Recent match results/event info

Rob's day

At Hall Farm today – first thing the lake looked good with little wind and blue sky but that was about to change. Twelve on the bank today, seven on the Low Bank and five on the High. With pegs 18 and 20 in I really wanted one of the pegs nearer to the car park so was not unhappy to be left with peg 24 in the bag. Had John Carter to my left on 22 and Bill on peg 26.

At the start of the match the wind was not so bad, blowing into peg 26. Decided mainly to fish hard pellets at around 6 meters today, also setting up a couple of margin rigs in around 2 ½ foot. After about 20 minutes started to get a few bites – mainly smallish carp and F1s but already the wind started to be a problem with a strong tow on the water right to left.

Looked to be quiet on the Low Bank with one or two carp coming out and a few splashes from peg 26. Still getting a few bites, some missed bites and a couple of foul hookers, maybe the fish coming off the bottom. Fed a bit heavier to try and keep the fish down and had one or two runs of a few bites. Half-way through I had 45lb clicked so moved onto the second net (always a tricky manoeuvre) and that’s when the weather took a turn for the worse. Along with a couple of rain bursts the wind increased and gusted about causing some of the biggest waves I’ve seen at Hall Farm! This made fishing the pole almost impossible at times but I was cheered up with the sight of Barry on peg 2 fighting with his brolly in the wind!

When the wind dropped a bit I managed a few more carp but the second half of the match was tricky for me – tried the margins but no signs so kept out at 6 meters. Wasn’t sure what had been caught but Phil on peg 3 looked to have a good second half with some good carp down his edge.

At the weigh in Bill had 44lb 9oz, my first net did not go 45lb but went over by several pounds (have to work on the clicking) I think the carp were going heavier than we thought today. So knocked back to 50lb my total was 72lb 3oz to win the High Bank with John Carter second with 46lb 13oz and Bill third with 44lb 9oz. On the Low Bank Phil’s 46lb was enough to top the bank with Jeff’s 39lb 10oz from peg 5 second and Peter on the more sheltered peg 12 third with 26lb 13oz.

So all types of weather today, high winds, rain and at times sunshine, maybe with better conditions in the second half I could have had more, but possibly the winds help churn up the water and caused the carp to feed today with most catching a few.

Rob's day

Back at Beggar's Hall today for an Interclub match with Abbey Cross. A bit colder than the last few days with a chilly wind blowing away from the carpark end. We lent Abbey Tony Heath to make the teams 8 a side, so with 16 anglers on the lake a couple of dodgy pegs had to be put in.

At the draw the only peg I didn’t want was peg 2 so no surprise when that was left for me when all others had drawn, I suppose someone had to have it. Not many options on this peg as the margins are not great – very shallow and rooty under the willow to the left (also lily pads to the left that you can’t reach due to the tree). Deep to the right amongst the tree roots. The main attack was the feeder just up to the tree as the lake is narrow here and I had Peter Green opposite on peg 22.

Match started with Peter catching a carp on the waggler after a few seconds, couldn’t see anyone else.
Nothing after 3 hours then a pull round out of the blue and a carp around 7lb. Sadly no more bites – tried the pole out long, and the margins but no signs of life – apart from a family of geese that repeatedly attacked my groundbait bowl – least something was eating it.

At the weigh in – Martin kindly weighed the low bank while after putting my carp on the scales for 7lb (and last in the match!) went to see some fish on the high bank. Peter had added another small carp (which he tried to pass as a roach!), a tench and a bream for 14lb 4oz – Graham had 31lb 2oz from 21 and Jeff 11lb 13oz from peg 20. As expected, pegs 19 down to 16 produced the best weight on the day with Bill 50lb 9 oz and second from peg 19, Bob Fox 33lb from 18, Fred winning the bank and top weight on the day with 54lb 2oz, and Tony Heath getting 3rd with 39lb 7oz from peg 16. Tony also deposited his phone and glasses into the lake – I think he retrieved his phone but if anyone catches a pair of sunglasses on peg 16.

On the low bank Tony Parker topped the day with 26lb from peg 13, Ray Gibson second from peg 4 with 17lb 13oz and Tony Cruci third with 16lb 7oz – so a good day for Tony’s.

The team result – Bishop's Stortford 74 points Abbey Cross 62. Thanks again for Martin and Abbey Cross for their help today – also to Alan who tried to take my peg this morning – mistaking peg 2 for peg 3 – I wish he had stayed there! Photo today is Fred with his winning catch.

Rob's day

At Malcolm Barker Lake today - looked like it was going to be a sunny but windy day. Eleven on the bank today – I drew peg 4 next to Phil on 3 and Ray the other side, so at least I could have a chat if no bites came.

A bit limited as to where to fish as a large weed bed extended across the peg at around 11 meters, so set up a pole rig for just before the weeds and another closer in by some lilies – both about the same depth – 7 feet or so. Fed some groundbait and started out long – after a couple of hours not a sign. Tony over on 19 had a good start though, landing a 3lb tench within the first half hour. John Carter also had a tench on 16 so at least a few feeding.

All quiet on my bank from what I could see, Phil having a couple of roach, but Ray, Fred and myself all fishless. Fred apparently having a couple of wrap rounds on the feeder but nothing on the end. News had it Terry and Steve on pegs 8 and 10 had a few tench between them.

The swirling wind on our side of the bank causing problems today – at times hard to hold the pole, not helped by a large amount of weed etc constantly floating up and down the lake. In the end Steve’s peg was almost totally covered. Into the last hour and a try close in produced a couple of tiny bites and two micro perch. Looked like that was it – thought about packing up with 15 minutes left ready for the weigh in but one last cast close to the lilies brought another tiny bite, but this time more solid resistance on the strike. After trying to get in the lilies and under the staging landed a tench around 3lb.

Weighed in the low bank first. Phil not quite a pound of small roach, my 3lb 1oz followed by DNWs from Ray and Fred. It was better at the far end though with Terry weighing 7lb dead for second place and Steve 3 tench for 11lb 10oz and top weight on the day.

On the other bank John Carter came third overall with 4lb 1oz and Tony completed the frame, his early tench the only one he caught and weighed 3lb 10oz . So at least a few tench caught today, but hard fishing with very few bites for most. Photo is today's winner Steve.

Rob's day

Hall Farm today – numbers a bit down so pegged 6 on the low bank, 5 on the high bank missing out some of the middle pegs that haven’t been doing so well lately. At the draw bag drew peg 20 – not my favourite peg being at the start of the deep water. Walking to the peg it was obvious that John Carter would be difficult to beat today on peg 26 – already several dark shapes swimming around in his peg.

After no success with pellets here on Sunday, just set up a pole for fishing a top 2 and 2 in around 8 feet of water with maggots (nasty cold wind blowing into my face) and a couple of margin rigs although the margins here are around 4 foot deep – not ideal. Also, a method rod although didn’t think the fish would be on the bottom in 12 feet of water.

A good start with a carp after 15 minutes and a few gudgeon and perch. Thought this might be the start of a few but did not get another carp on this line – just gudgeon plus a couple of nice roach and a bonus 12oz skimmer. Tried the margins a couple of times but seemed empty of fish. Over the other side it looked to be fishing hard although most seemed to have one or two carp each halfway through. As expected, news was that after a couple of hours John was on about 8 carp. Definitely fishing for second place today. Eventually a few carp turned up in the left margin and I had 3 in the last 20 minutes on meat.

At the weigh in the low bank had fished hard with Phil topping the bank with 20lb 11oz which included one that looked a double (picture) – Adrian second from peg 4 with 3 carp for 10lb 4oz and Steve Foster third with 8lb 10oz from peg 2 (I think he expected more from that peg)

On the high bank not so close! John fished well to record 106lb 8oz – second from peg 22 Bill with 25lb 9oz which included a nice carp around 8lb landed on the whistle. Tony third from peg 24 with 23lb 1oz – my fish went 20lb 8oz for nowhere.

So, with the exception of peg 26, the lake fished relatively hard, hopefully as summer approaches the fish spread out a bit not making drawing peg 26 a formality.

Rob's day

At Beggar's Hall today – looked good being warm and overcast – some drizzle forecast. Looking around the lake before the draw it seemed to be a good colour and several fish crashing around. I drew peg 10 on the low bank – has been good at times over the winter but not so sure this time of year. Was just going to be a method feeder over to the island and a couple of pole rigs for close in although the margins on this peg are not great with several branches etc on the inside.

On the whistle chucked out a feeder with a pink wafter just short of the branches. Two minutes later playing the first carp – quickly followed by two more. By an hour and a quarter had 35lb on the clicker! Over at peg 16 John was also catching a couple from the start and Peter losing a fish in the first few minutes. After that, things slowed down a bit although caught another carp after a couple of hours before losing a good one at the net when the hook pulled.

John was still catching regularly casting over to the island – Jeff on 13 a bit quieter but saw him catch
a couple on the pole. I dropped the feeder rig down by the side while picking up the pole pot to feed the margins resulted in the rod nearly being dragged in – unfortunately the hook link snapped being so close in! Tried the pole in the margins but no signs so back on feeder for the last 45 minutes.

Caught a aouple more carp and a 4lb bream that took the bait almost on the drop – the fish fighting really hard in the warmer water today. Packed up the pole and one last cast on the feeder resulted in the finger slipping and ended up losing the lot in the island brambles, so packed up a bit early. I don’t like using the line clip as I have had a couple steam off here before and no time to take off the clip.

At the weigh in, mine went 64lb 15oz to top the low bank – close for second with Barry’s 42lb 14 just beating Bill’s 42lb 1oz - Jeff's 12lb included a carp, a bream and a tench. On the high bank the 3 favoured pegs dominated with John Carter winning with 65lb – second was Peter with 63lb 7oz from 17 and third Toddy from 18 with 60lb 15oz. Fewer fish from pegs 19 down to 22 although Tony did well with 33lb 1oz from peg 21. So most catching a few fish today – a lot of big fish caught, several looking between 12-16 lb caught – and a few lost.

Rob's day

Back at Hall Farm today – temperatures up to 24 degrees today and what little wind there was blowing down the lake into peg 12.

It was the first round of the Summer League with 15 anglers on the lake hoping for a few bites. Looking at recent results, a peg with shallow water seemed best today so pegs 26, 1 and maybe the pegs at the other end 12 and 13 would be favourable, definitely not a draw in the middle of the lake i.e. peg 19 where I drew. Had Tony next peg on 17 similar to the last Wednesday match here where Tony had a few carp. Match also started similar to that match with Tony catching a couple of carp close in to the reeds early on.

After starting on the pole with maggots in about 8 foot of water only had a couple of gudgeon after an hour or so. Went down the edge on corn and an instant bite resulted in hooking a large carp. After a good fight the carp popped up in between my nets, a good double, before burying itself into the bankside weeds. Looked like it was coming out when the hooklink snapped!!

The next 4 hours were biteless despite trying everywhere and various baits. Tony also seemed to get no more fish. On the other side, Ray looked to be doing well, landing a couple of big carp, also Peter now catching steadily on peg 1. The pegs in the middle looked to be quiet. Into the last 15 minutes, and just chucking a feeder out at around 13 meters while I packed away the pole resulted in 3 bites and 3 small carp for a total of 11lb 14oz and nowhere.

Elsewhere on the high bank the best weights were predictable with Graham Carter making no mistake with 60lb 3oz and top weight from peg 26. Bill 2nd from the other corner peg 13 with 27lb 15oz – good to see some fish from this end. Fred completed the frame from peg 23 with 27lb 12oz (close for 2nd on this bank with three 27lb weights)

On the low bank peg 1 came first with Peter Green weighing 37lb 11oz with Ray’s fish going 27lb 12oz. Jeff on the other end peg 12 coming third with 15lb 15oz.

A lot of fish caught in the margins today, although it seems best to avoid the middle pegs at the moment.