Saturday saw me fishing the Leatherhead DAS "Top Pond Championships" at the club ponds that are 150 yards from my house. The "Match" is usually attended by a motley crew of committee members and bailiffs but as this year they had moved it to a saturday (therefore not clashing with any other matches) I thought I'd give it a go as after all, I am a Vice President of the club !
To be honest I did feel a bit guilty fishing as most of the other 15 anglers fishing weren't match anglers but at least I didn't go in the pools. As I only live round the corner I thought I'd pop down on my bike, have a draw and then depending on where I drew I could then walk back with the required tackle. Having walked round the lake whilst Eric was sorting out the draw numbers I fancied drawing Pegs 1-9 or 16 but especially fancied 1,5,9 or 16. When I opened the little folded up piece of paper I couldn't believe it as staring me in the face was a little Number..........5, one of my favourite pegs on the lake and one I'd won a club match from last winter with 70lb+.
I then peddled off home to return with my box to sit on, my margin pole, a few nets and a big bag of paste !
Although the peg wasn't as easy to fish as in winter as the rushes grow out too far and you can't really fish over them, I caught on and off for most of the match, carp between 1 and 3lb and was even being reunited with an old friend (see above) which I also caught last winter from the next peg along. The match ended at 5pm and it looked like the only other angler to catch well was Jack DeAlmeida opposite me and when we weighed in he recorded a weight of 45lb. When we reached my peg I placed my fish on the scales and the needle swung round the dial to finally settle on 38lb. The watching gallery started to move off along with a very excited Jack until I pulled out the second net (which nobody noticed I had) with another 40lb in it !
Feeling a little embarrassed to have invaded their competition I thought it better to let them award the trophy to Jack and reminded them to move it back to a Sunday next year. Following the match they had laid on a superb little barbeque and a few drinks etc - all in all a most enjoyable day.
Sunday saw me back at Willinghurst for the club match on Pittance and Horseshoe Lakes. Pittance looked like the place to draw following recent results there so I therefore wasn't too happy when as I was helping out with the draw Plummers drew for me and picked me Horseshoe 16. There were two other pegs in the bag at the time and the two others both won their lakes ! Thanks Tone !!!!
I started to catch a few F1's on paste but 7 hours later only weighed in 12 F1's and two carp for a total weight of 41-6-0 only beating about 4 other anglers on the lake. I htink I messed up by fishing paste in the edge as the roach were bashing it to bits all day and I now think I should have fished hemp and corn. Despite losing a carp he estimated at 20lb+ Peter Turnbull won our lake with 74lb followed by Plummers (yes that cost me another pound) with 69lb .
Pittance fished much better with Ross catching all day on paste at about 6 metres or so from Peg 14 - why don't I get days when I can catch that close, to finish well clear with 168lb with Jason Morgan second on 108lb from Peg 5. I think there were another couple of 100lb+ bags as well.
Come back Thursday to see how Wednesday'sopen match goes and if I can stop Plummers winning streak.
