Newlands Hall. Essex. September 10th, 2005.

Marsh AC club match.

Today I had the pleasure of fishing as a guest with Dave (The Fish) Collier and the club members from Marsh AC at Newlands Hall just outside Chelmsford in Essex.

I had heard some good reports about the sport on offer from Dave in the past, and having guested with the club before knew that they are a good bunch to enjoy a days fishing with.

The draw saw me picking peg 20 which proved to be in the opposite corner from the car park.

I have to say that the lake appeared to be a little down on it’s normal level, but my peg looked decent enough.

Setting up provided a bit of a shock however, as plumbing up revealed no more than 14 inches of water anywhere, not even at 13 mtrs!!!!! Indeed there was a whole extra inch in the left hand margin, but that was it.

Mud clouds everywhere betraying a silty bottom and fish moving on the top showed that there were obviously plenty of fish stocked, but with the promise of changeable weather, just how it would fish looked as if it would be in the lap of the gods.

10am and all in, and after 45 mins just a single fish to pellet wasn’t the start I was looking for, John opposite me was catching fairly regularly as was Dave on Peg 30 in the corner by the car park. A change to paste tempted another couple for me just as it started to rain. It let up at around noon and with a few fish showing on top I managed to sneak a few out on dapped dog biscuit.

1pm and a half time weigh in took place, Dave putting 70lbs+ plus on the scales, John opposite 50lbs+ and myself around 30lbs while others had struggled.
2pm and we were off for part 2, and a breeze from right to left was preventing me taking full advantage of fish coming to the surface as someone to my right was feeding floaters that kept dragging the fish away. Periodically they would come back as they chased the surplus, and when they did I could pick a few off. John opposite was still catching regularly, while Dave appeared to be either playing or netting a fish every time I glanced over in his direction.

Weigh in time and John opposite was soon leading with 150lbs+ while I had managed about another 60lbs to leave me just short of The Ton overall. Dave had had a cracking afternoon with his total for the day coming just short of a Double Ton at 197lbs.

So an enjoyable day in good company finished with 3rd for me at another new venue (I seem to be fishing a lot of them this year) and after we all decamped to the pub for a well earned pint.
Thanks to Dave and the lads of Marsh AC for the day, it was a pleasure to fish with you all once more.