Peg 9, Oak,, Thurs, May 30
Karen has been busy putting up baskets and pots of flowers around the cafe at Decoy, which brightened my spirits. But the fish were grumpy - obviously didn't like the changeable wind, which on this day was blowing from the North for our Spratts match. And where is our Summer? Where is the sun? I'm not even sure whether the carp have spawned yet.
Karen has been busy putting up baskets and pots of flowers around the cafe at Decoy, which brightened my spirits. But the fish were grumpy - obviously didn't like the changeable wind, which on this day was blowing from the North for our Spratts match. And where is our Summer? Where is the sun? I'm not even sure whether the carp have spawned yet.
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| Trevor gets out his prayer mat before starting to make the draw for pegs. |
So peg 9 was my home for the dull, rainy day. I would have chosen 11 or opposite on 20, though a match last weekend was won on 3 with over 200 lb. The new platforms are metal, and a decent size, though some are already not quite level. But at least you don't have to drop down to them, and there are no holes between the bank and the platform, as there are on a few.
I start well out
I decided to keep it simple. So why did I take my feeder rods down to the peg? I had no real intention of using them as the wind was off our back on the West bank, while those poor sods opposite had the wind and rain in their faces, though the rain was never really hard. I went out to 11.5 metres, because the day didn't feel 'fishy' to me, and often the few fish that feed early on are well out. I also decided to use my 20-inch landing net in the wind and rain, which makes it a little easier to net the big carp than using the 18-inch, though it's not quite so easy to unhook them. In the event I was glad I did.
I decided to keep it simple. So why did I take my feeder rods down to the peg? I had no real intention of using them as the wind was off our back on the West bank, while those poor sods opposite had the wind and rain in their faces, though the rain was never really hard. I went out to 11.5 metres, because the day didn't feel 'fishy' to me, and often the few fish that feed early on are well out. I also decided to use my 20-inch landing net in the wind and rain, which makes it a little easier to net the big carp than using the 18-inch, though it's not quite so easy to unhook them. In the event I was glad I did.
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| Dave Hobbs, opposite on had fish before I did. And boy, did they fight! |
First action I saw was Peter Harison, opposite, playing a big carp foulhooked, but he eventually got it in. My first carp, about 4 lb, came after about 40 minutes, to a 6mm expander over just a few 6mm hard pellets. I had an occasional liner, and sometimes, when the wind seemed to warm up and the sun peaked out from behind the clouds, fish came to the surface. I couldn't resist trying a banded pellet shallow, but never had a bite. Then quick looks in the margin - as much to get the rigs working right as anything - also didn't bring a bite.
I do an 'Ivan'
Then Peter foulhooked another big fish, and while he was playing it I "did an Ivan Marks" and wandered up to John Smith on 3. On the way Martin Parker said he had two on cat meat and had lost one. Dick Warrener hadn't had a fish, but John had had fish early on and now had four for about 24 lb, including one on a waggler. I can never bring myself to set up a waggler, mainly because it would mean I would be packing up for even longer. But there's no doubt that sometimes that bait triping down the middle does take fish when it's difficult.
Then Peter foulhooked another big fish, and while he was playing it I "did an Ivan Marks" and wandered up to John Smith on 3. On the way Martin Parker said he had two on cat meat and had lost one. Dick Warrener hadn't had a fish, but John had had fish early on and now had four for about 24 lb, including one on a waggler. I can never bring myself to set up a waggler, mainly because it would mean I would be packing up for even longer. But there's no doubt that sometimes that bait triping down the middle does take fish when it's difficult.
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| The right margin - I had just one big carp from there. |
Peter was still attached to that fish, and it must have been playing him for at least 15 minutes before he finally netted it. Back to my swim and after more than three hours I still had just the one carp, though I had briefly foulhooked two more which came adrift within seconds. Peter had had a couple, hooked properly, including one on his first cast with a feeder, which set me thinking about using it after all.
Bad angling on my part
I'd had a word with the angler on my peg when I was walking back from a match on Cedar on Sunday, and he said he caught fish right down the edge to his left. That wasn't very comfortable today, as the wind was coming from the left. But I put a little hemp and corn down there before having a last look out on the 11.5 metre swim. First drop there with cat meat (the first time I had tried it) brought a quick bite and a fish was on. But seconds later the line went slack - the hook, which was tied straight through, had pulled off. I felt bad about that - bad angling, although it happens coccasionally to everyone.
I'd had a word with the angler on my peg when I was walking back from a match on Cedar on Sunday, and he said he caught fish right down the edge to his left. That wasn't very comfortable today, as the wind was coming from the left. But I put a little hemp and corn down there before having a last look out on the 11.5 metre swim. First drop there with cat meat (the first time I had tried it) brought a quick bite and a fish was on. But seconds later the line went slack - the hook, which was tied straight through, had pulled off. I felt bad about that - bad angling, although it happens coccasionally to everyone.
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| The left margin. The new reinforcements have collapsed a little, but they seem firm. Most of my fish came from next to the upright metal post sticking out only a top three away from my platform. |
Then I foulhooked a big carp in the tail, and after a really hairy fight it ended in my net, but boy my back was hurting!
By now the wind had moved round to a little East of North, which is so often the kiss of death. The light now made it difficult to see the float, and the wind increased so that eventually I had to give it up and I decided to come close in, on 2+2. But first I had a look down against the tins, where I had looked earlier on.
Into the margins
Using my special method I saw some liners from the left margin, so I knew the fish were there. But I had to change to a conventional rig to catch the fish, feeding first, waiting a minutes to avoid liners, and then dropping in. Cat meat brought two fish over 8 lb, and surprisingly these bigger fish came in much more quickly than the smaller fish had. When bites stopped there I moved to the right margin and eventually another big carp came, also on cat meat. I never did go out to that 2+2 line.
Using my special method I saw some liners from the left margin, so I knew the fish were there. But I had to change to a conventional rig to catch the fish, feeding first, waiting a minutes to avoid liners, and then dropping in. Cat meat brought two fish over 8 lb, and surprisingly these bigger fish came in much more quickly than the smaller fish had. When bites stopped there I moved to the right margin and eventually another big carp came, also on cat meat. I never did go out to that 2+2 line.
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| Martin Parker had a better start than me, but like me, he struggled in mid-match. |
Then I found that just past where I had been fishing the bottom appeared to drop away - I hadn't plumbed up properly. So I dropped feed in there and put a few inches on the rig.
Less than fteen minutes left and I tried mussel for the first time. I fed hemp, pellets and corn, went in with a whole mussel, let it drag into the shelf I had just found...and within 30 seconds was attached to am 8 lb carp. Feed again, drop in with a whole mussel, and a nine-pounder obliged.
I make an executive decision
I looked at my watch and there were literally only seconds left. So I made the executive decision to drop straight in without feeding. Down went the float, the Matrix green 16-18 Slik elastic streamed out and seconds later Trevor called the end of the match. That fish came in pretty quickly - all 10 lb of it. I looked across and saw that Peter Harrison had three nets in, so I guessed I was porbably well beaten, despite that late purple patch.
I looked at my watch and there were literally only seconds left. So I made the executive decision to drop straight in without feeding. Down went the float, the Matrix green 16-18 Slik elastic streamed out and seconds later Trevor called the end of the match. That fish came in pretty quickly - all 10 lb of it. I looked across and saw that Peter Harrison had three nets in, so I guessed I was porbably well beaten, despite that late purple patch.
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| We weighed this fish, caught by Bob Barrett, at 13 lb 4 oz. But Peter Spriggs had a common that must have weighed around 16 lb. |
Of course light rain started again while we weighed in, but it wasn't cold. John on 3 had 64 lb, and Martin totalled 74 lb 14 oz. I thought I had about 35 lb in each net, so he would beat me. But in fact I had about 42 lb in each - total 85 lb 2 oz, and amazingly that was top weight on out bank, as Peter Spriggs, despite a good late run, had just 78 lb 6 oz. Next to him John Garner was also close, with 79 lb 12 oz.
Opposite, Neil Paas had three nets in, so I thought he must beat me, but no! His 83 lb 8 oz was just 2 lb behind me, and it turned out that Peter Harrison had only one fish in his third net, and ended with 76 lb 1 oz. So I ended as the winner, that last-minute fish doing the business for me. In a very close match, seventh weight out of the 13 was 72 lb 11 oz.
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| Neil Paas - second with 83 lb 8 oz on mussel from peg 18. |
Marks out of ten
I admit I was lucky to get that last-cast carp. Without that I would have dropped several places. But I felt I had scrapped around pretty well, even when I thought, halfway through the match, that a frame was out of the question. But you never can tell, so you have to just keep soldiering on. I think I was worth 7/10, because I took advantage of that last spurt - and it turned out that almost everyone else had last-gasp fish. You just have to be in a position to take advantage of luck when it comes - a bit like poker.
I admit I was lucky to get that last-cast carp. Without that I would have dropped several places. But I felt I had scrapped around pretty well, even when I thought, halfway through the match, that a frame was out of the question. But you never can tell, so you have to just keep soldiering on. I think I was worth 7/10, because I took advantage of that last spurt - and it turned out that almost everyone else had last-gasp fish. You just have to be in a position to take advantage of luck when it comes - a bit like poker.
THE RESULT
East bank West bank
26 Mick Ramm 40 lb 9 oz 3 John Smith 64 lb 4 oz
24 Peter Harrison 76 lb 1 oz 5 Dick Warrener 34 lb 5 oz
22 Dave Hobbs 26 lb 15 oz 7 Martin Parker 74 lb 14 oz
20 Bob Barrett 52 lb 15 oz 9 Mac Campbell 85 lb 2 oz 1st
18 Neil Paas 83 lb 8 oz 2nd 11 Peter Spriggs 78 lb 6 oz 4th
16 Trevor Couins 72 lb 11 oz 13 John Garner 79 lb 12 oz 3rd
15 Mike Rawson 36 lb 2 oz
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