Manor Farm Lesiure - Open

Peg 35 Island Pool
31lb 2oz
5th overall... no good
13 anglers fished

I guess I was due a bad draw, you can't keep drawing flyers / bung holes....... peg 35 Island has been quite poor of late, my second best mate had 12lb off peg 36.  So not good..... freezing wind and 4.5 foot deep, can't see carp been there?  Sure enough I was struggling..... but Gary Watts had 7 before i finally found 1 F1.  Clipped up when struck into fish, then chucked into same area with yellow meat, and 4lb angry turbo common carp.  Another chuck, no bites..... no problem..... stripped off 5 meters of line..... another carp... 5lb mirror!  Errrr that was my lot... searched my peg for nothing.

Pole was ok for skimmers, but no F1's or carp.  Looking bad, especially as peg 6 (best peg in Europe) and Paul started catching on peg 14 in last hour.  So my potential section default prize was rapidly disappearing.  So onto lead, as carp were feeding now.  Errrrr no bites.  So 31lb for a no good in the match, but enjoyed catching rhe skimmers.

If you like the articles written here please respect my copyright ©  For any use of content (words and images) please contact me

Manor Farm Leisure - Round 5 Winter League

Peg 22 Windmill Pool
54lb
2nd on lake/section
34 people fished (3 no shows)

I was almost last to draw, running late, just for a change 😂.  I drew peg 22 Windmill, which has been alright, so hoped for some decent points.... need a section win to stand any remote chance of getting last in frame, which looks VERY dobutful.

A section win was going to be difficult to acheive, Mark Malin on peg 24 Windmill which is normally great peg, but water level been very low, it could be a struggle.  Ben Sutor on peg 26 Windmill has been very good, Dixey's on peg 10 and 29 and Luke Newton on peg 15 (but the wind is going to be cruel on that peg).

Really slow start.  Only caught roach on everything I done.  I caught 6oz roach on bomb on 3 x 12mm discs of bread (unreal).  Hard pellet line was pants, odd roach again.  1.5 hours in, it was looking bad.  Mark had a F1 and a few bits and bobs, Ben was emptying it, but everyone else apparently was struggling, only a few fish caught.

Decided to go 18 meters down the edge and it was solid with small stocky F1's.  Couldn't believe my luck, apart from the wind, tested my lack of muscles.  Decided to chuck the lead, i had one F1, second chuck and no more 😠.

Last forty mintues I had a few fish on the hard pellet line at 13 meters, but wasn't great.

Pleased to come 2nd on lake.  But 17 points, league is over.  Would need a mircale to happen to get last in frame.  All points are below and with weights.

If you like the articles written here please respect my copyright ©  For any use of content (words and images) please contact me

Harescombe Fishery - Field Lake

Peg 8
78lb
Second overall
7 fished

Another local trip to Harescombe Fishery, on Field Lake.  Only 7 of us turned up, which was maybe a better thing, as more pegs in the "bottom bowl", so more chance a good/great days fishing.  Lucky enough i drew in my opinion "sock on", peg 8, in tge middle of the dam wall.

Started on bomb and bread at 50cm for no bites and then shallowed it down to 30 cm and the tip went round after 30 mintues.... no more bites..... onto the pole and one skimmer.... not looking good.  So decided to big pot some mircos and maggots at 13 meters down the peg, out the way..... rested it for 20 mintues and caught 2 small carp ans couple skimmers, but Steve Brown was whopping my arse.  Had been pinging pellets at 14.5 meters and thankfully it come alive and a caught 11 carp on the deck.  4mm coppins pellets.

A few stunning fish in Field Lake.

Jon Walker pellet diamond.  

If you like the articles written here please respect my copyright ©  For any use of content (words and images) please contact me

Manor Farm Leisure - Windmill Pool

Peg 29
30lb
Won section (default)
Third overall
8 fished

After the weather i was expecting a hard match.  Hoped to draw pegs with an island as this gives your options of shallow water..... anyway drew peg 29.  Which can be a good peg.

As i felt this would be a tough match and a low weight could be needed, then i feed a silver line from the beginning, which os something I don't do oftened at Manor Farm Leisure to be honest.  So I feed 3 balls of Dark Super Blend out of the way (down the peg) with some dead reds.

Come the weigh in, I hard 5 f1's and a small carp for 19lb and 11lb of bits and bobs over the silver line.

If you like the articles written here please respect my copyright ©  For any use of content (words and images) please contact me

Harescombe Fishery - Field Lake

Peg 8
21lb (4 carp)
4th ("last")
11 fished

This feast or fammie eg this time of year, and the lwst few weeks it has been very tough.  My last match saw me on peg 7, which is EVEN shallower than mine.

Started on bomb and bread, and then a chuck on yellow meat for no bites on either.  Decided to feed the pole lines after 30 mintues and caught 3 carp on 4mm Spottedfin Expanders and that was my lot.  Unreal.  Lost one down the edge, broke me and then had one small carp down the edge on 4mm pellet at 2 O'clock.

Back again sunday, hoping for a draw.  Ive had 6 visits this winter and had 2 wins and 4 lasts!!!

If you like the articles written here please respect my copyright ©  For any use of content (words and images) please contact me

Manor Farm Leisure

Peg 21 Middle Pool
33lb
Won section (by default)
23 fished

My last 3 matches at Manor Farm Leisure has seen me draw Middle Pool three times!!! Unfortunately its been third time unlucky, as ive draw peg 21 on Middle Pool, not area you wanna be at all!!

So my mind set, is to look for ten bites from carp on single hook baits on the lead, this was going to be a tough match.  On the bread and lead for no bites or liners, too many people fishing bread these days, so quick change to smelly meat..... and two quick fish for ten pound and that was my loy.  Onto the pole at 14.5 meters after an hour of priming..... no bites.  Looking at our end of the lake, it was tough......  back on lead for 40 mintues and no bites.  So realising now, there is no or VERY few carp at this end of the lake, i decided to fish mircos and expander pellets on the pole for skimmers..... good job as this won me the section.  The lead was dead.

Gear used

Garbolino UK1 pole

Hard Pellet rig

0.2 JON WALKER FLOAT
0.14 Garbolino fluro line
0.11 Shimano Silk
18 B911
1.5mm Vespe Bi Core elastic

Expander pellet rig

0.4 JON WALKER FLOAT
0.12 Garbolino fluro line
0.08 Colmic Stream
18 B911
3-5 J Range elastic

If you like the articles written here please respect my copyright ©  For any use of content (words and images) please contact me

Manor Farm Leisure - Round 4 winter league

Peg 3 Middle
94lb
1st on lake
1st overall
37 fished

Going into the 4th Round of the Manor Farm Leisure winter league i needed loads of luck, and i had drawn peg 3 Middle Pool, which has been pretty good normally.  So hoped for a good days fishing..... with 15 pemtly points my league is almost dead, 99% not a chance, however theres slight chance of MAYBE getting in the frame with 3 section wins?

My match started with bread lead looking for brain dead fish (mug fish... idiot fish) which resulted in one F1 about 1lb.  That was my lot.... onto the pole and pellet and had a carp about 9lb.  So off came the "girly gear" and onto "mans gear" (hope this doesn't offend anyone.... what a P.C. world we live in especially with the issues of tissues).  This was a good move, as the carp were good stamp and FULL of energy.  So stepped to 2.5mm elastic and 0.145 hooklength.

Simple match, just loose feed 4mm pellet abd fished a 4mm of a lasso.  Really simple

So i have 16 points.  10 points is last in..... with the cold weather and so poor areas everything could happen..... but not looking good for me, so two league matches left, so for me two open matches in my eyes and i pray for two bung holes!!!

If you like the articles written here please respect my copyright ©  For any use of content (words and images) please contact me

Manor Farm Leisure

Peg 25 Middle
42lb
Won section/lake by default
4th overall
17 fished

After a few days of stress and hassle from work, i was pleased to get out fishing.  Felt i was due some luck, which came in the form of peg 25 Middle Pool.  I would regard this as a great draw.... "draw my plums off"

I really did struggled to catch, and to be honest I wasn't sure what do, as no one was really catching and I was getting no bites, so had nothing to work off.  The lead and bread was fruitless and smelly meat was also unproductive.... no liners and honestly, no topping fish in my peg.

I had a small run at the end, 2 proper carp and 1 f1 in the last 50 mintues at 18 meters to the rope.

I caught everything on the pole, apart from one rudd on the waggler,  disappointing to be honest.  I had 4 Carp, 4 F1's, 5 skimmers and 1 rudd for 42lb.  Got my section by default....

Gary Watts beat for me, so put me 4th overall.  Glen Picton (aka #bestinthewest) won the match with 53lb.

Gear used

Garbolino UK1 pole

Hard Pellet rig

0.2 JON WALKER FLOAT
0.14 Garbolino fluro line
0.11 Shimano Silk
18 B911
1.5mm Vespe Bi Core elastic

Expander pellet rig


Gear used

0.4 JON WALKER FLOAT
0.12 Garbolino fluro line
0.08 Colmic Stream
18 B911
3-5 J Range elastic

If you like the articles written here please respect my copyright ©  For any use of content (words and images) please contact me