Blakey's Fishing Blog

Without wishing to sound like a stuck record but a preceding week of warm South Westerly’s and Mild temperatures – Yep it’s time to go Fishing at the weekend – Weather – Cold North Easterly with Snow. Common theme starting to develop here or what!


Anyway – This was my 1st Match as the Club’s Sunday League Organiser, so an earlier than normal departure from Home for me (picking up Mick Scoles on the way) to get there early and have a look around the lake which I have never fished.

Even though I arrived a 6:50am a number of members where already there tackle on trolleys under the outside Sheltered area of the Lodge (Smoker’s Paradise). - It had now started to snow!

A look round the lake twice as the Snow fell heavier – I decided to take out pegs 24 & 31 – Access and condition on platforms and not to use the a, b & c Corner Pegs at the North End.

Draw made (pegs on result sheet) off we trudged in the snow. I forgot to pick up my Landing & Keep nets so had to go all the way back to lodge to pick them Up – Brghh!! But at least the wind was not blowing – yet!

Having earlier discussed the best methods with the Bailiff – I decided Pole on maggot would be the best bet for the day. So I set up on the Pole at 8m (mid way to the Island on peg 20.

Soon after the off both Terry Middleton to my left and the Two Mick’s (Scoles & Wagg) opposite were all into carp on the feeder, had I made the right decision as all I was getting were Gudgeon. The Snow persisted and time to put the Gloves on as the wind stared to increase as well. The carp dried up for Terry & the Two Micks’ and I had shifted Hook size to 14 from 18 with 6 maggots to try and see off the Gudgeon but they were still having it along with a few nice Size Rudd.

Finally the elastic was pulled out – carp on board – a nice little Common of 3lb safely in the net, then 2 drops later another of 2lb then nothing. The snow did not relent until Midday then we still had the occasional light snow shower.

In fact the six of us down this South end were bite less from 11am until Steve Barrett landed a small Carp at 2pm then I had another at 2.30pm just as I was thinking about packing away and prepping for the weigh-in to enable swift get away and into the warm. During that time I decided that if more experienced anglers around me were struggling that given the cold I decided to stick with the Pole. The 1st time ever that I have stuck with one method for the entire duration of a match.

We had no clue what was going on up the other end but the weigh-in revealed all – It was clear the fish were shoaled up in one area between {Pegs 12 & 14) – Luckily my New pairs partner for the season – Ed Pearce was on the middle Peg 13 – which proved lucky for him as he amassed an amazing 102lb with Olly Wagg next on peg 12 chipped in with 55lb – Arthur Morkunas made a long overdue appearance on the Podium with 3rd place from peg 14 with 25lb – whilst the rest of us struggled into double figures

A total of 483lb was caught (36lb Silvers, 447lb carp including some nice ‘Ghosties’ caught by Olly Wagg and John Buck). To put this into perspective Olly & Ed caught 33% (1/3rd) of the total, lifting the average to 22lb - without them it would have only been 16lb per Angler.

Result is on the Colemans Cottage Website at:

Still not all doom & gloom I am in 2nd Place in the pairs (thanks to Ed) to Arthur Morkunas & Luke Hyde who lead

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