It seems like ages since I mentioned the MK Nugget matches, mainly due to circumstances beyond our control, but both Mick and I were booked into the Tuesday Open at Alders Farm. We would also have a good turnout with 17 anglers booked in. Trevor was busy preparing orders for shipment but would fish. A welcome sight was Mark Quick fishing again, he spends a lot of time at Alders yet rarely get his gear out. All the usual suspects were there but also some faces I had not seen before. Lads from Dunstable and even one lad from Stoke. I thought Colin, Ernie and Aidy travelled a bit.
We had the Café bank and the first four pegs on the shallows as well as a couple of pegs on the Dam Wall leaving 23 to 26 spare for any pleasure anglers.
With everyone handing over their money and pools and peg fees sorted, it was onto the draw. Lee Newson on peg 1, Colin Spencer on peg 2 (does he fish any other bank) Stuart Theobald on 3, Trevor Price on 4, my Nemesis Mick on 5, Aidy Freeman on 6. Henry Williams on 7 and Ash Bunnage on 8. Terry Lancaster was on 10 with Dennis Simpson on 12. Tim Jolley on 15, Ernie Waterfall on 18 with Mark Quick on 21( when he does fish he can half draw), Paul Higgins on 27 with Owen Smith on 28. I drew peg 29 with Derek Smith drawing end peg 30.
Looking at the draw beforehand I thought Colin and Del would take some stopping, But with Trevor 4 anything was possible, the rest I thought would have a good match and it would be close for the minor places.
I started my match fishing a topkit plus one as I found whilst plumbing up that it was a little deeper here. Going out to 2+2 would see the peg shallow up about 2inches, not a lot but maybe a difference. I did spend a lot of time plumbing up especially in the margins as there are odd holes scattered about the lake. I was fishing my normal corn but today I wanted to try something different. I potted a full pot into the swim followed by a pot of 4mm fishery pellet and started the throw afterwards. I do not normally do this but needed to try things out. However it did not seem to work too well, I had 8 fish in the first hour and although doing ok in the match as the pegs opposite were struggling I was not confident in the peg getting better. I primed up both margins with loose fed corn and had a quick look down both taking one fish from the right hand side.
Back out to the long line this time 2+2 and up the ledge, this was better and a steady stream of 2lb fish were coming to the net. With 3 hours gone I reckoned on having 30 fish but they were small and taking an age to land. It was a case of plugging away, I could see the far bank catching including Mick and could hear splashing in Del's peg and Owen's next door so it was blinkers on time. Hour 4 saw me catching a couple of fish and then waiting for bites. I had another quick look down both edges and although fish were swirling in the peg, I could not get any positive takes. I would now leave this until the last half hour. Still putting a few fish in the net on 2+2 held short on single corn before a rig was trashed and I decided to spend the last amount of time down the left hand edge. At last a couple of 4lb fish were biting and although I had 6 in as many put ins, at the end they just came to late for me.
Overall
1st Aidy Freeman Peg 7 265-05
2nd Del Smith Peg 30 254-09
3rd Colin Spencer Peg 2 229-14
4th Mark Quick Peg 21 186-12
5th Trevor Price Peg 4 174-05
6th Mick Wright Peg 5 167-05
7th Keith Ashby Peg 29 166-12
Another match over and only one left before a couple of weeks in the sun for me. The lake fished well again after a slow start and it was noticeable that those who carried on feeding throughout the quiet spells caught in the end. I must also admit defeat to Mick, who has started his comeback in the MK Nugget stakes to make it 7-1. It is only on loan Mick and I want it back. I mean 9oz is only half a fish.
