Witherington farm Open- Barnmoor lake- 25/7/09

After not fishing atall for almost three weeks I was raring to go this weekend,especially with the prospect of a match double-header. After umming and arring for a while about where to fish I eventually settled on the open at Witherington Farm on Barnmoor Lake. This is the only lake I have never fished at the venue, and speaking to a few people before hand that wasnt necessarily a bad thing! I called up on the Thursday and booked myself and Nick White in, and with 15 anglers fishing the 20 peg lake it shouldn't be a bad match. I arrived at the venue at around 8 o'clock and as always had a quick wander round to get a mental picture of where I would like to draw. There is a central island which would obviously be worth a chuck on certain pegs, and the only real flier I could see was peg 16 that had the island within pole reach (16m or so). Whilst wandering around with Nick we heard a shout of 'morrrning chaps' from peg 9 on Sellwood where Nick Lund (nicky-the-bricky) was setting up. It turned out he had a day booked with England International Des Shipp. (I later heard someone on Barnmoor remark 'look over there,it's Des Shipp with a sinking ship'). After chatting with Nicky for 10 minute's or so we headed to the cafe in readiness for the draw. Into the bucket I went and out came.....peg 5. It didn't mean alot to me but I soon found out I was in the middle of the island on the near bank.

Arriving at the peg I surveyed my options and decided on a few different approaches. After borrowing Nick's extension I plumbed up at 17.5m (more like 16.5 with the short 4) towards the island,and although I was still some 3m or so off I felt sure I would catch the odd fish here. The peg was also very flat which made things easier. My rig for the long line was a 4x12 KC Chimp on 0.16- Size 2 Tubertini 175 matched to red vespe bi-core. I also set up a line at 13m where I had the same depth but would be predominantly looking for skimmers. For this line I assembled a 4x12 KC Chimp,0.16-0.14 and a 16 B911 matched to yellow Drennan Bungee. I decided to use 0.14 as there was every chance of picking up a carp on this line. My final pole line was the margin to my left. The next angler was pretty close but there was actually a spare peg between us so I set up a 4x10 Scone GAZE on 0.18- Size 3 Tubertini 175 and Wilkie orange. Finally I set up a small inline method feeder with an 0.18 hooklength for fishing to the island. For bait I had a tin of corn,a tin of 6mm meat,some damp micro pellets and skretting pellets in sizes 4, 6 and 8mm. I also had a tub of 8mm Ringers boilies for the method.

The all-in was called at 10.15 and I cupped in some meat and pellet at 13m before casting the method tight to the island. I decided not to feed the 17.5m line until I went on it as I was expecting things to be pretty tough. After 6 casts in 30 minute's without so much as a liner I dropped in at 13m with a 6mm cube of meat and went 15 minute's without a bite. Hmmm....not exactly going to plan!Nobody was really catching bar the odd small skimmer so I put 4 cubes of meat in a cad-pot and shipped out to 17m with a single grain of corn. After 3 or 4 minute's of lifting and dropping the float dipped and yards of elastic streamed from the pole. The fish kited to my right and actually caught the line of the guy to my right who was fishing the method to the island. After a lot of hassle I eventually slipped the net under a plump 7lb mirror (and a method feeder!) I have to say the bloke was very good about it all, I believe his name is Mayo?Anyway,cheers mate! I then repeated the process but couldn't buy another bite and things were pretty grim all around. I felt the method wasn't right so switched to a small cage feeder with a 12 inch hooklength and a single grain of corn. After a few minute's the tip flew round and I soon had a 2lb skimmer in the net. A few casts later and I added a small carp of around 2lb. I then added a couple of small carp and although it wasn't fast and furious I was catching more than anyone else on the lake. After a while the feeder line died and with no signs on any of the pole lines I decided to change tactics.

I switched to a bomb with an 8mm pellet and would constantly ping 2 or 3 6mm pellets over the top. I attached a new hooklength containing a size 16 Guru QM1. I have heard great things about these new hooks so was looking forward to trying them. After 5 minute's the top flew round out of the blue and I lifted into resistance before the fish fell off after a second or two. Nick had told me that he was yet to lose a fish on the QM1's so I was a little surprised. The regular feeding was bringing a few fish into the peg although I had to get my cast within 6 inches of the island in order to get bite's. It took a lot of discipline to retrieve the cast when it fell a foot or so short but it was worth it as I picked up a few smaller carp. I lost another two fish on the QM1's before switching back to Fox Series 2's. I still lost a couple of fish on these and I'm not quite sure what was happening. There was also an underwater obstacle as twice the tip flew round and the hooklength was sheared clean around half way along. I was getting quite frustrated but managed to pick up the odd fish. I went around 40 minute's without a sign at one point so scaled down to an 18 PR36 and a 6mm pellet and within minute's I added a 4lb ghost carp.

Fordy was also at Withy for the day as he was fishing with Des and Nicky and wandered past and kindly bought me a cold can of coke from the cafe- cheers mate! He said that I was winning the lake and there was about an hour or so left. Despite rotating all my line's I didn't manage to add another fish,although I did lose one more which was very frustrating. The all-out was called and I wasn't in the best of moods. I felt sure I had thrown the match away through lost fish and the chap to my left had caught a lot of skimmers and my clicker was on 20lb exactly.

After packing away the scales got to me and the guy to my left weighed 21lb exactly. I was therefore surprised when my carp and two skimmers went 26lb 12oz. The clicker only works if you click the correct amount of times! I followed the scales round and there was a 24lb followed by Nick weighing 20lb exactly. He had struggled all before switching to the bomb and tea-bag late on to catch a couple of carp. He had lost a lump which would prove costly as he was beaten by a pound into 5th and they paid the top 4. This was particularly frustrating for me as we split our winnings when fishing together. As it turned out my 26.12 was enough for the win followed by 24,22,21 something and 21. It had been hard for most but by ringing the changes I had managed to just about do enough.

I headed to the cafe and picked up £90 before giving half to Nick and heading home. I don't think I fished a particularly great match as I lost alot of fish and I'm at a loss as to why. Still,I'd rather fish poorly and win than fish like a pro and come nowhere!