Friday 10 March 2017

Drennan Alders Farm Pines Lake 10 03 17

A little bit of a change from the norm today, I did not fish a match and have to work all weekend so getting out is impossible. So a pleasure session was on the cards. Originally both Mick and I had planned a trip to Meadowlands to plunder the carp and get some practice in for the May festival at Stafford Moor. However reading the rules, they do not allow 8mm pellets until April, so a quick change of venue was called for. We both like Pines Lake at Alders Farm so that was the venue sorted.
Tackle and baits were swapped around, no bombs or wagglers were going in my bag. I fancied a day on the corn. This has not worked properly since everyone started catching on the maggot, so I thought it was time to give it a go. If it did not work it won't cost me anything, if it worked I could be one step ahead of the game.
Mick fancied getting his elastics sorted for our Marsh matches so it benefited us both. Mick wanted to sit on peg 1, a peg he had never fished before, so I snuck in on peg 2 to keep him company.I set up to fish 3 lines, one at 12.5m, another at 5m and a margin swim to the post. Floats were DT Open water diamonds set on .20 Stream to a size 16 B911X a bulk just above halfway to allow a slow drop in the final third. Only difference was I set up a .5g float for 5m and .6 for the longer line. The margin was one of my favourite floats. a Del Smith Green, again .20 to a size 16 B911X.
At the all in, I started off by potting in a small pot of pellet and corn to 12.5 and a pot of the new Groundbait being developed by Trevor Price at GOT Baits to the right hand margin. I threw half a dozen grains of corn to 5m and started off fishing at 12.5m. Mick starting off on the pellet feeder to the corner, so much for sorting elastics.
Second put in at 12.5 saw a nice common about 5lb grace the net, next put in a skimmer around 2lb. Lovely fish in perfect condition. After half an hour I had put three carp in the landing net plus the skimmer. I had been throwing three of four grains every minute to the top 4 line and fancied it would produce so dropped onto it earlier than I would do normally, 10 fish in the next hour plus a couple more skimmers before the line slowed, I would still get bites but was waiting longer for them.
A quick look over the GB saw a common around the 7lb mark trying to get around the post before succumbing to the black hydro, but nothing else. Back to 5m and tried to fish the bait a little up the shelf, it only varied by about 2 inches but it seemed to have the desired effect as I was soon sitting on 27 carp.
Mick had ditched the feeder and was catching on a topkit both sides, but I felt I was always in front. Terry, Trevor and Jim had all come to be nosy and see how it was fishing as there is an Open there on Sunday.
Another look at 12.5m , a couple of skimmers and smaller stamp carp around 3lb, before again dying. Back to 5m and I was still feeding small amounts of corn, I felt a change was needed so potted a pot of the groundbait to see if this made any difference. Do not get me wrong, I was catching just feeding corn, but the difference over the GB was an eye opener. From proper buries on the float I was getting smaller indications and after missing a few, I started to connect well and soon boosted the weight to over the ton. Mick was trying a different GB and again the fish were more positive over the GB rather than the loose feed.
When the time was up, Mick ending up with 30 fish for around 120lb, myself with 45 fish for a good 150lb plus 7 skimmers for another 15lb. One thing I will say is that there were few small twisters showing, I think we both had one each, were the average fish was around 4 1/5lb. Perhaps the corn will have its day again. Who knows but I will definitely be giving it another run out. Shame there was no MK Nugget on it.