another barbel.

Apart from another couple of roach out at 13 metres that was my lot! The angler on 13 then had a good spell fishing to the end bank, well out, while the angler opposite had been catching occasional barbel from his deep margins, with very little out long in front of him. Simon Willsmore did not weigh, and I guess, from seeing him return his fish, he had about the same as I did – a measly 8 lb 9 oz.

Cedar fished much better towards the car park end, as it often does, while Elm was much more consistent, with seven weights over 60 lb. And Damson fished well, also, with eight over 60 lb.

Cedar fished best towards the car park end (as it often does).

Elm fished best of all, with the far end more consistent.

Damson yet again produced some bumper catches.