So it is that time of year again when the Christmas
matches start and the first one that I was able to get on this year was the
Army Fur and Feather. The group 2 match had
taken place on the same venue the week before in -7 degrees so whatever was
going to happen it wasn’t going to be as bad as that. I managed a cheeky practice on Saturday, I meant
to go to Waldens to practice chucking a waggler around but got coerced into fishing
on Selwood. 6 hours later and 2 swims I
had 1 foul hooked carp to show for my efforts!!
Back to the day in question and there were only 22
anglers booked in, I was actually surprised to find out that we would be on
Cottage, the outer and the inner with so few anglers but it isn’t my train set
so that was the way it was going to be.
There were plenty of friendly faces from all over, a lot of them were
surprised to see me… apparently I can only carp fish now, but banter, breakfast
and tackle shop done it was time for the draw.
I managed to pull peg 51 on outer off the tree, this
meant nothing to me until I got to it and even then I didn’t really know what
to expect.
I set up a long pole dobbing
rig, a heavy silvers rig, a light silvers rig, a bomb and a small method
feeder. My day took a massive turn for
the worst whilst setting up though as I managed to break my flask!!! It was now going to be a long day.
I was more than ready for the all in and as it sounded I
fed a small ball of groundbait and dead maggot at 11 o’clock and then a few
dead maggots and expanders at 1 O’clock both at 11 meters, I would have liked
to have fed the lines further apart but they have installed ropes across the
snake lake to prevent the cormorants from landing, works for that but it gives
the fish room to back off into.
My match started slowly and I spent 30 minutes trying to
dob a carp out from the far side to no avail, then I moved onto my silvers
line, again with no indications from either swim, I had been feeding 4-6
maggots every 5 minutes or so at 2+2 so at just over an hour and a quarter I
dropped the heavy rig over it more in desperation than anything else. I was gob smacked when the float didn’t settle
and just kept on going, Roach number 1 in the keepnet. It was at this time that I took stock and
realised that there were carp coming from Cottage, a few on the inner and most
of the people to my right were now catching decent silvers and a few carp
pretty consistently. I gave it another
15 minutes and then went to the café for a brew in disgust (and a slice of
cake).
When I got back to my swim Nige in 53 was still blanking,
but top match angler Chris on 49 was still putting a few fish into the net from
a long line at 14m. Now I am not usually shy at copying what’s working but this
time I decided to make my 11m lines work, a frustrating hour later I was
plumbing up one of my rigs at 14m as I still had not had a touch on that closer
lines. This was my turning point and I
was soon catching small roach almost one a bang for 4 put ins, this was still
rubbish though as everyone to my right was still netting fish with annoying
regularity.
I decided to fill it in and go for another brew ( well
the pain killers were wearing off and I needed a stretch), on getting back to
my swim after being told my Dave M himself that I am rubbish I went straight
across for another couple of roach. I still could not get a bite on any of the
shorter lines and I put 3 bits of bread on a bomb and started to pack my kit up….
nothing happened and the all-out was called thank goodness.
I was packed up well before the scales got to me (and
loaded, if it hadn’t of been for guaranteed Christmas prizes I would have been
gone) the top end all the way down to Chris all had between 12 and 25kg of
fish, I had 600g and Nige managed 150g!!!!!!!!
As always a nice fair winter venue, with ample parking!!
Back at the results, Bri on peg 41 I think won it with
25kg then I think it was Dave on Cottage with 18Kg, then Ian with 17Kg etc,
etc. I hadn’t blanked hey Mike J but again I got a reminder why I try not to
fish Withy I am afraid, Great Café, Great shop, Friendly staff, brilliant
layout, Crap fishing!
What would I do differently?
I should have taken a light carp rod and a buzzer and
chucked a method for the day. I might have even caught something.
Tackle used:
Pole Dobbing:
Elastic: blue Colmic
Line: 0.17mm to 0.13mm
Hook: 1 T175
Float: 0.2g Drennan Carp
Pole Silvers Heavy:
Elastic: Yellow Hydro
Line: 0.15mm to 0.10mm
Hook: 18 B911 F1
Float: 0.4g AS4
Pole Dobbing:
Elastic: Number 5 slip
Line: 0.13mm to 0.10mm 0.08 later
Hook: 18 B911 F1 20 Gamma green later
Float: 0.2g AS3
Bomb:
Rod: Drennan 10ft Ultralight bomb rod
Reel: Daiwa TDM 3012
Line: 4lb sensor to 0.15mm
Hook: Various
Feeder: 8g ollivette
Feeder:
Rod: Drennan 10ft S7 Carp feeder
Reel: Daiwa TDM 3012
Line: 8lb sensor to 0.17mm
Hook: 16 QM1
Feeder: Micro pellet feeder 24g
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