Sunday 28th February

Open at manor farm. 

A really good turn out, 30 people fishing. There were 4 lakes in so we were all spread out. 

I drew peg 25 Middle. I had a feeling the match would be won from middle but which peg is a different question. 

I didn't know what to expect so kitted up a few pole rigs and 2 rods. 

Started on the bomb and bread and had a carp around 6lb 15 minutes in. 

Decided to have a look on the pole and began catching steadily on pellets. 

At about 12:30 bites were getting further apart so set up a line to my left slightly at 15m. 

Caught a few fish on this before going onto my original line in the last hour and had a few more. Had around 20 fish to weigh 74-0-0 enough for the win! 

Had an awesome day, really enjoyed catching on the pole, haven't caught properly on it for ages!!! 

Saturday 27th February

Manor farm open - peg 23 island, this can be a good area and fancied it really as it's quite deep. 

Started on the bomb and had 1 early fish. 

Saw a few people beginning to catch around me so looked on the pole and caught steadily. 

Around half way through the match couldn't get a bite on anything until the last hour I put about 5 fish in the net. 

Finished with 52-4-0 for 5th overall. 

Sunday 21st February - manor farm open

Drew peg 11 on Middle pool. 

This lake can be so deceiving so didn't really know what to expect so just kitted up rods. 

Started catching well on the bomb and then alternated between this and a little feeder. 

Had a mixture of carp and F1s to weigh 92-8-0 putting me 2nd overall. 

Had a really enjoyable day despite the wind howling in my face! 

Saturday 20th February

Manor farm open. 

Not a lot to say really, wind in my face made things really difficult! 

Caught on the bomb to weigh 17lb for nowhere! 

Manor farm open -Sunday 14th February

After learning a lot about yesterday's match I knew it would be a difficult day. Middle and island pool in. Normally you need to be on Middle to win but sometimes island can produce! 

At the draw peg 27 Middle stuck to my hand. Can be a good area so was feeling optimistic. 

Kitted up a pellet rigs for fishing at 13m and 2 rods. 

Started on the bomb and bread like I normally do to see how my day was going to go, and also watch other people and see how there pegs respond. 

Around 5 minutes in a few indications on the tip turned into a pull round and Landing a rather chunky common. Then couldn't get a bite on this so had a look on the pole... 

A few minutes of waiting and lifting and dropping I started to put a few fish together. 

Going into the last hour things went quiet so chucked the bread again and had an F1. 

Decided to finish the match on the pole as on Middle pool sometimes you can catch well late on the pole. 

I then continued to put another 3 f1s in the net. 

At the all out I had around 14 fish. A mixture of carp and F1s. 

I weighed in 46-0-0 putting me 6th overall. 

Must try harder! 

Roll on next weekend! 

Manor farm open - Saturday 13th February

Middle and boundary pools were in for today's match and with some good weights coming off Middle lately I wanted to be on there! 

In the draw bag... comes out with peg 10 Middle. Can be an ok area but middles always the same. You just can't predict where it'll be won from. 

Kept the approach dead simple: 

2 pole rigs

2 rods. 

Started on the bomb and bread was having indications, next minute... Drop back fish on! I wound into an angry mirror that was soon in the net, weighing around 12lb. 

I then put another 3 big F1s in the net also on the bread. With an hour and 30 minutes in things went dead quiet and had a quick look on the pole line... Not a bite! 

That was that for the rest of the day... For the remainder of the match I stuck it out on the bomb and didn't have another liner or anything! The whole lake just switched off! 

My carp and 3 F1s went 25-0-0 putting me around 7th overall. But that's winter fishing!!! 

Sunday 7th February.

Stood in on the winter league teams of 3 at manor farm leisure. 

Drew peg 20 which I really fancied!

Set up 2 rods 

And a few pole rigs. 

Started on the bomb and didn't have a liner or anything so had a look on the pole and foul hooked 2!

Landed my first fish 1 hour and 10 minutes in! 

Then got my head down and began putting a few fish together. Caught all my fish on the same line despite setting new ones up! 

Finished with 17 fish, a mixture of carp and F1s. 

To weigh 57-0-0. Putting me 2nd on the lake and 3rd overall out of 36 anglers. 

Team were joint second on the day. 

Learnt a lot today! Bring on next weekend! 

Saturday 6th February

Manor farm leisure open. Windmill pool. 

After loading up the car in the pouring rain I wasn't feeling to optimistic as the wind was meant to be picking up! 

At the draw peg 29 stuck to my hand, a peg I've never drawn but always wanted to as it can be a good pole peg! 

As I do with all my fishing I kept it dead simple. 

3 pellets rigs at 10m 

1 edge rig 

Bomb rod. 

Fed my pole line and gave the bomb 3 chucks without a bite. 

A quick look on the pole line saw 3 quick stockies in the net and was beginning to put a few fish together... 

This was all until the wind picked up and I was forced to come even shorter! Began having a few bites here when it started to go a little "iffy" so had a quick look down the edge where I'd been feeding. 

Had 5 fish in 5 put ins, F1s and carp so this was looking good. But that suddenly died. 

Then I don't really know what happened... I barely had a bite last hour And couldn't really work it out! 

Managed to put 45lb on the scales for 5th overall... 

Well done to Gary Donachie Beating me off the next peg with 52lb. what a legend! 

Forgot to take a photo so here's an old one!