Yes, I know it's been a while but due to the weather, a lack of suitable matches and transport and a distinct lack of enthusiasm, I didn't do any fishing last week and my only fishing related trip was with Mrs Pikey to see the weigh in on the Molesey League, where incidentally Mick Keeper won with 81lb from Peg 14 on Horseshoe Lake - and here is a picture of part of his catch as evidence !
With an Easter Sunday family dinner arranged at my parents house, and with Plummers back from his emigration to Cumbria (mainly cos he couldn't understand what people said to him after a match and he was already bored with catching 383 roach for 3-10-0) , we couldn't get in on Terry Molloy's two day festival at Sumner's Pond so booked in to a saturday match at Willinghurst on Pittance. I didn't expect there to be many people fishing but me and Plummers both like Pittance and a hopefully we'd catch a few fish now the weather has warmed a little.
However, when I woke at 3am still full of flu and with the rain battering against the windows, I wasn't convinced it was such a good idea after all and must admit I was tempted to text Plummers and tell him I wasn't going. Plummers duly arrived in the middle of the night as always - no I don't know why we need to get to the fishery 90 minutes before the draw but I don't actually mind as I'm always up early on match days. Driving through the country lanes on the way to Willinghurst it was still raining hard and you could tell by the amount of water lying on the roads that we'd had a fair amount over night as well, which didn't bode well for the fishing as the one thing that Willinghurst fish don't like is heavy rain and extra water in the lakes.
As expected the match attendees were more quality than quantity with only Me, Plummers, Ian Summers, Reg The Edge and T Bag fishing. With only 5 of us fishing and 18 pegs on the lake I suggested that rather than spend time discussing which pegs we should put in, we could make it a rover and draw numbers 1-5 with the angler drawing 1 choosing his peg first. Everyone agreed and when the others had drawn their numbers I was left with 2nd choice of Peg and with Ian Summers choosing the in form Peg 16, I decided to fish Peg 5 which I managed to mess up a couple of weeks ago. The peg selection was finished by Plummers fishing Peg 10, T Bag on Peg 12 and Reg choosing the unrated Peg 18.Fortunately by the time we reached Pittance Lake, the rain had stopped and I was more than happy to see that me and Reg had the wind off our backs so if the rain did return then at least I could get my brolly up. In the last 3 or 4 matches on Pittance, I would think that 95% of the fish weighed in had been caught in the edge (or within a couple of feet of the bank) so my main line of attack would be 11 metres to my left, about three foot out from some rushes in about 2.5 foot of water, and with another edge line to my right (where you don't often seem to catch). My two other lines were at 12.5 metres at 10 O'clock and 8 metres straight out in front.
Baitwise I'd decided to fish corn soaked in some of the new Marukyu liquid additative in the edge and paste on the other lines, feeding some of the Marukyu 1mm pelletts. Although I intended to fish paste, I had ground down the mix very fine so that I could mould pieces the size of a 12mm pellett around the hook and hopefully catch a few bream as well as carp - my normal paste mixes are too granular and you can't put small pieces on the hook as they don't stay on, although to be fair, with the size pieces I use in the summer, that isn't usually a problem !
Oh yes, I nearly forgot I found some paste in my bait bag the other week when I was cleaning it out....do you think it will be ok to use ?
Anyway, I kicked off the match by feeding about 20 grain sof sweetcorn in both edge pegs and a small cup of 1mm pelletts on both paste lines. As expected the match started slowly for everyone although I did hear the "This ones a whale" call from Plummers after about 20 minutes. This doesn't worry me anymore as he now says it everytime he catches a fish over 4lb !
My first bite came on the 8 metre line after about 30 minutes and resulted in a skimmer of about 2lb. I then had a carp of about 6lb, another bream and a 5lb carp by switching between the two paste lines but no signs as yet in the edge. After 2 hours I went for a wander and the scoreboard read something like this:-
Reg - 6 Carp all on corn in the edge.
Ian Summers - 1 Carp in the edge, lots of moaning.
T Bag - 3 carp on the lead with.........................a T Bag.
Plummers - 2 carp, one in the edge.
Me - 2 carp and two skimmers all on paste.
Back at my peg, things remained quiet with still no signs down the edge and only the occasional indication on the paste lines until I struck at a bite and immediately rued the choice of white hydro as my elastic as an unseen fish decided to lead me on a tour of the lake. It's ok having pull bungs but there is little you can do if the fish just keeps swimming and wont come back ! Anyway, after what seemed like an age, I finally netted a "Barney Rubble" and although Reg now had 8 carp, I though if I could catch a few more lumps, I might just nick the £60 on offer to the winner. Another 6lb fish followed soon after before the wind changed direction, the tow picked up considerably and made paste fishing out in front very difficult si I decided that as I'd so far been biteless on corn in the edge I'd try paste but had an attack of lazyitiss and rather than setting up a new rig, just slid the float down the line (leaving far too much line between the pole tip and the float) and just guessed the depth. I didn't really want to shorten the line yet as if the wind dropped I wanted to go back out on my long line.
I just about managed to get the paste in the swim without the line tangling around the float and although the float was difficult to spot in the waves, I suddenly noticed it move slightly and using my cat like reflexes, lifted the pole. This then obviously angered the unseen fish as it then pulled more white hydro out than I have ever seen in my life as I hung on, praying that nothing would break. After about 10 minutes Plummers was obviously bored in his own peg and came round to give me some really useful advice...........things like "Why don't you just pull it really hard and see if it comes in" but with the elastic looking like about a number 3 latex and with the tension of of guitar string, this so far unseen fish really didn't want to come in.
After another 10 minutes or so of Plummers useful advice and much pratting about, I finally managed to net the fish - and this one was a whale, which we estimated at about 16lb, a nice little bonus. With only 50 minutes remaining, I decided to concentrate on the edge peg and shortened off the paste rig so I could fish it properly and ten minutes later had another fish of about 8lb. With only twenty minutes remaining , it was clear that I was only fishing for carp so switched over the top from white to purple hydro so if I hooked anymore fish at least I'd have them in the net quickly.
I was grateful for the change as my next fish of about 6lb was foulhooked in the arm and on white hydro I'd have spent an age getting it in. With just 5 minutes remaining I was hoping for one more fish and with a minute to go, my prayers were answered as I finished the day with my 8th carp. I knew Reg had 9 carp but I was sure they wouldn't be as big as mine and I had 4lb of bream as well so I was fairly confident of winning.
Result
Dave Pearson......Peg 5.........66-4-0
Reg The Edge......Peg 18.......44-0-0
T Bag..................Peg 12.......7 Carp and a gudgeon DNW.
Plummers..........Peg 10.......2 carp and one bream DNW.
Ian Summers.....Peg 16......1 Carp, moaned a lot, packed up early !
So, all in all a most enjoyable day, the weather turned out ok and I caught on paste, and now had an extra £60 in the old "Sky Rocket" (oh yes and Plummers £1) so, what more could I want ?
I don't know what is happening match wise for the next week or two as Plummers is back in Cumbria and I 'm not sure that I can find anyone to fish with for a week or so - but don't panic, if I can't get out on the bank, I'll try and find some substitute bloggers !
