01/11/08 - Lands End - Match Lake

Weight – 6lb 8oz
Catch – 9 Perch.
Weather – Frosts all week. Cold cloudy & breezy. Rain later.
Match – Open – 5th overall, 1st in silvers.

Following last week’s match, I wanted to try a few different things in preparation for tomorrows Veals Winter League, such as feeding groundbait for the silvers.

I drew peg 1, which is normally a good draw, but with a cold wind blowing into the peg, combined with the clear water, I wasn’t confident.

I feed groundbait at the bottom of the far shelf, a small amount of caster & corn at the bottom of the point of the island and I initially fed nothing along the margin.

The guy on peg 24 opposite wrecked his swim, by feeding far too much at the start and I hoped he would push the carp over towards me. Usually if there are any carp in the swim, I would expect to have a few liners, but nothing.

My groundbait swim didn’t produce a single bite all match. I caught some early perch from the point of the island and later 16m down the margin. I tried an open water swim, feeding ½ cup of feed at 14m, plus chopped maggot at 11m, but no bites.

The margin swim turned out to be the best. Initially I was fishing a carp maggot rig & a corn rig, but had most of my fish on a light .10 bottom and 22 hook and just hoped I didn’t hook any carp.
I knew I beaten pegs 4, 22 & 24, but I was really surprised to win the silvers with such a low weight.

1st 40lb – Anton Page – peg 13
2nd 18lb – Mike Duckett – peg 18
3rd 17lb – Rod Wootton – peg 11