Gary's day

After a hot couple of days it was a cooler visit to Beggars Hall today with it being forecast to be a bit breezy. It was another trip to peg 16 for me today. With quite a few carp thrashing around in the reeds on the walk to the peg thoughts were on it being a hard day if they were spawning.

With the hot weather I was hoping the carp would be feeding in the upper layers so a day on the pellet waggler with a finish down the margins. Whilst getting set up I saw the odd cruising carp but they were a long way out at the island. At the all in I had a few chucks towards the island and was surprised to bump a fish after a couple of casts. Maybe they would be feeding today.

Rob over on 17 was soon into a carp fishing a feeder down the side so I was one down. But only briefly as the float went under a carp was heading to my net, I was off the mark. As the wind picked up I tried a feeder to the island whilst feeding shorter. I had no signs on the feeder but Rob was getting bites and I was behind again. Slowly a few more carp started showing near the surface and the bites picked up.

As the day went along the carp started focusing on the feed area. Although not the biggest fish in the lake the bites were coming quickly and the weight ticking up. By the midway point I was well into my second net and it was going to be a special day if the waggler line held up.

Rob was now struggling to get bites but a lack of any rumour from the other end of the lake suggested they were having a good day. With the wind picking up a bit the bites slowed but were still coming quickly enough that I never bothered with the margins. At the all out I was glad for the rest after a very busy day.

Despite our fears at the beginning of the day about the carp being too busy spawning to feed they seemed to have changed their minds as there were some pretty good weights. 1st Gary Pickard 160lbs 14oz, 2nd Mark Halverson 92lbs 15oz and 3rd Rob Calderon 46lbs 6oz. And an honourable mention to Tony who had a 6lb+ bream.