Sunday 10th January - Harsecombe

Harsecombe open on field lake. Peg 7.
I really like this lake and had only fished it once before this match and I had a nice day then so I decided to fish it similiar but feed it a big more negatively.
As a lot of my fishing I kept things dead simple.
13m pellet rig. x2. - 1 light 1 heavy.
Short line at top 6 to my left for fishing maggots.
Edge line (this time of year I wouldnt even give an edge line a think but with 4ft down there its worth a go)
At the all in I shipped my Colmic F33 pole out to 13m and rattled in some 4mm pellets fishing a 4mm hard pellet. I didnt really know how the lake was going to respond so I watched others carefully.
30 minutes in I had seen 2 carp caught then I had my first one.
So I upped the feed slightly and a quick change to fishing expanders saw me have another 3.
With 4 carp in the net at the half way stage I thought I was doing ok but the guy on peg 9 was catching.
With an hour and 30 to go I set up a new line at 13m to my left where I just dripped a few 4mms. This proved to be a good idea as this line saw me put another 3 fish in the net giving me 7 carp.
At the weigh in my 27-0-0 was good enough for 2nd overall with 35-0-0 winning.
I think 8lb extra for me was achievable but thats fishing.

Really enjoyed the day and learnt lots as always!!!
This was the first match I used my new Colmic F33 pole and must say it helped me. One major good thing is the top kits are long which was perfect as this lake is 9ft deep!

Saturday 9th January - Manor Farm Open.

Peg 10 Windmill pool.

This was the first match I'd fished since the colder weather started so wasn't expecting to much. Decided to set up:
Pellet line 13m.
Long line to the left
Bomb and bread.
Fed my pole line then gave the bomb and bread 3 chucks and didnt even have a liner!!! Even though I hadn't seen a fish caught I was beginning to panic!
Shipped out to 13m and a bit of lifting and dropping and waiting the float dinked and I was into an angry common, weighing around 6lb. Shipped straight back out and the float barely settled before I was into a big F1.  So that was just what I needed! Had to wait a bit for my next bite, maybe around 10 minutes which saw me have a mirror around 3lb.
Then that was it!!! Couldn't get another bite anywhere! I did set up a maggot line but was only catching small roach so came off that.
I weighed in 12-0-0 winning me 2nd in superpools.

Sunday 3rd January - Manor farm open

 island pool peg 27.
Kept things dead simple.
2 pellet rigs at 13m.
Pellet feeder
Bomb
Fed my pole line at 13m then Chucked the bomb and bread. Didn't have a liner or a fish in 3 chucks so a quick look on the pellet feeder saw me have a big carp and an F1.
Had a look on the pole line and couldn't get a bite so went back onto pellet feeder and had another carp.
At around 12:30 I went on the pole line and caught steadily till 3:00 when everything dried up so a quick look back on the pellet feeder saw me have another mirror. Finished with 14 fish for 50-8-0. Putting me 5th out of 17 just missing out on winning my section.

Saturday 2nd January - Manor Farm open

peg 9 middle pool.
This can be a good area if the bigger carp are there. Started on the bomb and bread and couldn't get a bite. Had a quick look on the pole and still couldn't catch and things weren't looking good.
Decided to stick it out on the bomb and by 2 o'clock I had 1 fish! Had a carp on the pole and managed to put a few fish together on the bomb.
Finished with 6 F1s and a mirror carp for 23-0-0 putting me 4th on the lake.

Thursday 31st December - Manor Farm open.

I drew peg 16 on windmill.
Fished pellets at 13m pretty much all day for 27-0-0 for a section win.
Got battered by the wind last hour!!!

Monday 28th December - Manor Farm Open

 26 fishing.
I drew peg 18 island. Not an area that's had a lot of form but I was feeling optimistic.
Set up was simple.
 2 bomb rods
2 pole rigs!
Started off feeding my pole line and Chucked the bomb out towards the island. Didn't have a liner or any signs for 1 hour 30 despite looking on pole and foul hooking one first put in. Decided to chuck the bomb as tight to the island as possible as this can work well if they are there. After minutes of doing this the rod dropped back and an angry common was soon in the next. Next chuck had one about 15 lb!!!
By 2:00 I had 8 carp for about 45 - 50lb chucking tight to the island then it completely died. A quick look on the pole saw me have 4 F1s in the last hour.
I managed to weigh 56-6-0 for 7th overall and won my section. Really enjoyed this match despite not catching for nearly 2 hours!

Thursday 24th December - Manor Farm leisure open.

Today's open was on windmill pool, this has to be one of my favourite lakes as it's an awesome pole lake! There's one peg I love on here, 24! And yes... I drew it!!!
Last time I drew this I got to distracted to the island to my right and today I decided I wouldn't.
At the all in I fed my pole line and checked the bomb. 2nd chuck the tip dropped back and I was into my first fish. A 2 lb F1.
Decided to have a look on my pole line and was into to some bites. Pretty much stayed here all day.  Had a couple of tries on the island line but bites were slower and fish were a lot smaller.
Caught a mixture of original F1s and some small stockies.  Finished the match with 43 F1s and a mirror carp for 67-2-0. Putting me 1st overall!
Had a really nice days fishing with plenty of bites!