Rob's day

Hi all

The Wednesday club fished an interclub match with Abbey Cross today at their Taylor's Lake. They decided as there were around 15 of us to use both lakes so as to pick the better swims in both (that was the thinking!.
With a light frost it was always going to be difficult for most. 8 were on the Top Lake and 7 on the Car Park Lake. I drew peg 35 on the Top Lake in a good area with Bill (fishing for Abbey Cross) to the right and Ray further along in peg 37. A predictable slow start on the pole with maggots at 13 meters, it soon became obvious a lot of fish were holed up in the corner near Ray (despite a sheet of ice covering that area). After a couple of skimmers, Ray landed F1 after F1 – we lost count after 13.

A couple of hours in, I had my first bite and netted a 2lb F1 followed half an hour later by another over 4lb. Meanwhile Richard across in peg 43 (despite throwing his pole in the lake while plumbing up and had to get his Dad’s help to retrieve it!), started to get a few F1s and Bill also landing one. In desperation I had a quick go on the method feeder and got a surprise pull round for another F1 and a drop back for a skimmer and that was it for me. Richard had a couple more to end in second place on the Top Lake with 15lb. I weighed 13lbs 13oz for third on the lake pipping Bill by 3oz despite Bill having 2 or 3 more on the waggler. Ray had a well-deserved win with a fine winter weight of 57lbs 15oz. On the Car Park Lake thing were even harder – only John Todd catching anything to win the lake and all the pools with 3lbs

Bishop Stortford won the match 23 points to 7 – thanks to Alan Sims and Abbey Cross for hosting the match. Top Lake 1st Ray Gibson 57lbs 15oz, 2nd Richard Beeston 15lbs 5oz and 3rd Rob Calderon 13lbs 13oz. Car Park Lake 1st John Todd 3lbs

Picture is the aerator in Phil's peg which was not as fishy as it looked.