Fish O Mania - Monks Lake

Peg 142

61lb 

2nd in section in my ten peg section

No good (66lb on peg 146)

So tired after getting up at 3.45am, the earlier I've got up for a while!!!  Then felt even more drained after a 3.5 hour journey.   On arrival to the venue, I was amazed how big it was and after a BIG breakfast and an energy drink I was ready for action. I drew peg 142, which meant nothing to me, as I've never been here before. I was told by some of the regulars told me that the lake is full of small carp (stockies) up to 3lb and I was on a point if Island and last year an angler was second overall on peg 135 ish.

The water levels was low. There was rocks across the Island, which limited me to pole and more pole. Pluming at 16 meters it was very shallow.  The bait limit is 8 pints of loose bait, 1kg worms and 2kg dry groundbait.  So I took;

3 pints of meat

3 pints of maggots

2 pints of pellet (4mm and 6mm)

2kg of Bait Tech special G.

I caught a 2lb carp at 15 meters first chuck and then a Rudd. Quickly realised I should be at 5 meters, as the lad next to me was catching short on pellet. So I went in at 5 meters and caught steady for 40 mintues on 6mm meat. Just tossed potted 4mm meat over the top.   Unfortunatly this didn't last and bites dried up until the last hour. Despite priming a few lines, margins failed to produce and really frustrating I had fish topping infront of me all day, but couldn't cast to them. The guy next to me on peg 141 chucked across and hooked several, but only managed to get one across the rocks, where he had maybe 6 inches of water. Whereas I had an beach..... don't understand why the water levels were low? As it seemed to be 2 foot to 18 inches down.

Dan Brydon won today with 220lb. On peg 2 on Bridge.  Well done mate, good luck for the Fish O Mania Final.

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