Fisho Mania Qualifier (Woodlands View Fishery)

Lewis Jones & Myself we both looking forward to as I haven't visited the fishery for nearly 20yrs Lewis had been here a couple of times over the last few years but really it was a bit alien to the both of us. A chat with a few people over the last week gave us a bit of an insight on what to expect. I picked Lewis up but it wasn't the usual hearty breakfast today but a stop off for a services m'donalds was the best we could manage owe & nearly £4 for my costa coffee". We arrived at the fishery in plenty of time which worked out just over 90miles so should of had a breaky at the on-site café so lesson learnt for are next visit.

We had a good walk around and some of the pegs looked fishy but a lot looked pretty much run of the mill but closely pegged so already it looked as if you would need a rare empty peg or a corner to stand the best chance. We got into the draw about the halfway stage with me ending up on peg 8 on Barley? & lewis ended up on Hay the lake directly in-front of me, Neither of us was fortunate to have a corner or any room for that matter as we were both smack bang in the middle of are lakes which were quite similar about 25mts wide canal shaped lakes with about 20 pegs on each, No Features as such & a depth around 5-6ft. These are the newest lakes at the fishery but the problem we had to contend with as they are situated above the others & with a strong wind forecast we were going to take the brunt of it" HEY HO' Nothing new then...

The good thing about these type of matches is you have to take a real positive approach & only being 5hrs you don't want to complicate things, I planned to fish various baits across to the causeway with a small pellet feeder with the fishery's own micro pellets though it, And set up three pole rigs to fish worm & caster at various depths at about 7mts as the wind had already began to show signs of spoiling things'.

Their were some super stars' lining the banks to day, I had Garbolino's Richey Hull two pegs up from me & Andy May on the end peg of are lake to name a few & Lewis was also up against it as he had former fisho winner Andy Geldart next to him". I started the match feeding a handful of casters & some chopped worms on the pole line & began the day on the pellet feeder with a hair rigged 8mm expander, Before I had even cast the guy to my left netted a 3lb fish I gave it 10mins before switching to corn on the hook which he was using, 30mins later & I was still biteless as was the guy to my right & Richey at this stage, The guy to my left had added two smaller carp & oddly enough we were all chucking to the same distance across, After 45mins most had switched to there short pole lines but I gave it a while longer, Trying slightly shorter & with pellet & maggot on the hook but still nothing, I decided to try the pole line starting on the deck with a piece of worm on the hook where I had been feeding casters from the off.

I was pleased to land a near two skimmer first put-in but by now the wind had really picked up & was causing havoc even at this distance, The next 10mins saw me bump two fish before I had to top it up & try the feeder again, I did manage two fish on it in the next 30mins, Two carp of a 1lb each", By now the sun had come out but the wind was relentless with some very forceful gusts causing pole kits to be blown everywhere on the lake in front, & two poles had snapped on the pegs directly infront of me!" now we where suffering as with the wind blowing at us & the sun on the water we could see NOWT...!

It was really frustrating as I tried the pole again & netted a 3lb carp but didn't even see the bite as seeing any colour float was impossible, This caused me to bump a another carp but even if I could get the fish shallow I couldn't see how I would present a rig? Back on the tip & a skimmer of 10oz was all I added, The guy to my left had had a few more carp on the feeder but Richey was only on one skimmer as was the guy to my right, I felt I had made the right choice in my bait approach as nobody was catching on the short pole lines & at least I was having indications, I tried the bomb over the short pole line but that didn't work" It was really disappointing as I'm sure I would have caught well on it had I been able to fish the pole at all" Richy Managed One carp on his long pole line before calling it a day in fear of snapping his new pole' That mans got arms of steel & if me cant hold it nobody can!" the guy to my right also called it a day with just the one skimmer & I was very temped but with an 90mins to go I was hoping the wind would drop to give the pole line another try, With 45mins to go it began to cloud over so at least I had chance of seeing the float even if I would struggle to hold it. The result? I finished the day with 4 carp & Around 12lb of skimmers for 20lb odd, which wasn't going to get me any coin today, My section was won further back with 31lb & the best weight on the lake turned out to be 64lb which was a good result in the conditions at the end of the lake area, Back at the results it turned out that one guy had decided on the off chance he could get in the match should someone fail to show even though they were well down on the waiting list when published, He did manage to get in, Ended up corner peg 34 on Back Deans, & Won the match with 134lb!" . That man? None other than Somerset expert & Preston Innovations sponsored Andy Power" Fair play to you Andy you defiantly are a lad for the big occasion , Andy has already won the Match This Final on Larford Lakes & made the fisho final before in his short career so will defiantly  be one to watch, I'm Sure he will cruise through the now semi final & I'll be having a flutter on him in the final". Disappointing For Lewis as well as he had a similar story also finishing with 20lb odd again having the conditions ruin things. We new what to expect & are draws just weren't favourable for us, We don't think we were far wrong in are approach & have another crack here later in the year so hopefully it will be more favourable" Second & Third also broke the ton with weights of 118lb & 114lb, Sorry forgot the camera today but at least we know who won Well Done Andy.

Both have another crack at Viaduct This Saturday & with the fish spreading out a bit & feeding positively it should be a good match. As always both of us will be hoping for a good area so roll on'.