Gary's day

With MBL still being weedy today's match moved to Hall Farm's small lake. With 8 of us here it was going to be cosy. Out of the peg came the one peg I did but want - peg 5, the only peg in the bag without any reed bed for cover. It was going to be a hard day.

Set up was pretty easy: one pole rig for out long on pellets to avoid the small fish; one rig for the edge; and a small method feeder if I got desperate. It was a slow start for me but Darren got off to a flyer with a run of small carp from down the side of the reeds near him. Peter opposite me was also starting to get a few fish.

Finally my float wobbled and I had a small mirror carp of half a pound or so. A lovely little fish but I was falling behind quickly. John over in the far corner also then had a decent carp and I was even further behind. After that first bite the float was wobbling all over the place as the pellets were being attacked by very small fish. A try with the feeder did not help so it was back to the pole and hoping something bigger would push out the small fish.

Peter and Darren were still catching although with the odd quiet spells and Rob was also now starting to get a few fish. For me it was not going well, the occasional couple of small fish and then nothing but roach wobbles. A late decent carp on corn down the edge helped but it was the one and only margin fish.

Peter looked to be a runaway winner today but it was a lot closer than we will all expected. Peter putting 38lbs on the scales and Darren's 2 late lost carp leaving him 2nd with 34lbs and then it was down into the teens with Mark picking up third with 15lbs. Picture today is Peter with a net of lovely looking carp putting on weight quickly.