Recent match results/event info

Gary's day

After another red hot week it was going to be sunny and windy for us today at Beggar's Hall. After the last few matches we were all wanting peg 19 so I was very happy when it came out of the draw bag for me - the pressure was on.

A try out on the long(ish) pole with pellets to start with produced no bites but it gave time for the sun to swing around so I could see the water in front of me. It was then time to try a pellet waggler where I had been feeding from the off. Nothing to start with but the odd carp was starting to show further over. About 30 mins in Mark on 21 and then Darren on 20 had carp and I was 1 down. It was then my turn for a bite only for it come off near the net (it was not going to be the only one that got way today). Thankfully I had another quick bite and this time I was off the mark.

Fred over on peg 18 was having a slow start and also having problems with lost fish. Darren though was now starting to get a steady run of bites out on a waggler whilst I was struggling to get decent presentation out in front. A swap to a bomb and pellet seemed to be the answer with a quick bite but then lots of liners and no bites. Swapping between bomb when the wind was playing up and waggler in the calmer spells kept the fish ticking over but I was losing far too many. Darren was still doing well and Mark was also catching a few. I could also hear the odd splashing down towards Fred on 18. It was feeling like I was slipping behind Darren who was having a very steady day.

Changing to a different hook pattern (a Guru QM1) seemed to help with the lost fish and I was finally landing a better proportion. Time for a try in the margins with about 90 mins to go. I had been feeding to the right near the bush and the first put in looked encouraging with a few signs on the float. They turned out to be small roach despite fishing double corn on the hook. I fed more heavily with corn and also dropped some to the left edge before heading back out to the middle on the bomb as the wind was quite gusty now.

After a couple more fish I tried the right margin again and it was still full of small fish so I ditched that edge. Back to the middle as the wind had dropped got me another good carp. Then it was down the left margin for the last 25 mins or so and they had suddenly arrived and I had another 3 good carp in quick succession.

Unless Tony way up on peg 17 had been bagging and keeping it quiet it looked like it was between me and Darren. The flurry of margin fish was crucial and made all the difference giving me 124lbs to Darren's 100lb and with Mark having 51lbs including some nice crucians with one over 2lbs.

Rob's day

It was a game of two halves today at Beggars Hall – literally. With the high temperatures at the moment, we had a half time weigh in today (hydration break) so the match was split into two halves – 09:30 - 12:15 then 13:00 – 5:30. Thanks to John Carter today for his help on the first weigh in – it was hard work in the hot weather.

I drew peg 18 today, not a peg you would be displeased with although there is little shade that side of the lake. Set up a feeder and a pellet waggler rod - also a couple of rigs for down the edges. Very shallow to the right in about a foot of water on the ledge (very weedy down there) and by the reeds to the left in around 2½ foot.

Started on the pellet waggler without a bite – few fish showing at this point, so went on the feeder expecting a pull round at some point. Nothing straight out so down to the right. No bites so after another try on the waggler and a quick go on paste by the reeds, we were at the half-way stage and fishless.

On the other side Tony Heath looked to have had a good start landing a couple of quick carp and Bill also catching a few. At the half time weigh in it looked to be hard on our bank – Bob one carp on 21, Peter fishless 20, Fred 2 carp on 19 and further up nothing for Ray on 17. Up to John on 16 where the warm wind was blowing into the island and he had a good morning – weigh in 37lb 4oz on the feeder. On the low bank – Bill and Tony being the only ones to have had a few weighing 21lb 5oz and 19lb 6oz respectively.

After feeding the peg before the half time whistle, returned to find a few fish in the right hand margin – had one straight away but they were proving tricky to hook – seemed to be preoccupied feeding on the bankside vegetation rather than taking the hookbait. Eventually had a run of fish – all a good size and ended up with 9 fish for 80lbs. This was no match for Fred though next door who caught well in his margin and ended up winning the Bank with 104lbs 3oz. John only added two carp in the second half to finish with 48lb 2oz for third.

On the low bank it was close with Bill's 63lb 1oz pipping Tony's 58lb 15oz with Jeff third on peg 10 with 15lb 3oz.

There were a number of very small carp caught today – some under a pound – have not seen too many of these in the past and a good sign for the Lake. Glad to get back to the car for a drink today (thanks Tony). Photo today is a very happy Fred.

Gary's day

It was Hall Farm today, it's 4th match in 8 days so it could be a tough one. Waiting for the draw there were a few fish topping which looked a good sign. With us all on the low bank you were after a low number and I was happy when peg 4 came out for me.

I decided on the usual: long line to try and get a few shallow; a shorter line; and then the margins. With a bit of a breeze blowing the long line was going to be hard work today.

It was a slow start on the short line but it looked a slow start for all. After a couple of fish in the net the next 2 came off so it was time to try the long line. Almost straightaway I hooked another shallow which also fell off. The next one made it to the net but shallow was not really working.

Fred in peg 2 was having a slow start as was Tony to my right on peg 6. Everyone else was hidden by the bushes along the edge and the wind meant you could not hear much.

Slowly the short line sorted itself out as did the long line fishing on the bottom rather than shallow and by the midway mark I was flying with 1 net full and onto the next net. The curse of the next net then struck and I went through another spell of lost fish.

With 90 mins to go it was time to try the margins using double corn as there were lots of silvers about and they were quite deep. A couple of good fish was encouraging but then it was a frustrating end to the match with lots of foulhooked fish and others coming off for no reason. More work to do in sorting out the HF margins. Whilst I was having a poor finish Fred looked to be hauling them in on the feeder and my lead looked to be getting smaller by the minute.

It sounded like it had been tough in the deeper water pegs although there had been the odd splashing and Fred was catching well towards the end. It still looked like it was going to be the expected battle between pegs 2 and 4, however, Darren decided to muscle into the frame with just over 81lbs off peg 12 - the best it has done for quite some time. At the scales I ended up with a winning 111lbs with Fred taking 3rd with 76lbs. Today's photo is Darren borrowing one of Fred's nets of fish as I forgot to take a photo earlier.

Rob's day

Back to Hall Farm, this time for the over 65's match – nine on today so all on the low bank – 1-10 (no peg 7 as a few wasps around there causing issues). We all wanted a low number peg today so a bit disappointed to draw peg 9 – in between Peter on 10 and Jeff on 8

Just set up a couple of shallow rigs and a couple for the margins today – also a feeder (also for close in). Not the greatest peg for the margins – a small shelf right in at about 2 ½ feet sloping off into the depths at 7-8 foot then deeper further out.

Started on the shallow rigs and a fish after 5 minutes promised a lot but sadly this was the only bite after a couple of hours. A quick try on the feeder short bought a quick pull round but this somehow came off. With 2 ½ hours left it was the margins or nothing. Jeff looked to be having a good start with a couple of carp and three skimmers, Peter also now catching a few.

Laying the rig in with bait going down the slope was always going to be an issue with foul hookers and that’s what happened. A couple of carp landed but was losing half of what I was hooking. Eventually started to get proper bites and caught reasonably well till the end to weigh 60lb 13oz – way off the top weight I thought – if we were catching well for the higher number pegs surely the lower numbers would be bagging up. Peter had a really good finish – Jeff also catching.

At the weigh in a lot closer all round than I thought. Peter put 70lb on the scales and Jeff 61lb 13oz. The better weights did come from the car park end but not by the amount expected – John Carter's fish went 86lb 3oz from peg 6, Tony Heath 75lb 3oz from 5 to take third place and John Todd 31lb 6oz from peg 4. Fred's fish went 64lb 11oz from peg 3. Next was Graham on peg 2, firstly weighing 4oz of roach which would be crucial, others had put back their silvers. With Graham's two carp nets his total was 86lb 6oz – pipping John by 3oz. Finally, Bill on peg 1 weighed 54lb 5oz but apparently losing a lot of fish around the reeds.
Well done to Graham today (and today's photo) for his win and thanks for all taking part.

Rob's day

Hall Farm today for an Inter club match with Abbey Cross – some good weights recently coming from here so should be a good day with hopefully all catching well. This is the second of four matches scheduled within 8 days on this lake.

Drew peg 23 today with Alan Fox to the right of me on peg 25 – no peg 26 in today. Decided on mainly fishing shallow today – then into the margins – also had a short pole rig set up for 6 meters in around 4 ½ foot.

Started shallow – although a fair wind blowing down the lake into peg 26 today causing a few problems. Not a sign on this after 45 minutes so tried to short line. Had a couple of carp and a roach – then lost one (foul hooked). Had fed a few pellets down the edge and after a couple of hours the carp had started to come in really close – had several good size fish rooting around my keepnets. Couldn’t ignore these so a quick look on paste brought a decent carp, but no more on paste the rest of the match despite trying a few times.

No more bites out on the short line or shallow so concentrated on the margin fish. Feeding a small amount of groundbait and fishing just a top kit being patient brough a few bites but also a few foulhooked fish lost. At times about a dozen fish close in feeding so a bit frustrating I wasn’t catching more – I have to work out a better way of getting more clean bites.

Not sure how my bank was fishing although heard a few splashes from either side, Alan and Bob on 21. On the other side after a slow start could see Jeff, Phil and Peter all catching well going into the last couple of hours, and Fred was getting one a cast fishing the feeder to his left.

A couple of more carp to finish and one on the whistle, (some better size fish today – two or three around 7-8lb) and that was it.

At the weigh in, close on both banks – my 66lb just beating Alan’s 61lb and Bob’s 58lb. The low bank mainly fished well – with the exception of the higher numbered pegs, Fred winning with 76lb with Peter second with 74lb 11oz and Graham third with 55lb 2oz. It was a Bishop's Stortford win today with 42 points to Abbey Cross's 36 - a tight match

Thanks to Alan Fox for his help with the scoresheet and Ray for giving me some water after I left all my drinks in the fridge.

Gary's day

After a very hot week it was thankfully a lot cooler for today's match. Out of the bag came peg 6 for me - not too bad I thought. When Kevin picked out peg 19 again where he won it from last time we were here he looked like the man to beat

It was an eventful walk to the pegs when Bill's wheel sheared off his trolley. After helping Bill move his gear we then found someone was already fishing the peg he had drawn! After that drama the plan for today was going to be simple (if the wind allowed): a longish pole line with hard pellets to start; pellet waggler and bomb towards the island; and then down the margin(s) at the end. The pole line was a waste of time as it seemed to be full of roach even on 6mm pellets - some nice fish but not the intended targets.

After 30 mins or so I had seen a few carp milling around where I had been firing out pellets for the waggler and I was soon into a decent carp and off the mark. The next couple of hours were pretty good with the odd carp showing each time I was just about to switch from the waggler. A quick go on the bomb and pellet under the waggler line also produced a few carp but seemingly a bit smaller ones.

About the half-way mark I jumped off my box, which I had set out into the lake as the water level has really dropped, to get another drink and wandered down to see Tony for some info as you cannot see anyone else on peg 6. Tony had had a couple and Kevin was flying catching steadily from the off.

After catching a few more on the pellet waggler and bomb it was time to try the margin. My options were quite limited as the willow has really grown and there was no way I could get under it. Fishing corn and micros there were some encouraging signs on the float after a few minutes and then it shot under and I was into another carp. It came in with quite a lot of weed up the line and it looked like I was on the edge of an unseen weed bed where I had chosen to fish the edge. Not ideal. The last hour was frustrating - there were fish there but getting a clean bite was not easy with the wind gusting and willow breaches waving around. I had just started to work it out when the whistle went and that was it. It was a busy 6 hours and plenty of fish - a lot better than my last visit to Beggars on peg 7 for just the 2 carp.

It looked like Kevin had walked the match but Rich had also been catching on peg 21 (after doing a bit of wading out to start with to rescue a pole section) and so had Mark on peg 4. Beggars had fished its socks off today with the top 4 weights all over 100lb. Well done Kevin with a huge 249lbs and a new lake record with myself next with 152lbs, Rich with 130lbs and Mark 107lbs. Picture today is Darren with a rather lump caught on the pole and weighing in at just over 20lbs.