Shiplate Farm Open (Main Lake)

It was pleasant to wake up this morning to see the sun was out but better still the wind had dropped to next to nothing' their is a god". A breakfast roll with the wife on route set me up for the day as nothing worse than getting hungry after a few hours on the bank in the fresh air. 15 booked in today and apart from the normally fancied pegs 1 & 15 I just fancied a draw on the far bank somewhere as you have a bit more room, I have a habit of drawing pegs 6 or 7 so was really hoping for a change so my plan was to dive in first at the draw hoping for a change of scenery? Well' I had a change, peg 8" not to far away then' which happens to be at the far end of the lake with a chuck to the end of the island as well as the open water. I couldn't believe it when we arrived at my swim to find it totally in the shade and the wife was not happy as by now the sun was beaming down on every other peg" Whoops, I knew I should of let her draw for me!.

I must have upset him upstairs somehow as this wasn't turning out to be my best weekend with one thing and another' but after wrapping up a bit I was time to get set up, by now the missis was already heading back to the car for more clothes to keep warm.. I planned to fish a couple of swims in the open water one next to the aerator at 16mts off to my left and a line in-front of me at 14mts were the depth was the same at around 4ft so I set up a 0.4g PB2 0.17-0.15 and a size 16 hook with a hair-rig,  Next up was a 4x10 chanti on 0.15-0.14 and an PR478 hook to fish down my inside towards a tree in the water at 8mts were I had 3ft. Keeping it simple last of a I had a bomb rod set up to cast as tight to the island as I could get with 8 or 11mm pellet on the hook.

I started the match feeding half a large pot of hard 6mm and a few 8's next to the aerator and a ball of damp micros and half a pot of 4mm's onto the open water 14mt line & began feeding a few 6mm's down to the tree, Starting the match tight over to the island with 8mm hard pellet feeding a few of the same I had a 5lb carp after 15mins followed by another fish of similar size 20mins later,

 

 

from what I could see nobody else was catching so I kept at it going into the next hour topping my pole lines up along the way. After 90mins I had a fish of 7lb odd followed by a couple of small chub but by now the ducks had taken an interest and with the water level also being down it was shallow tight to the bank so it didn't take them long to hunt down the pellets I had been feeding! this put the carp off and after another 30mins it was time to try the pole lines.

Starting next to the aerator with 8mm pellet on the hook I was expecting a bite of a response but it didn't happen and after 10min I switched to the 14mt line with 6mm pellet on the hook. A couple of 1lb skimmers came in the next 30mins and owner Steve turned up to tell me I was probably doing best at this point, With the long lines not showing any signs of carp I had a quick look down by the tree without a indication before I switched back to the bomb by the island.

I managed another carp before the ducks intervened but it seemed the lake was fishing hard as only the odd carp was caught, things didn't improve until about 90mins from the end of the match when bubbles began to appear on the 14mt line, Back out with an 8mm pellet on the hook I foul hooked a carp after a couple of minutes losing it near the net before getting one in the gob' It seemed the fish had sprung into live as now a few angler were adding fish around the lake, I expected to have a few fish down the edge but it just didn't happen and I never had a bite there all day, A couple more try's on the bomb didn't produce even though I could see signs of fish near the island as soon as you cast to it they were gone" The 14mt line did produce a couple more fish in the last 45mins but I also foul hooked a couple more' I had venue (Live-in) Steve peanut Howell on peg 7 who also lost a few foul hookers and was struggling to put anything in the net as was Duncan Goodhew look alike Jonny Page on peg 9, It was soon time for the all out and by the time the scales arrived at me team mate Don Sutherland was leading the way from fancied peg 15 with 37lb, My 5lb odd of silvers added to my carp saw me take the lead with 41lb odd,

 My catch.

 

Before Rich Hawkins on peg 6 put 49lb on the scales, Steve Jackson had a great last 90mins taking carp from the island on pellet from peg 3 for 50lb odd,

 Runner-up Steve Jackson.

 

 Then finally John Hawkins on end peg 1 took the spoils with 75lb odd catching down towards the jetty on the pole and paste,

 Winner John Hawkins.

 

Top silvers went to Ron Stark on peg 14 with 15lb odd catching on his usual worm over worm approach, First out of the frame again today but I did enjoy working hard for a few fish just a shame I didn't have a couple more" lol. Hoping to get out both days next weekend before a return to the super-league on the rivers with the first practice match on the River Huntspill the weekend after along with the Maver Match This Qualifier at Viaduct on the Saturday so busy times ahead'.

Full Result -

1st John Hawkins (Wormheads) peg 1, 75lb 4oz.

2nd Steve Jackson (Garbolino) peg 3, 50lb 10oz.

3rd Rich Hawkins (Wormheads) peg 6, 49lb 8oz.

4th Dom Sullivan (Maver) Peg 8, 41lb 12oz.

5th Don Sutherland (Maver) peg 15, 37lb 6oz.

Silvers - Ron Stark 15lb 10oz.