Sunday 30^th June – Alcove Club Match – Margaret’s Lake – A Fair To Middling Session

We had a dozen members turn out for this one, which was once again held on Margaret’s Lake, Whitehouse Farm. The swims and surrounding areas in general were definitely in need of some TLC with tree branches and brambles growing unchecked. The weather forecast was for a dry day with sunny spells and the lake looked in perfect condition. So far so good. The platforms on pegs 6 and 17, which are arguably 2 of the best pegs on the lake, had been renewed so I was hoping to draw my favourite peg 17 today.

I drew peg 13 and I was quite happy with that as it has an island chuck and I was sure the chub would show up today. So, I set up a maggle feeder for the island. I also set up a rig for fishing at 10 metres for skimbos in 7 feet of water, and one for fishing at 7 metres out in front at 8 feet deep, for carp on paste. I also set up a slapping/mugging rig for any cruisers. My left-hand margin was difficult with so many overhanging branches so I didn’t bother with that but my right-hand margin looked promising, so a rig was set up for that.

On the all-in, I cupped out a large potful of Thatcher’s Original with a few micros and a few 4mm expanders, onto the 10-metre line. Then I chucked out the maggle feeder toward the island. I started tight to the island and had a couple of small chub in the 6-8 ounce range. I then started fishing well short of the island, which I suppose was about 2 metres away from it, in the deeper water. That seemed to work as I hooked my first proper chub, which was a little over 2lbs. I then began missing a few bites, mainly because I didn’t have enough room to strike properly due to the overhanging tree branches on my right.

A few changes to the position of my rod, with it now pointing skyward did the trick. However, all I could catch from thereon was the smaller variety of chub, which led me to believe the bigger fish were somewhere else. Well, I gave it almost 2 hours on this method and only had about 4lbs in the net so it was time to try something else. I had topped up the 10-metre line several times during the first 2 hours so it was well primed. A first look over this line with double red maggle produced a nice skimbo of around a pound and a half. Next, came a few perch so I changed to expander pellet and had 2 more skimbos, which were much smaller.

I changed baits again, this time putting a small pea-sized ball of stiff paste on the hook. This brought an almost immediate response from a 2lb crucian. 10 minutes later I had another identical crucian followed by a very small carp. I would say this carp was under 2lbs, which is the smallest carp I have caught from this lake in over 10 years. Beats me why it hasn’t grown unless it’s a second-generation offspring, which is unlikely. Anyway, the swim began fizzing like mad now but I couldn’t get another bite on anything. Very strange! I decided to try the 7-metre line with paste. I hadn’t put any bait in as yet so I cupped out a large pot of groundbait and micros.

I was just about to go over the top with paste when I noticed a couple of carp cruising on the top at about 14 metres. So, I quickly changed top kits and added a few sections. After a few slaps at 14 metres with an 8mm banded pellet I hooked one of them, which was about 5 lbs. I carried on slapping for a while and a couple more came to investigate. I could see 2 carp going toward the bait and I hooked one of them but he was foul-hooked and quickly came off. 15 minutes later all the carp had disappeared so I changed back to my paste rig. This swim was also fizzing like crazy now.

I baited up with some soft paste and dropped it in over the feed. I had a bite immediately but didn’t connect. On the next put-in, I hooked into a carp and lost it. I couldn’t get any more bites on that line, so another quick look over the 10-metre line and only had a couple of perch to maggles there. So, it was onto the final part of the operation. With 2 hours left I started feeding maggles and micros down the right-hand edge. I started with 2 reds on a size 16 and caught a few small perch and then a couple of quality roach. 30 minutes in, I hooked into a carp, which shot under an overhanging tree.

I could tell it wasn’t a big double so I just held on until it came back out into open water. It was only about 4lbs. I tried paste and pellet down the same edge but only caught small perch on it, 2 or 3 maggles caught a better stamp of fish although only in the 3-4 ounce range. I needed a big carp to round off the day and bump my weight up but it didn’t happen. Jon Amato on peg 12 to my right tussled with a big 20-pounder for quite some time before losing it at the net. Kev Murch to my left on peg 14 also lost a big double. Well, that was that. When drawing this peg, I had pinned my hopes on catching a few big chub from the island to kickstart my campaign but after 2 hours and only 4lb in the net. I had a lot of catching up to do.

The 2 crucians came in handy but I only had one quality skimmer when I really needed 8-10. I thought the 7-metre line with paste would throw up a few carp but with one lost and no sign of any more, precious time was wasted. My last chance depended on the right-hand margin, where I knew I would catch plenty of small fish but an 18-20 pounder was always possible and together with my 20lb plus haul would have led the charge to the podium. I’m sure I did everything right and on a different day who knows… So, I finished up with 21-12-0, finishing halfway down the line. The top weight fell to Mike Nichols who found the elusive chub, which bumped his total up to 35-15-0, 28-12-0 of them being silvers. Well done to him and all the framers.

I think I might be visiting Windmill Fisheries on Thursday, all being well, and I should be okay for the river match at Staverton on Sunday. Keep you posted…

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