Rob's day

Hi All

At Hall Farm today for another Interclub match with Abbey Cross. We had 8 on today to Abbey's 6 so would discard 2 weights – Abbey discarding 2 pegs. After the heat of the last few days, a completely different day weatherwise with rain forecast for most of the day and temperatures 10 degrees lower.

I drew peg 19 – not the best and up against the better pegs in the 20’s but who knows. Started on the short pole with pellets and had a good start with 3 F1s in the first 20 minutes. Had a couple more after an hour or so, but fish were very small at all under 2lbs. Bites faded so tried shallow on the jigger for a couple more but thing were getting harder.

Into the afternoon and a couple more small carp – struggling to land fish trying to thread the pole and landing net through the brolly and railings! Luckily the rain subsided and the brolly could come down. Onto the margins but these were a disappointment, a couple of foul hookers on paste before hooking and landing a couple of better carp, but no more bites on paste. Tried hard pellets down the edge but nothing.

Couldn’t see anyone on my bank but a few fish coming out opposite. I could see Tony Parker and Phil on pegs 1 and 2 getting a few – also Martin on peg 4 after catching silvers in the morning was now getting into the carp. Ray also getting a few on the feeder, but best of all Peter on peg 6, who looked to have a slow start but was now catching one a chuck on the feeder.

Had one more on the feeder down the margin and ended the match with 45lbs 15oz. Not bad for peg 19 but thought I would be beaten by all to my right. As it turned out the high bank did not fish great – although Bill made no mistake from peg 26 with top weight on the bank 71lbs 7oz. My weight second and Fred third with 40lbs 5oz

Some good weights on the low bank, notably Peter's winning weight of 72lbs 14oz. Martin did well to finish second on 65lbs 11oz from peg 4 and Phil third with 47lbs 4oz. It ended with Bishop's Stortford winning with 44 points to Abbey Cross' 34 points.

Good to see weight coming from most areas today although as expected the shallower end fishing better than the deeps – thanks to Martin for weighing in the low bank.