Gandhi's Angle

Now Fur and Feather matches rekindle the spirit of fishing in my mind. No big money prizes to be won, just a bottle or two for Xmas, maybe a few small stocking fillers. A reminder of those halycon days where the winner recieved a turkey and a bottle, down to pheasants,chickens and rabbits as prizes for the lower placings. Many of these matches saw anglers double the normal turnout for a club match.So when Richie Dell asked about a Midlands Fur & Feather match on the maggotdrowning.com website I eagerly put my name down. The venue was localish so no real problems getting there. There is nothing worse than travelling through the pitch black winter nights and then have to do it again going home. Surprisingly leading upto the event only seven anglers had put their names down to fish. I know it was winter, but feel that Richie was a little let down by the response. Still he did not cancel so we braved the freezing cold wind and rain to show how insane us anglers are at times. After a cup of tea in the onsite cafe the draw was made thinking that the far side of SWALLOW lake would be best, as this offered the greatest protection from the elements. Now Richie had known the lake had been switched from Brook to Swallow on the Thursday beforehand, but had seemed to forget to tell anyone else. Dodgy as the two lakes require different approaches.

Personally I drew peg 7 which mean't I was on Peg 25. Strange, I know,but it is a maggotdrowning match and nothing ever seems to go right on them. I had planned to fish at 9m for my main line with a margin swim close to a pallet in the water to my left. Bait was pellet and corn feeding micro pellets and a few expanders. I had also brought some new Atomic Cloud with me to try out. I started off with a half drennan pot of micro with a few GOT 4mm Expanders in with a single 6mm expander on the hook. Rig wise it was an old rig I had used at Stafford Moor (well it close to the right depth and had a size 16 B911 on, so it would do). However, after the first couple of bites from skimmers I felt the hookbait and hook were a problem, the fish seemed to be mouthing the bait for too long before a positive bite took place. I switched over to a size 18 B911 and a 4mm expander on the hook. More positive dips on the float took place and although the fish were small they were still coming to the net.By this time the wind was causing a problem as although only fishing at 9m it was ripping the pole all over the place and blowing fish off the hook whilst swinging them in. So a quick look down the side followed. Nothing, even though the depth was good, so I fed a cup of Aniseed Atomic Cloud into the swim and first put in over it resulted in a carp of about 1lb on sweetcorn. None of his mates followed so it was back out onto the 9m line. Still the skimmers and small blade roach came.

 It soon became apparent that the carp were not playing ball and it would be a tight afair with low weights being recorded down our end of the lake. For company, I had Peter on peg 23 in the corner, Lee Johnson on 21 and the match organiser on 19. Lee was catching small stuff and had snagged a small carp around the 1lb mark. Peter was foul hooking too many small fish. Richie was getting a few but could not keep them coming. Me, I was plodding along catching whatever swam in front of me. I managed to sneak another small carp around the 8oz mark and Lee followed soon after. Peter started connecting with a few silvers and was building a reasonable weight given the conditions.

At the end of a very enjoyable 5 hours, I was soaked, wind beaten and could not wait to pack up. I knew Lee had done me as in the last hour I sat it out for a carp in the knowledge that one fish could win me the match, however it was not to be and the time messing around cost me the skimmers I would have caught. My 7lb 6oz was enough for third overall with Lee managing top spot with 9lb 8oz and Ray( sorry did not catch his last name) taking second with 8lb 4oz from the other side of the lake.

I had been waiting for over 15 years to get a day ticket for this water. A very private estate lake stuffed full of big carp, tench and roach.Well it was all those years ago. Very scenic, like most estate lakes that have carried the tradition that Inigo Jones set all those years ago whilst planning the magnificent houses that accompanied them.

The lake in question is around an acre in size and with overhanging willows, decaying lily pad beds scattered all across the lake and deer running behind you at every turn. Every time my sponsor spoke of the lake it was a tale of lost fish. The desire to get amongst them was growing. I had agreed to meet my fellow anglers, Steve, his grandson Connor and fellow workmate Mick at 0715 and on driving the 5 minute journey to the lake, we were soon unloading the gear from the cars. My first reaction was to think it had grown. When you have not fished a water for so many years you lose all sense of proportion of what it is really like. Those halycon summer days of full bodied lilies and tree lined margins, every peg had a feature during those bright, long days. Today the lily pads had died down to a odd pad scattered on the surface collecting leaves as they drifted past. Those leaves were making a carpet on the bank. Welcome to winter. The first frosts of the year preceded the much awaited day of action.

I had decided to tackle the water with a simple set up. A margin pole for whatever swam close enough and waggler further out in the open water. Bait was simple enough with sweetcorn and pellets. A couple of pouches went flying out to the 25m mark followed by a 2 1/2AAA crystal waggler lightly shotted down the line with a size 16 B911 tipped with a single grain of corn. Another pouch of pellets sank into the 3ft depth. The margin swim was being fed by hand as I have started to believe that cupping in tends to congregate fish into a too tighter area and by spreading the feed cuts down on the amount of foul hookers.

After an hour I had not even had a single bite, no indications regardless of depth changes, bait switches or method tried. After speaking to my friends on the day, a switch to the sunnier side of the lake saw us packing up and moving, hoping the slightly warmer water might spark the odd fish into taking one of our baits. I replumbed the waggler line and found it slightly shallower than the opposite bank. First cast out and whilst feeding the margin swim, the float dipped and a missed bite, lightning quick I had missed my only bite of the day. At least I had one and where there is one hopefully there would be another. I decided to fire out a few grains of corn along with some more pellets and this time the float dipped and I was into my first Wakefield fish for a long time. After a bit of persuasion with a bent doubled waggler rod, steering the still unseen fish through the maze of pads saw a big bed of weed come into the net followed by a pristine tench of around 5 1/2lb. It's red eye glinting at me whilst I removed the offending weed and hook it was returned safely after a rest in the landing net. Nearby I could see Mick playing a fish taken from the margins on big chunks of luncheon meat. A football shaped carp of around 15lb graced his net. Perhaps things were picking up.

Another 40minutes went by before my next bite, again on the waggler with corn. This time the first run never seemed to stop, pulling line from the reel like no tomorrow. Eventually I managed to turn the fish and started pumping it back. After what seemed an eternity and some more line off the reel and then back a carp of around 14lb was seen foul hooked in the tail. I did not want to lose it at this stage and with careful play on the clutch it slid over the waiting net, just. This common was extreely long in shape and was quite narrow across the back. I decided after another 1/2 hor with no more bites to pack up as I had to take my daughter to work.

As I walked back around the lake to say my goodbye's and Thanks,I glimpsed Mick into another fish, this time he was walking up the back and then back again, holding the rod halfway along the second section trying to play his capture into open water. Another pristine carp followed his first.

I have been promised another ticket for 2008, when the weather warms up a bit and the glorious sight of the lake can be seen in its full glory. I cannot wait.