Gary's day

After another very wet week we were on Malcolm Barker rather than the Backwater this weekend. We were greeted by a cold and foggy start but the lake had fished OK the weekend before so we should get a few bites. Out of the bag came peg 17 which I was pleased with; it is to one side of the large lily bed in the middle with a smaller lily bed to the left.

The plan was: waggler or small feeder to the central lilies; a pole line with groundbait and maggot out front at about 11m; and a line just off the lillies to the left. At the all in I went out on the waggler after feeding my swims. Half an hour flew by without a bite. By this stage only Rob on 15 was catching anything with a steady stream of small roach.

Time to try the long pole. No signs so out on a small cage feeder to give the pole lines a bit more time to fill with fish. With no signs on the feeder it was back to the pole. After 2 hours I completely missed the bite on the long pole line. There was no second chance.

The short line was next. Finally a bite and a very small roach was in the net. Things were not going to plan. About this time Tony on peg 3 landed a good sized tench and John on peg 10 had a few roach. Rob was still catching well and I could not buy a bite.

3 hours in and it was time for a big fish gamble as a carp had just topped on the far side of the central lilies. The next 2 hours had me working through meat, bread, a couple of big chunks of worm and wafters. The fish had suddenly switched on for Mark on peg 28 but the rest of us were struggling. Well the gamble did not pay off, perhaps a liner in the last 5 mins but no bites. The blank was saved but only just.

Rob had a great day weighing in 8lbs 4oz of silvers with a couple of perch, Mark had a mad final 1.5 hours for 4lbs 1oz and Tony's tench went 3lbs 10oz. Today's pic is Rob's winning net