Winter League Semi Final, Gold Valley Lakes.

After a couple of practices for myself and the squad it was time for the semi final. I was looking forward to this as well as being a bit apprehensive as the fishing had been a bit up and down. There is always a buzz around at the pre-match breakfast before a big match and today was no exception. With some big teams and big names involved it was always going to be a struggle. The weather was cold and a keen northerly wind was blowing. A breakfast bap was the first order of the day washed down with a cup of tea and a natter with the rest of the team, before Barry went up for the draw. I was on E5 on Middle lake, just a few pegs further up from where I was on the previous Wednesday. After a quick pep talk and a collection of the bait, it was time to get to my peg. Phil was running the bank today and I had given him my camera, unfortunately I had given him two sets of flat batteries! So apologies to those that didn't get photographed it was my fault! ( I blame the nerves! ) When I got to my peg I found that John was behind me on Gold, so we had a chin wag before setting up.

Phil's "Arty" shot of me fishing on E5, nice!

I set up two feeder rods, one a straight lead, and one a method, both were clipped up to just short of the rope that splits the lake in two. As I had a free peg either side of me I could fish two long pole lines at 10 and 2 o'clock so to speak, as well as one at 5m. A KC chimp 4x16 on 0.12 line to a 18 hook to yellow hollow was set up for the long lines, as well as a heavier 0.14 rig to cover the same lines. A lighter Chimp on 0.10 to a 20 hook on pink hollow was set up on the 5m line. I had about 4ft of water on the long pole lines, but it was a bit deeper close in. I was going to put some chopped worm and caster on one long line and some ground bait and micros on the other, with an initial pot of choppy on the 5m line, which would be loose fed after with maggot. After a quick comfort break back at the clubhouse it was time to settle down to the match. The hooter sounded and I cupped in some ground bait and micros on one of the long pole lines, and chopped worm on the other, as well as a small pot on the 5m line.


Keith netting a carp.

I started on the lead with hair rigged corn and cast it to the rope, after 20 minutes with not so much as a line bite I had a cast with the method. I left it in for a good while but again no indications. The guy to my right had had one on the straight lead, so I cast it out and left it there, it really is a waiting game and it gets a bit nerve wracking when the tip doesn't go round! I could see Kieth opposite had had a couple, as well as a few others on the lake, but despite my best efforts I couldn't buy a bite.



Barry, still smiling!

I tried the pole lines after an hour and a half but there was no joy there so I went back onto the lead. I started to feed a few grains of corn onto a line about 20m out, as some of the team in practice had caught a few late on this line. Half way through the match and I still hadn't had a bite. I decided to do what I did on the previous Wednesday, to give the maggot feeder a go, after a couple of casts Keith phoned up to see if I had anything and had to cut him short as the tip flew round! I had finally caught a fish to my relief! A carp about 5lb. A few more casts and then a skimmer of 1lb. Then nothing for a bit so I had a look on the pole.

Yours truly in a brief moment of action!

No bites over the 5m line, or over the pellet, but as soon as I dropped in on the far worm line the float buried and I was attached to another one of Gold Valley's hard fighting carp. A few minutes of careful playing and another 5lb fish was in the net. I had another look but no more bites followed. A few casts onto the 20m line where I had been flicking a few grains of corn resulted in nothing. So as time was getting on and a few fish were being caught further down the lake, so I went back out onto the maggot feeder, no indications until 1 minute from the all out when the rod tip flew of the rest, and the final fish again a fish of around 5lb was in the net landed after the whistle. At the scales I weighed in 17lb, not last in section as there were a few below me. The maggot feeder had caught me a few fish again and I can't help wondering what would of happened if I had started on it. Back at the clubhouse and it was clear that we had come last, Dave George did well to come second on Bungalow lake, but a bit disappointing in the end for the team but we learnt a lot, and Browning Andover Match Group will go from strength to strength and be back next year!