Thursday costcutter at Shiplate farm

This week Steve decided to put us on the two canals, West pool and hawthorns, not to fussed really which one  I would like, but a day on Hawthorn would be nice as I havnt been on it for over 5years, after one of marks good breakfasts, (it was worth the wait) it was draw time, into the bucket and out comes 6 on Hawthorn, one or 15 would have been nice, but Mike nicholls and John Roberts got those. Only a short walk, and it did look nice, it was a tad overgrown against the far bank, Steve had trimmed westpool and he had done down as far as peg 9 on this pool, and he will finish the rest this week.

Rigs today , were a meat rig for 5 mtrs and down the slope each side, a pellet rig for the margins, and a shallow slapping rig just in case and a couple of pellet rigs for as close as I could get to the far side . All plumbed up and ready to go in time for the hooter, I began at 5mtrs on meat and had two carp in as many put ins, then it went a  bit strange with the fish wanting to come up, but I couldn't get one, so I binned the meat and began feeding pellet on that line, went straight across on the pellet, but it was torrid with lots of underwater bits making it all but impossible to get a clean fall for the pellet, so I started feeding to the left and right into what looked like quite clean areas, the left hand side was not to bad, but I had several altercations with an overhanging bramble , losing a few rigs and hooks, but I caught a few there, I tried a few times on the 5 mtr line shallow as it was fizzing and i did get a few , and they were bigger fish, 

I tried each side margin, but I wasn't feeling it as I couldn't get any indications, so most of the match was spent on the far bank, between the left and right hand spot, with the right hand spot being the best, catching quite well in spells with fish to 8lb, at the end I thought I may have 100lb , but my clicker was telling me a bit less. Mike nicholls on 1 had caught well early and late so I expected him to win the lake easily, when the scales  got to me 94lb was winning the lake (John hawkins) so I was a bit surprised to plonk 122lb on the scales, with mike winning the lake with 128, so closer than I thought, toweight on the day was gary(ned) flinders on west pool with 150lb, well done matey.

Weigh sheets below, on the whole it fished well, with the fish being in good condition, so the float only will be ok in a couple of weeks time, also Mark will be there cooking breakfasts on the day from 7.30, as it's only a small kitchen a bit of a heads up if you intend to have one there would help him as he can do a bit of prep.