Having got to the fishery and met up with the lads it was a quick walk round the lake. With the wind blowing hard i think most lads opted to fish the tip. I fancied pegs 10,6 and 36 at the draw and was hoping one of them would be pulled out, this was not so and out came peg 31 (not where I wanted to be) other side of the lake but knew there were some big fish that visited that side of the lake and liked the margins.
When I got to my peg I realised that I had some space to my left which would prove to be productive later on in the match.
The
plan of attack was to fish the pellet method to the far bank that was
about 20 meters away. I knew this could be a hit or miss if the fish
were there it would be a busy day. For this line i set up my Browning
8ft wand to a Browning Backfire reel loaded with 6lb line. For the end
tackle I choose a Kobra 20gram in line method feeder to a 4 inch hook
length matched to a PR36 size 18 hook with a quick stop. Plan would be
to fish 3mm dampened down pellet to a 6mm meat hook bait.My pole line would be to the out to the front at the 11 o'clock position at 7 meters. Tackle was a double no8 elastic set to a pulla bung. Line would be 0.16mm Browning Cinex line to 0.14 6 inch hook length with a size 16 B911 hook. Pole float choice was a HillBilly F1 Wire (I wanted a float that was sensitive and would stay stable in the water due to the wind blowing a gale. Shot wise would be a series of no 10 shot bulked on the line 7 inches from the hook idea being I wanted to get the bait down as quickly as possible.
Feed for this line would be dampened down 3mm and 4mm pellet, fed little and often and see what comes of it.
The last line I set up was down the margin. I had a bush sticking out of the bank by a meter about 7 meters to my right and to me it screamed a fish holding area.
Tackle for this line would be a 16 latex set tight but not too tight to bump of smaller fish should it come to needing them. Line of choice again was Browning Cinex 0.20mm main line to 0.18mm 6 inch hook length to a PR36 size 14 hook. Float of choice was again a HillBilly this time an AK47 margin float. For feed this would be fed with chopped worm and caster mixed with (ABC) Grand Prix Liquid Detonator (which is a soluble protein liquid that works a treat with this type of bait). On the hook would be half a lob worm. This line would be fed every half an hour from the all in with with half a large pot of worm and caster and would go over it every half and a half to see if any thing was there.
Well the all in was called and off to work I went throwing the pellet feeder out every 3-4 minutes waiting for the fish to turn up on the far bank. After a half and a half of changing hook baits and no sign of fish on the tip moving on the far bank it was time to check the 7 meter pole line. With the wind blowing even harder it was always going to be a line that I could throw away if needed if the wind picked up after another hour sat with no bites it was time to check my margin swim.
I had been over that line an hour earlier and no fish were there so it was a great surprise when the float settled and shot straight under and fish number one was in the net. Sticking the float out again it shot under and fish number 2 was in the net (happy days the fish have turned up) Out it went for the third time and nothing, had I had the only 2 fish down there feeding at the time? out went some more feed then came of that line to let it resettle. Back on the tip for a while to see if the fish had moved in on the far bank proved to be fruitless so it was back to the margin swim.
After the all out had been called I was slightly disspointed with my self as I lost a few big fish in the reeds and being too heavy handed and lost a few after struggling to get them to the net for the fish to spit the hooks so I feel I could of doubled that weight.
Looking around the other pegs whilst the match was on I didnt feel I had done enough to place in the top 3 and I could see what was going on around the side of the lake, so felt like I had blew it.
Well as the sclaes came round I had to beat 58lb which I was suprised about and thought I had a chance of 2nd or 3rd. The fish went on to the scales and tipped them at 70lb I had won the match which I was well happy with.
As always Mill on the Soar was kind to me but could of lost the match need to be slightly less heavy handed with my tackle at times.
Next match sees me at a place called Litchgate fishery on the 25/09/2011 for round 2 and hopfuly another good result
