Greenridge Farm MCC 1. 13/06/10

Lake 1 at Greenridge.


Greenridge Farm's lakes 1&2 was the venue for the first of Andover's MCC matches, the weather was warm and I was hoping for a better day than I had at Greenridge a couple of weeks earlier. At the draw I didn't really fancy the middle of lake 1, as it is not a noted "flier" area, unfortunately I pulled peg 5 ! Smack bang in the middle of lake 1 ! When I got to my peg I had an empty peg either side of me, which hopefully would aid me . The water in the lake seemed to be down a bit, which would make fishing the margins tricky as they would be very shallow.



Peg 5.


I set up two rigs tight across at 14.5m, one on the deck but as the lake was down a bit, I only managed to find about 18 inches of water, both rigs were KC carpa cubes on 0.16 to 911-16, one set at depth and one at half depth, both were attached to green hollow Garbolino elastic. The next line was at 5-6 meters, at the bottom of the near slope, I decided to plumb here as the margins were shallow and I felt that the fish wouldn't come in to the inside. This was a 0.3 gram DC6 0.16 911-14 to Orange garbolino. I did set up a rig for the margins either side of me, this was a 0.2 gram durafloat on 0.18 to 911-14 to orange Garbolino, it was a similar depth to that across, although I am happy to fish in that across I felt it would be to shallow for the margins to work well, if they did move in I would see them as they would certainly stir the bottom up. On the bait table I had three pints of caster, two of maggots and corn, the caster was mainly for across and in the margins, the maggot would also be loose fed in the margins and the corn was for the 5m swim. At the all in I fed half a pot of corn on the 5m line, and half a pot of caster and maggot on the two margin swims. I went across on the depth rig with caster on the hook and a toss pot full of caster, it took about 15minutes and a few tosspots later before I had my first fish, it wasn't that big but it did give me a scrap. A few minutes past before I had another bite, this time I lost it at the net, not a brilliant start but Greenridge is notorious for starting slow, although Paul in peg 3 was catching the odd one or two, I could see fish milling about against the far bank in his swim and not in mine, which was a bit ominous. I could see most of the lake and no one else was doing allot so I wasn't to perturbed. About an hour had past and no more bites so I picked up the catapult and stated to ping in the caster at the far bank, a couple of foul hooked fish later was enough to convince me to use the shallow rig, this resulted in a couple of good size carp. In the mean time I was loose feeding the 5m with corn every few minutes, and the margins with caster and maggots. One more fish on the far side on the shallow rig and that was it for the far swim it died completely. Half way through the match and as far as I could tell I second behind Paul who was beginning to empty his peg, and not content with catching fish he catches a terrapin as well! After having a look in the margins, which resulted in no bites I switched to the 5m line. Slipping a couple of grains of corn on to the hook and dropping the rig in resulted in an instant bite, which I missed. Out again this time a foul hooker which I pulled out of. I knew there were a few fish on the 5m line and I couldn't work out the best way to feed for a proper bite. After a couple of missed bites I finally hooked one in the mouth, a good sized fish of 5lb. I decided to feed the peg with just 6 grains of corn in the toss pot, and not feed again until I hooked one properly. I was still missing good bites and foul hooking a few but I was beginning to hook a few more properly, which was building the weight slowly. Into the last hour and I could see fish being caught further up the lake. I carried on catching, missing bites and foul hooking fish until the all out. It was clear that Paul had easily won the lake, but I wasn't sure how I had done against the rest of the field. In the end I weighed in 36lb 10oz. good enough for 3rd on the lake, not to bad but to many missed bites and foul hooked fish had cost me, but that's fishing!


My 36lb 10oz. catch.

Hard Work At Billhook.

Billhook Lake.



Billhook Lake at Odiham was the venue for the opening match of the Andover Angling Club 2010/11 match calender. It looked lovely, warm, overcast with a gentle breeze, and fish moving all round the lake, we were all hoping to get close to the huge weights that had been coming out, how wrong we were! At the draw I didn't really mind where I drew as the lake has a lot of features and the fish seemed to be moving everywhere. I stuck my hand in and pulled out peg 27, when I arrived at my peg it looked quite nice with some Lillie pads out in front and an empty peg to my right.

Peg 27.

I decided on 4 lines of attack, one at 14.5m about a meter short of the Lillie's, two at 7m, 10 o'clock & 2 o'clock, and a margin line too my right. The depth was pretty consistent all the way across at about 2 feet, which was handy as I could double up on rigs. The 14.5m line was a shallow set up, a big dibber on 0.16 to a 911-16 to green garbo, set about a 8-12" deep. On the 7m lines I set up a paste rig, kc carpa 4x12, 0.18 to a 911-12 to orange garbo. The second was a 0.3 gram dc6, 0.16 to a 911-16 to green garbo. The margin rig was a 0.3 gram durafloat 0.18 911-14 to orange garbo. All of these rigs could be used on all the lines as the depth didn't alter much. The plan of attack was to pot in pellets on one of the 7m lines, meat on the second 7m line, and feed the margin by hand, whilst feeding the up in the water line with a catty. The all in sounded and I fed 2 large pots of pellets on one of the 7m lines, a half a large pot of meat on the second 7m swim, and stated to ping pellets at the far swim. Straight out onto the 14.5 m line with an 8mm soft pellet on the hook, there were plenty of fish milling about but most of them were hanging very close to the Lillie's, I was hoping with constant feeding I could lure them away from there and perhaps after a bit could get them closer still. After about half an hour and no bites things were looking a bit slow, no one else as far as I could see had caught anything. I left that line but carried on feeding regularly, and had a look on the other lines. After spending twenty minutes or so on the other lines without even so much as a tremble on the float I went back to the far swim. This time I put the 16m extension on and fished it tight to the pads, to try and get a few bites, as there still wasn't anything much being caught! Constant feeding eventually resulted in elastic pouring from the pole as a carp decided to feed on my 8mm pellet and hook itself! A nice carp of 2.5lb. Feeding all the time and lifting and dropping the rig eventually resulted in carp number 2 roughly the same size. 2 1/2 hours gone 2 carp and three pints of pellet lighter! The strange thing was no one was catching anything, apart from Phil who had a few. Talk from round the lake was just the odd fish being caught, a bit grim. I persevered with the far line but by now the wind was getting up a bit and my back was giving up a bit! In the next 1/2 hour I hooked carp number 3 ! Again a similar size. I left the far line for a bit to rest my arms and back ( when I win the lottery I must buy a stiffer pole ! ) I had a good look on the other lines for a good hour, but with no success, I even set up a tip rod and had a chuck to the Lillie's just for a change, but the fish seemed to be in spawning mode and not very interested in feeding. Into the last hour and I decided to go all out on the far swim as I had three fish from there. After battling with the wind I eventually hooked carp number 4! Again about 2 1/2 lb ( consistent if nothing else !) I did loose a couple in the last hour, but the wind was making it very difficult to control the rig. The all out sounded and that was it! 4 fish, 6 pints of pellet lighter and aching arms and back! A few fish were caught late in the match by some, but it was a bit of a grueller for most anglers, myself included! My 4 fish weighed 9 lb 10 oz. In conclusion I don't think I did anything wrong, it just seemed the whole lake was off, ah well there is always next week.........!

Not Much To Show!

Going Red In The Sun At Greenridge.

Peg 17 on Lake 2 at Greenridge.

lake 2.

A blistering hot day was in order for the final round of the Challis Tackle spring series at Greenridge farm, Lakes 1 & 2. At the draw I didn't really want the middle numbers on lake 1, and after the rush I pulled out 17, middle of lake 2, not to bad. With Paul and Keith leading the series both on an end peg, ( they don't draw to bad do they! ) it looked like they were fighting it out for the spoils. Three lines of attack was the plan for today, one tight across at 14.5m next to the small gorse shrub, one slightly staggered at 7m, and the two margins either side. Across I set up carpa cubes on 0.16 straight through to 911-16, one shallow ( about a foot deep ) and one at dead depth, both were attached to Green Garbo hollow. A garbo dc 4 at 7m 0.16 straight through to 911-14 attached to green garbo, I also set up a paste rig to cover the same line, 0.18 straight through to 911-12 to orange garbo, and finally a durafloat on 0.18 straight through to 911-14 attached to orange garbo for the two margins. I had luncheon meat, paste, corn and some 6mm pellet as well as 4 pints of maggot. I had clean forgot about the caster and how well it avoided those troublesome minute gudgeon and minnows, ( another lesson learned ! ) having not fished the venue since last year.

At the all in I fed a medium cup of corn on the 7m line, and started to feed the margins by hand with maggots, and went across on the meat, feeding meat through the toss pot. The heat was building and you could see carp swimming about following each other, and it looked like they were getting ready for spawning. The float was dipping and dancing all the time ( pesky minnows!) as they wouldn't leave the hook bait alone, but after 15 minutes and a few toss pots later I managed to hook a nice 3lb carp. A few more minnow bites followed before another carp on the meat. Then nothing for an hour, except for the pesky minnows! It was slow around me with just a few fish being caught, but Jocky to my left was beginning to catch shallow on the caster, so I decided to leave it for a bit and to start pinging maggot across whilst fishing another line. I went onto the 7m lime with the paste, after a couple of minutes I striked the paste off and re baited, half an hour had past and still no indications, so I had a quick look in the margins. No indications there except minnows and gudgeon so out with the shallow rig across. Half way through the match and not a lot to show except sun burn! Out with maggot on the shallow rig, after a few minutes of minnow bothering, the elastic streamed out of the pole and a nice fat common was in the net. This continued for a bit, with the maggot being pulled around by the gudgeon and minnows, before the carp would nearly pull the pole in! Jocky was catching well to my left, and James catching a few two pegs down, the lake seemed to be switching on a bit. I then had a large 8lb fish that was trying to make it into Dave's peg on my right, it did give me a bit of hassle but eventually I beat it. Into the last 45 minutes and the carp bites had stopped across, so it was time to have a look on the other lines. By now Dave to my right was beginning to catch in mid water on the corn ( surprise, surprise ! ) so I followed suit, and had a couple as well as foul hooking a few. The last few minutes I had a look in the margins which can be so productive at Greenridge, but no big fish had moved in on the feed. The all out sounded and I followed the scales on lake 1 first. Mike was 1st with 72lb, 2nd was Paul with 67lb odd, and third was Mayo with 47lb odd. On to lake 2 my lake, 1st was Keith with 93lb, second was Jocky with 85lb odd and third was James with 55lb odd, I weighed 46lb for 4th on the lake. Keith took the series by weight, over Paul second and Mike third. Overall a very enjoyable series for me, with some good results, but the blow out at the beginning, and a match missed due to holiday had cost me dear. With the Andover match calender starting in a couple of weeks, I think I need to tie some rigs!

My catch for 4th on Lake 2.

All is dandy at Dandy's Ford

Peg 10 At Calvert's lake looking at the island.

Peg 10 from another angle, the reed mace in the bottom right of picture, main catching zone.

Part of my 70 lb 09oz. catch.

Round 5 of the Challis Tackle spring series was on Calvert's Lake at Dandy's Ford Fishery. A new venue for me although I have had a pleasure day on there a couple of years ago, I had not fished a match on it and was looking forward to it, as I have heard good reports about it's fishing. I missed the earlier round which was won with 80lb, so I was hoping it would fish well. Calvert's lake is an odd shaped lake with lots of bays and islands, with plenty of features to fish to in most pegs, it is also a very pretty lake, and it is always nice to fish some where in such pleasant surroundings. As I knew so little about it I had no pre-conceptions as to good pegs or areas. At the draw I picked peg 10 off the floor, ( all the pegs were on the floor where Mike had chucked them! It was beginning to spit with rain and he probably wanted his hat back on his head! ) After finding where it was on the lake, I made my way round to peg 10 and was quite pleased with my draw, an end of an island to chuck to, and a nice margin to my left, with no peg 11 in I was hoping that the fish would be in there. ( Twice in two weeks curb crawling, I'll be getting a reputation! ) I set up a bomb rod for the island, I had left the waggler rods at home so a bomb rod would have to suffice, two rigs for down the edge at 7m to my left next to some reed mace, the first a paste rig on 0.16 straight through to a 911-12, to Orange Garbolino hollow, no shot on the float just using the weight of the paste to cock the float. It was a bit tricky plumbing up as it slopes away from the edge quite a bit. The second margin rig was 0.3 gram durafloat 0.16 straight through to 911-16 married to green Garbo. This was for fishing standard baits over the same line. I also set up a paste line at 6m, and two lines at 13m, these were quite deep at 6-7 feet, so a DC 11 0.5 gram on 0.16 to a 911-16 was set up to cover these 2 lines. The final rig was a shallow rig, a large dibber float on 0.16 line, 911-16, set about two feet deep for fishing up in the water at 14.5m. For bait I had a soft paste, soaked micros, 6mm pellets, two different sizes of luncheon meat 4mm and 6mm, (one for feeding and one for hooking ) and some soft pellets for hookers.

The weather was a bit damp with some heavier rain now and again so I set my brolly up, something I don't like doing, but as there wasn't much wind it kept the worst off, and hopefully it would clear away later in the day. At the all in I cupped in half a pot of meat and micros in the margin swim, half a pot of corn and micros on the 13m lines, and a full pot of micros and 6mm pellets at 6m. I decided to let that settle and go on the tip, I hair rigged an 8mm soft pellet and chucked it out. I fed a few pellets with the catapult by the island, After five minutes I had a couple of knocks before the tip went round, and a small carp was on, unfortunately I pulled out at the net, not a good start! Next cast I fed a few more pellets and waited again about 5 minutes again before the tip flew round and a nice fat carp of 1lb went into the net. A couple more casts and two more small carp, the trouble was I was having to wait for bites and Stu Dabbs to my left on peg 12 was catching a few on the waggler to the island, and was getting a lot more bites than I was, time to have a look in the margin swim. First put out with the paste on, the float shot under shortly after settling and I hooked into a small carp, which I pulled out of, I got the impression the orange garbo. was a bit heavy, so I had a look on my other margin rig with meat on the hook. The float settled and almost instantly the float buried and I hooked into a carp which took me straight into the reeds and snapped me! First two put in's and both fished lost and a busted rig, things weren't going quite to plan! After setting up another rig, I moulded a piece of paste on my paste rig and lowered it in, within seconds the float sailed away and orange garbo steamed out of the pole, this time it didn't get away and it went into the net. A few more followed and I was off and running. After a bit the bites slowed, so I switched to the meat rig, this resulted in good bites but the fish were either silvers or smaller carp. I switched back to the paste rig and had few more better carp, again the bites slowed, but swapping between the meat and the paste kept me catching steadily. After 3 hours all bites had tailed off, so I fed it with two pots of meat and micros and decided to have a go shallow at 14.5 m, as Stu was getting a few shallow on the waggler. Out with a 8mm soft pellet and I started pinging pellet around the float and lifting and dropping the rig. It took about five minutes before a carp hooked it self, a nice one of 2lb, in the next half hour I had another six, there were a few there but I felt that I wasn't catching quick enough, so I went back to the margin swim for the rest of the match. First put in after the rest and probably the biggest fish of the day for me swallowed my paste bait a good fish of 4lb, the rest had done the swim some good and I was getting good bites and things were going well until the last twenty minutes, when the bites became very twitchy, even on the meat, I couldn't hit anything, and on hind sight it was probably small fish. The match ended and I felt I had done ok, following the scales round, Paul Barnard was setting the target weight of 78lb 1oz, Keith Theobold was taking second with 70lb 9oz, round to me and my weight went the same as Keith's, 70lb 9oz! Joint second in the match, and overall a good day. There were a few other sixty pound weights, including Stu to my left, and afterwards I asked him why he didn't fish his right hand margin, the reeds were being knocked about to his right all day, and he explained that he couldn't fish there due to the shrubbery, this probably helped me out and improved my margin swim. One round of the spring series left to go at Greenridge farm, and it looks like Paul and Keith have got it sewn up, but you never know!

Edging It In The Park.

Part of my 118lb catch.

Looking down to the little Willow where I caught.

The view of Park lake from my peg.

Todber Manor's Park Lake was the venue for round 4 of the Challis Tackle spring series. I missed the third match due to holiday, so a good result was needed. I always look forward to Todber as it has been kind to me in the past, and a good day can be had by most anglers, the only problem I had was whilst cleaning my pole the night before I found a bit of a ding mark in my number 5 section, probably from the match at orchard, so I taped it up and hoped it would last the match. Talk at the draw was that you would need the end pegs, as the whole of the lake wasn't in, pegs 14, 25 & 38 were the favoured pegs. As usual I waited for the mad rush to ease, before going to the draw bag. Paul Barnard was just before me, and as he drew, he dropped one on the floor, so I claimed it! Knowing the way Paul draws it was bound to be good, and as it turned it was peg 38! Mind you he pulled out peg 25, boy he can draw! Once I arrived at my peg the happier I was with my draw, as the nasty cold wind that was blowing down the lake was relatively calm in my peg, and I had a lovely quiet margin swim, which turned out to be the focus of my attack. I decided on a three prong attack, a far swim tight to the island at 14.5m, a down the track line at 7m, and a edge swim at 7m to my right, just in front of a small willow tree. I had a couple of pleasure anglers opposite me in the part of the lake that wasn't in the match, but as they were fishing in mid water they would not influence me at all, in fact they would benefit me as they were not fishing there far bank, which was to the right of my edge swim, due to the shape of the lake. I set up a Karpa cube on 0.16 to 0.14 hook length 911-16 on green Garbolino on the far line, A Garbolino DC11 on 0.16 straight through to a 911-16 again on green Garbo. I also set up a paste rig to cover the same line, 0.16 straight through to a size 12 911. For the margin swim I set up a 0.3 durafloat 0.16 straight through to 911-16 attached to Green Garbolino hollow. I also set up a heavier rig on 0.18 and orange garbolino, in case my first rig wasn't strong enough. On the bait table I had corn, paste, luncheon meat, soft pellet and 6mm hard pellet for feeding. At the all in I fed a medium pot of pellet and meat on the track line, and decided to have a look straight away on the edge line. Out with corn on the hook and a toss pot full of pellet to my edge swim just in front of the little willow, the float settled and ten seconds later the float buried and a carp of 2lb was in the net! A good start, in again and the float buried again this time with a better carp, things were looking good. A few roach followed, before more carp, some of them were lumps which tested the gear out, but things were working well. I swapped the baits about, but the roach were ragging the meat to much so I concentrated on the corn whilst feeding pellet. I felt I was doing well and was catching steadily, with some big fish thrown in, which was helping me build a nice weight. I could here Dave to my left catching a few, but as I had my back to the rest of the field, I had know idea how every one else was doing. Going into the last 2 hours things were slowing down on the edge swim, still getting some but by now the bites were getting a bit twitchy. I Hadn't touched any of my other swims so far, and was tempted to leave the edge swim alone for a bit, but switching to an 8mm soft pellet on the hook improved the bites, but I was having to wait a bit longer for the bite, but when it came it was usually a good fish, so I persevered. Into the last hour and I was still catching, although I did have little run of bumping and loosing a few fish, and one which took me into the tree, but I did manage to extract the rig. I was still catching right up to the whistle, and my perseverance down the edge hopefully would of paid of. The weighing in started at the other end of the lake with me last to weigh, Mayo on peg 14 weighed 96lb, Paul on peg 25 weighed 109lb, and I knew it would be close, the favoured pegs were putting up the leading weights, with a few good back up weights in the mid eighties it was time for my weigh. The first net went just under 60lb, which was pleasing as I knew I had a similar weight in the second, after the second net I had a total weight of 118lb, more than enough to win the match, and more than I thought I had. I had a good match fishing down the edge, and my pole managed to hold together despite being held together with tape! I think a repair is in order!

Orchard lakes, Spring series round 2.

Peg 14 " Snag City! " and some of my 53lb 4oz catch above.

Orchard lakes in New Milton was the venue for the second round of the Challis Tackle spring series, not on the usual match lake, but on main and tench lake. None of us were to familiar with either of the lakes, but I had fished a knock up on main lake some time back, and with a little info stored in the old grey matter I was hoping for this lake at the draw bag. The weather had been kinder the previous few days and today it looked fair as well, hopefully making the fish feed a bit. At the draw I waited for the mad rush to finish before dipping in my hand, peg 14 on main, great got the lake I wanted and an island peg. After loading up my gear I made my way down the slope to my peg, it looked lovely! But looks can be deceiving as I new that it was very snaggy close to the island I would have to be careful. After looking at the peg for a few minutes, I decided on a pole only approach, the island was reachable at 11.5 m but there were some nasty brambles there so I decided that 13 m would do nicely. I had a nice margin to my right, and my third line would be in open water away from the island at 13 m. I knew there are quite a few silvers in main lake, but with one side of the island to my self, I decided on a carp approach. An 4x12 chianti 0.14 strait through, 911 size16 attached to green Garbolino hollow was for the open water, an 0.2 gram dc6 0.18 strait through, 911 -14 attached to an orange Garbolino hollow, was for the margins, as I have been told the fish run up to 20lb! Now for the island, this is where it went a bit pear shaped! After attaching an 0.16 rig I went out with the plummet, I decided that I wouldn't fish tight as I new it was snaggy, so I plumbed up about 2 feet off, the trouble is it was snaggy there! I lost the lot! Leaving my rig line and plummet creating an even bigger snag than before! Next rig a bit further up the island this time I decided to plumb about 4 feet out. Wrong! strait into another snag, lost the lot again! Not only was I leaving rigs behind, but I was running out of plummets! This was getting expensive! After having a drink, and calming down a little, I tried again, by know I would be fishing at 14.5m just to get away from my own snagged rigs. I came out a bit further still, and finally got clear of the snags, I set up a 0.4 gram dc6 0.16 strait through 911-16, to a Green Garbolino hollow, and also a 0.18 strait through 911-14 to an orange Garbolino, to cover the same line if the fish headed for the snags, the orange should be strong enough to bully them away. I had corn, micros, and some soft pellets, no maggots to forget this time! At the all in I fed a medium pot of micros and some soft pellets on the open water line and half a pot of corn and micros down the edge. Strait onto the 14.5m line just away from the snags with corn on the hook and some corn and micros in the toss pot. A bite strait away, a small chub on the drop, two more small chub followed, then a couple of small skimmers. I was getting regular bites but nothing of any size, out again this time a small carp of 1lb or so, out again and back to the small chub. I decided to feed a pot of corn and micros on this line and leave it for a bit, hopefully the carp would move in. I had a look in the edge swim, 1st put in and the float buried and a nice 2lb crucian! No more bites though so I re-fed it and went back out to the 14.5m line. A couple of small chub, but no more carp, about an hour had gone and I had about 5lb in the net. I could see most of the lake and it seemed that most people were struggling, I did hear that Maurice in the top corner was getting a few carp, as well as loosing some, it was time for a re-think. I could see the reeds moving next to the island and I knew that the carp were in there, it was just a case of how to get them out without loosing every rig in my box! I decided that i would fish up in the water next to the reeds, but away from the snaggy bottom with some heavy gear and hopefully get the fish away from the snags before they made into it, well that was the plan. Before that could take place I needed a comfort brake! I blame the bacon roll earlier! On the way to the toilet I past Maurice in the corner playing a nice carp, so that made my mind up, snag pit fishing it was then! Once I got back to my peg I set up a dibber on 0.18 strait through to a 911 14 onto fairly tight set orange Garbolino, I set it at a foot deep well clear of the snags below. 1st put in with corn on the hook, nice and visible, and with a toss pot full of corn and micros, the float dipped and a small chub came flying out of the water as I struck! Next put in the float dipped again, this time I hit into some thing that was intent on heading for " snag city " I leaned into it and steered it away from danger and into my net, perfect the plan was working. Out again and the same result, 2 carp in the net and no lost rigs! A few more followed, before the inevitable happened, Snag! Arghh! I pulled and the rig came back this time, although it had no float and a straight hook! I re-rigged but this time I put an 0.16 hook length on, in case I hit the snags again, hopefully all that I would loose would be a hook length. By now James to my right was catching steadily, and it was close between us, so time to get my head down, back out and strait into another carp, they weren't big but there were a few there. I would get a few then I would hit into the snags and have to pull for a brake, but I was only loosing the hook length. I was catching a couple, pulling out of a few, and loosing the odd hook length, but I was steadily building a weight. My plan was working! I rested the island swim for a bit, and had a look in the margins, which I had been feeding with corn by hand, after fifteen minutes and a few small chub later, I decided to leave it and concentrate on the island swim for the last hour of the match. James was still catching steadily, and as far as I could tell it would be between him and me. First put in at the island after looking in the margins, I hooked a fish that shed the hook into the snags, and had to pull for a break, next put in it happened again! I was getting a bit fed up with snags, and now I had run out of 0.16 hook lengths! All I had left was some hair rig method hook lengths on 0.18, so I chopped the hair off and used them! The last 50 minutes turned out to be the most productive stretch of the match, no lost fish and no lost hook lengths, and the added bonus was that slightly bigger fish had moved in. The last fish of the match turned out to be my biggest, about 5lb, as I unhooked it I realised that I had no float again, so that was 4 lost rigs, 2 plummets, and about 20 hook lengths! The all out sounded, and I knew it would be close between James and me, all down to the scales. I weighed before James, and the scales went 53lb 4oz, not to bad from " snag city " ! James weighed 48lb 12oz, I had done just enough to beat James, and after following the scales around the lake, it turned out that I had won the lake. Onto the other lake, Tench, and Keith had won his lake, and done enough to win the match, putting me into second, which I was very pleased about after the start. After two rounds Keith Theobold is leading the series with two section wins, but as you drop your worst result it is all to play for.

Easter Sunday, No Egg For Me...

My peg at Bowsaw, 22.

First blog and it turns out to be a very valuable lesson learned! After a cooked breakfast that my wife got up and cooked for me, bless her, I loaded the car and drove the hour's journey to Bowsaw Lake near Odiham for the first round of the Challis Tackle Spring Series. I won this round here last year and was looking forward to hopefully doing something similar. After loading up my gear, a short walk to the lake where the draw was taking place, I had a quick look at the lake, it was very coloured from the heavy rain we had over the past week, and even the night before it had been raining hard, there was also a nasty wind which seemed to be swirling and affecting one side of the lake more than the other. After a bit of banter the draw took place, with 22 fishing pegging was going to be tight and I was hoping that my normally fairly good drawing hand wouldn't let me down and perhaps even draw me one of the favoured pegs either side of the spit, I waited till the end as I like to have the one of the last pegs left in the hat, with two left I pulled out peg 22, on the wind affected side of the lake, but with a plus point of having an island chuck. I arrived at my peg and considered my options. With both pegs in either side it cut my options down, I decided to set up a method rod for the island, a swim at 7 meters, one at 14.5 and a rig for the margins either side, but wasn't hope full of the margins as the pegging was so close. Disaster! After looking in my holdall I realised that I had left my maggots in the fridge! Which cut my options down even further, as there are quite a few chub in Bowsaw, I was hoping to catch a few out on the 14.5m. line if the carp weren't having it. It also cut my bait options down on the method, it would have to be corn or pellet! I plumbed up and found the same depth at 7m. as 14.5 so I set up two rigs very similar, the first a Preston Chianti 4x16 on 0.12 main to a 0.10 hook length, pr32 18. The second was again a chianti 4x16 this time 0.12 hook length to 16 pr32. Both rigs were married up to Garbolino yellow hollow with pull bungs. The margin rig was a Garbo DC6 0.16 strait through to a 911 size 16 married to a green Garbo hollow. After having a few casts with a bomb attached, I found my distance at the island, about a foot short of the dogwood that was over hanging, the rig was 6lb main line to a free running method feeder, 0.16 hair rig hook length, as I had no maggot, hair rigged corn or pellet would be the bait. I had some ground bait mixed up which consisted of green swim stim, brown crumb and a few micros. Bait for the match would be corn, hemp, micros and some 4 mm. expander's. The all in sounded and I cupped in half a small pot of corn and hemp at 7 m, and half a pot of micros with a few expander's at 14.5m. Leaving that to settle I had a cast with the method, I hair rigged a 4mm pellet and cast out. 20 minutes later and no indication things weren't looking good, Paul to my left had hooked a carp but it had found some old line that was tangled in the weeping willow, and was doing battle with a tree and a carp! In the end the fish got off but the tree fought him all the way to the net! Still no indications so I recast this time with corn as bait. 10 minutes went by and i had a half bite which I lifted into but nothing there. I recast again with corn, Paul and Dave either side of me by now had had a couple of fish each, nothing big but all caught using maggot as bait. Another 15minutes past before the tip went round and a 2lb carp ended up in the net. I recast again hoping for the same, as apart from the peg on the spit most of us in our section were struggling. With no more bites or indications it was time to put the tip rod down and have a look on the pole lines, I had been feeding the margins by hand just flicking a few grains of corn in every couple of minutes, so I had a quick look either side but there were no indications, so I left it but carried on feeding by hand. Out onto the 14.5m line with a 4mm expander, 10 minutes later the float dipped and a small carp of 4oz was in the net, out again but had to wait for a bite, some time later the float dipped and this time a nice 3lb carp, a few more of these would be nice but alas it wasn't to be. A switch to the 7m line resulted in no indications so I re fed and went back out on the feeder. By now I was falling behind, as a few fish were being caught in my section but I was struggling, I kept swapping between my lines but could not buy a bite. Into the last hour, and it was picking up for some further round the section, catching big fish in the margins, I had a look but there were no indications, so back out onto the 14.5m line with expander on the hook the float buried and I had a small carp, a few more small 2 - 3oz carp followed, I then had a 2lb er to finish the match. I new I was down in the section, and the scales went 9lb 4oz. not last in section but pretty close! But as it is a series with dropping your worst result all is not lost. The weights either side of me were just over the 20lb mark so forgetting the maggots was costly as far as points go, as I reckon I would of had a few more. The favoured spit pegs were 1st and 3rd, and 2nd was at the other end of the island. Reflecting on the match on the long journey home, the only thing I would of done different is to remember the maggots! There is always next week!