Bobby G's Birthday Bash" Sedges Fishery (Brick lake). (Silvers only)

With Bobby Gullick inviting 20 Anglers to fish an arranged match on the open Brick Lake at the Sedges fishery with Him purchasing Breakfast for all of us it was an opportunity not to be missed' We arrived at the café and bobby had kindly asked us in advance if we would prefer a large or small one, Well me thinking everyone would opt for large I told him likewise. Owe No' most opted for small which were served first meaning my double amount came out as most were finishing" Great! Not only did I have to rush it I had to do my best to eat it not to look stupid".

Arriving at the fishery rather bloated' Were weren't greeted by the best of conditions, It was F'ing freezing And blowing a gale from the north one end of the lake to the other", I was hoping for a draw on the bank between Brick & Tile which looked to be out the worst of the wind and an area fancied by most. I haven't fished this lake for years but it was always a good area for big skimmers. Into the draw & I was thankful to find myself in the middle of the bank I fancied peg 5, I planned a simple attack with the cold wind against us so set 1 pole rig up to fish a line at 12mts left & 11mts to my right being a 1g body float on 0.12-0.10 and a 18 PR434 hook, And a small feeder on my 10ft bomb rod I've had 3yrs & never used!". I had good company with Alan Oram next to me in my section of 4 with fellow blogger Tim Ford below him Then Russ Pecker so a good battle ahead for the £40 section money' At the start I fed 3 balls of Ground-bait on the 12mts line laced with micro's & some 4mm expanders and the other line with two balls of a different darker mix laced with chopped worms & a few dead red maggots, I was going to feed casters but after not looking after last weeks batch they were all floaters! I started on the small feeder towards the rope through the middle of the lake with single red maggot on the hook and did catch a couple of small skimmers to 4oz quite early but had noticed Nick Ewers in the corner peg net two nice skimmers on the feeder although he wasn't in my section although most were struggling. I put about 12oz in the net in the first 50mins but Alan net to me had yet to catch. It was time to try the pole so started on the 12mt ine with a 4mm expander on the hook but that was scrapped after 10mins without a sniff, onto the 11mt line & I managed to bump a better fish with a piece of worm on the hook but that was it, Tim Had managed to hook & lose a carp on the feeder then the next cast hook & land a decent tench" Alan added insult to injury by netting a big skimmers of his pole line. I was soon back on the feeder, A few more small fish on the maggot but most below me were struggling for bites on the feeder but at least I was getting bites, or should I say I was', A bloody great gust of wind lifted me ground-bait bowl clean on the air dumping the lot in at 3mts! Not a problem I'le just darken off my other mix & carry on' Nope with the mix of \Ground-bait being different I had one more suspect bite/liner in the rest of the match! I did hook a near 1lb skimmer in the head before the disaster with a few more small skimmers but for the rest of the day all I added was a few roach & rudd off the 11mt line a 5lb carp. Are section turned out to be very hard as did most as we later found out but Tim went on to take the section with 3lb 2oz with the help of his bonus tench' With Alan weighing 2lb 14oz  with his skimmer & a good eel' before I had 2lb 12oz of bits with my skimmer so very close' I was ruling the fact of spilling my ground-bait as it certainly seemed to be the right mix on the day for a few bites but in all fairness it wasn't an enjoyable day for any of us to be fishing in, It was good fun though company wise which made up for the fishing & the nice brew with a slice of Bobby's Birthday cake afterwards was very welcome'.

 Birthday Boy Bobby with the lovely cake his wife made us.

full Results -

1st Eric Fouracre (The Sedges) peg 11, 8lb 10oz.

2nd Matt Tomes (Flip Flop|) peg 8, 7lb 13oz.

3rd Nigel Bartlett (Bait-Tech Viaduct|) peg 9, & Gary O'Shea (Thatchers P.I) peg 17, 6lb 6oz.

Winner on the day with 8lb 10oz from peg 12 on the opposite bank was Venue expert Eric Fouracre catching a few better skimmers on the feeder but most sections were won with 3lb telling you how hard it really fished but with the weather always against us was always going to be difficult but that's fishing".  Thanks again for the invite mate & apart from the elements against us a good day all round.