Gary's day

After a very wet week thanks to Storm Babet Sunday dawned clear and cold, not quite a frost but very close. With a good turnout we were on both banks today and it was a good job we each had the extra space

Out of the bag came 22 for me which I was happy with; not a flyer but consistent especially as we move into the colder months. There were a few fish topping as we were setting up which is always encouraging - they disappeared as soon as the whistle blew of course. A start on the long pole on hard pellet gave me a few bites but nothing was there when I struck even on sail away bites. A move to one side and try with maggots found me the culprits - lots of roach. At 4oz each and noone really catching it was worth going for them though whilst I waited for the carp and F1s to rock up.

Over on peg 2 Darren had a couple of carp on the feeder and Mark on 6 had another but it was slow going. A carp after about an hour along with the silvers was keeping me in the game. A foulhooked and then a bumped couple of fish finished off the right hand swim though. Time for a break and an early sandwich. A couple of small carp on a maggot feeder was a welcome boost but the waits were too long.

There were plenty of carp cruising but annoyingly well out of pole range. They seemed to be coming in but my margins were lifeless. So out back long it was to the end. Slowly the small roach I was catching started to grow and another couple of carp kept the weight ticking over. It was going to be a close match as a few of us looked to be at around 20lbs.

A couple of late big carp made the difference for Dave on peg 26, with Mark having a steady day fishing a patient short pole match. And my silvers, including a rare chub, helped me pip Jeff to third.

1st Dave Knapp 29lbs 15oz, 2nd Mark Halverson 27lbs 2oz and 3rd Gary Pickard 25lbs 14oz. Pic today is the lake just before the all in with bright, blue skies unlike the rest of the week.