Feeder Masters Final 2024

Back from the Feeder Masters Final. This is a big event where realistically I know I’m out of my comfort zone, but nevertheless enjoy the experience at Upper Tamar Lake on the Devon/Cornwall border. Didn’t enjoy the abysmal weather, but not a lot we can do about that!

This was my third Feeder Masters Final, but my last visit was two years ago when the reservoir was half empty. It looks a bit different with some water in it! It actually came up another foot overnight and some of the peg numbers were underwater come the day of the race. A lot of people were anticipating big weights, but cold water going in made it fish the same as my previous two visits really, so 20lb+ was the target each day and 30lb+ to frame. Catch 60lb+ and you’ll probably be close to winning. Still great fishing for the 62 lucky finalists.

I was really disappointed with my Day One performance down on peg 12 on the Cornwall Bank. It’s very shallow down this end and I couldn’t catch the hoped-for skimmers while speed fishing for roach is something that takes a lot of time and practice to perfect. Something I should’ve stuck at in hindsight rather than hoping for an arrival. I limped home with just 10lb 14oz and knew I’d fished the wrong match. The peg could’ve yielded 20lb had I gone all out for roach and perch close in.

Day Two I had a totally different match on a much nicer peg 38, which was two down from the dam wall on the Cornwall Bank. Very deep, rocky and storm-force winds predicted. I was also warned I might lose a few feeders and fish to the sharp rocks, so spent ages casting around to find a smoother area. A 9-second count with the lead was considerably more than the 3-4 seconds down the other end of the pond!

I’ve basically had three rods to fish one line at 33m with differing size window feeders and caught over 40 small skimmers for 20lb 5oz. That was a decent weight up our end on the day with 22lb winning the section. A bit unlucky perhaps as everyone else I watched weigh in had snared a few better 1lb+ samples whereas mine were all peas in a pod. I had rethought my approach on this match, however, and came away with a bit more knowledge should I ever get back to Tamar.

The new Therma Foil winter coat was a godsend on two of the days. The water temperature wasn’t too cold but above the water it wasn’t so comfortable. I also used the Matrix Slider Rest for the first time and that was ideal for catching a few skimmers on the twitch. Groundbait was Sonubaits Thatchers Green, F1 and Supercrush Green. The deeper the peg the more of the stickier Thatchers I add.

On top this year was Adam Wakelin with two brilliant performances. He was in fact the only angler to catch over 30lb each day and a very deserving Feeder Masters Champion. There’s a hardcore of anglers that have the small fish approach perfected and Wako is definitely one of the very best at that.

Once again the running and organisation of the event was faultless. Lee Kerry, Mick Vials and their team do a sterling job. A very big thanks to Bait-Tech for sponsoring the event as well. I ended up 30th out of 62, so not a disaster, but room for improvement against the very best of the best at feeder fishing. So many world class guys in attendance who do this kind of thing all the time, rather than once a year like me!

So that’s two big finals in two weekends finally out of the way. Looking forward to a less hectic autumn/winter campaign.

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