Unfortunately due to the adverse weather conditions we faced during this match i didn't get to take any photo’s, i have one of those high tech phones that decides to turn itself off in damp weather! If you have read my last blog then you will have an idea of the venue, just try to imagine the mountain disappearing, rainbows, bent trees and large waves to get an idea of todays conditions.
Upon arrival the first thing we noticed was the water levels have risen dramatically totally wiping out one of the planned sections so a quick reshuffle put 1 section on the first shore line (pegs 12-16) and 2 sections mid way up the lake(1-5, 6-11)
First to draw and out comes peg 5, an area which none of us have fished yet and a walk of about 10m to the bank which i can happily manage without fuss :-) I didn't feel the need to wade any distance today just enough to be comfortable as i wasn't going setting up a pole in that wind, just 2 tip rods and a waggler rod.
Feeder rods are from the Black Viper range 3.6m and my waggler rod is 4.2m and reels are all 640 Black Burners, feeder reels are loaded with 0.8mm sinking braid and 6m of 0.24mm leader, i had a 2oz tip for the far line to cope with the tow and a 1oz tip for in close, both with a 35g browning window feeder, 0.16mm hooklengths to size 12 B560’s
The reason for the waggler rod was that the last day i was here it worked for me when the tip line died close in, i think a moving bait (in the tow) can pick you up a few extra fish from time to time. this was coupled with a 12g Cralusso Arrow, 0.18mm mainline, size 14 serie 18 hook to 0.14mm hooklength.
Bait
Plan
Upon arrival the first thing we noticed was the water levels have risen dramatically totally wiping out one of the planned sections so a quick reshuffle put 1 section on the first shore line (pegs 12-16) and 2 sections mid way up the lake(1-5, 6-11)
First to draw and out comes peg 5, an area which none of us have fished yet and a walk of about 10m to the bank which i can happily manage without fuss :-) I didn't feel the need to wade any distance today just enough to be comfortable as i wasn't going setting up a pole in that wind, just 2 tip rods and a waggler rod.
Feeder rods are from the Black Viper range 3.6m and my waggler rod is 4.2m and reels are all 640 Black Burners, feeder reels are loaded with 0.8mm sinking braid and 6m of 0.24mm leader, i had a 2oz tip for the far line to cope with the tow and a 1oz tip for in close, both with a 35g browning window feeder, 0.16mm hooklengths to size 12 B560’s
The reason for the waggler rod was that the last day i was here it worked for me when the tip line died close in, i think a moving bait (in the tow) can pick you up a few extra fish from time to time. this was coupled with a 12g Cralusso Arrow, 0.18mm mainline, size 14 serie 18 hook to 0.14mm hooklength.
Bait
- 2kg Dutch Danger Mad Roach
- 2kg Champion Choice Gardons
- 2lt Caster
- 1lt Cooked Hemp
- 0.5lt Red Maggot
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| Dutch Danger Range |
- Feed 8 sausages via catapult @ 20 turns at the beginning and every 10 mins while i fish out @ 60 turns. simples. if the fish come in to the inside line i could catch quicker if not then the 60 line produce anyway.
The last few times i fished this venue it had taken a minimum of 40mins to get a bite and up to an hour so i was surprised when my tip went round on the second cast, a few chucks later and i had another crisp Mayo roach, i could see Marcus Kirwan 2 pegs to my left had also had a few fish, i had about 10 fish in the net before Rory Dunne next to me came in on his shorter line of maybe 35-40 turns and started getting bites, 45mins had passed at this stage and i had continually fed at 20 turns so i thought now would be a good time to drop in and have a look.
It did take a few minutes before i started catching on this line but fishing in closer than others has its benefits especially when you have someone as quick as Rory catching next to you at a greater distance, it kinda levels the playing field a bit.
The fishing was fairly steady, not exactly bagging but steady, you would go through periods of catching fast and catching slow so it balanced out so to speak but when the fish average 6-7 to the kilo you can’t complain :-)
75 fish later and the all out is called, Rory next to me has 85 fish, i put myself on about 10kg and Rory reckoned his fish was smaller maybe 10 to the kilo, as always i didn't believe him so i had him on about 12kg and i wasn't far wrong..
First weigh was Martin Keating on peg 1 with 5.920kg mostly caught on the pole, peg 2 was Robert Urbanski 2.820kg. Marcus snuck out a sneaky 10.440kg for 65 fish which made me think i'm going to get another 3 points, i think Rorys bum twitched a little too to be honest , but not for long as his 85 fish gave him 11.940kg, next up was my turn and last in section A, a quick look into the keepnet and i have a good weight and thankfully the scales tipped in my favour taking the section by a whopping 100g extra, 12.040kg! that gave me 1 section point and €1 off Rory !! :-) Result.
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| 12kg Section Win |
More pictures can be found on the Ballyhaunis FB Page here
A few calls down the bank and Ollie Doyle had won C section with 10.620kg, Larry Parkes cleaned up in B section with a match winning 12.280kg. Some impressive weights off a new venue and a venue we will be visiting again soon……
Conclusion
I beat Rory off the next peg, enough said!In reality there is always something more you could have done to put more fish in the net and if i ever figure that part out i’ll let you know…
Match 3 could be anywhere at the minute, with water levels rising it will be a last minute call from Shane, hopefully Derryhick lake in Mayo, another gem of a water…
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