Rob's day
At Malcolm Barker Lake today - looked like it was going to be a sunny but windy day. Eleven on the bank today – I drew peg 4 next to Phil on 3 and Ray the other side, so at least I could have a chat if no bites came.
A bit limited as to where to fish as a large weed bed extended across the peg at around 11 meters, so set up a pole rig for just before the weeds and another closer in by some lilies – both about the same depth – 7 feet or so. Fed some groundbait and started out long – after a couple of hours not a sign. Tony over on 19 had a good start though, landing a 3lb tench within the first half hour. John Carter also had a tench on 16 so at least a few feeding.
All quiet on my bank from what I could see, Phil having a couple of roach, but Ray, Fred and myself all fishless. Fred apparently having a couple of wrap rounds on the feeder but nothing on the end. News had it Terry and Steve on pegs 8 and 10 had a few tench between them.
The swirling wind on our side of the bank causing problems today – at times hard to hold the pole, not helped by a large amount of weed etc constantly floating up and down the lake. In the end Steve’s peg was almost totally covered. Into the last hour and a try close in produced a couple of tiny bites and two micro perch. Looked like that was it – thought about packing up with 15 minutes left ready for the weigh in but one last cast close to the lilies brought another tiny bite, but this time more solid resistance on the strike. After trying to get in the lilies and under the staging landed a tench around 3lb.
Weighed in the low bank first. Phil not quite a pound of small roach, my 3lb 1oz followed by DNWs from Ray and Fred. It was better at the far end though with Terry weighing 7lb dead for second place and Steve 3 tench for 11lb 10oz and top weight on the day.
On the other bank John Carter came third overall with 4lb 1oz and Tony completed the frame, his early tench the only one he caught and weighed 3lb 10oz . So at least a few tench caught today, but hard fishing with very few bites for most. Photo is today's winner Steve.