For the Todber matches, I need to leave around 6:30 to get there for breakfast so I always set my alarm an hour earlier to give me plenty of time. Well, best laid plans and all that, you can probably guess what’s coming next! I somehow slept through three alarms and Nick phoning me at 7:30 and eventually answered him calling again at 8:00!!!! Rushing around like a headless chicken, I told him to let them know I was still fishing.
I had to stop to get fuel so bought a roll from Greggs while I was there but of course their coffee machine was broken when I really needed a caffeine fix! As I continued on my way, Guy phoned to let me know which peg I’d drawn and the way things were going, I was resigned to hear him say 62 or 63 but was pleasantly surprised when he said I was on 68 again.
When I eventually arrived at 9:25, I quickly popped in the shop to pay my pools and buy some bait before heading up to the lake. With half an hour before the all in, I hastily set up a couple of rigs and was just about ready. In complete contrast to last Saturday the lake was flat calm so hopefully I’d be able to fish the pole today (which was handy as I didn’t have time to set a feeder rod up anyway!). My neighbours for the day were Andy A on 67 and Adrian Dew the other side so I knew it must be a decent area!
I fed lines at top kit plus three and 14.5 metres with little nuggets of groundbait and a few maggots before starting short. It wasn’t fast and furious and after 45 minutes I only had two skimmers for 1.5lb although that wasn’t too bad as far as I could tell. Andy and Ade were fishing their long lines and when they both had big skimmers in quick succession, I felt I had to follow suit but I couldn’t get a bite.
I thought it might be a case of being patient for odd better fish but two hours passed and I still hadn’t added anything else to my tally! Andy was getting odd fish while Ade was catching some big skimmers as was Phil to his right. I’ve finally had a small skimbob but then pulled out of a proper one which wasn’t ideal. I did have a little run of fish (an ide, a perch and two skimmers) but that was it and I’d really struggled.
The scales started at the far end and Roy had done well on 75 weighing 14lb 4oz, Rich N had 1lb 1oz, Clive B on 73 weighed 5lb 14oz, Nick P had 8lb 2oz, Martin chucked back and then Phil just pipped Roy to go into the lead with 14lb 5oz before Ade had 20lb 5oz of big skimmers to continue his great run of form. Photos courtesy of Todber Manor*
Roy had 14lb 4oz of skimmers on the feeder*
Phil was second with 14lb 5oz*
Adrian had some big skimmers to win with 20lb 5oz*
My fish went 5lb 6oz, Andy had 9lb 9oz, Pete N didn’t weigh, Mark Harper on 64 had 4lb and then Ade West had done well on 62 with 11lb 2oz of skimmers.
From hero to zero in the space of a week on the same peg!*
Andy weighed 9lb 9oz*
Ade West did well on unfancied peg 62 with 11lb 2oz*
1 – Adrian Dew (Todber) – 20lb 5oz
2 – Phil James (Todber) – 14lb 5oz
3 – Roy Worth (Todber) – 14lb 4oz
Adrian gave me the two nuggets he won as the charity total reached £592.
Adrian won the nuggets (and the match)*
There’s still a great offer running if you fancy treating yourself to some new fishing gear, use the exclusive discount code AgainstMenandFish10 to get 10% off when you shop online at Somerset Angling
Also I still have copies of my book available from eBay here or Amazon here
And if you could spare five minutes to leave a nice review on Amazon, it would be very much appreciated.
Next up – Summerhayes
Coming soon – Lots more match reports
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