Summerhayes Fishery Weds Open (Longs Lake).

With some unexpected time off work for a few days I decided to book in for the Wednesday Open, My First match for a couple of weeks so hoping for a change of fortune on the draw front. I decided to skip the normal fry up before arriving at the fishery, Owner Pete had took a walk around to decided the best pegs to put in as the forecast  was for a pretty miserable day', I didn't mind where I would end up but hoped to avoid peg 16 under the motorway as its around 17mts to the far bank being a new fitted peg its set back, I had it last time I was on this lake & had a few silvers but with strong winds forecast it would be a hard peg to fish long today. I let a few go before me then my turn, Yep you guessed it, Peg 16!" God I'm Consistent....

As soon as I arrived at my swim I new it would be a case of fishing just as far as I could present a light rig for silvers, I settled on a swim at 11mts were I would fish a 4x12 Chanti on 0.13-0.11 & a 16 808 Hook to fish in around 4ft of water were the depth was uniform from the bank out. The same rig would double up to fish meat at 5mts slightly off to my right so the only over rig I set up was hand made 0.2g float on 0.15-0.13 & an 16 PR478 hook to fish 11mts in-front of the disabled platform peg 15 which was vacant at 11mts were again I had close to 4ft of water. I had Bill (The Paste) Hopping around from me on peg 12 & Mike West next to me on peg 18, I could also see Tom Magnell on peg 23 which I fancied for a few carp but apart from them I couldn't see anyone else. I started the day feeding a good halfpot of hemp & meat down in-front the pallet & a small amount of hard 4mms at 5mts with a couple of bits of meat , Starting the day on the 11mt line in the Open water feeding a small ball of dampened micros & fishing a 4mm expander on the hook.

I had a couple of 4oz roach after a couple of minutes then had a skimmer over 1lb, I the first hour I guessed I had around 4-5lb of small silvers & apart from Tom landing a few carp I hadn't seen much caught, Every 30mins I fed the line down by the pallet but didn't really want to use this line until I had to preferring to put as many silvers in the net for the time being hoping to add a few more better skimmers but it wasn't happening, I was getting plenty of small 2-4oz skimmers but only added another 1lb plus fish. After a couple of hours I had a try on the 5mt line but only had a couple of small fish here, I had a look down by the pallet but after a minute or so without any indications it was back to catching what I could from the longer line, I tried a small piece of worm on the hook & red maggot but was getting pestered but small roach so was soon back on the soft pellet, Another run of the smaller skimmers followed so I decided to add a cad-pot & feed small nuggets of micro at more regular intervals, After about 4hrs I estimated to have around 9-10lb off mainly blades" but could only get the odd net fish, I tried the other lines again but the pallet swim failed to produce, I did manage to get some bites off the 5mt line in the end but they turned out to be carp' Aide the tea boy had a wander around with about 90mins to go & said my 10lb ish' of silver was doing ok so I just stuck at it until the final whistle, I had another better 1lb plus fish & a couple of 8oz fish to go with a few more blades & estimated to finish up with something between 14-15lb? When the scales arrive Bill had put just short of the ton on the scales catching carp from his right hand margin, My silvers went slightly over my guess to finish with 16lb 6oz, Tom had a good day to finish up wit just over 103lb but Dave Romaine next door went even better to finish with 130lb odd catching on hard pellets across to the island & on the short pole with meat later in the day to easily win the day so well done to him,

  Winner Dave Romaine.

I managed to have enough to win the silvers pool picking up £26 but only just as Jeff Sparks on peg 32 finished with a level 16lb, I don't thing the peg held enough carp to match the winners so made the right choice to stick with the silvers.

Overall results -

1st Dave Romaine (Viaduct) peg 25, 130lb 13oz.

2nd Tom Magnell (Mosella) peg 23, 103lb.

3rd Bill Hopping (Summerhayes) peg 12, 99lb 11oz.

Silvers - 1st Dom Sullivan (Maver) peg 16, 16lb 6oz.

2nd Jeff Sparks (Summerhayes) peg 32, 16lb.