THE chance to fish the main lake attracted me to Saltfleetby Fisheries for an open match.
It is deep, has a fantastic head of carp and silver fish – and other monsters lurking in the depths.
There was a good attendance, including some quality anglers.
Bill Marsh used his knowledge and experience to outwit a very large fish.
Bearing in mind he would have been using thin line on a light feeder rod, the reel was screaming with line tearing off the spool.
The rod was bending to its limit, as the fish made lunges into the deeper water. It came to the surface but it was not a large carp as expected – but a huge pike that should have bitten through Bill's line.
Somehow that did not happen, but there was another problem. It would not fit into Bill landing net at first.
Eventually, it did squeeze in.
It weighed in at an impressive 13.7lb. Unfortunately it did not count in the match as pike do not qualify.
But well done to Bill, he showed great angling skills to land the fish and it certainly increased the heart-beat.
On to the match, and Lee Popham and Mally Frost were battling it out on the bomb, casting towards the houses. They were both catching and losing carp.
I was near the café and went on the day with the intention of fishing light for silvers until I drew my peg. The heavier elastics came out, and also the stronger rigs.
I lost a float on the sunken branches, then lost a decent fish that did not want to come up at all. Then I had a hook snap on a fish. I thought it was going to be one of those days.
A good last hour saved me and I managed 25lb, enough to take second place. Popham was streets ahead with 44lb and Frost was third with 24.12lb.
It was also the end of the league that has been running at the fishery throughout the year.
The magician from Market Rasen, Mark Critcher, was well in front of the rest of the field. He had 135 points and this netted him £100.
Lloyd Lakin was second with 83 points (£75), and then Marsh finished with 70 points.
Over at Wold View, Claxby, there was a match on the Bronze Lake. Chris Legdon was on peg 19 and he managed to find the carp as others struggled. He finished up with 23lb. Steve Chandler was second with 19lb off peg four. Alex Ward on one of his favourite pegs managed to land 15lb of carp.
Tim Chapman had an excellent day at Oasis Fisheries, North Somercotes.
He was fishing the roadside lake and had carp up to 9lb on the bomb. He amassed a very good weight for this time of year – 67lb. Other anglers who were there also had decent catches. It seems that this fishery is a good winter venue.
