Bury Hill has an excellent track record for big stripeys but Temple is more usually associated with big carp. However, on a recent match Russ proved that the venue might just hold a few surprises.
Russ tells the story in his own words:
“I was drawn on peg 11 on Temple Lake which was hosting its first ever match of any sort and after spending the first hour or so on the pole at 6 metres catching roach and rudd plus the odd small perch the plan was to go on the waggler 5-7 rods out in about 8ft of water for a better stamp of fish.
After 2 hours I lost what I think was a big perch on the pole which, after pulling out several metres of blue hydro, I pulled out of. So out went the waggler with a Drake float and I started to catch some quality roach spraying a few red maggots into a head on wind – which was nice as it was a very hot day.
With a few nice skimmers in the net I had a slow and deliberate bite which sailed away and on picking up on the strike my rod bent right over with a couple of thumps; expecting it to be a bream I slowly reeled in bringing the fish closer to the bank under a slow side strain.
Two rod lenghts out the fish pumped and kited left and then right which then made me think that I had hooked a tench of around 3lb, however three feet down in the clearish water I saw the shape of a big perch and immediately put on a serious face – I did not want to lose this one!
Safely in the net it scaled a superb 3lb 1oz just 2oz under my personal best. It was in mint condition and when I put 31lb exactly of silvers on the scales at the weigh in I just missed out on winning the match by 7oz.
Tackle used: Preston Sentinent 13ft waggler rod, 3lb Fox Plus mainline spooled on my Daiwa reel, size B611 Kamasan barbless 16 hook tied to 0.12mm diameter hook length baited with a single red maggot with a loaded Drake waggler float presented a foot overdepth.
All in all an enjoyable day and a cracking fish despite finishing second place on the day.”
