Blakey's Fishing Blog

Around 40 people attend the annual Charity Match held at Aveley Clubs Cranham Lake - This year beneficiaries were from teh the Chraities Pool but I did notice a prominent Cancer Research UK Banner and a magnificent £1300 was raised on the Day.

Usual thanks to Martin Haimowitz for organising the day, and all the sponsors (listed in Credits at end of entry) for providing the Raffle and Food - of which was in plentiful supply throughout the day.

Now what about the fishing. Did not bode well as I listened to Fisherman's Blues on the ay to Cranham and a live report form Rob Hughes on the latest qualifying round of the UK Carp Championship - over 20 anglers fishing that event had not had a fish caught in over 24 hours !
The draw made and strange as it may seem the 'Big John Crew' where basically lined up on the tree Bank - Dean Peters, Me, Mason Mills, Olly Wagg, Mick Byrne, and Mick Wagg with Big John, Boozy and Ed Pearce equally spaced on the Railway Bank.

The Carp were trying their best to mimic the frequent trains on the adjacent railway running up and down on top in the centre of the lake. . The sun was already beating down and it was in no doubt going to the be the hottest day of the year with No wind , I decided that it was not going to be a carp day so rigged up light targeting the Bream, Barbel and Chub on method, Waggler and Pole- something I was going top regret later in the day.

At the off I tried to see if I could pick off one of the carp on top in the middle before all the feeder activity completely spook them. Cast the Waggler set at 2 foot with no dropper weight size 14/ 3.5 lb hook link. - Placed the rod on the pole rest and across my lap and started to get some more maggots in the catapult pouch at the rod lurched forward, the reel jams in the pole rest and the line snaps at the Float is left to slowly drift off down the lake for the rest of the day. Set up again but no joy, continued to spray maggot to see if I could get the chub to the top of this deep lake - but no sign.





So I came in on the method - not a touch - then swap to the pole at 8M just on the shelf which is still over 6 foot. Nothing scale down to size 20 - nothing - Dean to my right has started getting a few Roach at around 8m but looks like he is up in the water but confirms he is on the bottom but it has to be on the spot - 1 foot either way and they are gone.

There is a couple of Bream out from Peg 4 - Boozy had a Slab on his 1st Drop on the feeder -and Ed -well I had not heard anything form him or from the other crew at the far end, The scales certainly were not being called for. Dean kept going on his line for the sprats. but he lost them when he decided to go for something bigger on the feeder.

I struggled in the heat for most of the day for two Roach , 1 Ide and I Rudd the latter being the biggest at 4 ounces. Mason to my left can't even get that. I alternate through all set ups until 2.15 pm when I packed my pole away and most of the other gear leaving the Waggler out I mid water at 3 foot depth with single red Maggot.

I had just finished packing my feeder rod away when I noticed this weird sound that I have not heard for a while - a reel screaming - something had taken a fancy to that little morsel and decided to go for a run down to the car park end of the lake. - Mason shouts to Olly that Blakey's got one on and it must be in your swim, indeed in has veered round and is probably in Mick Wagg's swim by now - I manage to coax it out into open water and by now I had an audience - I did not feel confident - based on the bend in the rod this was around 18lb of angry Carp. Big John shouted across something about "Is that the new Fishing Pose" as I was on tip toe leaning oit to try and get back from the Edge way down the bottom end.

It made for the far bank but turned back half way across, and slowly it cam e back but thrashed on the surface - luckily it was still on but made another bash for the car Park, Mason who had landed his 1st fish of the day (a small skimmer) was bemoaning the fact that the Carp had now trashed his now what was a 'prolific swim'. One observer reckoned it had now arrived at nearby Upminster Station, - no sooner had he said it that it had boarded a train and caught the line in the doors - It was gone and probably on its way to Southend. If and as always in fishing a Big If - If I had landed it would have been the Match winner - but the other guys that had lost fish earlier would have said the same thing. With only 10 minutes left I decided to continued to pack away & Barry kindly weighed in my 4 fish for 9 ounces.

So packed up, gear placed in the car and back to the lake for the results & Raffle - - Still Dean won our section with 4 1/2 lb of those sprats so all was not lost. An BJ was awrarded his only trophy of the Year by Martin in recognition of his contrbution to the day

As always a great day lots of money raised good company - Heres to next Year and dare I say if the weather conditions are the same next year spot the man that will be bringing his carp rod and beefier gear.

Labels: Charity Matches