19/12/09 - Lands End - Match Lake

Weight – 1lb 12oz
Catch – 5 Perch
Weather – Severe overnight frost. Bright & sunny
Water Temp – 4.0c > 4.5c
Match – Open – joint 3rd overall

The weather forecast suggested an overnight frost, but as I left home the temperature gauge on the car showed -5c and by the time I got to Lands End it was -7c.

As a consequence, a couple dropped out which meant there was only 7 of us brave enough to fish. The start of the match was put back 30 mins to allow time to break the ice, which I managed to do with only 15mins spare. According to Mike the lakes where ice free yesterday, but the overnight frost resulted in 2cm of ice.

I found myself on peg 11 for the 3rd time in as many months, just a shame about about the weather. My ice breaker was too light for the job, but I managed to get hold of the boat, which made the ice breaking easier, although I could only break the ice around the margins. I decided against breaking the ice towards the island for 2 reasons, firstly I didn't have a proper ice breaker, but secondly I didn't expect the carp to feed and hoped the perch would.

I intended my main swim to be 14m at the bottom of the shelf along the margin of peg 12, although I had the option of targeting the platforms on peg 10 & 12. Initially started on .10 bottom and 20 silverfish pellet hook, but with no bites I changed to .08 bottom and 22 silverfish maggot hook.

Feed was very light with caster, but with plenty of red atomic cloud, even tried chopped maggot/pinkie to induce a bite. As the morning progressed the channel I had broken started freezing over, it was proper cold. After 2 hours, I tried just off the pallet on peg 12 and caught a 1oz perch – great at least I avoided a blank. 2nd put in I hooked another , but lost it when the float snagged on the ice. 3rd put in I had 6oz perch, but no further bites followed.

So far, Alan Oram on peg 5 had a carp, plus a couple perch, whilst Garry Wall on peg 1 and Mike West on 24, both had a perch a piece, so it was fishing exceptionally hard.

Mike had a decision to make regarding tomorrows Winter League. With the lake refreezing and a dodgy overnight forecast, which would meant dangerous driving condition Mike cancelled the match. With 48 anglers expected tomorrow, I think too many would have cried off and those that did make it would have to break thickening ice. Personally think it was the right decision.

As for my match, I couldn't get another bite, so decided to start feeding under the pallet on peg 10, but had to re-break the ice. 1st put in, I caught another small perch after 5mins. Next put-in I had to wait nearly 15mins, before the float eventually dipped and I was connected to a better perch of just over a pound. My last perch came from the RH pallet, but again it was only small. I certainly had more fish than everyone else, it was just a shame I had 3 “wasps” instead of proper perch.

As expected Alan won with 7lb 15oz, I cant remember a match being won with just a low weight here before. Garry was 2nd with 3 perch for 2lb 12oz. After I weighed in Mike thought his 2 perch would weigh more, because he had a 2lber. Well he wasn't so confident when he lifted his net and his 2 perch weighed 1lb 12oz, which meant we ended up splitting the silverfish pool.

Back in the hut, reports started filtering back that both Plantations and Viaduct had suffered as a result of the weather. The sudden change was obviously a shock to the system, but it shouldn't be long before the fish settle and get used to the change.