Witherington Farm Open- Cottage 28/3/09

With no league commitments this weekend I was on the lookout for an open match as I didn't fancy pleasure fishing. Nick Lund (aka nicky-the-bricky) rang me on Wednesday night saying there was an open on Cottage so I booked in. I've only fished Cottage twice but loved it both time's so was looking forward to this match
I arrived at the fishery just before 8 and as always the first thing I did was go for a wander around the lakes. The first thing that was noticeable was the wind- it was horrendous! Usually the lake's are flat calm in the morning and the wind picks up later in the day. With the strength of the wind so early on I was a bit concerned as to what it would be like at the all-in!
Into the cafe for a bacon roll and a cup of tea a few of the lads started to arrive and come draw time there was 11 of us. With 16 pegs on Cottage you wouldn't really want more than 11 as it would be a bit tight in certain pegs. With the wind so bad I hoped to draw an island peg which would mean fishing the lead and tea-bag all day. Not the most exciting method but certainly effective on days like this. There were 4 pegs that didn't have an island and I drew one of them- peg 11. I was a little disapointed with the draw as it would mean a pole match which would make it tough to get decent presentation in the wind. Arriving at my peg I had Nick to my left on peg 10 which has been the hot peg of late. The wind was howling from left to right, so I was sure the edge would be worth a few fish late in the day,especially as peg 12 was free. I decided that my best bet was not to go too far out in front due to the wind, so settled on a line at 9m where I had around 4 foot of water. I set two rigs up for here,both on 4x14 KC Chimps (heavier than usual due to the wind). The first was on 0.16-0.12: 18 b911 and a doubled 5 slip. This was shotted with a small bulk of 10's and two droppers-set to just touch bottom. The second rig was on 0.16-0.14 to an 18 Drennan Eyed barbless with a band on a hair. This was for fishing hard pellets and was double bulked with 10's and matched to a double 6 slip. At 11m to my right there were some straggly reeds just the other side of the next platform so this was where I planned to fish the edge in around 2 and a half feet of water. For this line I set up a 4x12 Scone Jubleez on 0.16- 16 B911. This was set to a double 8 slip and had a kinder pot on the pole. All three rigs incorporated a no:8 backshot. I also set up a tip rod with an 0.18 hooklength to an 18 PR36 and a band on a hair. Although I didn't have an island to fish to I knew if the wind got really bad I would have to sit on the tip in open water. For bait I had some damp micro's,4mm pellets,a tin of corn and some hook pellets. The all out was called and I cupped a pinch of micro's and 4mm's at 9m before going straight down the edge on single corn without feeding to see if I could snare an early carp. After 5 minute's the float shot under but it was a roach of about 8oz and not the intended carp. I put a pot of corn and pellet down the edge and turned around to see Nick playing a lump that looked every ounce of 7lb on the tip to the island. I then spent 15 minutes on the tip and corn at around 20m but without so much as a liner it was onto the pole at 9m with a 4mm expander. An instant bite saw a skimmer of around 3oz swung in. I had a few more but it was far from hectic so I clipped on a small pot and decided to start feeding a cadpot of micro and 3 grains of corn after every fish. This upped the catch rate considerably although despite catching a tench of around 1lb most of the fish were small skimmers. After 2 hours I had around 5lb in the net and was going nowhere fast. By now Nick had caught 3 carp and a few other people had caught so I was way behind. I decided I needed to up the ante so removed the small pot and started to ping four 4mm pellets over the top every 30 seconds or so. As expected this stopped the bite's from the small skimmers and I was just thinking I might have made a mistake when the float disappeared and I hooked a decent carp that bolted off before swirling on the surface. There must have been a nick in the hooklength as after a minute or so it broke me. I put a stronger 0.14 hooklength on and went straight back out with a 4mm expander. After a few minute's I had another bite and soon netted a decent tench of around 2lb. I went back out and continued to ping pellets over and after around 5 minute's I had another decent bite and a few minute's later netted a nice carp of 4lb. Around 3 hours in I probably had about 13lb odd in the net but guessed Nicky had atleast double that and I could see a few others that were beating me. I had been feeding a pinch of pellet and corn down the edge every half hour or so but wanted to leave it as long as possible before going down there. In the 3rd hour I continued to catch skimmers at 9m and although I wasn't bagging by any means I decided I would be best putting what I could in the net and hope that I would get a few down the edge late on. With 2 hours left I probably had around 17lb. The lad on peg 14 had now started to catch a few on the lead to the island and I reckoned I was probably in 5/6th place at this stage. I went down the edge on a single grain of corn and after about 5 minute's the float vanished and a lift was met with solid resistance. A couple of minute's later a carp of around 4lb was in the net. I went straight back down with a kinder pot of corn and pellet and after around 10 minute's another bite saw a carp of around 3lb soon in the net. I was now back in contention and felt that a few more down the edge could see me make the frame. No more bite's were forthcoming so I put half a pot of pellet and corn in before going back out at 9m. A few more skimmers showed but they were mostly small. I continued to ping pellet out and soon had another tench of around 2lb. With an hour to go I went back down to my right but couldnt buy a bite. I decided to fire a pouch of pellet instead of cupping and a few minute's later the float once again vanished and I soon landed a carp of about 4lb. With just half an hour to go I hadn't added any more fish and knew I had to go for broke. I put a full pot of corn and pellet down the edge and left it for 5 minute's while I had a few more small skimmers at 9m. Back down the inside and another bite on single corn saw another small carp of around 3lb come to the net. With just 10 minute's to go I fired out another pouch of pellets and after a while I had another bite and netted a small koi carp of around 2lb with a minute to go.
The all-out was called and I wasn't sure how I'd done. I was a bit worried that the carp I caught were small- I could really have done with a lump from the inside but it wasn't to be. I thought Nick might have beat me,and the guy to his left had caught well. The lad fishing the lead on peg 14 had caught really well in the last hour and I was sure he'd beat me as he'd caught some decent fish.
After packing away I followed the scales round and saw a few 20lb odd weights before the guy to Nick's left put 31lb on,with Nick weighing 30 odd. My silvers net went 14lb something which surprised me a bit and my six small carp went 21lb which gave me 35lb odd and put me in the lead. Lee to my right on peg 13 put 12lb on the scales before the lad on peg 14 weighed 39lb which proved to be top weight on the day.
I was quite pleased to have come 2nd as I felt I wasn't on the best peg and made a few bold decisions that ultimately paid off. That fish I lost in front probably cost me the win but it's hard to be too critical about things like that. Back to the cafe I picked up £55 and after a cup of tea and a few biscuits I headed home,finally glad to get out of the incessant wind!!