MFS, Tober Park Lake

I was looking forward to this match for a while as it meant that I didn’t have to get out of bed at stupid o’clock for the first time in a while. From the new food van a coffee and bacon butty were procured for a second breakfast and then it was down to the lake for the draw. At the draw I could see alot of faces that I knew and all the talk was about how well the lake had been fishing on the run up to this match. I drew peg 3 on the top arm and nearly ran to my peg, there was a straw bale in both margins and a cut out on the far bank that was alive with carp eating silver fish spawn. My original plan was to keep things simple with a 4X12 float on 0.17mm main line to a 0.15mm bottom and a 16 B911 for fishing meat across, this was attached to Green Vespe E2 hollow on a puller bung so that I could land F1’s and Carp. Also for this line I plumbed up a KC Carpa Margin float on 0.17mm straight through to a 10 Margin Carp, this was to fish paste across and was attached to red Vespe E2 Hollow. Finally I plumbed up around both margins and decided to fish them both halfway up the slope in 3 feet of water, this rig was a 0.4g Double deez to 0.17mm main and a 1.15mm bottom with a 16 B911 again for fishing meat so it was set up on red Vespe E2 Hollow.

I was ready with plenty of time to spare so had a chat with a few of the other guys and before I knew it we were starting, I fed my margins from the start with hemp and meat and went across with meat. It was a steady start with a couple of decent carp before the scourge of the F1’s and Rudd moved in so I tried paste across and got seen off by silvers. After about 45 mins I tried the margins and had a few carp so then I decided to concentrate on the short pole for the rest of the day and plumbed up a paste line at 2+3. This rig was a 4X10 Big H paste on 0.19-0.17mm and a 10 Drennan Margin carp all attached to red Vespe E2 Hollow, I potted in some bait and the bottom erupted and for the rest of the match it was a case of trying to take a couple of fish from each line before rotating and trying to get some more.

The whole lake did not fish as expected and I experienced long periods of inactivity on all 3 swims but after the 6 hours was finished I had ended up with 115lb 8oz and this was enough for 4^th overall although it was tight with 114lb and 112lb both coming from my section.

A thoroughly enjoyable day that I hope to repeat again.