Preparation
We had some lovely warm weather about 12 days before the match. However that only lasted two days and then we returned to near arctic conditions with nights below zero and snow showers that could popup at any time. This cold snap lasted all the way to the match day so it didn’t look good for the pond.
I decided to get some practice so fished it a week before the match. I chose the deeper swims (peg 12) where I had the stockie carp previously. The day started ok with quite a few bites that resulted in a few Ide and Roach but dried up after the first hour and a half. I put in some feed and groundbait and gave the page a break for 30 minutes or so. Upon my return I had a Bream of 6lb. I then had a solitary small Mirror Carp (another of those stocked last year). Later I had another Bream, this time 5lb 8oz on the feeder (sweetcorn and worm). I finished the day with one more Bream of about 4lb 8oz.
Second practice
Two days before the match I decided to try one of the pegs that I have not fished before (peg 26). It was a very cold start to the day and I struggled to get a bite for the first hour and a half. Then I managed a few Ide and Roach and also got one of the small Tench that was stocked last year. At 3:40, twenty minutes before the planned match end, I got a lovely Bream of about 6lb giving me a total net of 10lb. I would be happy with that in the match!
Match Day
I awoke to frost on the grass and an iced up car - not a good start. I just hoped to draw one of the deeper pegs. I had broken my chair a couple of weeks ago but had a idea of how to patch it up until my new seatbox arrives (more of that later).
I was very happy to draw peg 11 in the deeper part of the pond. I started to get bites from the off and managed a few small Ide and Roach. I also got another two of the small Mirror Carp and pulled out of a skimmer. The guys either side of me seemed to be catching similar amounts.
Then at lunchtime, it went dead. I tried corn and worm on the feeder for an hour and got nothing. I then had a very barren afternoon with just a few shy half-bites but no fish. When it got to 15 minutes before the end of the match I thought that the chances of a Bream had gone.
Late breaking news….
Then, with ten minutes to go I hit into a nice Bream. My heart was in my mouth just hoping that I would not pull out of it as I had a skimmer earlier in the day. Thankfully I got it in and could not wait for the weigh-in.
Result
I ended up finishing second. Not bad for my first match in 25 years. You could call it luck but I have managed at least one big Bream on every visit to the pond this year when others have not.
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