A Runner-Up Xmas Weekend
Runner-up prizes both days at the weekend!
On Saturday I fished the Christmas Big Money Bonanza at Tunnel Barn. I pulled out peg 1 on New Pool. Great peg, but definitely not the most comfortable to fish! I had a strange old match and suffered with foul-hookers, no matter what I tried. A small stamp of fish, too, but I did manage one big bonus mirror about 8lb, which was very welcome.
After a chilly and frustrating day I ended up with 54lb and assumed I’d not done any good. While slowly packing away Sarah came by waving two envelopes at me. It turned out that everywhere had fished tough and I’d actually come 2nd in the match (again)! Well done Andy Douglas winning with 64lb from New 44.
On to Sunday, it was the final round of the Solihull Angling Silvers series at Packington and my turn to be back on moody Molands. I was really gutted to draw peg 27. It’s in the middle of the back straight and been really grim the last couple of rounds. I assumed I’d get a sore neck watching everyone to my right catching bream…
Tap water clear, so I just fed one 11m swim, one at 16m and a feeder/waggler swim. Kicked off on the feeder and was surprised to get indications straight away. Unfortunately they were big non-counting F1s, but I did manage a lone 3lb bream amongst them. With blanking a very real possibility I was well chuffed to catch one so early.
Tried 16m and never had a single bite there all match. Dropped onto my shorter swim with a single maggot and had two bream in two chucks. Here we go, I hoped… Sadly not another bite anywhere for two hours, then a single perch to break the boredom. The last 20 minutes it was suddenly a roach a chuck!
Meanwhile Dave Ashdown on 25 caught a bream every time I looked around! Fortunately Kev Folwell to his right had only caught three like me. Kev’s went 11lb and mine went 10lb, so we were 2nd and 3rd in section, but miles behind Dave’s 11 for a terrific 37lb winning weight!
Back at the results, despite not having the greatest of matches I’d still moved up one place in the league to secure the runners-up spot. A very well done to Jack Shirley winning the league with six solid performances.
Oh and I also did the midweek rover at Packington. Got ninth pick, not ideal, but eventually opted for Gearys 31. The lake fished extra tough with just 34lb winning it, which was 4th overall. I had just five bites and five fish for 30lb. Tried a few things and they ‘kind of’ worked… Elsewhere Dave Roberts smashed the match with 126lb from Molands 43.
So the fishing’s been a bit tough, but it’s thankfully still been a rewarding weekend. I can actually afford Christmas now! Hope you all caught a few if you managed to get out.
