Shiplate Farm Open (Squircle Pool).

Staying Local again today for the little knock-up on Squircle pool, Its just one of those little canal lakes you can get plenty of bites from with a bit of hard work from an array of goldfish, small carp with the odd bonus fish to 4lb lurking around & a good head of roach, bacon sarnies at home today even having time to walk the dog before leaving now the morning are panning out. Only eight of us including Gabo who was having his first visit but we would be challenging the Wormheads Mob' by the look of things". I let owner Steve for me today & wasn't disappointed when he handed me peg 14 which would be the end peg on the opposite bank to most a peg I had on my first visit back in the summer of last year when I caught over 60lb so did expect a few although I though around 30lb would be good today?

Plumbing up I had around 4ft in the open water at 12mts & the same at 6mts so set up a 4x10 new F1 float by Des Shipp on 0.13-0.11 which look ideal for pellet fishing which I planned my day around, A slightly heavier 4x12 float with the same line to an 18 F1 Pellet hook to fish just over a metre off the island where it levelled out at 12mts & Finally another 4x10 rig to fish in around 2ft of water closer to the island at 9mts off the point.

I had Kurt Pinkett next to me on peg 13 in the corner & Gabo opposite me on peg 9 so would keep an eye on things easy enough.

I started the day feeding a few hard 4mm pellet with a nugget of micros at 6mts a few 4mms off the point at 9mts & started in the deeper water off the island at 12mts with a 4mm expander feeding a few hard 4mms with a cad-pot. As I expected it wasn't long before I started to get a few indications & was soon putting the odd 4-6oz goldfish in the net, I tried not to add bait until I couldn't get bite as I wanted to try & work out how best to feed, It seemed a few were catching the odd fish from the off although things seemed slower for Gabo & Kurt after the first hour, I had looked on the other lines briefly but couldn't get bites so stuck at 12mts putting the odd fish in the net when others weren't at this stage.

After catching well for a couple of hours on & off things began to slow so decided to feed a more positive line at 11mts in the open water so cupped in a half pot of micros & again some hard 4mms & left it to settle, Out of the blue Kurt landed a decent fish pushing 4lb so had caught up with all my small fish in one go' Luckily I did manage a 2lb carp out of the blue which was a bonus between the average stamp 4-6oz fish, I did try maggot on the hook but after a tiny carp & small roach I stuck to the pellet.

In the first three hours I reckoned on having around 20lbs so with the same time remaining decided to start putting the fish in my second net, This seemed to be the kiss of death as things slowed right up but it did for Gabo who after a slow start had started to catch & Kurt next to me who had netted a couple more better fish, I decided to try the new positive fed line at 11mts as I had left some time, I did manage a run of fish but only when switching to fishing around an inch off the deck, The last few hours were a lot harder for us three but they seemed to continue catching in the channel swims. The last couple of hours were hard work but it was a case of feeding a small amount, Catch a few then change lines. This worked for a few more fish but the last hour I couldn't get a bite at 11mts, I managed a couple of smaller carp nearer the island on the shallower rig but after one fish you wouldn't get another bite, The 12mt line at the bottom off the shelf proved to be the most consistent catching me the odd fish right up until the end, The last few hours were a lot slower, I new they had been catching a few in the arm but I had Kurt down as coming out on top as he had a couple of bonus carp', I was last to weigh when the scales arrived & Rich Hawkins was leading with 32lb 4oz Then Kurt put 32lb 2oz on the scales, My turn & I weighed the net I had used in the last few hours first which went 13lb odd so I needed over 19lb in my first net which ended up going 25lb giving me a total of 39lb for first on the day, My third win on the trot on this little lake, Lots of bites to be had if you work at it which means a busy days fishing, I picked up £45 so paid for the weekend again pool wise & its been nice to fish in some decent warmer weather than of late, A lovley little lake with fish of all colours" If you want plenty of bites its another pace to try. Paul Garretts Memorial Match next Saturday at Viaduct which will be another good turnout & with pellet allowed as from today we will see what this brings?.

Part of my catch.

Full results -

1st Dom Sullivan (Mosella UK) peg 14, 39lb 1oz.

2nd Rich Hawkins (Wormheads) peg 7, 32lb 4oz.

3rd Kurt Pinkett (Wormheads) peg 13, 32lb 2oz.

4th Gabriel Skarba (Mosella Uk) 26lb 6oz.