Toyota Learning Curve

Beautiful but frosty start to the day.  Got away late today, the continuing stomach problems delaying my start.  Didn't even have the full monty, just one sausage and an egg + spoonful of beans. Washed it down with Tea.  Had a chat with Mark Blake, about yesterdays match on Barnmoor , as normal Blakey had framed with two massive carp and a load of silvers.  Barney had also done well of the flying peg 3.

Almost last to draw on today's Toyota, the inner snake 83 by the bridge.  Mark Blake advised strong tackle and to fish under the bridge and once again he was right.  Fishing has a way of humbling you, just when you think you are getting it right; somebody like John Dewberry Dave Moody or Mark Blake, come along make you realise you are a long way behind the curve.  I am grateful for all their advice

 

Peg 83 Bridge swim Inner snake

The bridge swim can be a flier.  In the right hands , clearly I am butterfingers at the moment as I did just about all I could today to cock up a flier.   As suggested I fished under the bridge; using 4 mill meat and hemp mix, with 6 mill on the hook.  Taking Marks advice I went with an 014 line right through to a tubertini 808 size 20 and a MAP 4 X 10 Carpa. fed the bridge , then a ground bait line at 10 mtrs with caster and a little chopped worm.  Looking down the section I realised it would be tough.  Gary Naylor to my left with Mark to the left of him and Paul Sear (I think) to the left of Mark on end peg.  Behind me on the outer Snake Pete Newman peg 42 ( Toyota League leader) and Dave Higgins Peg 36 sharing the entire corner.  Baiting done, I dropped a 6 mill bit of meat just under the very edge of the bridge.  A dip and a wiggle and then wallop it was away.  No need to lift into it, it was already ripping under the bridge the elastic stretched out as I tried to pull the fish free into open water.  The end three sections of pole bent impressively as the battle of wills began.  the fish seemed to slam into the undergrowth on the far edge of the swim and all went solid.  Leaving my peg I walked out onto the bridge and pulled by hand and eventually some dry old nettles and various undergrowth cam to the surface.  The hook was pulled a little straight , so taking no risks I tied a new hook of the same pattern.  Plumbed up again and dropped in a new bait. Away again and a plump goldfish slid into the net.  That's how it went for the next hour small crucian followed by small skimmer followed by unstoppable lump, followed by fat crucian.  I did manage to get a couple of slightly bigger crucians.

Gary and Mark are catching lumps, so the Crucians won't be enough.  All of us are struggling to present a bait in the horrendous left to right wind.  I come away from the bridge, the fish are getting smaller by the minute.  The gound bait line , producing small silver after small silver. 

Splash behind and I note that Dave Higgy Higgins and Pete Newman are going fish for fish.  Pete is fishing meat down the edge; and I watch as one double figure carp is followed by another.  Higgy too, is going down the edge and great guns as two of his fish are ( confirmed at weigh in) as 26+ lb.

Clearly, I am miles behind so bit more meat under the bridge and try again.  Dejavu as the elastic rips out again so far this time that the fish must be in Pete Newmans swim on the outer snake, another fish lost and almost a broken pole section as it grinds against the edge of the bridge.  Upgrade to 17 hollo, and the float dips again. Bumped the crucian quickly, and then another.  Three fished bumped in a row as the elastic is clearly to strong.  Change back to hollo 13 and the fish come thick and fast, all around 5oz a piece. 

Pete is going great guns now and must have had 15 decent carp down the edge.  (Photo left).  I can see Carp across at 16 mt rs but holding a pole there is proving difficult in the wind. I decide to flick out a method with micro pellet and a banded pellet.  the tip has three sharp taps and a 12 oz skimmer slides towards me. Fling out again, and the tip rips around resulting in a small 2lb Carp.  If I could present a bait on the pole, a bait up in the water might work.  I try it but, it results only in small roach.  20 minutes to go and I go down the edge to my left over a pre baited swim.  This results in a 5lb carp, nice but too late to matter.

The match all out is called, and its clear I am no where.  The Learning curve continues, match by match, but there is a long way to go to catch the superstars of the local scene.  The best weights have come from the outer today, but its good to see the Carp feeding again after the winter.  First in Div 1 is Pete Newman, peg 42 with 96lb+ second Higgy Peg 36 with 93lb+ . Third place goes to Tappy on Peg 3 with 73 lb, and Dave Moody is fourth of peg 15 with 63lb+ . Me I move up a place or two to 12th in Div 1with my 20lb 10oz .  Not bad as I started the competition bottom of the two division (15 in each league) league in 30th place!

Rich Penney cements himself top of Div 2 with a 61lb weight from peg 27.  With one more match to go, I will need a miracle to get in the money.  Pay out top three in each league.  Newy looks good for it.  I am pleased to have done well, but too many silly mistakes and one bad draw has cost me.  Still only sunshine and fair weather to look forward to.