Peg 17, Beastie, Friday, April 11
Blimey - that really was hot. I'd put my thermal vest on because recently, despite the forecasters' insistence that it would be 'warm' during the day, the winds at Decoy have been unrelentingly cold. But by the time this Spratts match on Beastie Lake finished I was wilting in the heat.
Blimey - that really was hot. I'd put my thermal vest on because recently, despite the forecasters' insistence that it would be 'warm' during the day, the winds at Decoy have been unrelentingly cold. But by the time this Spratts match on Beastie Lake finished I was wilting in the heat.
 |
| Water like glass - not the best conditions for most of us... |
With the water like glass at the start, a little ripple from a North-Westerly was welcome, and occasionally it changed to a South-Westerly (even though the forecast was for it to swing to the North East). I started on a bomb, then a feeder and it wasn't long before I had a wrap-round and hit a fish. That came off after a second or two; then, as I kept reeling in, it was back on. Then it came off. I suspect I had firstly hooked a fish very lightly, or foulhooked it, and then foulhooked another as I reeled in. That second fish suddenly shot off so fact it broke the hooklength.
Feeder then pole
To my left Dick Warrener was struggling, and though I did land a four-pounder and one a bit larger, on the feeder, I changed, after an hour, to pole. Unbeknown to me, Trevor Cousins, on 23, had had mugged three big carp in the first 20 minutes. I could see lots of carp way over near the island, and put up a pellet waggler, but had no fish. So it was back to my pole. That brought a few F1s on the ten-metre line, on pellet and then corn, after which I looked down the margins, which were quite deep - mainly four feet.
To my left Dick Warrener was struggling, and though I did land a four-pounder and one a bit larger, on the feeder, I changed, after an hour, to pole. Unbeknown to me, Trevor Cousins, on 23, had had mugged three big carp in the first 20 minutes. I could see lots of carp way over near the island, and put up a pellet waggler, but had no fish. So it was back to my pole. That brought a few F1s on the ten-metre line, on pellet and then corn, after which I looked down the margins, which were quite deep - mainly four feet.
 |
| Dick Warrener in action. Kevin Lee is in the background on peg 7. |
Right against the boards I could find just a little less, but the bottom was full of rubbish - dead reeds, mainly, so I concentrated on a metre from the boards. Slowly I built up swims both sides with micros and a little hemp, though the left margin was best. The fish were mainly F1s on corn, with an occasional bigger carp. I found that switching swims after catching two was best - after that the fish must have spooked.
Mussel at the end
With about 90 minutes left I switched to mussel, which tends to get the bigger fish, and probably had one good fish every 20 minutes - never frantic sport. By the end I'd got two nets with about 45 lb in each, with my special method accounting for about six fish. I think if I could have found a swim that was three feet deep or a little less I would have had more. I was suprised how deep the lake was there, especially considering weve had virtually no rain for a month. It was a joy to use my short tops, which brought the fish in quite quickly, compared to longer tops.
With about 90 minutes left I switched to mussel, which tends to get the bigger fish, and probably had one good fish every 20 minutes - never frantic sport. By the end I'd got two nets with about 45 lb in each, with my special method accounting for about six fish. I think if I could have found a swim that was three feet deep or a little less I would have had more. I was suprised how deep the lake was there, especially considering weve had virtually no rain for a month. It was a joy to use my short tops, which brought the fish in quite quickly, compared to longer tops.
A Fantastic Finish
Ten minutes to go, and I hooked a big fish in the right margin which I couldn't get off the bottom. When I landed it seven or eight minutes later it was hooked in the outside of the lip, which explained why it was so difficult to play. It was around 10 lb. I looked at my watch and there were two minutes left. On went a mussel; in went the rig; down went the float; and I was playing another big carp when the match ended. That, also, was around 10 lb. A fantastic finish.
 |
| Joe Bedford on peg 18, playing a fish hooked on feeder. |
Dick had a good last hour, including one double-figure common from his margins. I'd also seen 94-year-old Joe Bedford on 18 land a couple, but had no idea what anyone else had. I was really knackered at the end, in the heat, and Joe told me later he'd made the same mistake - thermal vest and Long Johns. Yet again the carp seemed to want to be spawning, but surely the water is still far too cold?
 |
| Old and a bit battered - the carp, not Dick! |
The weigh-in
I had to pack away three rods, and lots of top kits, so missed Kev Lee's catch on peg 7. He'd had big carp on paste from his right margin, and just bream from the left, and had included a carp the weighers estimated at 15 lb. His total weight was 108 lb 7 oz, and he led round to me.
I had to pack away three rods, and lots of top kits, so missed Kev Lee's catch on peg 7. He'd had big carp on paste from his right margin, and just bream from the left, and had included a carp the weighers estimated at 15 lb. His total weight was 108 lb 7 oz, and he led round to me.
My two nets went 95 lb 4 oz, but Trevor on 23 had 152 lb 7 oz - every fish mugged on a banded pellet. As I expected, he said that when the ripple came it was muchg harder to see the fish, even with his polarised sunglasses on. Trevor won, of course - he's so good at mugging. I couldn't see many fish close enough to do it, except at the end, when I was concentrating on the margins.
Marks out of ten
I finished third, and was happy enough. I did lose some fish foulhooked. The point is that I think the way I fed brought fish in, but they just didn't take the bait properly - I hooked three of the big fish on the outside of the mouth. I give myself 8/10. Next match two days later on Cedar.
I finished third, and was happy enough. I did lose some fish foulhooked. The point is that I think the way I fed brought fish in, but they just didn't take the bait properly - I hooked three of the big fish on the outside of the mouth. I give myself 8/10. Next match two days later on Cedar.
THE RESULT
3 Bob Walker 41 lb 10 oz
4 Dave Hobbs 71 lb 5 oz 4th
5 Neil Paas 39 lb 13 oz
7 Kevin Lee 108 lb 7 oz 2nd
15 Dick Warrener 36 lb
17 Mac Campbell 95 lb 4 oz 3rd
18 Joe Bedford 34 lb
20 Bob Barrett 55 lb 6 oz
22 Mike Rawson 23 lb 13 oz
23 Trevor Cousins 152 lb 2 oz 1st
24 Martin Parker 42 lb
26 Mick Ramm 19 lb 12 oz
29 Roy Whitwell 54 lb 14 oz
30 John Garner 46 lb 9 oz
No comments:
Post a Comment