With all the lakes at Willinghurst being taken by the Surrey Winter League and nothing much else on, Mick "Wicket" Keeper suggested that we all book in on the Back Arun open at Arundel. Despite most of us having not fished it before, about 12 of us booked in and although the weather forecast was horrible, we were all looking forward to fishing a new venue.
In the days leading up to the match the weather forecast for Arundel was heavy rain and 32 MPH winds, which didn't bother me in the slightest as the weather forecasts are nearly always wrong when we fish. Sure enough, match day arrived and when Plummers picked me up at 6.30am it was mild, a bit breezy but no rain at all.
However, as we got closer to the venue, the rain started and the wind blew ! And, after a "Plastic" breakfast at MacDonalds (the only breakfast location we could find) we arrived at the car park to find the rain was getting heavier and the wind stronger.
The draw meant nothing to most of us but having Drawn Peg 20 I was pleased to find that not only did I have a couple of weedbeds either side to fish against but the wind was also mainly from behind. I set up my Maver H10 edge pole with red hydro through the top 2 as I'd heard loads of stories about people losing fish inthe weed and rushes, set up a couple of rigs on 0.18 G Line to fish against the weedbeds either side and an edge rig as well.
On the whistle I cupped in some dead maggots on all three lines and before I had finished doing so, the chap on the next peg caught a carp of about 3lb - which turned out to be his only one Fishing double or triple maggot I started to catch the odd small rudd but the wind was so bad now that I really had to fish over depth rather than dead depth and have a lot more float showing than I would have liked due to the waves on the water.
My first carp fell to maggot but when the wind and rain abated slightly I switched to corn and the rest of my match went like this :-
Carp 1 - Fishing double maggot I looked away for a second to see why water was running down my neck and felt the pole tip move as my first carp (about 3lb) made a bid for freedom but was quickly subdued by the red hydro. Pikey 1 Carp 0
Carp 2 - Switching to corn, I had Number 1's big brother - about 6lb. It managed to get in the weedbed I was fishing against but steady pressure soon extracted it and once in the open water gave no problems. 2-0
Carp 3 - Not a very clever fish as when hooked it swam AWAY from the weedbed......However, still cleverer than me as it then swam past the open water into the other weedbed and snagged me ! 2-1
Carp 4 - Swam into the weedbed- wouldn't come out ! 2-2
Carp 5 - No problem........3-2
Carp 6 - Swam off to the far bank with my hook ! 3-3
Carp 7,8,9 and 10 - All about 2lb - No problem
Final Score..........Pikey 7 Carp 3 !
Despite the weather I quite enjoyed the day - especially the last two hours as the rain stopped and I do enjoy fishing venues where you can place your float against features and get a few bites.
My final weight was 20-4-0 which put me 7th overall and one out of the money in my section.
Plummers took another pound from me finishing one fish and just under 2lb ahead of me, despite losing about 10 fish when his black hydro wasn't up to the job !
Result
Tony Yianni...........Peg 8............35-4-0
JasonMorgan.........Peg 29.........31-4-0
Alec Bicknell..........Peg 25.........29-0-0
Plummers..............Peg 9...........23-12-0
Mick Chip..............Peg 26..........21-12-0
Andy Honness......Peg 1.............21-4-0
Dave Pearson.......Peg 20..........20-4-0
So the "Method Boys" took the first two places, although I think the pole will out score it if it isn't so windy next time we go.
No fishing for me this Wednesday (or any future Wednesdays for a while) as I start my new job with Rainbow Trust Children's Charity on Monday and have to work a FIVE day week !
I'll see if I can find a guest blogger to keep you amused but if not I'll be back next week with a report on Round 4 of my Winter League.
JPZ's from Marukyu - "The Dogs Danglies"
Jordan Whitby with a PB Carp of 18lb from Newdigate
Maggotdrowning.com
Exclusive Pictures
Fred Davis with his personal best chub of 7-2-0 from the River Lea
and his 6-8-0 tench !
Neil Humpage with part of his 89-10-0 match winning chub catch from the River Wye
Mike Spragg with his personal best Barbel from the The Wye, a whopping 10-1-0.
Davey P's Locker - Tackle I would recommend
Drennan Lake Floats - I used to use these floats for crucians and have recently started using them again for my silvers fishing, The cane bristle makes them especially sensitive.
I use this hook for nearly all my carp fishing from Size 10's with paste, 14's with the knotless knot on the lead and 18's for Hook in the loop rigs and they have never let me down.
How smart are this lot - Andy May and his wife with some of the motley Total fishing.com crew. There is a small pond just out of the picture and they fished a small sweepstake between the wedding ceremony and the reception ! Andy May won, Haisman was last - no change there then !
Myles Levy and his mate Chris with a 59lb catfish from France.
When I was writing in the Angling Times I promised some friends that I would try and get "Fish Cakes" mentioned in an article. However, as I was sacked before I could do so, I thought I'd put them on here ! So Mick and Karen Jones, here they are as promised !
At least one member of the Baxter clan can catch fish ! Young Dylan with a 4lb bream.
Hathers at Stafford Moor - Let this picture be a lesson to you all, those last couple of drinks the night before are never a good idea !
World Exclusive !!!!!!!
Andy Toplis playing a fish.
Ryan Hughes with part of an 80lb bag from White Springs Fishery in Wales
Mick Bull wont have received many points for this dive - but having just won the Fisho Final and £25k I don't think he really cared !
Another exclusive for Pikey's Progress - Terry Molloy not talking ! Oh yes and with a decent River Thames Pike.
OK Own up - who lent Mick The Bookie some fish to pose with ?
Martin Harper with a superb 8lb tench from Farlows Lake
Young match star Tony Curd with an 11lb barbel from the River Kennet - he didn't say where, these spessy hunters are so secretive !
Total Fishing's Justin Laundon with a fine net of fish from Lindholme Lakes
Fred Davis with 3 chub over 5lb and a small one from the River Lea.
http://www.carpvader.com/index.asp
Jeff Moors took part in the recent Catfish Challenge and caught this one - more of a "kitten" than a cat really !
And here are some proper ones that the winners had.
BNF - with part of a near 100lb haul from the Glebe
Scone - Angling writer, float maker and all round good egg !
"Hathers" with his 3-8-0 roach from Timsbury Manor - some claim it was really a hybrid, I couldn't possibly comment !
"Fordy on the Telly" with 40lb of prime River Kennet chub.
.........and this one weighed 5-2-0
Alan Dove with a small Skimmer Bream of 15-8-0 from Walthamstow Reservoir
Fred Davis plied Alan Dove with coffee all day then when he went to attend to a call of nature caught this one with his gear !
Colin Ormston (Billy no Fish) with the reason that some anglers still fish rivers !
Phil Stone (Pebs) with a fine net of roach and rudd from Witherington Farm
Total Fishing.com ventriloquist Gary Haisman with his two new dummies - Billy No Fish and Pebs.
