Success On The Daiwa Masters
Fished the Tunnel Barn Farm Daiwa Pole Fishing Masters the past three days. A great turnout of 126 anglers including the very best of the best at this game. My only goal this year was to make it through to the end! However, I’ve surprised myself with three good results and made the all-important top 15 winners list, plus a High Pool lake win and a match fourth, picking up the best part of a grand and a Daiwa goodie bag. Extremely happy with that result with everything that’s going on at the mo.
I wasn’t great healthwise on the first day but the next two days were not so bad. Caster fishing in 30 degree heat with brain fog isn’t easy and the concentration levels really get zapped, but so long as the elastic kept flying out I was ok!
Tackle and tactics, it was mostly caster shallow fishing each day, a bit of worm fishing, a bit of mugging and a bit of far-bank fishing over the ever faithful Sonubaits Match Method Mix with a little bit of F1 Natural to dilute it. I’ve used the beautiful little Matrix Dibbers in 0.1g size, Mud Lines in 0.4g and Stubby Slims in 0.3g sizes. Short Kits with 10-12 Slik for the F1s and long kits with 14-16 Slik for mugging. The 24 Kit Roost was a godsend for the silly amount of shallow rigs I carried and three pole rollers and leg extensions have also been essential as I’ve had to ship here, there and everywhere on quite awkward pegs.
Lost count of the number of people who said I look like sh#@ each day, though. You can’t beat the blunt honesty of your fellow anglers! So I definitely need today to recuperate and been sat in yet another waiting room this morning for more blood tests while I type this…
Once again, forgive me if I’m not very chatty if you see me about. Talking too much really takes it out of me and I get self conscious with my stuttering. Things aren’t easy at the moment, there’s always someone or something trying to knock you down, but I’m just about holding things together!
Must say a big thanks and respect to Tom Scholey and Gary Rodgers at Catch More Media for the exceptional organisation and social media coverage, Hot Fishin for the quick results, Daiwa for sponsoring the event with such generosity and professionalism, Lanes for top quality bait and everyone at Tunnel Barn Farm for hosting the event. The venue held up exceptionally well considering the intense heat and angling pressure, which is testament to how great a venue it is!
Congratulations to the scarily good Kristian Jones on winning, plus Jamie Payne and Andy Christie on second and third overall who all scored a maximum 3 points. Next year is the tenth anniversary of the event and looking forward to that one already!
