Mayfest Champ!
Just had three great days to win the Tunnel Barn Mayfest with a 380lb total!
This is a weight-based festival with a random draw each day. Day One I’ve had 148lb off Extension 5 which won the match. About two thirds shallow, a few on meat short and ended on groundbait and maggots. Nice result, but I was all over the place and not the tidiest of matches I’ve ever fished!
Day Two I’ve drawn peg 7 on Extension, felt much better and fished a much tighter match, winning again with 155lb. My short lines and edges never really got going properly, but found a good stamp of fish shallow with some great runs of fish.
The third and final day I drew peg 27 on New. Not the greatest of areas for a big weight, especially with a cold crosswind making fishing across impossible, but just needed a reasonable day to hold on to the win. I felt if I could catch around 80lb it’d ‘hopefully’ be enough…
I’ve had a steady few hours putting fish in the net up and down and was well on course, but my last hour was really poor on everything I tried. I’ve ended up weighing 76lb, thankfully enough to win the section and secure the all-important title.
Gearwise I’ve used mostly short kits with Matrix 10-12 Slik and my trusty MTX5 pole has been great in the wind. Floats have been Matrix Stubby Slims, Mud Lines and Dibbers on 0.18mm Soft Steel rig line, plus my homemade specials for overshotting. (My latest Channel Members film demonstrates my F1 shallow rigs and the thinking behind them, if anyone’s interested).
Casters have been my best bait as it’s been so windy, but I’ve also caught on meat, maggots and pellets and fed my usual Sonubaits Match Method Mix and F1 Original down the sides. They’ve definitely not wanted loads of bait but it’s been important to keep some going in all the time.
Nice to win the festival after being 3rd last year. Well done Craig Meadows and Paul Holland on finishing 2nd and 3rd and all the other framers. Must say a really big thanks to Sarah and the Tunnel Barn team for another really well run event. The venue’s looking great and fished pretty well despite it getting colder and windier each day!
