Manor Farm Leisure - Spring Festival

Manor Farm Leisure 2014 Festival.

This is the third year that i'm fishing the Manor Farm Festival.  Hoping to put the last two years mistakes right and hope for a few flyers on the way.

This year has been colder than the last 2 years of fishing the Manor Farm Leisure Festival.

The entry fee is £140, which is everything (pools and peg fee's).

The festival is decided on points, every day counts (can't drop your worst result). It's sections of ten or eleven and is a random draw each day. So you can be really lucky or potentailly every unlucky.

Day One

Peg 4 Ash.

2nd in section.

75 fishing.

I was pleased to draw Ash Pool again, as I made a few mistakes yesterday, which cost me the lake win and a frame place. 

However the weather couldn't be so different, as yesterday was wet and very wild (windy), and today was lovely and fish was topping everywhere. Peg 4 wouldn't be my first choice of peg, as you haven't got a edge peg and also it tends to be better in the middle of the lake. Peg 7 and 18 would be my preferred draws. 

Today's fishing match was going to be simple, pellets and more pellets. Was going to feed 4mm and 6mm's on the pole and dead maggots down the edge, which as 2 meters to my left.  So I put both my keepnets to my right, trying to create as less commotion and not spook these wary carp!!  It didn't work, I caught one ghost carp

SPRING FISHING FESTIVAL – DAY 1 – 12th MAY 2014

1ST TOM HOBBS 129-8-0
Peg 23 Middle

2ND SHAUN LITTLE 119-6-0
Peg 38 Island

JOINT 3RD KURTIS TRANTOR 117-0-0
Peg 5 Island

JOINT 3RD AIDAN MANSFIELD 117-0-0
Peg 6 Ash

5TH MARK MALIN 115-4-0
Peg 14 Island

6TH CHRIS TELLING 107-10-0
Peg 4 Ash

Day Two

Peg 24

76lb

2nd section

Peg 24 Island has been a tough area in recent times, it can throw up decent weights, but as an whole I would sooner stay away from this area, despite drawing it frequently!!!

As you haven't got the scope, as it's a short chuck to the island, only about 25 meters. So I opted to fish pole at the 5 meters, 13 meters, 15 to 17 meters and a method to the island. Also if it was really tough, a straight lead with boilie or smelly meat. 

I had 2 carp and a small F1 which would of gone 20lb on method feeder.  Then had a steady run if fish on the pole. But the last couple of hours were very tough, and could only nick the odd fish from here and there!!!  The surprise if the day, was catching a 2lb angrey eel!!

Was pleased to come 2nd in my ten peg section. Roll on day three. Praying for a decent draw!!

1ST SHAUN LITTLE 130-0-0
Peg 11 Ash

2ND AIDAN MANSFIELD 120-0-0
Peg 7 Ash

3RD JOHN CHAPMAN 102-8-0
Peg 16 Island

4TH JOHN DEVINE 102-0-0
Peg 6 Ash

5TH WAYNE KEARNEY 99-4-0
Peg 4 Island

6TH KEIRON WILSON 97-10-0
Peg 19 Middle

Day Three

Peg 35 Island.

80lb 8oz

3rd in section

Worms are beginning to work now with the decent weather, but we are all concerned about the fish starting to spawn.   I was going to plan my attack on pole with worms on the pole. Start on the method and hopefully catch a few early fish. I was next to Mark Malin, so got a challenge on my hands.

1ST MICK LANE 192-12-0
Peg 19 Middle

2ND DAVID HOWARD 145-14-0
Peg 6 Windmill

3RD COLIN WEBSTER 134-14-0
Peg 23 Island

4TH STEVE FORD 117-12-0
Peg 13 Island

5TH GRAHAM DIXON 115-6-0
Peg 17 Island

6TH JOHN CHAPMAN 113-8-0
Peg 34 Windmill

League Positions after 3 days:-
SHAUN LITTLE – 3 points
AIDAN MANSFIELD – 4 points
STEVE FORD, MARK MALIN – 5 points
JOHN DEVINE, KURTIS TRANTER – 6 points
CHRIS TELLING – 7 points

Day Four

Peg 37

39lb

3rd in section.

This was a super tough day, as it was red got and flat calm.  

I caught 20 skimmers, 2 small carp and 8 F1's. I was lucky as i just beat Shaun Little, as he had edge fish late. If Shaun would of had another 10 minutes he would of beat me!

Day five

Peg 24 Windmill

162lb

Won section 

Joint 5th overall

1ST CHRIS TELLING 162-6-0
Peg 24 Windmill

2ND STEVE PARTINGTON 127-12-0
Peg 17 Island

3RD MARK MALIN 116-0-0
Peg 12 Ash

4TH MICK LANE 109-0-0
Peg 13 Island

5TH FRANEK STANIUSZKO 103-12-0
Peg 20 Island

6TH PAUL LITTLE 100-4-0
Peg 5 Island

A bit like Milo Festival at White Acres, i do feel that i should of done better.  Fishing can be like chess, making the right decisions and been patient. 

In reflection i only caught once down the edge on festival, which was the last day, whereby i won the match off a flyer, but failed to caught on Boundary on the 4th day. Caught skimmers on worms, as predicted and couldn't catch in the last part of the match! Which was very important, as Shaun Little almost beat me, and caught 25lb in last 40 minutes! Whereas i struggled for 5lb! What a difference.

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