Sunday, 17 May 2009

  • Marsh AC Colemans Cottage 16th May 09

     

    Today saw myself and work colleague Mick Wright travelling down to Colemans Cottage as guests of Marsh AC. A friendly bunch of reprobates who enjoy their fishing and the banter even more. We were booked in on Pathfield Lake and in previous matches the weights were extremely high. The expectations were good for a good days fishing and a craic.

    Our day started at 0530am when I picked Mick up from his house to travel the 1 and 3/4hour journey( according to the AA). However I am sure they do not take into account a lot less traffic on the roads at silly o'clock time and my driving. Pulling into the car park at 0700 left us with plenty of time for a cuppa and a couple of Bacon Rolls in the cafe before the masses arrived. A quick look around the lake left us impressed and we could easily see how the weights were so big. It would be another hour before the draw, so a quick chat and another tea with the gathering Marsh members is always welcome. A chance to catch up, as a few I had not seen for nearly a year.The fishery provide all nets so at least the smell on the way home would be either Mick or myself.

    I had tapped up some info on Pathfield from Lee Ripper, Lol Summers( 2 fellow GOT anglers) and venue regulars Chris Vanderveilt(someone I had talked to on the internet but never met.He is though shorter than I imagined) and Bernie Fraser(always short). Nearly to a man they said meat and pellet at 4m at 10 and 2 o'clock but also take some worm and caster for fishing longer. Unfortunately the meat was still in the fridge at home so it would have to be corn. The draw was kind to me giving me peg 9. A cracking looking peg with margin reeds and an overhanging low bush across on the edge of the main island. Mick had drew peg 8 another noted peg and with the wind blowing strong and hard into it should be good for a few fish.

    Colemans Cottage May 16 2009 002               Colemans Cottage May 16 2009 001

    Now plumbing up was a problem, not only was there a high bank behind me that hindered shipping the pole back and forth, but, the wind by now had got so strong you could not hold the pole beyond 7m. Not good news in a 13m peg. I did managed to plumb the line and found only a foot of water just in front of the bush. A look down the margins on my side of the bank saw around 8 inches to my left and a foot to the right. The long rig doubled up on this line. However at 4m I found around 2 1/2 ft going steadily out to 6m where I had 3 1/2 feet. I decided that if the planned wind did not drop then this would have to be my main line and concentrated my efforts here. If it did then I could go across to the bush. I fed all lines with pellet with a bit of corn and a couple of toss pots of paste also went in the right hand side. I started on the expander at 6m and before the float settled I looked round and saw Mick playing a good sized carp.

    On my second put in the float dipped viciously and yards of black hydro came streaming out of the pole and after a brief encounter with the bushes on the far bank the hooked parted company. I tightened up the elastic as I felt it was too soft. Out again and this time after about 5minutes the float dipped a touch and a mirror carp of 5lb sat sweetly in the bottom of the landing net. A few more stockies and crucians followed, before I noticed a tail waving at me from down the left hand margin. A quick change of rig and in it went not to hit bottom. Black hydro out and then straight back in.*%%$£ foul hooked. Two proper fish lost and only one in the net. Mick was still catching steadily and did so throughout the match. Colin Sharrad on peg 7 was biteless fishing his normal paste tactics and Dave the Fish and Al were walking the bank.

    I had decided now that the wind was not going to blow itself out, so put another pot of corn and pellet on the 6m line and fish corn on the hook hoping for a run of fish that could quite easily build a weight. This tactic seemed to work as after 5 minutes i had hooked and landed another, before losing some more. I could never quite get the balance right. The elastic was soft yet whilst playing fish and plenty of elastic out the hook would pull out. By retracting it the crows foot and lifting just left the elastic in the water. Do not understand this.

    After around 3 hours Colin had landed his first fish and was now cruising. Mick was still plodding away and I was still landing one or two and losing some.It was not even just on one top kit as I changed over to a different one after the 3rd lost fish.

    At the all out I felt I had not done the peg justice and my weight of 24lb 8oz was nowhere near the frame. Mick had secured 4th with his net of fish for 45lb 12oz whilst Colin had snuck on the rails to win comfortably with 71lb. Dave the Fish andAl who had been walking the bank earlier had obviously seen something I was doing and copied it because back at there pegs they proceeded to come 2nd and 3rd on the day with both weights around 55lb after "struggling" in the first half.

    As always it was good to meet up with a few new and very old faces and share a laugh and a joke. Well done Marsh AC. This is what club fishing is all about.

    ColemansCottageresults160509        Colemans Cottage May 16 2009 006

     

    Above are the results and Colin Sharrad. Colemans May 16th Winner.

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