Marsh AC Claygate Lake Eva 22 04 17

With my recent run of form I was dreading this match. History placed me on a peg that should never have been in the draw a couple of years ago and it still haunts me to this day. It was an end peg at the end of the lake with no depth and clear water all the way across, how I managed to weigh in that day amazed me. Still today was another day. Mick was driving today, so at least I could relax on the way down. After stopping off at Monks Lakes for a breakfast stick and a cup of tea, we were soon arriving at Claygate Lakes. It was busy with another match on Sophie's lake and plenty of pleasure anglers lining the Specimen Lake and half of our lake.
Unfortunately, this was the first match we had following the funeral on Friday of Martin Hucker, a longstanding member of the club who always had time for everyone. A few words from the Chairman Dave Collier and a small collection was made which will be passed onto his family at this sad time. Tight Lines up there Martin.
We had the railway bank and the straight up to the entrance. 18 pegs in total and from previous experiences everyone wanted to draw 17 or 18. The lake narrows here and by fishing up to a small island you can get plenty of bites. So where do I draw Peg 2, only slightly nearer to pegs 17 and 18 than Jim Boase on peg 1. However I was quite pleased as I could reach the large island with 12.5m although shipping back and forth is a nightmare with a railway line directly behind you and steep banks. I would have to break down twice to get to a top kit. Mick had drawn peg 7 and from where I was I could see if he was catching or not ( hopefully).
I decided to fish 4 lines today one at 12.5m where I had 3ft of water across to the island about a foot away. The next two lines were at 5m at 10 and 2 O'clock where it was around 4ft deep. My last line was down the edge to my right.The deeper rigs were DT Diamonds, .16 stroft to a B911 f1 size 16 with a bulk of shot 5 inches from the hook. Elastics were all white hydro bar the margin where I planned to use a soft black if required. Bait was 4mm GOT sinkers with a 6mm hard pellet or meat on the hook I did have some expanders with me as well.
At the all in we observed a minutes silence and proceeded onto the match. I cupped in a small amount of pellet onto the left hand 2+2 line and threw a dozen onto the right hand line. Another small pot to 12.5m before going across with the 3ft rig and a 6mm hard pellet, a few lift and drops and a small chub was soon in the net. A carp around 3lb followed before the F1s arrived in small numbers. After 30 minutes they disappeared and after re-feeding I had a look on the left hand 2+2 line, nothing, a look on the 2+2 line right and a couple of small F1s. Jim next door was getting a few F1s on maggot at the same distance but was also getting odd roach and skimmers. Terry was struggling but Mick and Clive were setting the pace according to the grapevine.By rotaing my lines I was able to keep fish coming throughout the day, they were not big fish, in fact the 3lb carp I had second put in was the biggest fish of my day. The bites were proper f1 bites, very delicate and I had to dot the float right down to see them but the white hydro was perfect for them.
At the all out I reckoned on 75lb consisting of around 50 fish. Mick was being quite coy about his weight and was just saying it was close. Not normally a good sign for me lately.
Jim was first to weigh and put a 53-00 starting weight. I upped that to 83-08 before Terry chipped in with a level 43-00. Mick was next and his two weighs pulled the scales round to 81-08, 2lb in it and he was right it was close to call, 1 fish in it. Clive was next  with 52-00 before turning up the straight. John put 29-04 losing out to Dave with 39-08. The dangerman in the club is Al, a cracking angler who is a sponge for knowledge. His weight of 73-08 was a great weight considering he is spending a fair bit of time coaching his son. Little Al was next with 12-12 before we come to the flyers,pegs 17 and 18. I was leading up to this point, but Tony and Chris had both not found a good run of fish. Tony blaming everything but himself for his failure to catch, however he pipped Chris with 40-00 dead to 39-08. Chris not catching his normal supply of silver maggot fish today.

Overall

1st Keith Ashby 83-08

2nd Mick Wright 81-08

3rd Al Loader 73-08

4th Jim Boase 53-00

5th Clive Pritchard 52-00

6th Terry Goff 43-00

So a welcome match win, after a dismal run of form. I do not win many matches so it is always nice to prosper. I have taken leave of one of Mick's MK Nuggets to make it 6-2 in his favour but the weather is turning and I do not give up easily.
My next match is May 6th at Coleman's Cottage Pathfield Lake, a venue I have fished before but not for a few years so it will be nice to renew acquaintances.
Finally RIP Martin Hucker, no longer in pain, sleep peacefully.