Gary's day

Today was a cooler and cloudier day at Hall Farm's large lake with the water levels still well down. Peg 21 was my home for the day; half way along the high bank.

The plan was: long pole shallow with 4mm pellets; a shorter line with 6mm pellets; and then down the edges on paste or corn. It was a slow start all around the lake with just the odd silver fish being caught early on. Eventually I had a bite on the short line and a small carp was in the net. And this is how it went for pretty much the first half of the match with a steady flow of bites - not quick but steady. More of a breeze than expected put paid to the long line.

By the midway point I was doing well with about 40lb on the clicker and the rest of the lake still fishing harder than expected.

With a few fish now showing in the edge on some pellets I had been throwing in it was time to try them. And at that point the wheels fell off my day. I spent the next couple of hours trying to persuade the carp from looking away from the reeds and at my bait as they buried into the reedy edge hunting for food. The rest of the lake had now come alive and I could see my lead disappearing with Darren opposite me having a good run of edge fish. I could also hear a few big splashes coming from my right where Tony and Fred were drawn.

The poor second half of the match was going to be costly for me with my fish going 63lbs with 2/3rds of that coming in the first half of the day. Time for a rethink if I draw along the reeds again.

Well done to John who just missed out on 100lb by a few ounces, closely followed by Darren Cope on 92lbs and Fred coming in 3rd with 73lbs. Peter (today's picture) was a convincing winner of the silvers pool with just over 8lbs.