A blustery, overcast August day, saw the start of the twenty third annual UNISON southern teams match fishing competition, at Hartleylands Farm fishery, near Cranbrook in Kent.
Teams comprised of three anglers. I (Alister Waller) was privileged to fish with two highly experienced colleagues; Southern Region WICAC Captain Robert Fosters and experienced WICAC team member and carp specialist Stefan Harper. The team approach was agreed weeks in advance of the big day, pellets would dominate, but the conditions on the day would dictate how they were fished.
I have always been a fan of the method feeder, and I really felt that the overcast, windswept conditions completed ruled out the pellet waggler approach. Surely I just could not present a bait?
The draw was made. I had C section and drew peg 7, the obviously favoured end peg, where I could fish the end of a small island about 25yards in front of me. My peg had the wind coming over my off my right side, making control the pellet waggler almost impossible. I decided to set out on the method, with soaked 4mm sketring pellets forming the method and a banded 8mm within the ball for hook bait. I was using the new Preston method mould for the first time, probably not the best time to take on a new bit of kit. It worked an absolute treat, really maximising the amount of time I spent with a bait in the water.
The first hour of five past, I had 3 fish for 5lbs. The chap in the peg beside me, Trevor Collins, was having a carp a cast and easily had 15lb already. Where was I going wrong? I switch to fishing paste on the near shelf, at about 5mtrs, on the pole. As the bait hit the deck, movement on the Daiwa TD5 (0.75gr) was instant, small dips and plucks. Nothing positive. This went on for 10minutes without a ’proper’ bite. I could only conclude that the large head of small Roach were attacking the paste ball, leaving me baitless after seconds in the swim.
Straight back onto the method. I started hitting the spot, casting only a foot or two off the island. My bite rate increased and I was contacting with the vast majority, only loosing three fish the whole day, compared to fifteen elsewhere on the lake. The catch rate of the guys around me fell, as I reeled in small match carp everyone five minutes, occasionally hitting big bites on the drop. Three hours had pasted and I had at least 30lb in my keep net, I had stepped up to 6mm soaked feed pellets in the ball, which was working really well.
For the penultimate hour my casting drifted slightly off the island and bites really slowed. An accurate cast tight to the island resulted in instant action, I had to be more accurate if I was to place in section. The last hour was good, my Shakey M3 and Shimano Exage 3000, teamed with 6lb Maxima were all working really well. I managed to net another 10 fish before the final whistle. I felt that I had done well, it was going to be close. If only I had got the paste line working I could have caught much more quickly.
The lads in my section weighted in 65lb from peg one was looking really good. Equally good weights followed 45lb, 52lb and 58lb. Being peg seven, I was last. I had good weights in both my keep nets, after some quick maths I totalled 56lb for third in section and 5 points for my team. I was contented with my days work, if only my casting had remained more accurate throughout the day…
Things were to get even better though, Robert weighed 33lb in a very tricky B section for a very close fought fourth. Team captain Stefan won A section with the top weight of the day 68lb, again all on the method. This gave our team 16 points and first place in the twenty third annual UNISION southern region team competition. With prize money awarded for individual placing and for coming first as a team, the day was a massive success.
Bring on the WICAC!!
Teams comprised of three anglers. I (Alister Waller) was privileged to fish with two highly experienced colleagues; Southern Region WICAC Captain Robert Fosters and experienced WICAC team member and carp specialist Stefan Harper. The team approach was agreed weeks in advance of the big day, pellets would dominate, but the conditions on the day would dictate how they were fished.
I have always been a fan of the method feeder, and I really felt that the overcast, windswept conditions completed ruled out the pellet waggler approach. Surely I just could not present a bait?
The draw was made. I had C section and drew peg 7, the obviously favoured end peg, where I could fish the end of a small island about 25yards in front of me. My peg had the wind coming over my off my right side, making control the pellet waggler almost impossible. I decided to set out on the method, with soaked 4mm sketring pellets forming the method and a banded 8mm within the ball for hook bait. I was using the new Preston method mould for the first time, probably not the best time to take on a new bit of kit. It worked an absolute treat, really maximising the amount of time I spent with a bait in the water.
The first hour of five past, I had 3 fish for 5lbs. The chap in the peg beside me, Trevor Collins, was having a carp a cast and easily had 15lb already. Where was I going wrong? I switch to fishing paste on the near shelf, at about 5mtrs, on the pole. As the bait hit the deck, movement on the Daiwa TD5 (0.75gr) was instant, small dips and plucks. Nothing positive. This went on for 10minutes without a ’proper’ bite. I could only conclude that the large head of small Roach were attacking the paste ball, leaving me baitless after seconds in the swim.
Straight back onto the method. I started hitting the spot, casting only a foot or two off the island. My bite rate increased and I was contacting with the vast majority, only loosing three fish the whole day, compared to fifteen elsewhere on the lake. The catch rate of the guys around me fell, as I reeled in small match carp everyone five minutes, occasionally hitting big bites on the drop. Three hours had pasted and I had at least 30lb in my keep net, I had stepped up to 6mm soaked feed pellets in the ball, which was working really well.
For the penultimate hour my casting drifted slightly off the island and bites really slowed. An accurate cast tight to the island resulted in instant action, I had to be more accurate if I was to place in section. The last hour was good, my Shakey M3 and Shimano Exage 3000, teamed with 6lb Maxima were all working really well. I managed to net another 10 fish before the final whistle. I felt that I had done well, it was going to be close. If only I had got the paste line working I could have caught much more quickly.
The lads in my section weighted in 65lb from peg one was looking really good. Equally good weights followed 45lb, 52lb and 58lb. Being peg seven, I was last. I had good weights in both my keep nets, after some quick maths I totalled 56lb for third in section and 5 points for my team. I was contented with my days work, if only my casting had remained more accurate throughout the day…
Things were to get even better though, Robert weighed 33lb in a very tricky B section for a very close fought fourth. Team captain Stefan won A section with the top weight of the day 68lb, again all on the method. This gave our team 16 points and first place in the twenty third annual UNISION southern region team competition. With prize money awarded for individual placing and for coming first as a team, the day was a massive success.
Bring on the WICAC!!
on September 28, 2009, 12:55 pm