Peg 10, Cedar, Tues, Sept 2
Another warm, windy day, and I was happy with peg 10 on Cedar, as the margins look great, both sides, though I would always choose the opposite bank, where the margins tend to be nicer, though the deep water is a little deeper. Still, a roach first drop to the platform on my left meant it was probably the first fish caught in this Spratts match, which we fished on alternative pegs on both sides of the lake.
Another warm, windy day, and I was happy with peg 10 on Cedar, as the margins look great, both sides, though I would always choose the opposite bank, where the margins tend to be nicer, though the deep water is a little deeper. Still, a roach first drop to the platform on my left meant it was probably the first fish caught in this Spratts match, which we fished on alternative pegs on both sides of the lake.
Early bites on corn
I couldn't resist a very early look in my deep margin, next to a clump of reeds to my left. Sure enough, corn brought a bite; and a strike; and a fish on; and a fish off! And I wasted the next hour searching for another fish there, with occasional movements of the float, but only one proper bite which I hit...and that fish came off after ten seconds.
I couldn't resist a very early look in my deep margin, next to a clump of reeds to my left. Sure enough, corn brought a bite; and a strike; and a fish on; and a fish off! And I wasted the next hour searching for another fish there, with occasional movements of the float, but only one proper bite which I hit...and that fish came off after ten seconds.
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| My left side produced all my fish, but I had to fish in the deep water. |
Then it was out to top two plus two, where I could present a bait really nicely in a strong left to right undertow against the wind. Expander was my first gambit, with not a bite. Then corn again, and in the next 90 minutes I connected with two more fish, both of which came off. Fish 4; Me nil. Then I landed a three-pounder, and the match was past the halfway mark.
Others were catching
A walk up to John Garner produced the information that he had two carp, but Kevin Lee to his right, and Peter Harrison and Neil Paas, opposite Kevin, were all catching, and all were catching well out.. So it was back to my swim. The longer line now failed to get me a bite on mussel or corn, so it was back inside.
A walk up to John Garner produced the information that he had two carp, but Kevin Lee to his right, and Peter Harrison and Neil Paas, opposite Kevin, were all catching, and all were catching well out.. So it was back to my swim. The longer line now failed to get me a bite on mussel or corn, so it was back inside.
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| The right margin was horrible, with straggly roots well off bottom. |
To the left, hemp and some 8mm pellets brought fish in again, and I managed to lose three more! Fish 7; Me 1.The annoying thing is that I'm sure only one of those was foulhooked. Two came off at the net (perhaps I held them a bit hard, but they were so spirited that I wanted to get them in before the hook pulled out!)
A decent finish
In the last 90 minutes I hooked more, all in the deep water - about four feet - and landed six, I think, losing three more. One came to mussel, the rest to corn. The best carp was around 10 lb. I had 46 lb on the clicker in the first net, and was going to put any more into the second net...but there weren't any more.
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| Mike Rawson had a good 20-minute spell at the same time as I did, towards the end. |
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| Safely into Mike's waiting net! |
I had a look in the shallow water to my left, and I had just two liners there, but yet again I couldn't get a proper bite there. I had to go deeper just to get what looled like proper bites (which I missed anyway).
That last 30 minutes is so important, and I couldn't understand why my fish had deserted me, though I was still getting liners. I think the hemp definitely brought them in, but I didn't put enough bait in to get them into a frenzy - they just didn't seem to want to take the bait properly. It's been like that all season - I've never know it to be so bad for so long. But there's stil time to havce a few really good matches!
The weigh in
To my amazement Roy Whitwell on 2 had just 48 lb 10 oz, though that was more than my own catch estimate. Bob Barret next door had struggled on his feeder, but Kevin had 104 lb 5 oz on mussel. John garner had just five carp, but they went 43 lb 12 oz. When the scales came to me and my seven carp, they swung round to 52 lb-something - knocked back to 50 lb which amazingly was second best on that bank.
To my amazement Roy Whitwell on 2 had just 48 lb 10 oz, though that was more than my own catch estimate. Bob Barret next door had struggled on his feeder, but Kevin had 104 lb 5 oz on mussel. John garner had just five carp, but they went 43 lb 12 oz. When the scales came to me and my seven carp, they swung round to 52 lb-something - knocked back to 50 lb which amazingly was second best on that bank.
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| John Garner - five for 43 lb 12 oz. |
On the opposite bank Martin Parker had also finished well with fish on a pole, and he had 59 lb 5 oz. And farther along, Peter Harrison weighed in 106 lb 7 oz, on mussel, to pip Kevin by 2 lb. Then Neil weighed, and with one net left he needed about 22 lb to just beat Peter, which would save the Golden Peg, as Peter has drawn it. We waited with bated breath!
As Neil brought his net up there didn't look to be much in it. But they weighed 28 lb; total 112 lb 5 oz, all on mussel, for the win. Well done Neil. I ended fifth.
Marks out of ten
Having lost ten fish I had thought I was worth probably four; but it seemed that everybody lost some that they thought were properly hooked, which made me feel a bit better. However, two of my lost fish were probably my own fault - although a couple of the others about 6 lb came in very quickly I know I held those two too hard in the last few seconds, as my back was really hurting.
Having lost ten fish I had thought I was worth probably four; but it seemed that everybody lost some that they thought were properly hooked, which made me feel a bit better. However, two of my lost fish were probably my own fault - although a couple of the others about 6 lb came in very quickly I know I held those two too hard in the last few seconds, as my back was really hurting.
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| Peter Harrison - second with 106 lb 7 oz. |
Next match is Willows on Sunday, probably pegs 1 to 15. The end pegs are favourite, but I've done well in the past on peg 5. I like the margins on Willows - snaggy, but that's where the fish are.
THE RESULT
East bank West bank
26 Trevor Cousins 38 lb 12 oz 2 Roy Whitwell 48 lb 10 oz
24 Peter Spriggs 31 lb 12 oz 4 Bob Barrett 18 lb 18 oz
22 Neil Paas 112 lb 5 oz 1st 6 Kevin Lee 104 lb 5 oz 3rd
20 Peter Harrison 106 lb 7 oz 2nd 8 John Garner 43 lb 12 oz
18 John Smith 38 lb 12 oz 10 Mac Campbell 50 lb
16 Martin Parker 59 lb 5 oz 4th 12 Mike Rawson 34 lb 3 oz
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