TalkAngling.co.uk Forum Match.
I was lucky enough to get my name down for this match when it was posted on the TalkAngling forum back in January by Ian Hornby as I really enjoy visiting Rolf’s whenever I get the chance.
Pulling back the curtains a grey day with rain greeted me, and to think that today was the longest day!! Anyway car loaded in good time along with the waterproofs and off. With my usual stop in Battersea for a spot of breakfast I made good time with a trouble free trip down, pulling into the car park at around 8·30am.
There were a few of the usual faces from the lads that fish The Jinx Series there, though Malc who should have been fishing was a notable absentee due to the fact that yet again his car had expired on the roadside the previous day, but it was good to catch up with the TalkAngling lads, some of whom I’d met previously and some who were new faces. It was also good to see that not only was the lake back down to something like it’s usual level with all the platforms above water, but the colour had returned to something approaching its normal hue after the flooding of a couple of weeks ago.
9am and draw time. Into the bag and peg 24 appeared in my hand! A bonus for me as it’s on the car park bank, somewhere I rarely get a sniff of and it has a bit of form. No barrow today, just a nice short walk. With a grey cloudy sky and rain still falling it looked like it would be a bit of a grueller, especially as we were fishing from 11am – 4pm which is earlier than most of the summer matches at Rolf’s that are normally fished from 2pm – 7pm as the Carp don’t seem to get their heads down till around 3pm.
9am and draw time. Into the bag and peg 24 appeared in my hand! A bonus for me as it’s on the car park bank, somewhere I rarely get a sniff of and it has a bit of form. No barrow today, just a nice short walk. With a grey cloudy sky and rain still falling it looked like it would be a bit of a grueller, especially as we were fishing from 11am – 4pm which is earlier than most of the summer matches at Rolf’s that are normally fished from 2pm – 7pm as the Carp don’t seem to get their heads down till around 3pm.
Anyway I set the pole up with just 1 shallow rig and a margin rig to tackle the bush to my right. I also set up the pellet waggler and the feeder as a back up because I could see Carp topping over the bar at around 20yds, so hopefully I could mug a couple of fish early before they backed off. Feed was simply the fishery 6mm pellets and plenty of them, with some of them damped down and mixed with a good helping of hemp to put through the feeder. Hookbaits were the fishery 8mm hard feed pellets that would be fished banded on a hair.
So 11am and the All-in. 2 big handfuls of pellet fed by the bush to my right and a couple of pouchfuls out to the bar closely followed by the pellet waggler. Another pouchful and the line tightened up and I was into my first fish of the day and after a spirited fight I had a nice Common of around 7lbs safely in the net.
So 11am and the All-in. 2 big handfuls of pellet fed by the bush to my right and a couple of pouchfuls out to the bar closely followed by the pellet waggler. Another pouchful and the line tightened up and I was into my first fish of the day and after a spirited fight I had a nice Common of around 7lbs safely in the net.
However try as I might I couldn’t tempt a 2nd and I’d noticed that Dave(Yorkie)Moore……
……opposite on peg 16 had managed a couple of fish on the feeder, so I swapped over to mine and was rewarded with a couple of quick fish including a weigher.
Now normally the feeder line doesn’t last, but I continued to get the odd fish . Looking down the car park bank most appeared to be struggling on the pole line, but at least the rain had stopped.
Now normally the feeder line doesn’t last, but I continued to get the odd fish . Looking down the car park bank most appeared to be struggling on the pole line, but at least the rain had stopped.
On the other side of the bush to my right on peg 23 I had Steve Wilson for company……
…he was fishing the pole shallow, but was being pestered by Roach that seemed to be beating the Carp to his bait.
Clive had dawn one of his favorite pegs, 19 but appeared to be really struggling to tempt a fish …
Clive had dawn one of his favorite pegs, 19 but appeared to be really struggling to tempt a fish …
As did Ron next to him on peg 20 despite his natty line in headgear……
Simple Simon over on peg 14 had brought along his bank runner and sherpa Sprucey for moral support once more and was giving his new Maver 401 it’s maiden outing. Having won his last match at Rolf’s with a cracking 221lbs 12ozs he was hoping for a repeat performance, but the Lake seemed determined to teach him a lesson today……
…However he did have the enjoyment of seeing my feeder rod with a good bend in it at regular intervals and Sprucey was counting my fish and giving him regular updates. During all of this I also received a couple of phone calls from Malc and Dave Collier checking on the days progress, and while I commiserated with Malc on missing out, it was heartening to know that at least he was enjoying spending some quality time at home with his kids.
Around 3pm things started to pick up for most of the lads that had persevered with the pole, but as I was still getting fish on the feeder….
Around 3pm things started to pick up for most of the lads that had persevered with the pole, but as I was still getting fish on the feeder….
I stuck with it till the end. 4pm and the all out and with 5 weigher’s and 22 fish in the nets I was pretty happy with my match and was quite looking forward to the weigh-in.
However there was a short wait for the weigh-in, the reason being that John Bennett has acquired a LARGE piece of stone for the entrance of the fishery and needed a hand to get it in place. Well with the help of several stout bodies, some scaffold poles and finally Simple Simon’s car………
However there was a short wait for the weigh-in, the reason being that John Bennett has acquired a LARGE piece of stone for the entrance of the fishery and needed a hand to get it in place. Well with the help of several stout bodies, some scaffold poles and finally Simple Simon’s car………
…… and a stout chain, it was finally in place, and very impressive it looks too.
So on with the weigh-in with Pole Killer setting an early benchmark with 94lbs from peg 34, that was soon being topped by Paul Law (justin case) on peg 36 with a fine 150¾lbs. Some real interest came at peg 38 however where Mrs Sumo (Sue) who’s starting to make a habit of beating her husband Sumo had spent the match.
So on with the weigh-in with Pole Killer setting an early benchmark with 94lbs from peg 34, that was soon being topped by Paul Law (justin case) on peg 36 with a fine 150¾lbs. Some real interest came at peg 38 however where Mrs Sumo (Sue) who’s starting to make a habit of beating her husband Sumo had spent the match.
Sue’s fish weighed 41½lb and Sumo was looking glum. Steve Davis(DNW) on peg 2 had managed a very creditable 120½lbs while round at peg 7, Tim Suttle (first peg) had taken full advantage of a very good peg (especially with pegs 6&8 not in) to take 1st place on the day with an excellent 193lbs . Clive on 19 had finally managed a few in the last hour to take the section with 71lbs 10ozs. Round to Sumo on peg 22 where despite a couple of weigher’s on the board he could only muster 37½lbs…
……… allowing Sue to take the bragging rights on the day. Round to my peg and my 27 fish gave me a pleasing 161¾lbs for 2nd on the day and a new PB match weight.
In total a weight of 1531lbs 10ozs was put on the scales, an average of just under 70lbs per angler.
So all in all a good day. Thanks to Ian H for organising the day, and to all those that attended. We’ll have to do it all again, though perhaps we can fish it from 2-7 next time.
So all in all a good day. Thanks to Ian H for organising the day, and to all those that attended. We’ll have to do it all again, though perhaps we can fish it from 2-7 next time.
| Position | Peg | Angler | Weight |
| 1st | Peg 7 | Tim Suttle | 193lbs 00ozs |
| 2nd | Peg 24 | Peter Morton | 161lbs 12ozs |
| 3rd | Peg 36 | Paul Law | 150lbs 12ozs |
| 4th | Peg 2 | DNW | 120lbs 08ozs |
| 5th | Peg 34 | Pole Killer | 94lbs 00ozs |
| 6th | Peg 32 | Steve Owen | 83lbs 00ozs |
| 7th | Peg 19 | Clive Pritchard | 71lbs 10ozs |
| 8th | Peg 14 | Simon Mound | 68lbs 04ozs |
| 9th | Peg 4 | Tony Walsh (Rive T) | 59lbs 12ozs |
| 10th | Peg 16 | Dave Moore | 59lbs 00ozs |
| 11th | Peg 30 | Harry911 | 50lbs 06ozs |
| 12th= | Peg 10 | Nige C | 47lbs 08ozs |
| 12th= | Peg 18 | Bad Boy Bagger | 47lbs 08ozs |
| 14th= | Peg 23 | Steve Wilson | 45lbs 04ozs |
| 14th= | Peg 26 | Mark | 45lbs 04ozs |
| 16th | Peg 38 | Mrs Sumo | 41lbs 08ozs |
| 17th | Peg 13 | Ian Hornby | 40lbs 08ozs |
| 18th | Peg 9 | Squeeky Roller | 39lbs 00ozs |
| 19th | Peg 22 | Sumo | 37lbs 08ozs |
| 20th | Peg 40 | Tim Westmoreland | 33lbs 08ozs |
| 21st | Peg 28 | Lee 66 | 31lbs 02ozs |
| 22nd | Peg 20 | Ron Byus | 11lbs 00ozs |
