Carrying on from my last blog some 7 weeks ago, we all headed off to Lindholme lakes for our annual 4 day bash. The weekend runs in a sort of festival format with points over the days for a winner takes all pot as well as individual pay outs each day. The difference being this year, we broke the match down into two smaller sections rather than just 1 point for the win down to 10 for last.
Having won the mini festival last year I was really looking forward to it, but anybody who saw my Facebook live posts on my Eastwood's Angling page will know it was a bit of a disaster!
Lindholme Lakes
Day 1 saw us fish an afternoon/evening match on the Willows pool. Peg 40 at the end of one of the spits had me literally running to it. I fancied a decent weight fishing long and shallow with caster. For some reason I just could not get anything to work for me. My preparation was not the greatest too as I had a couple of elastics snap and generally a disaster weighing only 35lb which put me last in section and ended my hopes of defending last years crown straight away.
Day 2 and it was onto a pool I had not fished before... The strip pond. Peg 9 was home for the day and with no wind and high temperatures I knew it could be tough. Everybody fudged through the day trying to put what they could in the net, but in general it was a struggle. I managed a couple long on banded 6mm pellet pinging over the top and a couple shallow, but I managed to get my favourite margin paste attack for the last 90 minutes or so. Not a great weight but 50lb 8oz at least got me a couple of section points. I was motoring towards the end and another 15 minutes or so would have seen me win the section as only 58lb was needed.
Day 3 and the madness was to commence on Bennies lake. Here I managed my PB match weight in 2015 so i was hoping for similar. Again warm conditions with little ripple brought the F1s very shallow. I fished scruffily for the first 90 minutes which cost me a good weight and learnt some valuable lessons for these speed type fish races.
Firstly I was relying on the fish taking a dead maggot or caster on the hook whilst I fed 4mm pellets. The fish would not have this so i was forced to band a pellet. I went through lots of snapped bands and changing of hooklengths and on this occasion a lasso would have been the quickest way to change bait. I also think i fished too light an elastic wasting time getting the fish in. I should have been more aggressive. On the plus side I felt i got the feeding right, it was just the wasted time doing other things. 157lb 15oz was a decent return (only 7lb less than my PB) but fishing tidier and smarter would have got me 200lb for sure. With 2 weights over 200lb (albeit one of those bending the rules somewhat) the 10 of us put over 1500lb of fish on the scales.... crackers stuff.
One of the great things about Lindholme is that we have private pegs on our lodges. Every year we all have a muck about with a top kit and some bits and pieces of an evening. This year was no exception and everybody had a play around with my Shimano Beastmaster and caught a few whilst we enjoyed a few beers and a laugh to unwind from the hectic day on Bennie's.
Day 4 and our last day took us to Bonsai. Overall I fished like a bit of a knob on the previous 3 days. Tactically error strewn and generally just a bit messy. Bonsai was a chance to make amends especially when I pulled peg 84 that I drew last year. In comparison to the other days I fished very tidily swapping between feeder across, caster shallow in open water and pellet to the right against the trees. The big difference this year being that my margin did not kick in properly (Although I did get snapped by an absolute Tuna at the net around 15lb) however 98lb 15oz was a nice days fishing, but the pegs in the 60s on at the end of the spit cleaned up.
Despite a poor performance I cannot really grumble with 340lb+ over the 4 days and I am already looking forward to next year.
The Glebe Power Pairs
Another competition to defend which me and Partner Warren Kirby won last year. This time at the Glebe Fishery where my mate Harry runs a pairs match annually. We decided to fish to our strengths and I put myself on Lake 1 and Wazza on 6 or 7. When I drew peg 2 on lake 1 I was very happy as it has form and looked the part when we had a wander around.
There is a bay across and with accurate casting should account for a few. Short line and margins later on would hopefully the do the trick.
Having played around with a selection of Burt Baits since July I have settled on what I think is a cracking feeder mix. 50/50 of Green Fishmeal and Sweet Carp, mixed light and fluffy so it explodes out of the feeder. Only open end feeders with a 20inch hooklength is allowed at the Glebe.
I was in trouble straight away as my tip on my drennan feeder rod had snapped and the only spare tip I had was for a daiwa rod that was at home! Still, I rammed it into the drennan rod and proceeded to snap that too and fished with it held together with gaffer tape!
Anyhow double dead reds on the feeder put a number of carp in the net for the first couple of hours, however they were of a very small stamp... perhaps 2lb.
During quiet spells I managed to nick a couple of fish on banded pellet at 12.5 metres on the deck. The problem was my stomach had taken a turn for the worst and I wasted quite a bit of time trotting to the toilet 3 times.
Last hour down towards a tree to my right fishing corn over sloppy groundbait nabbed me a couple of extra fish. I was convinced I had over 120lb which would have got mega points, but annoyingly fell short of the ton weighing 98lb 13oz.
As it was it gave me 2nd in section and 3rd on the lake, which was no disaster, but news filtered through that Wazza had struggled and mucked up on his silver and carp nets and had weight deducted. So there was no defence of the title for us, but at least we picked up a few quid for my second in section so not all was lost and it was a great day as always.
Bradshaw Fishery up Lake 3
Next up it was back with the Eight Bells lads to Braddies. This lake has served me well over the last few years and when I drew in an area I knew reasonably well I fancied my chances.
Beginning across on a small pellet feeder, then a small pellet waggler into open water and finally bringing the fish back onto the pole line I had a lovely days fishing catching alsorts for 79lb 13 and a win. Shallow 4mm standard pellets with a bright Chocolate Orange 6mm on the hook did the damage. My mate Dave Darlington is running away with the league but it keeps things interesting to keep on his tail.
Lloyds Meadow Badger Lake
After a little break away, it was back to the crap weather and a new venue for me called Lloyds Meadow with the club. Badger lake was the venue and apparently it is very clear as you can see fish mooching about, so quite an odd venue in that respect.
Upon inspection and probably due to a lot of heavy rain there was a bit of colour in the water, but you could see Ghost Carp mooching about.
I kicked off across "dobbing" a piece of corn in about 3ft of water to see what was lurking under the brambles across and immediately had a ghostie of around 2lb. But then that was basically it tight over.
I have ended up dobbing a Choc Orange expander all around the peg. Sometimes flicking towards the ghosties, but generally working across the peg in an arc fishing around 3ft deep in 7ft of water and have caught the odd carp without feeding a thing. I was told that there are mirrors and commons sat below the ghosties that you cannot see and that they will snatch at a slow sinking bait.
Later on down the track I have caught a couple of stamp fish fishing a soft pellet over micros. 58lb 13oz has given me another match win from a venue I will definitely re-visit. I imagine with a few less bodies and decent weather a big weight is on the cards. The owner also stated that one of the lakes (Kingfisher) has Perch to over 4lb so I fancy a dabble at them one day too.
Wrightington Canal 2: Rochdale AS evening series final
Having sneaked into the final almost by default, I was looking forward to getting upto wrightington on the canal I have not fished before. Unfortunately autumn has well and truly arrived and it was freezing! The pegging was a bit strange too where the all pegs were put in and the 16 of us just sat where we ended up. This meant I was sandwiched between two anglers who each had 2 pegs either side of them spare.
I felt I fished a really tidy match here fishing across in 3ft I nabbed 4 carp in the first hour on an expander over micros. But I felt the fish were coming into the micros and kicking them all over the shop giving me liners and foul hookers. A quick change to a shallow rig and hard 4mms helped me catch nice and steady for the next couple of hours. Mirror carp around 2lb a piece. The chap next door was fishing meat down the track at mid-depth and was catching some real dogs. My last hour was very slow and I had a sense it would cost me.
I was proved right with Old Mike Beattie next door pipping me by 3lb. My 54lb 15oz was enough for 2nd and I cant help thinking that with a little bit of room I could have won.
Speaking of Mike, I remember him winning loads of matches around our way when I first began match fishing (25 years ago) and although he is now a ripe old pensioner he can still nail our hats on. I reminded him we were in the same national team 20 years ago and he didnt have a clue! His memory might not be the best but I hope I can still fish a bit like him when I get to his age.
As we enter into October we have 3 more rounds left of our club season and then its onto Partridge lakes for the Saturday winter league with my Burt Baits team mates.
Good luck
Dave
Having won the mini festival last year I was really looking forward to it, but anybody who saw my Facebook live posts on my Eastwood's Angling page will know it was a bit of a disaster!
 |
| Me and my mate Bobby sharing a beer before our first match. Unfortunately the highlight of day 1! |
Lindholme Lakes
Day 1 saw us fish an afternoon/evening match on the Willows pool. Peg 40 at the end of one of the spits had me literally running to it. I fancied a decent weight fishing long and shallow with caster. For some reason I just could not get anything to work for me. My preparation was not the greatest too as I had a couple of elastics snap and generally a disaster weighing only 35lb which put me last in section and ended my hopes of defending last years crown straight away.
Day 2 and it was onto a pool I had not fished before... The strip pond. Peg 9 was home for the day and with no wind and high temperatures I knew it could be tough. Everybody fudged through the day trying to put what they could in the net, but in general it was a struggle. I managed a couple long on banded 6mm pellet pinging over the top and a couple shallow, but I managed to get my favourite margin paste attack for the last 90 minutes or so. Not a great weight but 50lb 8oz at least got me a couple of section points. I was motoring towards the end and another 15 minutes or so would have seen me win the section as only 58lb was needed.
Day 3 and the madness was to commence on Bennies lake. Here I managed my PB match weight in 2015 so i was hoping for similar. Again warm conditions with little ripple brought the F1s very shallow. I fished scruffily for the first 90 minutes which cost me a good weight and learnt some valuable lessons for these speed type fish races.
Firstly I was relying on the fish taking a dead maggot or caster on the hook whilst I fed 4mm pellets. The fish would not have this so i was forced to band a pellet. I went through lots of snapped bands and changing of hooklengths and on this occasion a lasso would have been the quickest way to change bait. I also think i fished too light an elastic wasting time getting the fish in. I should have been more aggressive. On the plus side I felt i got the feeding right, it was just the wasted time doing other things. 157lb 15oz was a decent return (only 7lb less than my PB) but fishing tidier and smarter would have got me 200lb for sure. With 2 weights over 200lb (albeit one of those bending the rules somewhat) the 10 of us put over 1500lb of fish on the scales.... crackers stuff.
 |
| Part of my 157lb from peg 55 Bennie's |
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| Top Kit Challenge throws up alsorts |
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| Dave Darlington... Special |
 |
| Young Tom smashing some Barbel on the top kit |
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| A few beers after a bagging day on Bennies |
Despite a poor performance I cannot really grumble with 340lb+ over the 4 days and I am already looking forward to next year.
The Glebe Power Pairs
Another competition to defend which me and Partner Warren Kirby won last year. This time at the Glebe Fishery where my mate Harry runs a pairs match annually. We decided to fish to our strengths and I put myself on Lake 1 and Wazza on 6 or 7. When I drew peg 2 on lake 1 I was very happy as it has form and looked the part when we had a wander around.
There is a bay across and with accurate casting should account for a few. Short line and margins later on would hopefully the do the trick.
 |
| peg 2 on Lake 1 .... Dollytub |
 |
| A perfect open end feeder mix for carp |
Anyhow double dead reds on the feeder put a number of carp in the net for the first couple of hours, however they were of a very small stamp... perhaps 2lb.
During quiet spells I managed to nick a couple of fish on banded pellet at 12.5 metres on the deck. The problem was my stomach had taken a turn for the worst and I wasted quite a bit of time trotting to the toilet 3 times.
Last hour down towards a tree to my right fishing corn over sloppy groundbait nabbed me a couple of extra fish. I was convinced I had over 120lb which would have got mega points, but annoyingly fell short of the ton weighing 98lb 13oz.
As it was it gave me 2nd in section and 3rd on the lake, which was no disaster, but news filtered through that Wazza had struggled and mucked up on his silver and carp nets and had weight deducted. So there was no defence of the title for us, but at least we picked up a few quid for my second in section so not all was lost and it was a great day as always.
 |
| Part of my 98lb for 2nd in section. Half caught on a broken rod whilst having the shits! |
Next up it was back with the Eight Bells lads to Braddies. This lake has served me well over the last few years and when I drew in an area I knew reasonably well I fancied my chances.
 |
| I believe you need lots of water to play with on Lake 3. |
Beginning across on a small pellet feeder, then a small pellet waggler into open water and finally bringing the fish back onto the pole line I had a lovely days fishing catching alsorts for 79lb 13 and a win. Shallow 4mm standard pellets with a bright Chocolate Orange 6mm on the hook did the damage. My mate Dave Darlington is running away with the league but it keeps things interesting to keep on his tail.
 |
| Part of my 79lb+ on lake 3 |
After a little break away, it was back to the crap weather and a new venue for me called Lloyds Meadow with the club. Badger lake was the venue and apparently it is very clear as you can see fish mooching about, so quite an odd venue in that respect.
 |
| Permanent peg 8 on Badgers pool |
I kicked off across "dobbing" a piece of corn in about 3ft of water to see what was lurking under the brambles across and immediately had a ghostie of around 2lb. But then that was basically it tight over.
I have ended up dobbing a Choc Orange expander all around the peg. Sometimes flicking towards the ghosties, but generally working across the peg in an arc fishing around 3ft deep in 7ft of water and have caught the odd carp without feeding a thing. I was told that there are mirrors and commons sat below the ghosties that you cannot see and that they will snatch at a slow sinking bait.
Later on down the track I have caught a couple of stamp fish fishing a soft pellet over micros. 58lb 13oz has given me another match win from a venue I will definitely re-visit. I imagine with a few less bodies and decent weather a big weight is on the cards. The owner also stated that one of the lakes (Kingfisher) has Perch to over 4lb so I fancy a dabble at them one day too.
 |
| Part of 58lb 13oz on Badger Lake |
Having sneaked into the final almost by default, I was looking forward to getting upto wrightington on the canal I have not fished before. Unfortunately autumn has well and truly arrived and it was freezing! The pegging was a bit strange too where the all pegs were put in and the 16 of us just sat where we ended up. This meant I was sandwiched between two anglers who each had 2 pegs either side of them spare.
I felt I fished a really tidy match here fishing across in 3ft I nabbed 4 carp in the first hour on an expander over micros. But I felt the fish were coming into the micros and kicking them all over the shop giving me liners and foul hookers. A quick change to a shallow rig and hard 4mms helped me catch nice and steady for the next couple of hours. Mirror carp around 2lb a piece. The chap next door was fishing meat down the track at mid-depth and was catching some real dogs. My last hour was very slow and I had a sense it would cost me.
 |
| Peg 26 Wrightington Canal |
I was proved right with Old Mike Beattie next door pipping me by 3lb. My 54lb 15oz was enough for 2nd and I cant help thinking that with a little bit of room I could have won.
Speaking of Mike, I remember him winning loads of matches around our way when I first began match fishing (25 years ago) and although he is now a ripe old pensioner he can still nail our hats on. I reminded him we were in the same national team 20 years ago and he didnt have a clue! His memory might not be the best but I hope I can still fish a bit like him when I get to his age.
As we enter into October we have 3 more rounds left of our club season and then its onto Partridge lakes for the Saturday winter league with my Burt Baits team mates.
Good luck
Dave
