Winter League round 3.

January 9, 2010 Simon Leave a comment

20th December 2009

Today was the 3rd Winter league match. This time I was to be fishing in C section, the little lake. There was a layer of ice over the lake also today so ice breaking was going to be needed for everyone. John wanted to get the draw done as quickly as possible to allow time for this. I have not had much ice breaking experience so this was going to be a learning curve for me.

At the draw since I was last in my section on match 2 meant I had what was left in the bag after everyone else from C Section had drawn, that was to be peg 4. I have fished peg before but that was in the summer. I had brought my trolley today with the possibility of a long walk.

First job when getting to my peg was to break the ice and make a nice area to fish in. I have to say even though it was freezing cold breaking ice soon warms you up.

My Icebreaker, the only thing I could find. Seem to do the job ok but needed a bit of chain on it which I did not have.

Pictures are click-able for larger version

Simps Ice Breaker

Peg 4

Ice broke out in front

Left Margin Swim

Right Margin swim which froze up again

It was a lovely sunny day. Shame peg 4 had a great big bush blocking the sun from me.

Sunny Day

Some of the ice, pushed the rest under the ice and platform.

I knew this was going to be a hard match and I was not wrong, at the all in I shipped out right in front of me with a single red maggot and waited for a bite and waited and waited. 15 mins later still not even a touch. I had thrown 2 maggots and 2 casters in my left margin swim and thought I would drop in there and see if it was any better. It was not but after an hour the float moved and then sank, the result was a 3oz perch. The smile on my face was massive.

I fed again and only had to wait another half an hour for another perch. By this time my feet were so cold I could not feel them so I decided to have a walk round the lake in a bid to warm up a bit. Walking round and talking to the other anglers it was clear to see just how hard it was fishing. A lot of people were blanking. So my 2 perch didn’t seem that bad after all.

After my walk I had warmed up and was ready to try again, without feeding I had another perch right away and slowly caught another 11 perch, 1 of which was nearly a lb. I was hoping for a carp to come along but they all seemed to be in hiding.

At the all out I felt like I had about 4lb but the scales revealed I had 3lb 4oz. I was not last in my section again and had managed to catch some fish so I was quite happy with that considering I have never broke ice before.

A few more pictures from the day and then the results…

Ian McCullock. C Section Winner.

Sunrise on the frozen lake.

John Bennett ice breaking.

The frozen Little lake.

Just before the results. John and Pauline had laid on some hot tomato soup and hotdogs for after the match. Many thanks for that, it was much needed.

Pauline handing out the Hotdogs.

The next match is on the 3rd January 2010. I am hoping for no ice hehe.

	A Section
1st	Mick Lane	peg 7	26-4	RG
2nd	Neal Riddy	peg 40	8-6	RP
3rd	Steve Palmer	peg 34	4-10	TS
4th	Simon Mound	peg 4	3-4	A
5th	Derek Hammond	peg 2	0-8	RD
—	—	—	—	MFS

	B Section
1st	Pete Archer	peg 28	3-12	RD
2nd	Phil Powell	peg 30	1-7	RG
—	Clive Pritchard	peg 10	—	A
—	Lloyd Moss	peg 13	—	TS
—	Mark Orchard	peg 9	—	RP
—	—	—	—	MFS