15/02/09 - Lands End - Match Lake

Weight – 26lb 3oz

Catch – 5 Roach, 4 Carp, 2 Perch, 1 Bream, 1 Rudd.
Weather – Mild. Cloudy with sunny spells. Slight breeze
Water Temp– 5.0c > 5.5c
Match – Lands End Winter League – 10th overall, 3rd on lake, 2nd in section

Halfway though the league and it was back to a random draw, which meant I could be on any lake. As it happen I drew peg 16 on Match Lake, however the random drew meant my section could include anyone and ideally you wanted to avoid those anglers in the top 10. Alas I managed the section of "death" which meant 5 out of the top 10 would be on my lake for the next 4 matches. At least it meant I had the opportunity to take points off the top anglers (and vice versa).

With a spare peg either side I had plenty of room, which presents its own problem by having too many options. Based on yesterday’s match, feeding micro pellet pulled the carp in, although I had to be patient, however feeding casters didn’t. I settled on 5 lines. 11.5m slightly to my left down the track, 13m to the right at the bottom of the far shelf, 14.5m on top of the shelf, plus the 2 margin swims.

I concentrated on the 11.5m line toss potting micro pellet, every 15 mins. In the meantime I kept firing caster to the island, hoping for some decent silvers and I cupped micro pellet & caster at the bottom of the shelf.

After an hour, I bumped what I think was a skimmer on pellet, but no more bites followed, so I switched to my light rig (.08 bottom & 22 hook) with a single maggot in the hope there were still a few fish around. 5 minutes later a bite was met with very solid resistance. This wasn’t the expected skimmer but a proper carp. The fact I was on light kit wasn’t the problem, but the sunken tree to my left was and it continually tried to find sanctuary in the branches. 15 minutes later it did!

It took me 1hr before I had another bite and that was only from a tiny roach. I could see the rest of my section and knew at least 3 people had carp. My far shelf swim wasn’t producing and the bottom of the shelf swim was only yielding small fish.

2 hours to go I had less than 2lb and needed another get out of jail. Fishing caster was pointless and the margins had produced very little. So I decided to concentrate on 2 areas fishing pellet, 11.5m still toss potting micros and 13m cupping in micros.

A pound skimmer and 3 carp from the 11.5m line put me back in the race with an hour to go, but now I couldn’t get a bite. Peg 24 appeared to winning the section with 5 or 6 carp, whilst Kev Molton on peg 19 had 3. 30 minutes to go and Kev caught his 4th carp. 20 minutes to go I sat on the 11.5m line. 15 minutes, the float dipped & I struck into thin air, bugger. 10 minutes, the float dipped again, but this time I connected and managed to land my 4th carp.

It would be close between Kev & I, but fortunately my 4 carp were bigger and I got 2nd in section, which meant I kept the momentum going. Although I stayed 7th overall in the league, it is only by virtue of weight, with 4 of us in joint 4th.

1-Adrian Clarke - 29pts
2-Nicky Collier - 28

3-Mike Duckett - 24
4-Anton Page - 23 (163-3)
5-Alan Oram - 23 (145-8)
6-Andy France - 23 (74-14)
7-Ken Rayner - 23 (62-0)