Gary's day

This week we were back to Hall Farm but on the large lake this time.  With a good turnout both banks were in the draw bag and we had split sections as the high bank had been fishing better lately.

Out of the bag came peg 22; in the middle of the high bank and as good as any along there apart from peg 26.

There were a few fish moving before the all in so I set up a couple of rigs for out long, shallow and on the bottom, and a couple of margin rigs.  Within seconds of the all in Fred over on peg 2 shouted that Rob on peg 26 was into a fish.  Not what I wanted to hear as peg 26 was the one I needed to beat.

The first couple of hours were steady, the odd carp or F1 long on the pole fishing a 4mm pellet on the bottom.  The carp and F1s were still cruising through but fast and not showing much interest in the pellets I was feeding.  Over on the low bank a few fish were being caught but not as many as usual and I could hear the odd splashing to my right.

Just after midway the carp started cruising more slowly and showing signs of wanting to feed.  I had a steady run catching shallow; not hectic but the weight was ticking up.  A few more fish then started coming out on the far side from the margins so it was time to try mine.  I should have stayed out long as they never really got going in the edge with just a few fish on paste or corn.  At the weigh in it looked like it was between me and Rob for the high bank and John and Fred had both had a good finish on the low bank.

Low bank 1st John Carter 48lbs 7oz and 2nd Fred Hunt 48lbs 2oz. High bank 1st Gary Pickard 83lbs 14oz and 2nd Rob Calderon 79lbs 5oz. Picture today has Jeff to the left and Fred to the right getting ready for the all in.