Evening match tactics

[Golden Eagle]

I’ve signed up for my first match on a local commercial. It’s fishing well, first plus 200lb weight last week to break the venue record.

Carp are the target, though it’s a wonderful venue with quality skimmers, ide and many other species.

The match is fished 6-9pm and I’m thinking of fishing margins only.

Any views on this as an approach?

 

[markcw]

What's the venue ,?

 

[peter crabtree]

3 hours goes incredibly quickly is what I learnt from evening matches. Get it wrong and you never catch up. Go with your gut feeling but also discreetly observe what others are setting up before the start. Keep it simple.

 

[markcw]

That's why I asked what the venue is Peter,
It will more than likely be in the Northwest due to location of the OP.
I know Partridge Lakes and Blundells has done those sort of weights, possibly the Cunneries. Brookside has the potential again but not just yet going by a club match on one of the pools, Old Hough has done that weight as well.

 

[mikench]

PL is my bet; I'd rather watch the footie.?

 

[peter crabtree]

Mark, the venue is irrelevant in my view, in fact I have messed up more matches by listening to experts advice than doing it my way.
These matches are usually a weekly or 2 weekly, don’t expect too much first time but learn and improve by watching others..

 

[markcw]

Peter if it Partridge Lakes, they fish on what are called the Covey canals,which at the moment are very peggy. but I don't think they are running evening matches yet, Blundells possibly could be, they normally run theirs over 3 or 4 pools,
. I know the method on two of them , and one that worked on the third.
Whichever venue I would take a couple of pints of maggots with me as well as pellets. and not just stick to the margins,
Going by what's in the venue it could be Hall Lane Fishery.

 

[Golden Eagle]

Peter if it Partridge Lakes, they fish on what are called the Covey canals,which at the moment are very peggy. but I don't think they are running evening matches yet, Blundells possibly could be, they normally run theirs over 3 or 4 pools,
. I know the method on two of them , and one that worked on the third.
Whichever venue I would take a couple of pints of maggots with me as well as pellets. and not just stick to the margins,
Going by what's in the venue it could be Hall Lane Fishery.

Sorry Mark, it’s not intended as a guessing game but I’ve purposely not mentioned the venue.
You’re right it’s in the North West, but is not one of the ones you have mentioned!
It’s certainly not Partridge, margins could work there but I wouldn’t risk a simple margin approach, shallow fishing does most of the weights there.
My thinking is that, as mentioned above, 3 hours is not a lot of time. Also the venue has been closing by 6pm so fish will have been safe to feed close during the evenings. Risk is the match disturbance will push them out. And it’ll take nerve if I start biteless. However, in 3 hours having too many options is also a risk.

 

[Golden Eagle]

PL is my bet; I'd rather watch the footie.?

Have you been to Partridge Mike?

 

[Golden Eagle]

PL is my bet; I'd rather watch the footie.?

Also there’s no footy on, on Monday!

 

[markcw]

Sorry Mark, it’s not intended as a guessing game but I’ve purposely not mentioned the venue.
You’re right it’s in the North West, but is not one of the ones you have mentioned!
It’s certainly not Partridge, margins could work there but I wouldn’t risk a simple margin approach, shallow fishing does most of the weights there.
My thinking is that, as mentioned above, 3 hours is not a lot of time. Also the venue has been closing by 6pm so fish will have been safe to feed close during the evenings. Risk is the match disturbance will push them out. And it’ll take nerve if I start biteless. However, in 3 hours having too many options is also a risk.

The venue is immaterial to me, I have been down Oxford for 2 years, but I have fished a lot of commercials around the North West and keep in touch with the lads who still do. The reason I asked was I may have had some info on your venue for youseeing as you were not sure on how to approach it.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

As mentioned 3 hours is not long at all compared to a 5 hours match where if you start off wrong you can recover.

I'd stick to tried and tested baits and methods for that venue and not try anything too different.

 

[mikench]

I wish you well in your match Golden Eagle wherever it is.? I visited PL about 3 times when I first started fishing in 2015 and decided it wasn't for me. Too many pole anglers sat like garden gnomes. To be fair it was a very premature assessment to make and probably unfair but in the intervening 5 years I haven't once thought of revisiting . I'm happy with the waters on offer at my 3 clubs. I wouldn't have a prayer in any match.?

 

[markcw]

One thing I would do is plumb up with a decent plummet, then lift it slightly of the bottom and move it around the swims you have plumbed , if any carp are shoaled up you will feel the line against them. They may move away but a bit of feed soon brings them back. This is a good tactic on Badger Pool at Lloyd's Meadow,

Also check to see if banks are undercut by probing with landing net handle, carp go into these and then have to place rig as close to bank as possible, I do this anyway, undercut or not, that way they can only come at your feed from front or side.

Another tip is cast around with straight lead in open water and reel it back slowly, this can also indicate if any carp in the area. It's a favourite trick on Trio Pool at Blundels the night before a rover match the next day.

You probably know about things like the above, but it may come in handy for anglers who don't, or are just starting to fish commercials.

Good luck in your match.

 

[markcw]

I wish you well in your match Golden Eagle wherever it is.? I visited PL about 3 times when I first started fishing in 2015 and decided it wasn't for me. Too many pole anglers sat like garden gnomes. To be fair it was a very premature assessment to make and probably unfair but in the intervening 5 years I haven't once thought of revisiting . I'm happy with the waters on offer at my 3 clubs. I wouldn't have a prayer in any match.?

Mike take your feeder gear to PL and go on Holbar,
You will have a brilliant days sport,

 

[markcw]

The last matches I fished as such in Northwest were at Sycamore in Golbourne, Meadow View in Lymm, and Moss Farm at Irlam.
Tactics the same at Sycamore and Moss Farm, Meadow View can be more open water work than margins.
I won't do PL matches on the Coveys, it's a case of fishing for the lumps at the moment,some are fishing the margins from the off before going across or down the track. or mugging with casters, feed around 6 casters and fish one with no float on the line,

 

[mikench]

That all sounds like hard work with little or no fun factor involvement. Not for me thanks.

 

[markcw]

That all sounds like hard work with little or no fun factor involvement. Not for me thanks.

Mugging can be fun Mike, you just have to hope they take the bait,
Similar in a way is dobbing, that's fishing a bait in various areas mainly along the margin of island without feeding any bait and see if any fish are about, baits can vary from single maggot to piece of bread flake.

As for lumps on the Coveys, an 8lb carp could be the equivalent of say six F1's,
The only lumps you don't want as such are the 12lb to 15lb carp, even though larger can take longer to get out.

 

[mikench]

Oh I do that all the time when in dispair at the lack of activity.?

 

[Golden Eagle]

I wish you well in your match Golden Eagle wherever it is.? I visited PL about 3 times when I first started fishing in 2015 and decided it wasn't for me. Too many pole anglers sat like garden gnomes. To be fair it was a very premature assessment to make and probably unfair but in the intervening 5 years I haven't once thought of revisiting . I'm happy with the waters on offer at my 3 clubs. I wouldn't have a prayer in any match.?

Thanks Mike.

I have to say your aversion to people pole fishing completely baffles me but each to their own.

There’s a lake at Partridge which is hardly ever gnome(pole) fished, Holbar.

If you ever fancy a day on the pole I’d be delighted to let you have a go of mine.