Telling's Times: Manor Farm Festival

Friday 18 May 2012

Manor Farm Festival

Day One

Peg 26 Island
57lb (30lb of skimmers)
5th in 12 peg section

Was a little disappointed with the draw and was always going to be up against it, as there is a lot of pressure on the water especially in the corner. I decided to fish the pole all match, and caught on and off, and mainly skimmers and tench and caught these fish half a meter past the feed. Worm and caster was the best bait and only wished I feed to long lines and rotated between the two, as 70lb won the section and a 61lb was 3rd. So a couple more fish would have gave me some vital points!

Fished light, 0.5 gram float in 6 foot of water, with 0.145 main line and 0.115 hooklength to 18 hook. 4 inches overdepth and let it drag through! The 1gram rig holding it still didn't work, which was surprising.

Day Two

Peg 37 Island
67lb
2nd in section

After yesterdays result, only 30lb come off here, and was concerened that this could be another bad week! Wind was straight in the face, and was going to be wet and wild. This wasn't going to be ideal and was hoping to catch done the edge. So going to fish dead reds and loose groundbait down the edge and again fish worms, and have a pellet line at 45 degree angle.

Pellet line was very weak, only result in one skimmers even though feed it for five hours! Worm line was good in small stages, and edge result in one carp. Was VERY suprised to weigh in 67lb, thought I had 40lb, and won £50 for my 6 peg section and was only 4lb off winning the 12 peg section. Lost a couple of fish as well. Lost another point through my human error........

With seven points, need three good results

Day Three

Peg 6 Island
103lb
2nd in section

Very pleased with the peg, and one of the best pegs I have drawn for a long time. However, with only one 8lb carp in the thirty minutes my four method rods seemed to be wasted. Beginning to think my Bait tech Karma isn't the right mix.

Came on the pole, that I have feed three times (every ten minutes) and it was soild. I had 9 F1's in 30 minutes. Then it went iffy for an hour, missed bites, couple foul hookers and a couple of roach. So refed at 13 meters and went on the method feeder, and caught nothing for 15 minutes. So beginning to worry, went back on worm line at 13 meters and again caught nothing. Need to make important descison, so decided to start a new worm line at 16 meters and this paid off and went on to catch all F1's and weighed 106lb to win six peg section again and come 2nd.

Matt Smith in action again

Day Four

Peg 18 Boundary
21lb
5th in section

Tightly pegged and wind blowing down the other end of the lake, this could be end of my festival. Started on the method and caught 1 F1 in thirty minutes and then went on the pole and for an hour I caught 1 bream, then played 12lb carp for forty minutes (an angry common on 0.10 hooklength) and 2 roach (one of which was about 1lb 4oz). And then for 3 hours I never had a bite! I feed 6mm pellets at 25 meters, and decided to get all my extensions and "tapped" at 21 meters and resulted in 4lb ghost carp and bump one in the last ten minutes. Gutted, lost out on my six peg section by a couple of pound and got wasted by the early pegs where the wind was.

In reflection, I needed to land that carp quicker as the fish only fed on the bottom for 1 hour 30 mins and then the odd fish were up in the water! Lost 1 point by 4oz, then a couple of pound. Human error again....... lack of acknowledge on the water. Dog Biscuit is a method that I do need to consider to learn for next year’s festival. But is firing in 100's of dog biscuits over the lake a fair tactic? Manor is a venue that has very few rules, which I do believe is a good thing as it encourages all levels of anglers to fish.

Day Five

Peg 14 Island
65lb
5th in section
(19 points, blow out)

I had to come 1st or 2nd in my section to do any good, so Method and Pole was the tactic I employed. Again only one carp in 30 mins and the pole was slow, and after hour I was flying, and I domean flying, and like a light switch it was over. No experince of the week is to keep cool and it will come back, and guess what it didn't! I started a new line at 16 meters at 1pm and it was soild in the last 20 mins and caught 7 F1's! Too little too late. Again got done by 1lb for another 1 point. And took a BIG battering off Mark Malin who double my weight by fishing a method feeder and caught some lumps at 6 meters late.

I had beat either side put together for 4 days and got hammered to death on the last day! Fair play to Mark. I think I finish 17th out of 95 anglers, so very disappointed but this was first year and already looking forward to next year.