Due to the well publicised problems on Woodlands Lake this match was switched to Wildmarsh which is a stunning-looking lake (as the above picture shows) but due to it's size it doesn't have the stocking levels and relatively easy fishing that we are used to at many venues these days and so nobody was expecting three-figure weights today.
Frys had fished a match here on the previous Sunday which I think was won by Andy Curry with 50lbs-ish so that would be a more realistic target to aim for.
As usual the very lovely Misha was on "meet & greet" duty and sorted out 12 pegs for us (altered slightly by venue expert, Adam Caswell) as well as providing me with a pen as I was not quite as prepared as I usually am on a Sunday morning but we got there in the end!
To cut along story short, it was hard work for most of us.
I drew peg 2 which was about 5 steps from the car park and set up a shallow wag rod, a tip rod, a shallow pellet rig (because a carp topped in front of me while I was setting up) and a rig for down the left and right margins.
The left margin had a large willow overhanging and to the right was a tangle of tree roots in the water that looked "carpy" although getting fish out might have been a bit of a problem (but I need not have worried).
Bait for the day was corn and meat for the margins and the usual 6's and 8's for the wag / lead.
To cut a long story short, after three hours of watching Mark Radford opposite me on peg 24 catching on paste and Brian Shanks giving him a good run for his money on 22, I finally got a bite down my right-hand edge on corn which produced a roach of about six ounces.
This was then followed by a "run" of two skimmers and another similar sized roach before I bumped a third skimmer, which was no suprise on 16 elastic, and that put paid to that.
With about 90 minutes left the wind picked up putting a bit of ripple on the lake prompting another go on the wag and that produced a 6lb carp followed by a duck which was the end of my match giving me a total of 11-5 but at least my duck was bigger than Alan Healey's and his two tench went 6lbs odd so I got a pound off him but unfortunately I had to give that one to Adam who had somehow managed to "hook" a couple of carp and skimmers for 16-15.
Despite claiming to only have a couple of carp and lost loads etc etc ... Mark Radford was the clear winner with 51-5 of carp and skimmers all caught on paste.
Chris (£14 a kilo)* Szakacs took second place with 37-8.
He also had a biteless first half but found a few fish that moved in on his paste line late on.
Brian Shanks made up the frame with 34-10
And with Mark also winning the silvers with 12-5 of skimmers Alan Healey's two tench for 6-3 caught on worm gave him the silvers by default with Adam Caswell following with 4-15.
Full Result:
- Mark Radford (peg 25) ........ 51-5
- Chris Szakacs (13) ............ 37-8
- Brian Shanks (22) ............. 34-10
- Rich Britton (11) ............... 27-0
- Adam Caswell (7) ............. 16-15
- Steve Burgess (2) ............ 11-5
- Steve Wynne* (24) ........... 6-10
- Rich Jones (9) / Alan Healey (21) .. 6-3
- and 3 DNW's
Silvers:
- Mark Radford ....... 12-5
- Alan Healey ......... 6-3
- Adam caswell ....... 4-15
- Steve Burgess ...... 4-9
- Rich Jones ........... 1-10
Since this update Woodlands lake has reopened and is fishing well.
The Carpenters Arms match this Sunday was won with over 90lbs so hopefully the damage wasn't too severe and the lake will soon recover.
*subject to confirmation!
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