Viaduct 2day Pairs Silvers Only.

Myself & Team mate Don Sutherland decided to have a crack at the two day event at Viaduct Fishery after the recent silvers league so felt pretty much in touch with how its fishing at the moment but that could all change after a hard frost as well as a bright day forecast? It was a very welcome breakfast this morning after a day at the races yesterday were a fair amount of alcohol was consumed' but at least I came home with a profit".

We arrived at the fishery to find out the match was to be held over Cambell & Cary Lakes which was a bit disappointing as we both expected a day on Spring lake each which can produce some good silvers weights as its not used as much for matches. At the draw we had to choice which lake we fancied between us so Don let me decide so I opted for Cary on the first day hoping to end up in the 90's as I had been in this area for my last few visits, It was nice to find myself on peg 99 which I've already had this season as well as being on peg 98 in the last round of the silvers, the section fished hard that day with 10lb being the top weight and I expected things to be harder if anything due to the frost? For company I had old friend Nicky (Fur ball) Collins on 100 who gave the challenge of a quid & venue regular Roland Lucas on 97 so had to have my wits about me, This has been a good area to catch skimmers on the waggler and with the lake being flat calm it would be my first option fishing a 3AAA loaded waggler on 3lb main line and an 0.10 hook length topped off with an 18 808 hook. Last time we were here nobody seemed to catch anything on a short line so plumbed up 2 swims at 14mts left and right were I had about 4ft, I had to set up two rigs as the light here was bad with the shadow off the tree from the opposite bank making things more difficult. |For one line I used a 4x14 wire wonder on 0.11- 0.09 and an 18 63-13 hook, and the other with a lighter 4x12 on the same line/hook. My last rig was 4x10 Chanti on a longer line which I could use over both pole swims should I need to conditions allowing.

At the all-in I cupped 4 balls of ground-bait at 14mts of to my right with a few dead pinkees added and two balls off to my left with casters and some chopped maggots in. Starting on the waggler with caster on the hook it took me 30mins to get my first fish a 3oz roach followed by 2 more of similar size in the first 90mins which sounds bad but Nicky only had 1 small roach and Roland who was fishing the bomb was yet to catch. The only person I could see who had netted a few smaller skimmers was Phil Cardwell on peg 96 who was on the long pole.

I was a bit reluctant in coming off the waggler line as the last time I was here those who kept at it were rewarded with some better size skimmers as the match went on but after watching Phil add a few more I decided to give it a go. Starting off to my left with a single dead red on the hook I soon realised it was virtually impossible to see my float as there was now a ripple blowing towards us across the lake, I had already added a few inches to the depth so kept lifting the rig when I couldn't see it and was a bit lucky to hook an 8oz skimmer as I didn't even see a bite! back out again and two more fish of the same size before it seemed devoid so decided to top the swim up with a small nugget of ground-bait and try the other more positive line to my right but this failed to produce anything so far.

I kept trying to feed my waggler line as often as possible but had no chance of feeding it whilst trying to hold the pole with the head wind let alone shaking like a leaf as it was freezing. I stuck at the waggler for another 30mins and had a couple more small roach before I bumped a better fish just after twitching the float with a dead maggot & caster on the hook then I couldn't get a sign' Back on the long pole fully expecting a few skimmers where I had taken the first few only saw two more smaller fish so I decided to add a cad pot to the pole & feed a nugget right over the float, It worked' I bumped of a better fish within seconds! B*****KS....

I tried the right hand swim but again it didn't produce but felt there was no need to top it up as nothing had turned up anyhow"?? I new the rest of the match would be a case of pinching odd fish as Roland was still to catch and Nicky only had a few small fish on the waggler but was sticking at it feeding more often than I could manage which could make a difference in the last couple of hours as I know from drawing here this year they can turn up on the pole lines very late in the match and as late as the last 15mins? so put my faith on this being my banker in the last hour.

I did manage a 1lb skimmer on the waggler and thought I had sussed it after putting over a foot of line on the deck as the inside trip was pulling the rig though the swim but nothing followed and my worst fears came to light as Nick had taken a run of small roach and a couple of skimmers after sticking to the line all match and had overtaken me weight wise, The gamble of some late fish on the pole it had to be and as expected they did turn up late' 20mins from the end I took 2 skimmers off both pole lines on maggot to add another nearly 2lb to the net and I new it would be close between myself and Nick which was a great battle we both really enjoyed, as expect the lakes fished hard with Matt Tomes On the end peg 94 winning the section and the lake with 8lb odd, next door on peg 96 Phil took second in the section with 6lb so it was a battle for 3rd in the section between Nick & Me as nobody was admitting to much else? My total went 5lb 8oz before Nick put 5lb 7oz on the scales" result.. Nope! he found another small roach in his keep-net after putting the others back so we agreed on an ounce for it afterwards with owner Steve so we tied on 3rd in the section so a decent result for both of us on the day lol. Donald Over on 116 Cambell did well to beat the pegs either side of him but the better weights were the other end of his section but still ended up with 4pts making for an interesting day tomorrow with some people really struggling, Even the mighty Des Shipp could only manage 12oz" but I have to admit he wasn't in the best of pegs 74 on Cary... Or wasn't that where Dan Squires won a resent Saturday Match from?? lol.

Top weight on the day went to that man again Gary O'Shea over on Cambell peg 129 with 12lb odd including a bonus tench but some close weights followed which keeps things tight for tomorrow when its my turn for Cambell praying that the forecast of plummeting over night temperatures doesn't see us using ice breakers?!.

1st Gary O'Shea (P.I Thatchers) peg 129 Cambell, 12lb 2oz.

2nd Dan Squires (Bait-Tech Viaduct) peg 128 Cambell,  9lb 14oz.

3rd Matt Tomes (Got Baits) peg 94 Cary, 8lb 10oz.

4th Steve Tucker (Garbolino) peg 85 Cary, 7lb 12oz.

5th Andy Power (Preston Innovations) peg 123 Cambell, 7lb 7oz. 

6th Dave Roper (Bait Tech Viaduct) peg 112 Cambell, 7lb 2oz.