Rob's day

Hi All

At Wickham Hall today for a change of venue from Malcolm Barkers. Only 6 today due to other commitments so could spread ourselves around the pathed area of the lake. Question is would peg 12 win again after this peg has won the last few matches. Tony drew this peg today – myself next to him on 14. Peter drew peg 5 up the other end with Tony Parker, John Todd and Barry in between.

Decided on just 2 tactics today – 4m whip for the small fish and a feeder for the carp (maybe a long pole for the bream might have been a good idea?) but last visit saw a lot of small rudd in the margins so fancied going for them. As it happened didn’t see one rudd all day!

Started with a quick cast on the tip for a lucky carp, but no bites so onto the whip with white maggots at 3 meters in 4 foot of water. (Stansted Angling had sold out of reds!) after 15 minutes first bite and a 3oz chublet. Bites few and far between but when they came were chublets or some nice roach – a couple around 5oz or so. Then a carp around 4oz but a couple of hours in the wind started to cause problems. This only effected Tony and myself on the far bank – the wind blowing in left to right – the rest of the lake not effected as much.

Looking over the car park bank John Todd looked to be getting a few small fish including a couple of 4oz carp and Peter on peg 5 seemed to be having problems keeping the carp out of the weedbeds – apparently losing several fish. Tony was a bit quiet but was getting some action with the bream – also losing a carp near the end. Tony also struggling to get good presentation with the wind. Into the last 10 minutes and decided to chuck a feeder into the middle while I looked to tidy up. The tactic worked again and at 15:28 the tip went round for a 3lb carp on the whistle – which coincided with the second downpour of the day.

At the weigh in Tony did well with the 3 bream and a few bits going 6lbs 11oz for first place, my carp boosting the weight to 5lbs 11oz for second and John Todd third with 2lbs 9oz. Barry completed the weights today with 5oz – the carp coming out on top on Peter's peg.