Emerald Silvers League, Final Round (Saturday)

Back to Emerald pool for the final league of the silvers league and although I was lucky enough to already have won the league I still wanted to do my best in the last round so was well prepared, Barry Fitchew couldn't make it today leaving just 7 of us so it was decided best to leave out the two pegs facing the wind on fairy island, I let John Barker draw for me today and was pleased to find myself in the deeper water on peg 5 for a change an area I had happened to avoid through-out the series' I was confident the way I had approached the previous rounds was working so didn't see the need to change things much so made up a 4x14 wire wonder on 0.11-0.09 hook-length and an 18 63-13 hook to fish into the open water at 13mts were I had around 5ft of water, And 4x10 chanti to fish on a longer line at 5mts with the same line/hook.

For company I had Andy Gard next to me again on peg 4 and Kev Jeffries on peg 6 where I drew last time, at the all in I began to by feeding on ball of ground-bait laced with casters at 11mts off to my right which would be a bit off a throw-away line as I didn't expect to catch over much feed and started to feed a few casters by hand onto the 5mt line. Starting on the 13mt swim with single maggot on the hook all I fed was a nugget of ground-bait and a couple of maggots over the top via a tosspot attached to the pole, It took me less than 5mins to catch my first fish being a 10oz hybrid followed by a tench of similar size, After this I managed to pick the odd fish off this line for an hour and estimated to have around 5lb in the net, I had a look on the short swim and had a tiny roach and no signs over the ground-bait and caster swim so was soon back on the long line.

From what I could see not that much had been caught but traveling partner Darren on end peg 3 was admitting to 5lb in the first hour so decided to catch as much as I could over small amounts of feed hoping the other swims would produce later in the day, By the half way stage I was up to about 12lb being a mixture of hybrids and a few tench but those who were catching had slowed up a little so just kept plugging away taking the odd fish but what I did notice was I had to keep moving the rig to induce bites. Most of my fish were coming to red or white maggot on the hook although I did have a couple of bonus 2lb skimmers on expander pellet, Going into the last hour Andy next door was having a good run of tench on his short line and did manage a couple of hybrids before losing two tench in a snag I wasn't aware of". The last hour was slow but still added a few more smaller fish to the net and thought I had around 20lb most of which were caught over as much feed as I could fit in my hand", A total contrast to last year were you could throw 3 pints of caster at them just on the short line! Starting the weigh-in at the far end of the lake first to weigh was Ken Rayner on peg 9 who put 17lb odd of mainly tench on the scales followed by Tim Lewis on peg 8 with 19lb odd, I was hoping I hadn't guessed wrong' but was pleased to end up taking the win on the day with 23lb as well as the series with 3 wins and 2 seconds dropping a 3rd to finish on 7pts picking up £145 for the league as well as another £42 for the day so its been a profitable result for me managing to pick up money in each round.

 My catch.

The final placing were very close and with Timmy taking 2nd spot on the day finished runner-up in the series picking up £100 with 17pts followed by Kev Jeffries taking third after drawing with Ken Rayner on 19pts but taking the result on weight count back by 4lbs" picking up £76. I really enjoyed this small series and by keeping things simple I managed to catch well though-out and having the faith without over feeding I would get bites. Thanks to those who fished though-out and although the fishing was harder than last years opens the weather was kind to us.

Match Result -

1st Dom Sullivan (Maver/Cadbury Angling) peg 5, 23lb 4oz.

2nd Tim Lewis (Shiplate Farm) peg 8, 19lb 9oz.

3rd Andy Gard (Alcove Angling) peg 4, 18lb 6oz.

4th Ken Rayner (S.W.M.G) peg 9, 17lb 9oz.

 

Final Overall Standings -

(Worst result dropped) 

1st Dom Sullivan, 7pts - £145.

2nd Tim Lewis, 17pts - £100.

3rd Kev Jeffries, 19pts - £76. (weight)

4th Ken Rayner, 19pts.

5th Andy Gard, 22.5pts.

6th Barry Fitchew 26pts

7th Darren Greenwood 26.5pts

8th John Barker 27pts 

9th Simon Price N/A.