I managed to get away from work at around 4.30 and was at the fishery by 4.45 in time for a 5pm draw. It was decided that we would fish from 5.45-8.45pm as opposed to the usual 6-9 pm as we were unsure what the light levels would be like as it was the first match of the year. This week we were fishing 'Whinwhistle Islands', a lake I hadn't fished for a year or so and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. There were two pegs I really fancied- 3 and 8. Peg 8 is the out and out flier as you have a lilly bed at around 14m slightly to your right and a little inlet bay down the edge to your right that always holds fish. Into the bag i went and out came....peg 11. Not a bad peg and a few carp had been caught from the area on the bank holiday Monday open so I was hopefull of a few.
As you can see in the pictures I had two little islands at around 12-13m, one slightly to the left and one slightly to the right. When fishing three hour matches I always find it best to keep things as simple as possible,and I find you have to make a decision to either go all out for carp or all out for silvers,as chopping and changing means you don't do either effectively. I had already made my mind out that I was fishing for carp even though I felt that 20lb should be enough to do well. I chose to set up just two rigs but they would cover four swims. The first rig was a 4x10 Scone Jubleez on 0.16 to a size 2 Tubertini 175 and orange wilkie hollow. This rig was for fishing across,and I found two and a half feet of water tight to the left hand island and the same depth slightly away from the right hand island. My second rig was for down either side at 5m where there were tree's protruding into the water. I had around 3ft of water either side so set up a 4x12 Scone Jubleez on 0.18-size 3 Tubertini 175 and wilkie orange hollow set a bit tighter than the long line rig. Both rigs incorporated a small cad-pot on the pole.
For bait I had a large tin of corn,a tin of 6mm cubed meat,4mm pellets and some 6mm hookers.
I planned on fishing corn and pellet to the left hand island and meat to the right hand swim as I wasn't sure what bait would fish best and wanted to cover my options. With 5 minutes to spare I wandered over to peg 8 where Andy Franks had drawn. I fully expected him to do well off the peg and just hoped I could find a few fish down the edge late on. The all-in was called at 5.45pm and I fed a pinch of corn and pellet to the left hand swim,half a pot of meat to the right hand swim,a full pot of corn down the right edge and a full pot of meat to the left edge. I kicked off on the left hand line and had a couple of lightning fast bite's on single corn that I put down to small fish. After 5 minute's I cad-potted another 4 grains of corn in with no pellet and a few minute's later the float buried and a lift was met with firm resistance as the fish moved out of the peg. I was on 'proper gear' so had no trouble and a couple of minute's later I netted a carp of around 4lb-good start. I baited up with a 6mm expander,cad potted in some more corn on the left hand line and went over the right hand line. A few quick bite's resulted in a couple of small skimmers,not exactly what I was after but with a target weight of just 20lb I wasn't too fussed. I went out with double meat with a full cad-pot of meat and after 5 minute's or so the float buried and the fish tore off to my right. I immediately assumed it was foul-hooked and hung on praying that the hook would hold. Eventually the fish turned and started coming back to towards me. I managed to get it on the surface and soon realised it wasn;t foul-hooked but was a lump of around 10lb. The fish just wallowed there and before it knew what was going on I had it in the net. So I was 25 minute's into the match with 15lb in the net and bar the odd silver no-one else had caught a fish. I put another half pot of meat on the right hand line and went back to the left hand swim with single corn. After a bit of lifting and dropping the float dipped and I again lifted into firm resistance. Something wasn't right however as the pole tip hooped over and no elastic came out. After a few seconds the hook inevitably pulled and upon inspection I could see that the wind had caught the line around the groove in the cadpot-bad angling! I just hoped it wouldn't cost me.......
Over the next hour I only managed a few skimmers off the meat line and no more fish from the left line. At the half way stage I cupped another pinch of bait onto the two long line's and dropped in down the edge. A few quick bite's from small fish down each side was not what I was after so each side got another full pot of bait. Back on the meat line and a quick bite saw a carp tear off before the hook pulled. I could only assume it was foul-hooked but I was still disapointed. By now I could hear a bit of splashing down on peg 8 but I couldn't see Andy so couldn't see exactly what he was catching. Going into the last hour I had only added another couple of silvers leaving me with about 16lb. A look down each side again proved fruitless so with 15 minute's to go I decided to concentrate on the left hand island line. A full cad-pot of corn went out and after 10 minute's the float disappeared and another carp made a bid for freedom. I was a little disapointed as it was only around 3lb-smaller than average. By now the light levels had dropped dramatically and when the all-out was called I could hardly see the float.
I have recently started using a 'clicker' to help me keep track of my weight. It told me I had 19lb in the net,and I knew that no-one else bar peg 8 had caught as a couple of people had packed up early. I shouted down to Andy who said he'd had 3 carp but also lost 3. John came around with the scales and Andy's 3 carp went 20lb 4oz. This was going to be close....
My silvers net went 2lb 14oz and as I lifted the carp net out I knew it would be ounces in it. The needle eventually settled on 16lb 12oz giving me a total of 19lb 10oz-8 agonising ounces short. That lost fish had cost me dearly but I couldn't really complain as I felt I fished a tidy match and the evening matches are always enjoyable no matter what.
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