Weight – 2lb 6oz
Catch – 47 Roach, 8 Rudd, 2 Bream
Weather – Freezing, mostly cloudy with odd sunny spell.
Water Temp– 4.5c > 4.5c
Match – Veals Winter League – rd 8 – 14th overall, 6th in section
It’s been freezing cold now for 10 days or so and its really affecting the fishing. A severe overnight frost (-5c) meant all the lakes were iced over and Steve was out in his boat breaking the ice, with the aerators on.
This caused a bit of controversy, speaking to Tony Rixon & Des Shipp they had suggested to Steve to leave the aerators off to improve the fishing, preferring to break their own ice. Time would tell whether the pegs around the aerators would perform. One change from the last round was replacing Middle Lake with Match Lake, simply because Middle fished so badly last round and the current weather would probably make it worst.
I drew peg 3 on Spring, which I was happy with, but it was an island peg, when I couldn’t reach the island, although I was close to the aerator, so at least I didn’t need to break too much ice. Des informed me that on Wednesday the anglers in this area didn’t get a bite until the last hour, so a hard day was in prospect – like I didn’t already know!
I was right on the edge of where the ice had cleared and the good news was I could fish the waggler (Crystal Insert Waggler, .09 bottom & 22 match) 20/25m out, so at least I could fish beyond the pole line.
On the pole line (13m) I set 2 silver rigs, a wire roach 4x12, 07 bottom & 24 hook, with spread out styls & a Jean Francios 0.2g, .08 bottom & 22 silverfish hook with bulk & 2 droppers. There didn’t seem to be any point setting up any carp rigs, because of the weather, although I had a lead rod already set up in case I could reach the island.
At the all in, a small ball of Black Lake & a few pinkies went in at 13m, a small ball of bread crumb went in at 11m to my right and a few maggots were catapulted on the waggler line, which is where I started.
After 30 minutes I had tried all 3 swims without any bites and it was starting to look grim. A switch back to the waggler and the float didn’t settle properly because of the tiny roach attached. At least I hadn’t blanked. A few more roach came to the waggler, before bites dried up.
An hour in, I was back on the 13m pole and I still couldn’t get a bite on this line. I needed to make a decision - another ball of groundbait or some chopped maggot, which has got me out of trouble before. I decided on chopped maggot that seemed to have transformed the peg and I started to get bites every put in. As the match progressed I switched between the pole (& rigs) and waggler. I would have periods where I would get fish every cast and other periods were I couldn’t catch. I concentrated more on the waggler, because the average size of fish was better than the pole, including a couple of 4oz fish.
The pegs in my mini section, which did the best, were those anglers who had to break the ice, Rich Coles & Brian Slipper opposite the aerator struggled.
Only 27lb won the match from Campbell, with 8lb claiming 2nd. It really fished very hard with 22 blanks. With so many blanks, I was hoping to break into the top 20 for the individual league, however although I collected 10pts I slipped from 21st to 22nd. The rounds at Stafford Moor really cost me, had I collected only another 10 pts during that weekend I would have come 8th overall, which would have been a truer reflection of how my league went.
On the team front, I was the only 1 to weigh in and we finished last on the day and 11th overall, so a bit of a come down from last years league win.
1st - Chris Davis - Westerleigh 98pts
2nd - Mike Nicholls - Charlies Angels 94.5
3rd - Adam Palmer - Sedges Mosella 84
4th - Mark Broomsgrove - Sensas Thyers 83.5
5th - Tony Rixon - Avon Angling 80
6th - Ryan Shipp - Westerleigh 77 (222-5)
7th - Vince Brown - Sedges Mosella 77 (182-3)
8th - Jon Gray - Somerset Angling 75.5
9th - Eric Fouracre - Sedges Mosella 75
10th - Clayton Hudson - Avon Angling 74
21st - Ken Rayner - Maver Veals Red 66
At the end of the match I heard something which I didn’t expect, but it just illustrates how hard the fishing is at the moment. Tony Rixon may not go fishing this Wednesday, because he’s fed up with the poor weather!
After the presentations, Vince Shipp presented me with a hatful of money (literally), approximately £105 following a whip round to say thanks for organising the league. It was very gratefully appeciated.
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