Shiplate Farm Open (Hawthorns Lake).

After Picking up good friend and venue live in regular Steve (Peanut) Howell we arrived in time to eat are breakfast rolls with owner Steve Oliver with a nice free cuppa, the weather hadn't warmed up much from yesterday but at least the wind had eased off somewhat, with 11 of us fishing today I fancied a draw in the first few pegs as they were sheltered from any wind where I thought the fish might rather be? It wasn't to be though as I drew peg 12 at the top end of the lake, but the good thing about it as I had Peanut next to me on peg 10 as 11 was left empty so there would definitely be the normal nugget between us and a keen battle'. As we left for are pegs I couldn't help but laugh at the great northern oldie Jimmy who was down on holiday as his trolley only needed a plank of wood across it after loaded to look more like a home made plane!

    

I didn't fancy the fish to be in the shallower water tight over so set up a 0.03g AS1 float on 0.13-0.10 and an 18 808 to fish at the bottom of the first shelf in 5ft of water, After catching well on my pleasure session here last week down the track on maggot I had to fish it shorter today if I had any chance of feeding it by hand but the depth was the same at 5mts at around 6ft as it was further out so would feed here from the off setting up a 4x14 Chanti on 0.12-0.10 and an 18 silver fish maggot hook. I would also use this rig to feed a positive line with corn off to my left down the centre track at 13mts where to be honest I wouldn't be able to see for a while due to the wind but didn't expect to the fish to be there until late in the day so was hoping it would change. Finally another 4x12 Chanti for down the edge at 9mts in 5ft of water just off the bank on 0.15-0.13 and a 16 808 hook.

I started the match by feeding a good handful of corn down the track and began feeding a few maggots by hand onto the 5mt line before starting at the bottom of the far shelf at 13mt in-front of me. It was slow for everyone from what I could see and approaching the hour mark I was beginning  to get a bit worried as all I had mustered was two ruff on double maggot" before I hooked and landed a 4lb carp on red & white maggot out of the blue, after another 20mins bite-less and having trouble holding the rig still in the skimming breeze it was time to try the short line where I had been feeding maggot by hand. Starting on double red maggot I had a couple more ruff before a chub of 12oz and a 10oz skimmer before it went dead, I felt there may be a larger fish present and wasn't wrong as a 5lb carp came in the next 10mins before I had to rest the swim as it didn't want to give in". I tried all 3 of my other lines and although they didn't produce I kept them topped up at regular intervals as I know any of them could catch me some late fish. I kept rotating though my swims searching for bites, The short line produced a few chunky roach and another smaller carp but then it died again, With less an hour to go I seemed to have had more silver than most but felt I was behind John Hawkins on peg 13 who had managed a couple of larger carp from the aerator in-front of him and although I couldn't see Peanut I had heard some splashing"

With the wind having dropped right off it was time to try the positive corn swim again with a single grain of corn at dead depth, a couple of minutes later a landed a nice 6lb common" With 15mins left I added a smaller mirror, but with 5mins to go and no more signs I quickly fed a palm-full of corn with a large pot and quickly went back in over the top, Bingo" I managed one more just before time netting it after the whistle! It goes to prove never give up on a line as the rewards can be had very late in the day" By the time the scales arrived Peanut was leading the way with 24lb odd before I added 5lb of silvers to my 23lb of carp took the lead, John finished the day with 19lb odd before last to weigh Rich Hawkins on end peg 14 finished with a total of 33lb to take todays spoils,

 Winner Rich Hawkins.

 

I was pleased how my day went really as I made the most of catching some silvers when the carp didn't want to feed but in the end the area I chose to put the most bait proved to be the best option, I fed nearly a whole tin of corn though-out the day so when they did switch on they were hungry" 2nd place gave me £40 back in the wallet along with Peanut's quid & Nick Harveys weekly contribution so a free weekend all-round", Cant ask for more than that'.

 

1st Rich Hawkins (Wormheads) peg 14, 33lb 8oz.

2nd Dom Sullivan (Maver) peg 12, 28lb 10oz.

3rd Steve Howell (Shiplate) peg 10, 24lb 6oz.

4th John Hawkins (Wormheads) peg 13, 19lb 2oz.

Silvers - Julian Pinkett (Wormheads) peg 9, 6lb 14oz.