Whinwhistle Winter League- Round 1- 18/10/09

Well it only seems like yesterday that I was enjoying the post summer series BBQ at Whinwhistle, yet this Sunday saw the first round of the winter league. After winning the summer league quite comfortably (drawbag!!) I was determined to do the 'double' and win the winter league, especially after coming third last winter (not a drawbag-the rail 6 out of 9 times put paid to my chances!). I had spent the past few months getting things ready for the winter league and have never been as prepared. The format is a bit different this year. After last years league it was decided that The Rail would be left out this year as it produced so many blanks last time. The league would be based around three sections of 8 anglers, with two sections on Keepers lake and one on the square. This time however Keepers was pegged so that all anglers were in a line on the far bank, whereas it has always been pegged both banks. This meant that the tip was likely to play more of a part. Similarly the Square had a lot of work done to it and would be pegged with 8 anglers in a line on the newly formed bank. This was likely to make things interesting as it would be very different from previous matches.

Arriving at the fishery at around 7.20 I sat down to a superb breakfast as all of the anglers arrived. By 8.30 we were ready for the draw and first of all was the draw for the knockout. Despite most anglers getting a Bye I drew against Peter Smith. Ready for the real draw and my lucky left hand pulled out K12- Keepers 12. To be honest I was quite pleased with the draw as the Square would be a bit of an unknown quantity following all of the recent work. Arriving at my peg I had Andy Shanks to my left on 11 so a £1 sidebet was immediately struck up. To my right on peg 13 was Peter Smith so atleast I'd know how I was doing in the knockout!

I had already pretty much decided how I would fish Keepers,and I would be basing my match around a light pellet approach. Although the target fish were 1-6oz skimmers I personally find pellet is more effective than the more traditional groundbait/maggot tactic that everyone else seems to favour. I planned to have a pellet line short at around 5m,a throwaway groundbait and maggot line at 3m to my right and a straight lead for the far bank that I wouldn't spend long on. I set up two main pellet rigs- a 4x14 KC Chimp on 0.14-0.12 and an 18 Gama pellet. This was shotted with a double bulk of 10's and matched to double 5 slip. I also set up a lighter rig- a 4x14 malman winter wire on 0.12-0.10 and a 20 Tubertini 808. This was shotted with a spread bulk and matched to double 4 slip. My maggot rig was a 4x14 KC Porth on 0.14-0.12 matched to double 5 slip. Although this was a bit heavy you can sometimes pick up some quality perch on this short line and there was a decent colour in the water. My tip rod was an 11ft AX Beastmaster with a 3012 TDR,6lb sensor and a 12 inch 0.18 hooklength to an 18 PR36 with a korum quickstop on a hair. I plumbed the pellet line at 5m slightly to my left where I had around 6ft of water. I then plumbed right out to 11.5m. The peg deepened off to around 11m where it then sloped up and I found the exact same depth at around 11.5m. I didn't plan to feed this longer line but it would give me somewhere to go should I be struggling. For bait I had some crushed pellet,some damp micro,3mm & 4mm expanders,a pint of red maggot,a tin of corn and around 1/2 a kilo of groundbait.

The all-in was called at 10am and I dropped 5 balls of groundbait in at 3m to my right (I wanted to leave this for a few hours without re-feeding) and then cupped in a golf ball of crushed pellet and micro's in at 5m. I then attached a small PVA tea-bag to my single corn hookbait and cast the lead around 6m from the far bank,alongside some dying lilly pads. 15 minute's and just a rattle later I reeled in and decided to have a look on the short pellet line. Jumper Collins two to my right then hooked into something on the lead to the far bank and soon after netted a carp of around 5-6lb-GREAT! I started on the lighter rig and after a few minutes of lifting and dropping the float dipped and a 2oz skimmer was soon in the net. I then took another 5 or 6 in the next 20 minute's or so but it was by no-means hectic. From what I could see no-one else was catching although the bloke on the flier end peg 10 was hooked into a lump from down the edge. He finally netted it and at around 15lb I knew that I was now fishing for 2nd in section at best as my peg wouldn't be worth much more than 10lb. I was still catching the odd skimmer which was more than most people. After around an hour and a half the short line died so I went out to 11.5m on the double bulked rig with a 4mm expander. After fruitshooting some micro's I had a small skimmer before repeating the process. As soon as the pellet hit the deck the float dipped and I lifted into something more substantial. It was clearly a better fish so I took my time and as soon as it broke the surface I had it in the net-a fat little common of around 4lb. With the whole lake fishing hard this was a real bonus. I continued catching small skimmers,although the 5m line had now died so I sacked this with two hours to go. The short groundbait line gave two quick bites from small skimmers before this also died. A quick spell on the maggot feeder to the far bank was also fruitless.

Andy to my left and Peter to my right both had less than 1lb although the guy on peg 10 had now caught two more carp and would be the clear section winner. I felt sure that I was in 2nd place as no-one else was catching. With just over an hour to go disaster struck as Jumper then had two quick carp on the straight lead which clearly knocked me back into 3rd. At this stage I knew that I was comfortably clear in 3rd place so decided to spend the remainder of the match on the straight lead as I had nothing to lose but if I could snare one or two carp I might sneak 2nd.

As it happened despite a few casts tight to the far bank I didn't manage so much as a liner. Jumper had trees opposite him and fished to these whereas I didn't. Andy had spent most of the match on the tip without a bite so there clearly wasn't alot in front of us. The all-out was called at 3pm and after packing up the section was weighed in. Eddie on end peg 10 had caught 3 carp (including one of 15lb 11oz) for 29lb odd. Peg 10 really is a flier as it has it's own little bay to the left that always holds carp. Andy then put 10oz on the scales and promptly handed over a quid-cheers mate! My 33 skimmers went 4lb 13oz and the carp went 3lb 13oz giving me an 8lb 11oz total. Peter then put 1lb 4oz on the scales so I was through to the next round of the knockout. Jumper's three carp then went 20lb which was enough for 2nd. The rest of the section had fished really hard with 1lb 12oz good enough for fourth!!

All in all I was quite pleased with how I fished. The two anglers that were in first and second could just have easily blanked and will not be consistent fishing that way throughout the league. I was the only person to really catch on the pole which vindicated my decision to fish the pellet. I would have had closer to 10lb if I had not spent the last hour on the tip but it was the right decision to make as I had nothing to lose and 10lb would still have got me the same section points. Third in section isn't a bad start as if you can finish in the top 3 every match you will be there or thereabouts at the end. I'm not fishing this weekend but will be back at Whinwhistle in 2 weeks and I'm undecided what i'll be doing on the Saturday at the moment

Broadlands Lower Lake-open 3/10/09

After a two week break I was raring to go for a return on Lower Lake at Broadlands. If you are a regular reader you will know that I have fished the lake twice before,with a section win and a section 2nd. Both times I had caught on the pole,with 37lb the first time and 54lb the second. Both times I had mostly caught on long pole and pellet whereas most other people seemed to catch on the method. The last match I fished I had no island chuck so this time the match was capped at 20 anglers meaning everyone would have an island swim should they wish to fish it. Whereas last time the match had been split into 2 sections of 12 this time it would be simply be paid top four overall.

As usual I was the first to arrive and had a quick walk around with a cup of coffee. I was a bit dismayed to see a few bivvies on the lake but they were soon cleared when the match organiser arrived. After paying my pools we were ready for the draw and out came....peg 23.

I was quite pleased with this peg as it was near where I had drawn on my first visit and was on the side with a shorter chuck to the island. After getting to my peg I had Andy on the end 3 pegs to my left so a pound side bet was hastily struck up. My approach was going to be pretty much the same as last time as I caught well on the pole and if it aint broke don't fix it. My main line was straight out at 14.5m where I had around 5 and a half feet of water. I set up 3 rigs for here,all were 4x14 KC Chimps on 0.16 mainline. The only difference being the hooklengths. I had an 0.10-20 Tubertini 808 if it was hard,an 0.12-18 Gama pellet which would be my main rig and 0.14-18 B911 if I was getting carp. The first two rigs were matched to double 5 slip and the heavier rig was matched to yellow Drennan Bungee. All 3 rigs were shotted with a bulk of 9's with two no:10 droppers. They were all plumbed accurately to just touch bottom and shotted to a pimple,with around 6 inches of line from tip to float.

I also set up a method rod- 11ft AX Beastmaster with a 3012 Daiwa CU,8lb matchwinner,a small 30g inline feeder and a 4 inch 0.18 hooklength to an 18 PR36. I had a good few casts with a lead to get clipped up as I knew it was important to get as tight to the island as possible which was some 35m + away. For bait I had a bag of soaked 2mm pelllet which would also be used for the method,a tin of corn,expanders (3mm,4.5mm & 6mm) and half a pint of red maggot. I ummed and arred about setting a waggler rod up but decided to keep things simple and left it in the bag.

The 'all-in' was called at 10am and I fed a full medium pot of micro pellet at 14.5m before loading the feeder and casting to the island. Well,not exactly......it fell about 5m short! The next three casts were the same and every time I brought it straight in. I finally found my range and my next few casts were all bang on the money within a few inches of the island. The fish were unimpressed however as apart from a few liners I had nothing to show for it. As far as I could see no-one was really catching so after 40 minutes I was scrambling up the bank and quickly setting up the waggler rod (same set up as last time). I plumbed up at 20m,set the depth at 3 inches over and filled a baitbox with a pint of 6mm pellet. I felt it was right to set the waggler up for a few reasons. Firstly,no-one around me had set it up so I would have the 20m line to myself. Secondly,there was no ripple atall on our side of the lake which I felt was the main reason the method wasn't working. Finally,although I was hoping to drop in on the pole and catch if I didn't I would need somewhere else to go,so by priming a waggler line it would give me another option should I be struggling,as well as allowing me to search more water.

After firing out around 10 pellets to 20m I baited the 0.12 rig with a 4.5mm expander. After lowering the rig straight down the float settled for all of 10 seconds before dipping and the resulting lift was greeted by the satisfying sight of 3 feet of double 5 slip exiting the pole. A 1lb + skimmer was soon in the net and I was up and running. In the last match it was crucial to keep some bait trickling in so I attached a small cadpot to the pole,filled it with a small pinch of micro's and repeated the process. After a few lifts and drops the float dinked and a similar sized skimmer was soon in the onion sack with his mate,with another following next cast. I then hooked a carp which although it took a while (and a top 4) to get in on the lightish gear at around 5lb it was a useful fish. I went straight back out and immediately hooked another one,this time around 3lb. I then went 10 biteless minute's so refed with a golfball of micro's and spent 5 minute's on the waggler without a bite. Back on the pole and it was back into the skimmers. Although I was not catching as fast as in the last match the fish were of a better stamp,and after about 2 hours I slipped the net under a right old warrior of a bream that must have been nudging 5lb. I then had another carp of around 4-5lb out of the blue and after safely netting it I went back out with the heavier rig. Five biteless minute's on this saw me reaching for my regular rig and no sooner had the pellet touched down the float dipped and a decent skimmer was the culprit.

By regularly tickling in small amounts of micro pellet after each fish I was catching steadily whereas most around me were picking up odd fish on the tip with nothing on the pole. Whenever it went quiet I would refeed a golfball of micros and have a throw of the waggler (although I never had a bite in four or five casts). With the peg seemingly slowing I fed positively with half a pot of micros and had a biteless couple of casts on the method. This brought the pole line to life....with carp! I had a spell where I lost 3 or 4 fish in succession,all foulhooked. What was most interesting was whenever I went out on the heavier rig I wouldn't get an indication,yet I was hooking a few carp on the lighter rig. I cut the regular feed out and after 10 minutes or so I had a bite and soon netted a 5lb carp,nicely hooked in the top lip. After this I started to pick up some more skimmers and had a nice fish of around 3.5lb.

With 90 minutes to go I had another spell where I lost two carp,again foulhooked. The same thing happened again with regards to the heavier rig,although I did eventually manage two bites on it- a 2lb skimmer and a decent skimmer that I bumped due to the heavier elastic-DOH! At this point I decided to leave the heavier rig as bites were far far slower on it,and although it was taking me a good 5-10 minute's to land the carp, I was getting the true hooked fish in,whilst also catching the skimmers. I then hooked a carp that was probably just outside the mouth as I pulled out of it when it was nearing netting range-and my rig pinged out into the trees above me. Rather than getting worked up I freed the rig,attached a new hooklength and went back out. With 30 minute's to go I started to feed a full small cadpot of micros every few minute's and caught a 4lb carp with 20 minute's left. No bite's followed so I fed a final golfball with 10 minute's to go and as the clock ticked down I hooked a decent fish that plodded out of the swim. A few minute's later the whistle blew and I shouted 'Fish On' as I questioned whether the fish was foulhooked. 10 minute's later and with a top 5 in the air I slipped the net under a fighting fit mirror carp of around 5lb-hooked squarely in the top lip.

I felt sure I had similar weight to last time (54lb odd) as although I had only caught 22 skimmers to the 33 of last time,they were of a bigger average stamp and I'd caught 6 carp to the 4 from last time. When the scales got to me 39lb was winning my side of the lake. My net of skimmers went 33lb 14oz and my 6 carp went 25lb dead,giving me a 58lb 14oz total. Roger on peg 31 said it would be close between us and with rumour of a decent weight caught on the other side I thought I might struggle. The anglers either side of me weighed less than 20lb-all on the tip. Andy weighed in with around 40lb so begrudgingly handed over a quid...cheers mate!

Roger then put 72lb on the scales to take the lead. He drew next to where I was last time,but crucially the 2 pegs either side were left out meaning he had loads of room,more than anyone else on the lake. Marcus Paige on one of the early pegs (4?) caught a load of smallish carp on the method to the island for 77lb and the win-well done mate.

So I had come third overall which wasn't too bad considering. Once again I had caught well on the pole while those around me had struggled. If I had managed to find 3 or 4 carp early on the method I probably would have won. I really need to sort something for the first hour while the pole line settles as those extra few fish can make all the difference. Lifting and dropping wasn't as important this week as I caught a few fish keeping the bait dead still. It was also important to lower the rig down through the last foot of water as I caught most of the better fish as soon as the bait touched the bottom. Yet again I feel my decision to exclusively feed micro's paid off as those that fed 4mms really struggled....coincidence?

After packing away I picked up £40 (which I split with my mate Nick) and headed home. I am not fishing again until Sunday 18th October. This sees the first round of the winter league at Whinwhistle. After comfortably winning the summer league I am raring to go looking to do the summer/winter double. It won't be easy as there are 23 other anglers keen to take the title but I'm looking forward to the challenge