Chiltern Trinity Sunday Open.

A change of scenery for me & traveling partner Donald today as we haven't been to this fishery for a long while so were both looking forward to the change, As normal we had are hilltops stop off which was even better than normal as we had extra bacon for free' Truth be told I think the new old girl has a soft spot for Don, Suits me if I'm getting extras for free' Crack on".

When we arrived we were pleased to see the wind was nowhere near as bad as expected & it was pleasantly mild. We had a quick look at the lake before drew & I fancied any peg on the far bank as I thought there might be a few of the lakes bigger carp to be caught with the wind blowing that direction? It was then that good mate Jonny (Slaphead) page said to me anywhere but peg 2" will do me you don't want that its shite' No Problem then mate just avoid it & with 19 fishing the chances of getting it were slim... At the draw I let a few people have there pisk before diving in with my left hand for a change' Well I don't really need to explain where I drew as it was to bloody obvious" Yep peg 2.... Thanks mate.."

Owe well onwards & upwards as I got to my peg full of enthusiasm' The peg is situated at the very end of the lake facing down it with the majority on either side,

Except for Simon Ryall who had draw next to me on peg 3 that was so good company as he's always worth a laugh'.

 Smiley" Simon Ryall.

 

It looked inviting down the edge even though it was cold in the lake but with the over hanging tree's I new their would be a lot of debris close to the bank so first up was a rig to fish 2mts off the bank in just over 5ft of water being a 4x12 chanti on 0.15-0.13 & an 16 PR478 hook,

next up was a rig to fish in the open water at 14mts being a PB2 on 0.12-0.11 & an 18 PR434 hook. The only other rig I had was to Dob bread along the inside bank & apart from that it was a straight lead to start the match on.

I began the day by feeding two good balls of micro's with some 4mm expanders & some 6mm hard pellets onto the 14mt line, Fed a good helping of corn at 13mts off to my left, & fed a small amount of 6mm hard pellets & a few grains of corn down the edge off the bank. I started the day on the bomb & bread chucking over to the opposite bank to start with,

After 20mins I decided to have a chuck into the main area of the lake as around from me on my right was Tom Magnal on peg 33 who had already landed a carp on the method feeder' Those who know me know I never fish the method, I don't have anything against it but its not something I would enjoy fishing so why use something you don't want too'

 Tom with his first on the method.

 

 I was hoping to snare a couple on the straight lead but it didn't happen & after 30mins it was time to try the pole lines. Starting on the 14mts line with 6mm pellet I didn't have a bite even when I switched to expander or dead red maggot on the hook, I had a brief look on the 13mts line where I had fed some corn but after no early signs it was time to try the inside swim, I decided start with a pumped up 6mm expander on the hook which ends up more like an 8mm pellet' to try & avoid any small fish which may be present?. I wasn't in the water more than a couple of mins when I hooked & landed a 5lb carp, I was getting worried as we were over an hour in & although Tom Had landed his fourth on the method Simon & myself were struggling at this stage so I was thankful of catching' I gave it another 15mins but didn't have any signs so decided to re-feed a small amount & rest it. back out at 14mts with a smaller 6mm expander I had a skimmer over a 1lb straight away but then nothing again, I tried various baits to no avail so tried on my other lines again.

I couldn't get a bite on the corn line but kept topping it up as I felt I might catch over it later in the day? back down the inside line I couldn't get a bite but was also struggling to see the float in the shadows & the sun. I noticed that Tom had caught a decent carp off his short line & I had been throwing the odd cubes off meat at 7mts so gave it a go. 15mins later I was back to square one & was going nowhere so it was time for a change, I new closer to the bank was snaggy but felt if I was going to add anymore carp it would be my best chance, I found what appeared to be a flat spot a foot or so off the bank so fed it with a palm full of micros & a few hard 6mm's & left it for 15mins.  I went in with a 6mm expander & no sooner had the rig settled I was in soon adding a 3lb carp, same again next dob in with a smaller 2lb fish followed by a 2lb tench before things when quite so re-fed It again to rest it & try the longer lines again, I managed a 12oz skimmer & a couple of smaller samples, Missed a bite on the corn line' but still nothing on the short meat' swim, We were going into the last hour & all I had added was a 3lb carp down the edge, After losing a decent skimmer off the 14mt line I tried the corn line again at 13mts, I was cursing missing another bite when I hooked a decent carp seconds later but we soon parted company for no apparent reason'? I tried again but missed a bite or was it liners? I re-fed around 20 grains before trying back down the edge, I had another smaller carp but their didn't appear to be any better fish present, With 15mins to go I tried the 13mt line again as the rig settled & Simon who had called it a day was stood behind me we both noticed a load of bubbles coming up where I was fishing, second later the float shot under but again nothing" I had a quick last look down the edge before the all out but nothing was added so finished the day with 6 smaller carp & a few silvers, I was cursing not feeding the 13mt corn line as regular as I started as felt the fish were coming up in the water, I'm sure if I had been a bit more positive at the end of the day I could of kept the carp down enough to add a few more rather than striking at liners" It wasn't going to get me anywhere near the coin today but I used the day as a bit of a experiment & felt I left the bank learning a few new things, Top weight on the day went to Dave (Sorry didn't get you second name) from peg 19 catching most of his fish on the method feeder at 12-20mts, top silvers went to Titch Williams catching on expanders over squatt, dead pinkie, & turmeric favoured ground-bait at 13mts to finish with 13lb,

Going to see what the weather does before deciding on Saturdays fishing but back to Viaduct Fishery Sunday for the 4th round of the winter league & my turn for Cambell Lake, Pegs 110-114, 119,  or 132 please?

Full results -

1st Dave . s  (Bristol P.0) peg 19,68lb 11oz.

2nd Nick (Chitern Trinity) peg 13, 66lb 3oz.

3rd Jonny Page (Drennan Prefects) peg 55lb 3oz.

4th Tom Magnel (Mosella) peg 33, 52lb 14oz.

Silvers -

 1st Titch Williams (Drennan Southwest) peg 25, 13lb 6oz.

2nd Rich Coles (The Sedges) peg 29, 7lb 15oz.