Rob's day

At Hall Farm today for the fourth round of the Winter League. Mixed results on the Sunday match here so not sure how this would fish today – the majority of fish showing at the shallow end especially on peg 1 on Sunday. Promised to be reasonable temperatures but very wet today and no doubt some wind as always here.

Only 8 on the match today so 4 on each bank leaving out the deeper end. I drew peg 4 one away from my Sunday peg 3 so hopefully a couple of bites although peg 5 did not fish well on Sunday. Set up method and maggot feeder rods and a couple of pole rigs to fish at 11 meters and a top 2 and 2 – depth about the same at 4½ to 5 feet. Started on the short pole for nothing then onto the feeder rods. No bites on the tip so concentrated on the pole. By this time the wind had increased along with the rain so difficult to hold any length of pole out, so, decided just to fish short with a heavy float and bulk shot with maggots.

Looked to be quiet around the lake – couldn’t really see Phil and Graham on pegs 6 and 8 but on the other bank a few carp being caught in the high 20’s. After an hour and a half had a couple of missed bites and a lost foul hooker before landing my first carp around 4lbs. There was a strong tow but holding on to the float and edging it through started to get a few bites although just small movements on the float. There was obviously a few fish there but the conditions were proving difficult.

Into the last couple of hours and now on about 4 carp – still getting the odd bite. Barry was struggling from peg 2 but Fred on 26 catching a few, also Steve getting a couple more on the bomb. Bill then had 3 in quick succession after a slow start, and John looked to have had a couple.

Finished the match with 9 carp for 36lbs 10oz. Graham did well from peg 8 catching on the bomb for 29lbs 8oz for second on the bank and Phil completed the weights on the low bank with 14lbs 12oz. On the high bank Fred made no mistake from peg 26 with 32lbs although admitting to losing a few. Steve came second with 18lbs 7oz from peg 24, Bill third with 12lbs 2oz from peg 20 and Toddy 8lbs 10oz from 22.
So the lake fished quite well for the time of year – levels still coming up with the pumping of the water from the nearby stream and putting some colour into the lake. Next winter league match – round 5 on the Stort Backwater in February. Today's photo is Graham.