Pikey's Progress: Willinghurst Fisho

There was a major change of plan in the Pikey household this week as Mrs Pikey suggested that as we were intending to go and watch the Fisho weigh in then I might as well put my name down as a reserve on the day and try to get a ticket. I of course needed no persuading and turned up early on the morning to get my name down as first reserve on the "people who weren't on the reserve list" list !

As the "Proper " draw was completed there were still about 16 pegs left in the bucket and as the vultures circled around the draw bucket, the first to come out were Pegs 25 and 26 on the back spit - two of the best pegs on the venue ! I then paid my £32.50 (what a bargain that was) and came out of the bucket with...............................Horseshoe Lake - Peg 11. Not a noted peg but in with a chance if I could catch a few lumps in the edge.

For company I had my normal Willinghurst Fisho neighbour Graham Dack, as last time I fished a fisho qualifier we also drew next to each other. I knew from previous experience that he is not only a decent angler but also doesn't mind a bit of a chat during the match so at least we'd have an entertaining day even if the fishing wasn't brilliant.

To cut a long story short, I had decided to fish two paste lines at 6 and 9 metres and also in the edge to my right with dead maggotts. My match went something like this:-

1 Hour gone - 1 F1 of about 2-8-0

2 Hours gone - 1 F1, 1 Gudgeon and a perch

3 Hours gone - 1 F1, 1 Gudgeon, 2 perch and a foul hooked roach

4 and 5 Hours gone - As above

Total Weight 3-4-0

Meanwhile Mr Dack had 4 F1's fishing shallow and a foul hooked 12-4-0 carp (see above) to win the lake with 24-0-0.

However, the odd thing was that although he won the lake, our section included the first 4 pegs on New Lake and Ritchie Hull beat him for the section with 34lb. Not that he complained about it at all ........much ! I have to say though that I totally agree with him regarding the sections as you should at least be on the same lake as the rest of your section shouldn't you ?

As the results came drifting back it became apparent that the majority of the lakes had fished very hard with John's Lake and Old Lakes - the ones that nobody really wanted to draw, fishing best.

Young Andy Power fished a method feeder to the central bar from Peg 2 on Old Lake to win with 15 carp for 78lb followed by Mark Harrington with a load of small carp and some skimmers for 68-12-0 from John's Lake. Seasoned Fisho campaigner Steve Jackson drew the end peg on the far bank of Old Lake and finished 3rd with 63-6-0 and Willinghurst's Mick Seymour filled 4th spot with 62-14-0.

So, all in all a complete waste of £32.50 for me - but as they say, you have to be in it to win it and I'll be back for another go next year.