Viaduct open

Up bright and early this morning thinking it was the first round of the teams of five so wanted to make sure I had everything but the kitchen sink as you could draw any lake on the first match it wasen't until we got to the fishery and thought it was a bit quiet it clicked it was next week!

Being picked up with traveling partner for the league and team mate Don Sutherland at 7am I was getting worried by ten past then he ran me to ask were I was? only to realise he was at my old address I haven't lived in for ten years!, after he did a quick de-tour we had time for a  breky roll before arriving early enough for the draw and thinking all the pegs were on cambell I fancied a draw from 110 to 118 as the wind was off your back along this bank and the forcast to get wet and windy late in the day would make it hard to fish the opposite bank,

 I was first to draw today as I just happened to be at the front of the queue whilst chatting to Don so into the bucket and peg 130 cambell is my home for the day, Now there was an International Rules match on here yesterday over all the lakes and after chatting With Steve Long before the match I was to find out only the legend himself ex-team mate Des (Smiley) Shipp was on my peg the day before ending up with 30 odd pound of mainly tench to win the match out right on the waggler with caster.

Its been a few years since my last visit and the last time I was here I had the same peg" how does that happen...? but arriving at my swim I was more concerned about fishing the waggler as the wind was straight into my face which ment feeding was going to be a real problem , I wasn't deterred tho and made a waggler rig with 0.10 hooklength to an 18 454 preston hook to fish as far as I could feed , a 0.03g on 0.11-0.10 pole rig to fish at 14mts over groundbait and caster and a Tip rod to fish hair rig meat or bread should I decide to fish for carp although I didn't expect any at this end of the lake and my main plan was to have a day for silvers now knowing there was a few pegs on cary that would catch big carp.

On the whistle I fed 3 big balls of groundbait with caster and a few dead reds at 14mts slightly to my left and started on a single caster with the waggler at around 20mtsand Within seconds I had a bite and and a small roach was my start, Next cast and I barely had time to feed before having another bite but this was a better fish and praying it was a tench I carefully played it before netting one about 2lb as I looked up to see Steve long walking alone the opposite bank give me the thumbs up ( Another jinxed fishery owner") by the look of it.

Next cast and thoughts were going through my mind of ile show you how its done SHIPPY" but a couple of missed bites and some small roach in the next hour despite swapping to double caster and maggot on the hook, I couldn't feed with consistence due to the wind finding it best to catty out when there was a drop in the breeze but with the tow coming towards me it was time to try the pole as I was convincing myself the tench and skimmers would be queuing up.

Starting on double caster five minutes passed before it was clear they weren't there but I spent another 15mins trying maggot and single caster but with still know signs I topped the swim up with a small ball of groundbait containing some more caster and some floro pinkee and switched back to the waggler with single caster, All I could catch was small roach but with the wind now getting stronger it was hard work.

I had no real feeding pattern and when I couldn't keep it at the same distance twice" I was going to swap to the lead and have a look for some carp but I wanted to get a picture of the silvers in this area as next week all the pegs are in around me what are empty today and the carp seem to be caught around the middle of the lake, I kept trying the pole line but couldn't muster a bite even on floro pinkee so a definite re-think on how much to feed on this line next week is in order! I stuck at the waggler for the rest of the match hoping to catch some skimmers and tench late but my only fish were small roach but there wasent much caught down my end except for peg 110 in the corner who had some tench but the guy opposite struggled for a bite.

If I happen to draw this area next week which im praying I don't" I think the waggler will score well if you can present it ok as there will be hard areas on the day on all the lakes but that's fishing at this time of the year, after a chat before the final whistle with Steve (He is a jinx) he was with me on thinking the tench and skimmers had moved down to the calmer water what wasen't pegged and the day before Des had the wind off his back which I will be hoping for next week to make my day easier if nothing else"

full result -

1st Dick Bull (Viaduct) cary peg 77 , 53lb (carp on the tip & 10lb silvers on pole) 

2nd Nicky ewers (Thatchers) cary 86 49lb 

3rd Don Sutherland (Maver/Cadbury Angling)  118 cambell 43lb

Silvers -

Roland lucas (Viaduct) 110 cambell 16lb

Shiplate farm had there series today on the main lake

Results- 1st Dean madlin (Dynamite Baits) peg 1, 58lb

2nd Tim Lewis (Shiplate) peg 11, 43lb

3rd Pete sivell (Dynamite Baits) peg 15, 27lb

Silvers - Paul Chapman (Shiplate) 16lb .