The match was really just a simple win. I drew a good peg Jubilee 25 from where I’d won from a few weeks previous. I caught on the pole at 16 metres that day but with a strong sideways wind today even fishing at 13 metres proved impossible and for most of the match I could only fish one line close in. 

I started the match on the Bomb with bread but I didn’t really fancy it as this hasn’t really worked recently. So after 20 minutes I threw the rod up the bank and I started on the pole at 13 metres staight out in front of me fishing double red maggot on the hook and loose feeding red maggots over the top. I caught a few Roach and a small Crucian carp in the next 30 minutes and things were looking good but then the wind began to get up and I could not hold my pole float still. 

So I had to start a new line close in. I had a bush to my left at 6 sections and I felt with the wind coming from my righthand side I would be able to fish infront of the bush and hold my pole float steady there. I felt I needed to draw some fish in and kindered in a few micro pellets and began fishing double red maggot over the top. I caught another small Crucian Carp after 10 minutes so this give me the confidence to stay on this line longer and I began to catch some very small Roach. These fish were very small but at least I was catching. 

I changed to corn next because these small Roach weren’t going to win me anything and it looked like a few small Crucians were in the peg, so I kindered in a few more mirco’s and few grains of corn. The Roach bites stopped but no crucain bites came. I needed to change tactic’s. 

I decided to add another pole section on and began loose feeding red maggots a little heavier. I felt feeding a few maggots wasn’t the best way because the small roach seemed to be eating the maggots quickly and I wanted to get a carp in the swim. This heavier feeding worked and I caught a Carp after 20 minutes along with a few more small Roach and then another Crucain. 

So I decide to stay on this line for the rest of the match. I didn’t need to think about the Bomb rod or even the small method feeder I’d set up. Not much was being caught by the other anglers and at least I was putting fish in the net. I only needed a section win to win the winter warmer series and I could see I was winning the section so I decided just to stay on this “catch anything that swims line”. looking to catch small fish but with the chance of catching a bonus Carp. This proved the case and I went on to catch 3 carp, 3 Crucains and a dozen roach. Two of theses roach also were around the 8oz mark so I was happy just fishing to catch anything. 

I actually ended up winning the match with only 19lb 4oz. The pool didn’t really fish that well and the fishing was differcult with the strong blustery wind. So I could only fish the one line close in today. 

19 fished 

Rig – A winter Carp rig – 0.3g Nick Gilbert NG XT finesee Carbon HD pole float in 3.5 foot of water on 0.14mm Silstar matchteam mainline with strung out no.10 stotz’s above a 6 inch 0.12mm hook lenght to a size 18 B911 F1 hook. set up on a 10-12 hollo elastic with a puller bung.