My Fine Form Continues With A New PB

So Sunday 24th May 2015 saw Round 5 of the League take place at The Sedge's Fishery on Brick. Only 9 of us for this round so payout wouldn't be as much as normal but that's not why we go. We go for the banter and to catch fish.

So after missing the draw, due to not being told it was happening, I was given what was left which was Peg 14. As I walked around to my peg I noticed Ian got the end peg in his section and Trev got the other end peg. They also had the 5 man section which included my colleague Glen who I was drawn opposite.

Home For The Day, Peg 14

I started setting up and I noticed a lot of fish on the top cruising near the airiator so I got out the new toy! The 11' Carpmaster float set up with 6lb mainline and a Drennan 8gram XL pellet waggler float using an Ultron 3000 reel. I also set up my 9' carp master with a lead for on the deck with 6lb Submerge Mono and the new Aquos 4000 reel.

Drennan XL Pellet Waggler

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I set up 2 pole lines both at top 2 and 2 with a 1 gram Big float for paste and a Series 7 .4 gram for meat. Both 5lb main line to 4lb hook lengths but the paste rig had a 14 hook and the meat line had a 16.

Soon it was 10am so I called the all in. I started pinging 4 8mm pellets every 30-45 seconds and fished the lead to start. I didn't have any signs and I thought to myself "I've started this wrong!" , and with that I picked up the Pellet Waggler. Still pinging pellets I could see fish moving to my feed area so I began to cast out every 30 seconds. Feeding just before casting  is the way forward with this hard working method and very soon the float was going under seconds after plopping into the water.

Hook Baits For The Day, 10mm Pellets

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I could see Glen fishing the same and he was soon catching. I had caught 3 fish for roughly 20lbs in the first half an hour but then the big lumps soon got in on the act. I was starting to catch low doubles and was soon nearing 70lb by the half way stage. I was still feeding pellets regularly even while playing fish by trapping my rod between my legs.

A Good Strong, Razor Sharp Hook Is Needed, I Use Matrix Carp Banders

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I was also feeding meat on my short line ready for the last 2 hours. I could still see lots of fish feeding on my pellets I was feeding so I kept working the pellet waggler. I was soon on a estimated 90lb on my fish counter and started filling a second net with carp even before I started on the bomb and my short line!

Meat Of Choice

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I chucked the bomb out and had a carp to 5lbs, which turned out to be my smallest carp of the day. After that not a touch so back to the pellet waggler. I had 3 more fish on this before my alarm went off to signal 2 hours left. I put the rod down and picked up my short line and went in on paste. I had two Skimmers very quickly but then it died. I continued to feed the short line with meat and returned to the waggler where I caught 2 fish in the next hour.

Come 3pm I returned to my short line with meat and had 2 carp to 10lb very quickly. Continuing to feed pellets long I went back in with meat and had a lump that weighed 13lb exactly. Upon my return not a touch for 10 minutes so I went back to the waggler where a bagged two more nice fish that really didn't like being hooked.

The last 2 hours flew by and my 4pm alarm sounded to signal the end of the match, so I gave the all out. I knew I had done a good weight but I didn't know how the other 3 in my section got on. I packed up and joined everyone for the weigh in,

Peg 1 was Trev who left early, for what reason I don't know but that meant he would finish last in his section. Peg 3 was Bob who came in with 34lb 6oz for 3rd closely followed by Jeff on Peg 6 with 31lb 8oz for 4th. Glen was on Peg 8 and weighed in with a fantastic 184lb 14oz to win the section. That left Ian on peg 10 to weigh in with 115lb 4oz which included a silver net of 40lb for 2nd in the section.

Peg 11 was Kieran who weighed in with 62lb exactly which was enough for 2nd in the section. I was next on peg 14 and I weighed 2lb 4oz of silvers which was closely followed by 144lb of Carp giving me 146lb 4oz's! A new PB for myself and finally, after years of trying to get across the 100lb mark, a weight over 100lb! And more importantly a section win. Next was Sandy on peg 17 who weighed in 57lb exactly for 3rd in the section which left Robbie, who is new to match fishing, in 4th with a weight of 9lb 5oz.

Just A Couple Of The Lumps That Contributed To 146lb 4oz!

I couldn't believe I got my first tonne! It may not seem much to others who do that almost every week but to myself its a milestone, a personal achievement I've been aiming for and now done. I've learned a lot in the past 18 months and now, along with my backing from Matrix and Tackleuk, I've achieved a lot more than I thought I'd ever do. I'm winning matches and sections, picked up silverware, finished 2nd in a league and 8th in another and now sitting 4 points behind Glen in this league fishing with some great people.

Again this doesn't seem much to people who do double tonnes or a tonne each week this time of year but I'm off the mark and confidence is blooming high! Bring on the next one!

Tight Lines!

Next Up: League Round 6 at Avalon Fishery

Edge Line To The Rescue!

So today was Round 4 of the League for me at Two Counties. It had been fishing hard there recently and at first sight this morning I thought we would be in for a good day. 

So on the day I drew peg 12, permanent peg 9, which was end peg. I arrived at the peg and was greeted with 2 awesome margin lines, open water and a nice chuck to the Island. 

Home For The Day, Peg 12

I set up a small pellet feeder on a 9' Carpmaster with an Ultron 3000 reel. I set up 4 lines on the pole. 3 rigs, 2 for my edge lines to my right and left which were made up of Carp Series 2 floats 0.40gr on 5lb Power Micron to a 16 Carp Bagger tied to 4lb Micron and one for an 11m line shallow. The 4th rig was for 11m on the deck with a Series 7 float 0.40gr to 3lb micron and a 20 Carp Rigger with a band to 2lb line.

I started the match with an "All In" which Jeff replied with "that was a good one, you even got an echo!". I chucked out the pellet feeder and waited. nothing for 5 mintutes so I retrieved and cast out again. Still nothing after 5 minutes so I put the rod down and cupped in some micro at 11m and fished 6mm on the hook.

I kept throwing in some meat on my edge lines every 15-20 minutes in between feeding the pellets at 11m to build up for later but it seems the ducks were interested as well. I was soon catching some F1 carp but I was also missing a few bites which was irritating me. I managed to sneak a carp on this line as well but mainly had the F1's plus some small Perch.

Time seemed to fly by today and before I knew it my alarm went off to signal 2 hours left.I picked up my edge rig and went in with 8mm meat. I had a few liners but nothing possitive so I fed some more and returned to 11m. I managed another F1 in the next hour which was worrying me as others in my section were all playing Carp from their edge lines .

with 50 minutes left I returned on the meat. The float sailed away and I was into a fish that took off like a bullet. I managed to net him and he was a 5/6lb common. Back in I went and straight in to another fish. I had 3 quick fish then it went slow again so I fed and started lifting and dropping every minute or so. I managed to get 6 or 7 chunky Carp out in my last hour. My alarm sounded for the end of the match and I called the all out.

I felt I fished ok but losing some fish did knock my confidence a little. But we all lose fish and we learn from it. Glen arrived shortly and asked how I got on. He had a difficult day in the other section and he said it was a very close match.

I packed up everything minus the nets and walked round to the scales which had just started weighing in my section. Pete was leading the way with 37lb with 4 to weigh. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the results board and I can't remember any other weights from my section or the others.

I pulled up my silvers net firstly  and weighed in with 11lb. Glen asked if I had many carp and I said not many. As I pulled them up and he put them on the scales he looked a little nervous. 28lb the scales weighed meaning I won my section which I was very surprised with, I turned to GLen and said "happy days I won my section, to his reply "yeah and the match!".

I was shocked to hear that! But a section win for us both which puts Glen top of the pile now! I'm 3rd or 4th now I believe. 2-2 between me and Glen now. 

One happy chap, 2 section wins in 2 matches! Finally some good form and a huge morale boost. Really looking forward to the next one!

League Table BEFORE Today

Next Up for me: League Round 5 @ Sedges Brick Lake