Three Contrasting Matches

Just fished three very different matches. First up was the On The Flyer silverfish qualifier at the Glebe on Lake 1. It’s fished completely different to how I expected. I drew peg 14 and assumed I’d be plagued with carp and getting the odd big skimmer. Turned out to be a fish race with a peg full of tiny skimmers and no carp! Had a blazing first half but got the last half wrong. The average size dropped but I ploughed on regardless, which was wrong in hindsight. I was 4th with 44lb but a fair way adrift of Andy May who qualified with 60lb from peg 8. Still a great day’s fishing and never seen all those little skimmers in Lake 1 before.

Saturday was the AT Silverfish qualifier at Makins on Lake 2 and Lake 4. I was really happy to be on peg 7 on Lake 4, which is bang in the middle of what’s ‘usually’ a very good area for bream and skimmers. Well it took three hours to get a skimmer and I didn’t add too many more after that! I did have 14 non-counting F1s though and the last hour was mostly carp. Can’t understand why the skimmers never fed? Our lake was won by Josh on end peg 3 with a 19lb mixed bag and Paul Sanderson won Lake 2 from B19 with 29lb. Well done those two, but it’s certainly fished a bit strange.

Had a nice coaching session with a couple of lads on Canal Pool at Tunnel Barn on Friday, which whetted my appetite to book on the Sunday open. It’s fished really well and my 109lb off Jennys 19 was enough for 3rd overall behind Paul Holland’s 124lb off peg 6 and Carl Hopp’s 157lb off House 8. Nice weights for October. A film from this match will be in my Channel Members area very soon!

Weather’s on the turn but the fish are still having a bit of a chew. All three matches I’ve used Sonubaits F1 Original and Supercrush Green groundbait and 8-10 Slik elastic has been getting the most action in the top kits lately.