Rob's day

Hi All

At Bordeaux today for the final match in the series of four against Saffron Walden. Seven a side today and Fred decided to return all carp over 2lb back immediately and count as 5lb. All carp under 2lb and F1s silvers etc to count in the silvers net – there was a separate pool for silvers. Drew peg 33 which apparently can throw up a few F1s but we didn’t know how hard the fishing would be today – apparently a north east wind didn’t bode well.

Decided mainly on a silvers approach today with a couple of light rigs for out long – and a couple for closer in including a margin carp rig in case they came in later. First hour passed biteless – little action around the lake although Fred had landed some type of crucian hybrid around a couple of pounds and one or two roach caught on the opposite bank. Then the float dipped slightly and an instinctive strike was met with something solid. Took my time and trusting the 20 hook and 0.11 bottom would hold and eventually slid the net under a common around 10lbs.

After that very little action for the next 5 hours – 4 micro perch and a small chublet was all I could muster – although it seemed hard for everyone so the carp could be the difference. Funnily enough on the last match Phil caught the only carp on that day from the same peg!

A couple of hard luck stories from our team at the end – Tony had lost a 4lb+ tench at the net when his hook length snapped, and Toddy had lost a carp that made it into the marginal weeds.

At the weigh in Clive Bradford weighed in 2lb 8oz to claim the silvers pool from peg 25 opposite the island but overall a good performance from all our team on a hard day. Luckily I just needed the carp to come first, Fred second with 2lbs 12oz from peg 1. Steve Foster and John Todd completing the frame with 1lbs 9oz and 1lbs 8oz.

Team result was a win for Bishop's Stortford 48 points to 56 – completing a 4-0 win in the series. Well done to our team and a thank you to Saffron Walden for hosting us today – especially Fred for his hard work in organising the match.