Queens Charity Match, Bickershaw Lane 24/07/11

Match today with a bit of a difference. It's a annual charity match run by one of our members Stey Naylor and with the emphasis on fun we fish for prizes rather than our usual pools.
 Rumour had it that 100lbs had won a match last week with second place 9lb. That's more our standard the 9lb that is and I think we all knew 10lb would get you in the frame.
 I drew peg 2 and it didn't look a bad peg with a tree to my left going into the water, it looked an obvious spot for a carp or two. The lake itself is a lovely looking water, loads of features on most pegs and everybody was pretty happy with their draw.

My Peg

On my left on peg1 I had Dave Whyte for company although I couldn't see him for the tree in between us. To my right was two empty pegs until Daz Blakeley on peg five. The only other angler I could see was Lee Gerrard across the lake.
 I set up just two rigs, my first a dibber type float for under the tree. It was connected to 0.16 line straight through to a size 14's Animal hook. Elastic was a solid 16's. I could tame jaws with this rig or so I thought. My second rig was a margin rig to my right. It was a Hillbilly Slim Shady to 0.15 to a 14s Animal hook. The elastic this time was a solid 14's. I was taking no prisoners.
On the all in I threw some pellets under the tree and to my margin swim on my right. I went straight out under the tree and....... nothing! Had a quick look at my margin swim and ...... nothing again. I saw Lee across the lake get a half decent fish and hoped my peg would pick up. It did of a fashion, I started to get indications on my float but felt they were small fish nibbling on my pellet. This was soon proved right as I caught two tiny skimmers for about an ounce. It was tough going but felt I would get a lump under the tree.

 Half time came and hot bacon and sausage barms were supplied by Stey and Lee's wife's along with a drink, a bag of crisps and a penguin biscuit! Not bad at all, wouldn't mind that every match. After the self enforced food break I went back under the tree, the float shot under and I was connected to a lump. It tried to get right amongst the roots but I managed to steer it away, it was mine now or so I thought. The carp though had other ideas it shot out into the middle of the lake, I followed it and then I got that sickened feeling of slack line. I'd lost it and worse it had taken my rig, my line had snapped on the stonfo connector something that had not happened to me before. I only swore a bit! That proved to be my only action of any note for the rest of my match as I didn't hook anything else, I even took a walk to Daz's peg with an hour to go, something I don't normally do but this is a light hearted match. Daz had lost a lump on the tip, but I proved to be a lucky charm as his tip went round again and this time he got the fish in, a carp of about seven pounds.

Nearly There

This looked to have won the match but Sharpy on the opposite bank caught a carp late on, it was between these two anglers as nobody else had done owt as we say around these parts. Daz's fish went 7lb odd, so it was round to Sharpy's peg and his carp went 6lb.

Close but no cigar for Sharpy!

Lee Gerrard got third with 3lb odd, with Alf Beckett fourth and the rest of us only getting ounces. Our club can flatten any water! But the match had been fun and we will do it again next year. That left just the prizes and Daz got a rod for winning the match, with the rest of us getting a pick of the bottles in weight order.

Rambo with his "dog" roach!

Daz and his prize

We managed to raise £300 pounds for Stey's charity on the day and once again thanks to the girls for looking after us hungry anglers. We'll do it all again next year.

Gaz

Wrightington Fisheries, Rivington View 17/07/11



The weather forecast for this match was horrible and normal people stay in bed but not this fool. I was up and ready, picked Dad up and got there well in time for the draw. In all fifteen of us turned up. The last time I fished this lake in a match I'd won with 69lb so I was confident. I drew peg 18 (not permanent peg 18) and had Gaz Melling on 17 and Jimmy Boyd on 19 for company. First thing was to set up the brolly as it was already pissing down, then I made up four rigs, two for up in the water, one on the deck at 11 metres and one for down the margins. Baitwise I had brought 6mm pellets for feed with a few expanders (4mm&6mm) for the hook.
 We had pre match entertainment by Lee Gerrard who dropped one of his pole sections into the water and had to strip to his boxers and get in the water. He didn't get called - much!

Lee Spear Fishing!

Take a Bow Lee

On the all in I started feeding with half a Drennan Pot of 6mm pellets at 11 metres and could see my Dad across the lake already playing a carp on the tip. Soon I caught him up because after five minutes on the full depth rig I was playing my first carp of about 3lbs which was safely netted. The rig by the way was a Mick Wilkinson Diamond to 0.15 line to a Preston PR38's hook. I caught another couple of carp before my first disaster of the day, playing a carp I shoved my power top two int my fourth pole section and with it being wet, it locked solid! I could not budge it and only have one fourth section which meant if I wanted to fish something else I would have to put my rig back on the winder. Not impressed! I carried on manfully and got a couple more before  the wind picked up even more and bent my fishing brolly inside out and bent my brolly staff like a banana. Aghh ! Gaz took a picture of me wrestling my brolly.

I Hate Brolly's!

I threw the brolly on the bank with a curse and carried on fishing. The rain was relentless and felt like the middle of October not July but I got a couple more carp and felt I had a good chance of winning from what I could see around me. I had drew the golden peg as well which was worth an extra £100 if I won and would pay for a new brolly with a few quid left over. I was soon put in my place how ever as word came round  thatDaz Blakeley had fifteen carp and was still catching.
 I did try up in the water for about twenty minutes but apart from a big dog roach of about a pound it was poor as expected given the conditions. Back on the deck I caught a few more carp, one bream and a tench. I also lost seven carp which summed my match up.
 The all out was shouted and was I glad to hear it along with the rest of us drowned rats. Gaz on 17 had wrapped up with an hour to go but had hung around for the weigh in. He tried to help me with my stuck pole sections, but me being a clumsy get broke my fourth section. It was turning into an expensive match.
At the weigh in Daz had won on the tip to the island with 43lbs. Well done mate. 2nd was Big Dave Brown keeping up his form with 37lbs. I was 3rd with 33lbs. I just wanted to go home and get dry. Oh well there's always next time.

Cheers Gaz

Sycamore Fisheries 15/07/11

Got a match on here next month and as I've not seen the place for a couple of years I thought a little session wouldn't do any harm. I arrived about 1pm after cutting down on my sleep (I was on nights) and my Dad was already fishing. He had just started so he claimed and hadn't caught yet. He was on peg 8 on Davids Pool so I dropped on peg 7. The fishery had matured in the last couple of years and looked a lot more "fishy".

Davids Pool, Sycamore Fisheries

Dad On Peg 8

I set up three rigs all at nine & half metres, the first for on the deck (5ft) which was a 0.4 Hillbilly Shindig to 0.13 line to a Preston PB36 hook. Elastic was the red fox hollow which I think is about 12's to 16's. The second was an up in the water rig set about 18 inches deep. It was a Malman MTD 0.1g to 0.14 to a 16s Animal hook. White Hydro was the elastic. The third was a SconeZone "Wellardz" set the same depth but 0.16 line to a 18s Preston PB36. This rig was a banded pellet hair rig. Preston Yellow Hollow elastic which is a 17' elastic completed the
   I started on the deck. I cupped half a Drennan pot of pellets in then started using my full depth rig. It started slow but began to get a couple of skimmers. All the time I'd been pinging a few 4mm pellets in so I switched to a shallow rig with a 4mm Ringers Expander on the hook and got a couple of small skimmers then the white hydro shot out and I was attached to a angry carp. It was only a couple of pounds but with plenty reeds around it gave me a few anxious moments before it was in the net. Another carp soon followed and another before I switched to black hydro. This was much better and had much more control over the next carp.
  My peg was fizzing like mad so I went back to full depth and got another couple of carp on the expander, then it slowed down so back up in the water, this time with a banded 6mm pellet and another four carp graced my net before I called it a day and ended my short session.
  Dad had got in on the action and was catching barbel and carp on paste, something he doesn't normally use so he was well happy. As I drove off it started to rain and got heavier and heavier and just for once I'd beaten it.
The rain would get its revenge the next session.

Gary

Hampton Springs Fishery- Willows 10/07/11

Good turnout for this match with 20 of us hoping for a good match. I had brought 2 pints of casters which was to be my main line of attack. I'd also liquidised a couple of tins of sweetcorn and chopped a tin of meat up for the margins.

Peg 1 (permanent peg 9)

I drew peg 1 (permament peg 9) next to the bridge and it looked a good peg!  I had Sharpy on number two peg for company and Jimmy on peg 20 who was hiding behind a big bush. The golden peg worth another hundred quid was drawn by Big Dave Brown and the form he's been showing this year, it looked in danger of being won.

The little tuft of grass sticking out was my margin swim

I set up two up in the water rigs, one a Preston PB1 to 0.12 line to a size 18's PR36. White Hydro was the elastic. The second was slightly heavier a Preston PB1 again to 0.14 line to a 16's Animal hook. Grey Hydro was the elastic this time. Two more rigs were set up, a margin rig which was a Hillbilly Shady Shallow to 0.15 line to a 14's Animal hook. My final rig was at 13 metres to my right, next to the bridge which was a 0.4 Hillbilly Shindig to 0.16 to a 14s Animal hook. Elastic was Black Hydro.
  On the hooter I was straight on my margin rig. I'd tipped some likky corn in and with a grain of corn on the hook I was hoping for a quick response. I got it, the float straight under and I missed it! Aghh!! Back in again and this time no bite. Sharpy got a decent fish out and lost one as well. I soon decided to try caster up in the water and there was plenty of movement up in the water but I could not get a proper bite. Back down the side I got my first fish a tench. I then tried near the bridge which got me my first carp of about 3 lbs. Back out on the caster I got two carp in two put ins and thought I might have cracked it but it went quiet again. I could see big Dave getting a few and thought he was winning out of the anglers I could see. After four hours I had maybe 20lbs then my margin swim kicked in and I got roughly another 20lbs in the last hour. On the all out I thought I may sneak a place. I tipped 38lb odd on the scales which was good enough for second. Phil Mawdsley who had snapped his pole early on in the match and was forced to fish at five metres won with 43lb odd. He was buzzing! Big Dave who I thought had won it weighed in 33lbs. He got the golden peg curse and lost at least 20lb.
 Thats three second places on the spin for me now and next week at Wrightington Fisheries I'm hoping to go one better.

Gaz

Phil with his winning net

Wrightington Fisheries 08/07/11

Practice time at Wrightington for a match a week on Sunday. I was off work today so me and my Dad Eric was there for about 8am. When we arrived Paul the owner of the lakes said it had been fishing well and there was a feature in the Angling Times next week.

 There was only one other angler on our lake tucked away out of the wind in the far corner but me and my dad being brave chose pegs 2 and 3. Big mistake and after nearly a hour we moved into pegs less windy. Dad was on peg 6 on the tip and I was on flyer peg 7. Theres an island 14 metres away and its a fish magnet.

Peg 7 Wrightington Fisheries

Dad on peg 6



I started against the island and first put in I had a tench, second put in a carp of a couple of pounds. I was using a Hillbilly Shady Shallow  on 0.15 line to a 14's Animal hook. Depth was about 2&1/2 ft deep. I caught another eight carp and tench, biggest about 4lbs all on 6ml Ringers Expander. I was cupping in 6mm hard pellets via a Medusa pole pot.
I came back in to about 11 metres on the pole and started pinging the bait hoping to catch shallow but was plagued with roach. I did get one small carp though. After that I tried the rushes near me butt only got more roach. Back out to the island it was carp and tench again. At least if I draw this peg I will know what to do.
Dad in the meanwhile had a slow start but did start catching some nice carp on the tip. We wrapped up early when a thunderstorm came in as I don't fancy holding a carbon conducter when there is lightning about!
Gary