Today was the annual Godalming AS match at Monk Lakes in Kent - it's a bit of a trek but it is usually well worth it as the fishing is so prolific. The weather was a real mixed bag - mainly bright sunshine combined with two really heavy downpours that made it feel more like early April than late July!!!
(As I don't have any of my own photos from Monk Lakes I've include a link to some footage from a Russ Evans DVD filmed on Lake 2 at Monk Lakes to give an impression of the venue above.)
This time we were on Lake 1, which didn't seem as well stocked as Lake 2 or Lake 3 as the winning weight was only 41lb and I was second with 39-4-0.
This time we were on Lake 1, which didn't seem as well stocked as Lake 2 or Lake 3 as the winning weight was only 41lb and I was second with 39-4-0.
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| Lines fished today |
I think it is fair to say that I started on plan A and ended-up on plan Z, but my hard work paid-off and one more fish would've won it! Here is a summary of the methods I worked through today:
1) On the deck at 11.5m with worm over 6mm pellet (1 tiny perch)
2) Heavy rig with an 8mm pellet shallow at 11.5m (nothing)
2) Heavy rig with an 8mm pellet shallow at 11.5m (nothing)
3) Light rig with a 6mm pellet shallow at 11.5m (nothing)
4) Left margin with meat over meat and hemp (3 carp)
5) Worm over pellet at 5m (nothing)
6) Banded 8mm pellet on the deck at 5m (2 carp)
7) Straight lead with 8mm pellet at 25m (1 carp)
8) Right margin worm or dead maggot over groundbait and dead maggot (nothing)
9) Method feeder with groundbait and a fluro pop-up or 6mm pellet at 25m (8 carp)
Unfortunately I didn't set-up the method until 2 hours to go, and my pre-match intention of fishing it was so low I didn't even bring any 2mm pellets!
With hindsight Lake 1 is much less prolific that the lakes we've fished at Monk Lakes before so I should've adjusted my approach accordingly - the fish certainly didn't respond to big piles of bait and it was certainly far too windy to fish the pole at 11.5m. In addition the fact that others on the far bank weren't catching on the pole should've pushed me onto the tip much earlier - the method being a banker on most commercial venues when the weather is poor and the fishing tough.
However my hard work in swapping approaches turned a potential blow-out into a frame position - the advantage of fishing well stocked venues in the summer is that when you do get things right you are normally rewarded with a bite immediately!!!
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