A mixed weekend....

MFS Rolfs Match- 19/09/09

Well seeing as I didn't think I would be able to fish for a month after the last match a change of plans meant I had a free weekend...time for a double header then! I was down as a reserve for the matchfishing-scene match at Rolfs fishery near Oxford and after a few drop-outs my name was down and I was fishing. Now Rolfs is a venue that seems to attract more attention than most due to it's potential for collossal weights. Now anyone that know's me will be aware that it's not my sort of thing,as I would rather win a match with 5lb than catch 200lb for nowhere. Nonetheless I decided to give it a go and see what all the fuss is about! The Wednesday open that had just 8 anglers fishing was won by venue expert Jon Walker. It had fished very hard by all accounts...yet he had won with 220lb! Saturday's match was expected to be alot harder with far more anglers fishing but there was still a match to be won and I personally would rather it being a bit harder as it would be very difficult to keep up with the venue regulars if it became a fish race. I ummed and arred about fishing the match as the lure and cost of staying local appealed to me but in the end I decided to fish Rolfs......big mistake!
To cut a very long story short it was dire! I drew peg 38 in the little lake and I was told that it was either a bagging peg or a blanking peg with little middle ground. I had one bite out long about half way through the match that was foulhooked and I managed to avoid the blank with a 6lb carp down the edge with just 8 minutes to go. I had venue expert Jon Walker to my left and he managed just two carp-both in the last hour on worm out long. Trouble is his two carp went 34lb odd!! It had fished hard throughout and most of the weights were made up of foul-hooked fish from what I can gather. The winner had 96lb odd fishing a boilie shallow in the main lake,it certainly wasn't a day for feeding much that's for sure!


Open-Broadlands Lower Lake- 20/9/09

Sunday saw me fishing the open on Lower Lake at Broadlands. I had only fished the lake once before,back in March, when I won my section with 36lb of skimmers on pole & pellet. Apparently all recent weights were being won on the method tight to the central island,with 60-70lb of carp generally doing well. With 24 booked in (and a few on reserve) it was decided beforehand that three of the pegs would not be allowed to fish to the island to avoid any potential arguments. This would be a major handicap for the three unlucky anglers as all weights had been caught fishing tight against it,so come the draw we were all praying to avoid these. Still,with 21/24 pegs having a chuck I thought I'd be OK. Into the bag I went and out came....29: NO ISLAND! The two words looked to be about 6 inches high,I couldn't believe it. The bloke who drew peg 30 next door decided he wasn't going to bother. He eventually changed his mind and hastily arrived at the peg with 10 minutes to go,cursing as he went.

I decided to get all negative thoughts out of my head and do my best. The match was simply split into two sections,and with top 3 being paid in each I hoped to find a few skimmers on the pole and possibly sneak a pick up. The first thing I set up was a waggler rod. This was a 13ft Preston Sentient with a Daiwa 2503 CU reel with 3lb maxima. This was set with a 2.5g drennan crystal tip waggler with a 12 inch hooklength of 0.14- 18 Drennan eyed barbless with a band on a hair. I planned to fish this for the first hour while the pole line settled and hoped to find a few skimmers. I spent a good 30 minutes plumbing around with the waggler and found a flat area about 7ft deep at 22m. I set the rig 3 inches over depth and shotted the float to the merest pimple (it was flat calm). I then set up 3 rigs for my long pole line at 14.5m. The first was my main rig- a 4x14 KC Chimp on 0.14 to a 6 inch 0.12 hooklength and an 18 Gama Pellet. This was matched to double 5 slip and shotted with a bulk and two no:10 droppers. The second rig was for if things were a bit harder- same float and line but the hooklength was 0.10 to a 20 Tubertini 808 for 3mm pellet. The final rig was for if the carp were showing and was again a 4x14 chimp this time on 0.16-0.14 and a 16 B911 matched to yellow drennan bungee. Finally I set up a throwaway line at 6m to my right under a tree where there was around 3ft of water. This was a 4x10 Chimp,0.16-16 B911 and red vespe. I decided to leave the method rod in the bag as it wouldnt be very effective in the open water. For bait I had a bag of soaked 2mm pellet,some 3mm & 4.5mm hookers,6mm pellet and a tin of corn.

The all-in was called and I fed a medium pot of micro's at 14.5m. I had already decided not to feed any 4mms as I felt it slowed things down- something I'm sure killed my peg on the racetrack lake 2 weeks earlier. I then baited the waggler rod with a 6mm pellet,cast out to 25m,sunk the line and fired 3 pellets over the top. After a minute or two a quick turn of the reel twitched the bait and a second later the float dipped and a 1lb skimmer was soon in the net. Another followed next cast before a small carp of around 1lb took the bait. I was feeding 2-3 pellets every minute or so and if the bait was left still I wouldn't get a sign. Every bite was either just after casting or as soon as I moved the float. After half an hour or so the dimple dipped and I hooked a fish that tore off. It was clearly a foulhooked carp and just as I had it under control the hooked pulled. Next cast I hooked a decent skimmer that I lost on the way in. I decided to change hooklengths to a 16 hook as I didn't want to take any chances. After an hour I had 6 skimmers and a small carp in the net and with the waggler line quiet it was time to look on the pole. 15 minute's of lifting and dropping without so much as an indication satisfied me that there were no fish present so re-feeding wouldn't do any harm.I cupped in a golf ball sized ball of micro's and after 10 minutes on the waggler it was back on the 14.5m line. After a few lifts and drops the float settled before disapearing and a lift was met with the satisfying sight of 3 feet of double slip exiting the pole tip. No more bites were forthcoming so it was time to attach a cadpot and trickle some bait in. After a few put-ins this brought the peg to life and after a while I couldn't get the bait out fast enough with net skimmers regularly taking the 4.5mm hookbait. After 3 hours I hooked a carp which although I got in (and at about 5lb it was most welcome) it upset my rhythym some what. Next drop in I had a similar sized fish that soon joined his mate in the net. No-one was really catching much apart from the odd fish on the method and from what I could see I was doing well.

After the second carp I went 5 minutes without a bite so fed another golf ball of micros and went back on the waggler where I had been regularly feeding 6mm pellets in two's and three's. No bites saw me back on the pole and the skimmers had returned. They all seemed to be 1.5lb- 2lb fish (at the weigh in they weighed alot less than expected,and alot of people commented on this!)

With a couple of hours to go I foulhooked a carp on the pole and after 5 minutes it went on a final run and broke the hooklength. I went straight back out and had another,again about 5lb.

With an hour to go I had a quick look down the edge but with no bites I decided to stick with the long line. The bloke to my right had started to find a few on the method in the last hour and was catching well. When the all-out was called my clicker told me I had 33 skimmers and 4 carp in the net. I guessed I must have had 70lb as I wasn't to know that the skimmers would weigh so little. When the scales got to me the two pegs without islands had weighed 20-30lb odd of mostly carp down the edge. My four carp went 16lb and I was disapointed that the skimmers only went 38lb 8oz- giving me a 54lb 8oz total. The bloke to my right then put 72lb of method fish on the scales to knock me into second place. I followed the scales all the way round and was pleased to hold on to second place,although there were two other 50lb odd weights. After packing up I picked up £35 and reflected on the day. If I had the match again I wouldn't have done anything differently to be honest. I lost two foulhooked carp and just one skimmer. I was always going to be up against it without an island to throw to as the 4-5lb carp that are caught there soon build a weight. It was crucial to keep moving the bait and if I didn't trickle some bait in I wouldn't get a sign. It was a very enjoyable match and I learned a fair bit which is always a bonus. I felt my feeding was pretty much spot-on on the pole line although I would have liked to pick up a few more fish on the waggler when resting the pole.

Im not fishing this weekend but will hopefully be back for the open on Lower Lake on Saturday 3rd.

Catching up.....

Firstly I must apologise for my lack of blogs of late. I have been so busy at work that I've hardly had chance,and I've only managed to fish three matches in the past month or so. The first of these was at Greenridge Farm. I fancied one more crack at the surface fishing as I was 2nd on Canal 2 when I fished it last time with 122lb,mostly caught when I switched to the bread at the halfway stage. I felt sure that if I fished it for the duration I could do a bigger weight. This time I drew peg 7 on canal 1. I set up fairly standard rigs- 0.22 line to a size 16 fox series 2 hook and red vespe bi-core. I started on paste at 3m but apart from a foulhooked fish that I lost it was very slow. It was hard work fishing on the top across as it was a bright day and I had bare bank,the fish were definitely shying away from the pole. It was only when,with 2 hours to go I moved further to my right towards some over hanging grass that I started to catch....and quickly! I ended the match with 42 fish but they were smaller than those on canal 2 as I weighed a total of 118lb. I was kicking myself for not moving to the cover earlier,a real schoolboy error! For the third time in a total of 3 visits I had come 2nd on my canal.... must try harder!!!!


The Sunday match saw the final round of the summer league at Whinwhistle. It was really strange as I simply couldn't motivate myself to fish as I had already won the league with a match to spare. I contemplated not going but with the promise of a post match BBQ I made the effort. Normally I really look forward to all matches and spend ages preparing gear and thinking things over but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't be bothered. I drew a good peg (27) but for some reason fished a poor match. Instead of doing what I have done all summer at Whinwhistle I decided that I might as well go sh*t or bust and subsequently bust. I weighed in 7lb odd for 8th (they paid top 6 as the golden peg money was spread about) I can honestly say I have never endured a match like it and didn't enjoy myself for a minute. The highlight was hooking an 8lb+ common that I played for 10 minutes before the hook pulled right at the net. It was foulhooked but would have been most welcome and would have been worth £40-50 on the day. The end of series BBQ was great as always and I took a box of beer along for all the lads. After picking up my trophy and winnings I headed home in a bad mood and fancying a break from fishing.

Last week I had a phonecall from Andy Shanks informing me that there was an open match being held on the match lake at Broadlands. I duly booked in and was quite looking forward to it. I had fished the match lake a couple of times around 7 years ago when I stayed with family during the summer holidays. I had only been fishing for a couple of years but caught a load of carp fishing a bomb to the central island (it's about 14m away on most pegs)

After getting as much info as possible from Andy I established that there were two main cathcing areas- at the base of the far slope at around 9m and tight across to the island. It was around 7ft deep down the middle with a foot or so tight across. Arriving at the venue at around 7.45 I had a chat with the owner,who I have to say is one of the nicest fishery owners you could wish to meet. He also sells Skretting pellets at a bargain of £2.00 for 5 pints! Come the draw there were 23 of us ready and I went into the bag and pulled out peg 26. This didnt mean a great deal to me except it was in the middle of the far side.....probably the longest walk,great!

Arriving at my peg it looked to be around 16m wide. After shipping my pole out it was only around 13.5m wide...I was quite suprised,as were the anglers either side of me who also had 16m of pole out! I decided to set up one rig for across to target the carp and two rigs for down the middle where I hoped to catch skimmers and the odd carp. For across I set up a 4x10 KC Chimp on 0.18-0.16 and a 16 B911. This was shotted with a bulk of 10's and matched to red vespe bi-core. I spent ages plumbing up to find the base of the slope at around 9.5m. I set up two rigs for here. The first was a 4x14 KC Chimp on 0.16-0.14 and a 16 B911 set just touching bottom. The second rig was a 4x16 KC Chimp on the same gear but set 4 inches overdepth. For bait I had a tin of corn,some micro pellet,4mm pellet,dampened crushed expander and hooker pellets. I also had a tin of meat for a throwaway 5m line where I had the same depth as the 9.5m line.

The all in was called and I potted a decent ball of micros and a full pot of 4mm pellets at 9.5m along with a pot of meat at5m slightly to my right. I shipped across with a cadpot of crushed expander and corn on the hook and despite plenty of lifting and dropping I couldnt buy a bite. After shipping out a with a new cadpot of crushed pellet and 2 grains of corn every 5 minute's I finally had a bite after 25 minutes or so and had the welcome site of elastic pouring from the pole. A fat little carp of around 3lb was soon in the net. It was fishing quite hard so I dropped down to a 0.14 hooklength,an 18 B911 and spread the bulk out. I went out with a 4mm expander and some crushed pellet and hooked a fish as I lifted the bait- foulhooked. I carefully played it all the way to the net before the hook pulled- ROLLOCKS!! I then had a similar sized carp before losing one on the way in that definitely wasn't foulhooked- the water was so clear I could see it was in the mouth when it was 6m out. I then had a tench of about 2lb before the line went quiet. Not to worry,this was my cue to sack up on skimmers at 9.5m......

I dropped in with a 4mm expander ( I had already changed to an 18 B911 as the far side was fishing hard). No matter what I did I couldn't buy a bite. The lad to my right was filling it in across with a big pot and the catapult. I couldn't believe it when he started to catch as the only way I could catch across was by feeding light and moving the bait constantly. I decided to put a pot of bait over the far side and give it 10 minutes. Well I didn't manage another inidcation here all match,hmmmph!! Despite the lad catching by feeding heavily it wasnt right for me as I hadnt managed a bite down the track and the far line had died. I plumbed up a new line further along the shelf to my left at 11m and cupped in four pellets. Straight over the top and the float dinked and a 2lb skimmer was soon in the net...sorted!! Errr,not quite. Despite trickling in small amounts of bait I didnt manage any more bites here either. It was time to plumb a new far bank line to my left at 15m,out with some crushed pellet,single grain of corn,lift,drop,dink...fish on! Another 3lb carp was in the net with his mates. It was really hard going and I was at a loss to why. The two lines where I had fed a potfull hadnt given the merest sign,yet the lad next door was filling it in and spraying bait all over the place and catching.

I took one more carp from the left hand line and despite trying all over the peg I didnt manage any more fish. I finished with just four carp,a tench and a skimmer that went 19lb odd for nowhere. I was battered either side by a 30lb and 36lb- Andy on my left had 30lb of skimmers up the slope over groundbait and the lad to my right caught carp and bream across by filling it in. I was not in a good mood and after loading up the car (and taking plenty of stick!) I headed home.

I'm booked in for the match on Lower lake in 2 weeks but might be struggling to make it,and if I can't fish that I won't be fishing for another month! To be honest after my last two matches a break might not be the worst thing....roll on winter!!