OPEN MATCH ELTON CORNER.

DATE. 31ST MAY.
VENUE. ELTON CORNER.
DRAW. 1.00PM.
FISH. 2.30PM TO 8.30PM.
PEGS 20.
ANGLERS 18.

MATCH FORMAT.

4 SECTIONS OF 5.
1 OVERALL WINNER. £66.00.
4 SECTION WINNERS. £30.00.
4 SECOND IN SECTIONS. £20.00.


PRE-DRAW.

I arrived at the fishery about 12.20 pm, 40 minutes before the draw. I thought i
was keen, but there was about 12 anglers already there. The rest arriving up to
the 1.00pm draw. 18 of the twenty anglers who said they were coming turned up. So
two let everybody down. I suppose if you did'nt have these kind of anglers, we
would'nt have much to moan at would we!. Surely if they can say they want to fish,
then they can also say they can't make it. But no, they just did'nt bother turning
up, without saying anything. Anyway 18 of us turned up, so we were still going to
enjoy it. The problem now being, you have got 2 sections of 5, and 2 sections
of 4, and considering Steve was paying out 1st, and 2nd in section, you can guess
which sections i want to draw in, he he.


THE DRAW.

Andy Salcombe drew first has his name was first on the list. He drew peg 1, the area
where everybody wanted to be. Steve Evans was writing down the draw, so Andy drew
again for Steve. His hand pulled out peg 3. The bloody flier, which Steve Bee broke
the match record off last week. Now let me think! the organiser having the flier
drawn for him, and Andy drawing peg 1, these two always share their winnings, and
travel together for there matches. Me thinks a stewards enquiry is needed, don't you,
he he. Steve said after they drew that no one will believe them, ERM! let me think.
To be honest there two nice blokes so a bit of ribbing about it is all in fun. (plus
they might beat me up as well he he). Anyway my turn came along, and i drew peg 10.
Dead opposite Steve, and Andy with an Island between us. So at least i can watch em
bag up all evening, how nice (not). Well the thought of me drawing in a section with
just four went out of the window. Gawd i can't even get that right. The rest of
the draw went smoothly, with a few moans, and groans, (i ain't the only bugger then,
he he).

SECTION 1.

PEG 1. ANDY.SALCOMBE.
PEG 2. BRIAN.DIX.
PEG 3. STEVE EVANS.(ORGANISER, AND DREW THE BLOODY FLIER AS WELL).
PEG 4  CHRIS ELTON.
PEG 5. ELAINE WILLIS (SPYING ON NICK)

SECTION 2.

PEG  6. TERRY REYBOULD.
PEG  7. BARRY CLUTCH.(OR DUTCH, CAN'T READ STEVE'S WRITING).
PEG  8. STEVE BEE.
PEG  9. PAUL JACKSON.
PEG 10. STEVE HAWKINS.(YOURS TRULY).

SECTION 3.

PEG 11. VACANT.
PEG 12. ROY DAVIS.
PEG 13. DALE MALPAS.
PEG 14. DICK LEWIS.
PEG 15. ROY WELLINGTON.

SECTION 4.

PEG 16. JASON WELLINGTON.
PEG 17. VACANT.
PEG 18. TOM WARNER.
PEG 19. ROB WILIAMS (NO NOT THE SINGER).
PEG 20. NICK WILLIS. (YOUR ALL RIGHT NICK, THE MISSES IS 15 PEGS AWAY).

PRE-MATCH.

Another good thing about this place is in the summer when the ground is hard, you
can drive all around the lake to your pegs, which is good otherwise there is a bit
of an hike. Which certainly ain't no good for fatties like me. Well if us fatties
liked walking then we would'nt be fat would we he he. Anyway if God wanted us to
walk he would'nt have given us cars would he.

Got to my peg, and on my left on peg 9 was Paul Jackson (no relation to Michael honest).
On my right, peg 11 was vacant, then there were a couple of pleasure Anglers, and then
Roy Davis on the other side of these two on peg 12.I decided to set up the rod for the
method, to fish against the Island. I also set up a couple of tops for the margins, and
one to fish in front of me at 3 metres. I got my groundbait ready for the method, pumped
my expanders, and wetted my micro pellets. Basically i was set up, and ready to go with
about half an hour to spare. So i decided to take some pics of the lake, and have a wander
around. I went up to Roy Davis, and annoyed him for about 10 minutes. Then went back to
my peg, and waited for the all in. Up until this point there was no major drama's to
speak about. (shame he he).

THE MATCH.

The all in went at 2.30pm. I fed a few micro, and 4mm pellets on the 3 metre line.
Fed my two margin swims by hand, the left hand margin with pellets, and my right
hand margin with sweetcorn. The idea was to fish the margins later on in the match.
Then i started fishing on the method to the island. Hook bait was 3 dead red maggots.
Had my first bite on the second chuck, a drop back bite. All i can say is, i lifted the
rod into a bloody animal, that shot off up the lake like a rocket. After about 30
seconds it was bye bye fish, and my 8lb hook length. Well thats a good start is'nt it.
Tied another hook length on, this time i went up to 10lb line, and a 14's hook. Hopefully
this will stop the buggers. Re-cast to the clip, and waited again. Waited ten minutes,
and re-cast again. This time i only waited about 2 minutes , and again a drop back bite
happened. Lifted into a nice bend in the rod, after about 5 minutes of scrapping a nice
plump Carp of about 6 pound graced my landing net. Phew! always handy to get the first
one netted, well second one, but you know what i mean?. I had to cast out a couple of
more times before i latched into my next Carp. Landed this one too. Getting good at this
ain't I, he he. The first hour mark came up, with no further bites forthcoming on the
method, so i decided to try my luck on the 3 metre line. Popped a 6mm expander on the
hook, and shipped it out, when my float settled i emptied the toss pot over the top.
Within about 30 seconds my float shot under, (don't worry i was amazed too, he he)
and i lifted into a fish. My elastic decided to do the impression of a bunjee rope,
and shot out at an alarming rate. I stuck my pole under the water, and hung on for
dear life. Luckily the fish turned, and i had it under control, landing it after a
couple of minutes. This baby went about 8lbs. The first hour i caught two Carp.
The second hour i caught six Carp, things were looking up. Believe it or not but
after this point the fishing went down hill rapidly, not just for me, but for nearly
everyone else. This was an evening match, the Carp should be going loopy. OH! no, not
on this lake, it was quite the opposite. I tried the margin swims. nothing. I tried the
method again nothing, i went back out on the 3 metre line, and again nothing. So for the
next few hours i sat, and watched Steve Evans on the flier bagging up. I would cry if
i had any tears left, he he. Anyway back to my fishing, with an hour to go i concentrated
on my left hand margin swim. Fed some pellets, and just sat there like a gnome waiting.
After about 20 minutes my float dissapeared, and i had a short scrap with a two pounder.
He went into the net with the other eight. I fed the margin again, and decided to have
a look on the method. Again after about 10 minutes my rod dropped back, and i was into
Carp number ten. A minor fight occured, but this four pounder landed up with his mates
in the net. Went back down the margins, and after a little while my float went under,
and i lifted into a maniac of a fish. When i hooked him he shot out of the water by
about a foot, and went that a way. You no what i mean, a different direction to me.
MY problem was this bugger decided to keep going, and he was'nt going to stop for no
one. Hence bye, bye rig. Yep! the lot. Well that was that, so back out on the method
until the end of the match, which was only about ten minutes to go. The only time my
rod moved was when the whistle went, and that was because i had to reel it in.
What an up, and down match this was. Lost my first, and last Carp of the day, great
or what.

POST MATCH.

All in all it was a good day, even though the fish did'nt want to play ball for myself,
and a lot of other anglers. Of course you get your exceptions, in the form of fliers,
but i wouldnt really know about that would I, he he. At the weigh in there were three
no weigher's, (bet you think i was one of them don't you, well i was'nt so there).
Actually the weights were quite tight throughout, with the exception of the top two
weights. We all new who the winner was, so the rest of us were fighting for top two in
section, and on some sections it was going to be a close run thing.

RESULTS.

The flier came good for Steve Evans who won the match quite comfortably with 90 pound odd.
Steve Evans, and Steve Bee work together in a factory, and a couple of there mates at work
decided to side with Steve Bee, and put a fiver bet on Steve Bee beating Steve Evans, well
lads if your reading this, i think you ought to cough up the money to Steve Evans. Can't
blame you if you don't speak to Steve Bee for a while as he got battered by the other Steve,
he he. So if Darren Nichols, and John Smith are reading this, come on pay up, or i will put
your names on the shame list on the Internet. Jason Wellington had a good last hour to come
second overall with 70 pound odd, but unfortunatley that was only good enough for a section
win. In Steve Evans's section, second and third in section moved up a place by default,
(jammy sods) he he.

SECTION 1.

1ST.  PEG 3. STEVE EVANS.        94-0-0.   WON OVERALL FOR £66.00. (well done steve).
2ND. PEG 1. ANDY SALCOMBE.   50-8-0.   Won section by default. £30.00. (jammy sod).
3RD. PEG 2. BRIAN DIX.             39-0-0.    Second in section by default. £20.00.  (jammier sod).
4TH. PEG 4. CHRIS ELTON.         26-8-0.
5TH. PEG 5. ELAINE WILLIS.       12-1-0.

SECTION 2.

1ST. PEG   9. PAUL JACKSON.       58-5-0.   £30.00.
2ND. PEG 10. STEVE HAWKINS.     45-3-0. £20.00.  (good angling, he he).
3RD. PEG  6. TERRY REYBOULD.   39-8-0.
4TH. PEG  8. STEVE BEE.              19-7-0.   (lost £10.00 of his mates money, he he).
5TH. PEG  7. BARRY DUTCH.         DID NOT WEIGH.

SECTION 3.

1ST. PEG 13. DALE MALPAS.           49-9-0.    £30.00.
2ND. PEG 15. ROY WELLINGTON.   44-9-0.    £20.00.
3RD. PEG 14. DICK LEWIS.              42-9-0.
4TH. PEG 12. ROY DAVIS.               DID NOT WEIGH.
PEG 11                                           VACANT.

SECTION 4.

1ST. PEG 16.    JASON WELLINGTON.    74-2-0.    £30.00.
2ND. PEG 20.   NICK WILLIS.                 48-0-0.    £20.00.
3RD. PEG 18.   TOM WARNER.               47-4-0.
4TH. PEG 19.   ROB WILLIAMS.              DID NOT WEIGH.
PEG 17                                                  VACANT.

SOME PHOTOS OF THE DAY.

Brian dix setting up.

looks like someone is set up already.

Steve Bee on walk about before the match.

Terry Reybould raring to go.

Paul Jackson on the next peg to me.

Vans not to far from my peg. Just how i like it, he he.

All nice, and tidy like.

Who's that on the Island.

This is the pleasure fishing lake.

The overall winner Steve Evans pointing at

something before the off. See told you i could

see the bugger bagging up all day.

A view of part of the lake, with my van to the left.

Following the lake around.

Looking the over way on the lake.

Pleasure anglers between me, and Roy Davis.

THE ANIMAL LIFE.

Baby on board. (you can click on any photos to enlarge).

TAXI !.

Little sweetie or what.

Whopsie daisy, she's falling off.

Mummy's looking for some grub now.

That is one cute bird.

More of the wildlife, he he.

Andy doing the weighing.

Sorry, not the best of photos.

Money collecting time.

Well it was a good day out, most enjoyed it. So if there is another open on here in the future,

then i will fish it for sure. Hope you enjoyed the write up, as much has i enjoy writing it.
For me a section 2nd, £20 in the sky rocket, can things start to look up, or will i come back
down to earth with a bump? ERM! which one will it be, he he.
Next weekend i have two matches, an open on Saturday at Tirley, another open run by Steve Ford.
On Sunday its another aggregate match for Permali, at Drummonds Dudd, how nice, ain't been there
for awhile, he he. Dave's results will be uploaded tomorrow, or friday. So for now have a good week,
and all the best   STEVE.