First four rounds of the winter league

I thought I would put a quick post up with a run down of how I did in the first four rounds of the winter league.

5/10/2008
Round 1 saw me drawn on Peg 8 on The Rail. I set up two rigs for fishing over and a rig for down the track. I had about 3 1/2 foot tight over,so had a 4x12 chimp,with 0.14-0.12 hooklength and an 18b911 to an 8 latex. I also set up a half depth rig with same terminal tackle but a 4x10 Chianti. I began the match fruitshooting some crushed pellet across but had no bites in the first hour. I then flicked a bomb rig slightly to my right and had a carp around a pound within 2 minutes on double maggot, and as it was the first fish to be caught on the lake the pressure was off somewhat. Bob Wackrill to my left then had a carp around 3lb on the pole,followed by another soon after. I continued fruitshooting crushed pellet in every 10 minutes or so and after about 1hr and 45 mins of the match I had my first bite on the pole on a 4mm expander at depth. It was a welcome carp of around 2lb For the next half an hour I went fish for fish with Bob until we were both on around 12lb and then I pulled away as my peg got stronger and stronger. The remainder of the match was spent picking off fish with 3 coming very late on at half depth. I had most on double red maggot with the odd fish on corn. I ended the match with 33lb odd for an easy section win and a perfect start to the series. Bob was second with 12lb odd,with 3lb being third.

26/10/2008
Round 2- This saw me draw the Rail again, but this time on Peg 6. This is probably the worst peg on the lake as it is the widest at around 16.5m,and as the wind is often atrocius on this peg it can be difficult to fish,as there is very little to be caught down the middle. I approached the match in the same way as the first round,but 4 hours in was still biteless on both the pole and the tip. I had Rocky Redstone on my right,and also had him in the knockout. He had started 'plipping' after a couple of hours,and had about a pound. I had my first bite with 30 minutes remaining,which was foul hooked and promptly fell off. The same thing happend again with 10 minutes to go and I thought I had blown my chance. I then went out with a corn skin at half depth and with less than a minute left I had a bite and hooked a carp. The whistle went immediately and I carefully netted the fish which I knew would beat Rocky. I weighed one fish for 2lb 10oz,beating his 1lb odd of bits. Bob Wackrill pushed me into second place with 2 carp for 4lb,and the match was won from end peg 1 with 44lb- every single fish was one of the 8oz carp stocked the week before. Not a single one came out from any where else on the lake! Still,I was glad to have rescued a third in section for 3 points as with a minute to go I was heading out of the knock-out and looking at 10 points.

2/11/2008
Round 3 saw me drawn on Keepers Lake. I was on end peg 17 and based my approach around targetting the lakes skimmers. I found 5 feet of water at 13m,so set up a 4x14 chimp,0.14-0.12, 20 Gama Pellet and an 8 latex. I also had a rig for 5m where I fed 4 balls of Sensas Noire groundbait at the start,with a 4x14 speed,0.12-0.10 hooklength and a 20 Black Gama to a 6 latex. I caught fish off both lines throughout,catching mainly 3-4oz skimmers with most coming on 3mm pellet long to weight 10lb 14oz. I thought I had done enough but Bob Wackrill had a 4lb tench and a 1lb skimmer in the edge on corn in the last 15 minutes to go with some bits and weighed 11lb2oz, agonisingly knock me into 2nd in section. The lack of a bonus fish cost me, but as third weighed in 4lb odd I felt I approached the match in the right way and came away with 2 important points.

30/11/2008
Round 4 saw me again drawn on Keepers lake but this time down the other end in the shallow water of peg 23. This has an island in front at around 14m. I had fished the lake the day before and caught a stack of skimmers and two bonus tench all on pellet on peg 21 in the open water,so was fairly optimistic. I set up a pellet line on the base of the slope at 11m, with a bonus fish line over at 13m in the shallower water. I had top angler,and last years league winner, Andy Shanks on my right so a pound sidebet was duly struck up. An hour in I was still biteless,with Andy having probably 8oz of bits caught mainly on the tip with a couple on the pole. It was fishing alot harder than expected probably due to the severe frost the night before. After an hour I got off my box,set up a lighter rig and cadged a ball of groundbait off Andy. I hadnt mixed any up as I had caught so well on the pellet the day before,so lesson learned there! I plumbed a new line at a 2 oclock angle at 11m and cupped in a hard ball with 5 maggots. 5 minutes later I went over the line with a single maggot and caught a 3oz perch straight away. I fished this line for the rest of the match,catching mainly micro perch and a few roach for a hard-earned 2lb 12oz and fourth in section. Andy weighed 3lb 10oz with a few skimmers on the pellet to take my shiny pound (well,50p,two 20's and a 10!). 6lb odd won from the other end,so a tough match for all,and one bonus fish would have seen me win the section but it's a case of swings and roundabouts I guess....

So four rounds in I was on 10 points in total,although you drop you're worst result overall which left me with 6 if you look at it that way.