Monday, September 03, 2007

Lee Chapel Sunday League Match - Colemans Cottage- Wood Lake 2nd September 2007

24 Anglers fished the September LCFC Sunday League Match at Coleman's Cottage Wood lake (which was also the Semi-Final of the Knockout Cup - Kev Keeling, Mick Wagg, Luke Hyde & John Buck remaining) .


A hearty breakfast in the on-site Lodge was followed by the draw at 9am (delayed from the normal 8am to accommodate breakfast). We had pegs 9-33. I drew peg 11 facing into a light wind which was forecast to pick up progressively during the day from 1000 hrs and it did West /South westerly)

I decided to set up maggot feeder to the islands (everyone has one) and Pole for 6 metre/margin work - All around me had set up on the Pole. Steve 'Bridesmaid' Barrett was to my right on the bend point peg 10 and Paul Hyde to my left on Peg 12. Other Key anglers pegs were Kev Keeling on Peg 15 (45 degrees to my left), Olly Wagg on Peg 20, Mick Byrne on 'Southend Pier' (can't remember the peg number but is a platform that sticks out of the far bay corner into the lake - Very exposed).

I provided the 1st of the days entertainment whilst mixing my ground bait - the bank gave way under my left foot whilst bending to get some lake water and I slipped precariously towards the water but managed to stop before I got wet. I thought I'd got away with it but it did not go unnoticed - Chinese Whispers - well Fireworks really were being passed around that Blakey had fallen in. - Close but not that close. That will be topped by Rob Blackburn at the end of the day - read on.

At the whistle - I went straight out on to island - (Fox In-line maggot feeder - Size 16 Kasman Animal Hook link single Red maggot - bang Straight into a 2lb common, this was followed by a procession of Chub to 6ozs (they have come on well this summer), then a couple of hard fighting Barbel of around 1 1/2lb.

The Boys on the pole were very slow so I kept with this approach - putting weight in the net. A fish a chuck - I kept feeding the 6 Metre and Margin Lines ready for later. I had to move up and down the island to keep them coming - tried varying baits but single red maggot was the one that was working Could not get a bite with a Double !)

A rough take cycle of 12 Chub, I Barbel, 5 Chub, 1 Carp 7, Chub, 1 Barbel and so on. This went on for a few hours then I noticed that Paul Hyde was getting into carp at his 6 Metre line and the Bridesmaid was making a few splashed to my right. So much so though he went and get another net (limited of 70lb per net here) - was he spoofing well he did have a double in his landing net at the time.

I swapped the Feeder for the pole as the wind dropped enough to take the waves off the surface and I could bubbles at my 6 metre line. Dropped in various baits -only line bites - So plopped my feeder in there - hey presto pulled out 5 skimmers until the bubbles ceased. Seen some swirling in the right margin dropped a single red maggot on pole line in there and extracted a 3lb Mirror who proceeded to destroy the margin swim.

Went back on the feeder and was quickly back into the Chub, Barbel, Carp cycle again whilst feeding the Margins - the wind had picked up again and made Pole fishing uncomfortable for me given the light Rig I was using. The Carp were back in the margins so dropped in again on the pole. Bang ! A small Mirror of around 1/1/2lb leapt out an like a flying fish almost jumped into Bridesmaid's Swim. Pulling most of 14-16 Elastic out it was obviously that it was hooked in the tail - After 5mins I pulled hard to 'unhook' my self from the fish - I thought I could catch more Chub to more than this fished weight by the time if & when I land it.

Paul Hyde was banging them out - alternating between the Margins and 6 meters - I tried all day to see what baits he was using but could not make out - I forgot to ask him after also.
4pm all out - for the 1st time ever I had Fish On !!! - One I winkled out in the Margins to my left - saw him surface sucking so threw in a few maggots which he followed down swiftly followed by my baited Pole Hook.

We had to wait for the weighing bag / mat from the owners before we could start a long and ultimately amusing weigh -in. The bag was stiff and allowed the fish to flap around making Kev Keeling's life difficult in reading the Dial. Paul Pratley was 1st to weigh -in - he had a good mixed bag of Silvers/Carp, (30lb/42lb). Steve 'Bridesmaid' Barrett was next - basically all Carp for 88lb, then me (40lb 10oz of Silver including 12 Barbel) and 28Lb+ of carp for 69lb. (Gary Somerfeild my pairs partner indicated his approval!) - then Paul Hyde - 92lb of Carp, then Dean Peters (33lb) and Kev Keeling (82lb Mainly Carp) then the weights started to drop off as we progressed round the leeward side ! (Where was the South Westerly Blowing into - say no more !)

Luke Hyde mustered only 11lb so a place in the Knockout Final is possible out of reach at this point as I know John Buck has a good bag.

It was felt that Kev was already through to the Final and would be tight between Mick Wagg and John Buck for the last Spot in the Knockout Competition.

Mick weighed in52lb 14oz and the tension mounted as John's Carp Nets (yes Plural) went 51lb so as his Silver net came out he had just enough - 4lb. - Unlucky Mick - Pipped twice in one week.

The Drama did not end there as we progressed round to Rob Blackburn's peg I saw John Buck on the high bank with his legs in the air ' laughing his head off' - Turns out that Rob had found that his carp net had gone missing. He had taken the supports away just leaving the nets resting on the Platform (something we have all done and won't be doing again). With 20 pairs of eyes looking It was just identifiable in the water and easily extracted and surprising looks like all fish still there. Hardly a dry eye on the lake and when everything had settled down he finally weighed in 46lb.

With all the commotion Gary's weigh-in was an anti-climax I had to stop Mick Wagg filling out the match positions. It dawned on me that Gary had a possible Points scoring Bag - yes he did with 51lb enough for 9th place and 10 points - the 1st time that both of us had scored good points in the same match with me 5th and 50 points. Certainly improved out pairs Position.

Personal Footnote: This was a new PB 6 hour match weight for me (69lb 2oz - previous 65lb 14oz - Entire Farm Jul 2006) and PB Match Silver Fish bag of 40lb 8oz.

So Paul Hyde was 1st - guess who was second - yes The Bridesmaid, Kev Keeling 3rd Paul Pratley 4th, me 5th & John Buck 6th. Its is tight for 3rd place in the Pairs 1 point between the paring of Terry Middleton & Steve Barrett and Gary and myself. the consistent Wagg/Buck are way out in the lead, with Kev/Fred Saunders in 2nd.

A total of 996lb 12oz was weighed in, an average of 45lb 8oz per angler who weighed-in. If the two that did not weigh-in had done so we would have topped the 1000lb mark.

Current League Positions and Knockout chart






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