Round 11 Hallcroft moat outer August 19 2023

[Leo Martin]

Aquatstim Big Bash Summer League round 11 Hallcroft Moat Outer 19.8.2023

A strange one this one from beginning to end. Originally booked on Croft with the whole lake but with all the recent rainfall the pegs were underwater. Jasper managed to get a change onto Moat outer on the upper peg numbers and we were given plenty of room by the helpful staff at Hallcroft. The Friday night draw by a dapper Jasper (I am told he puts on collar and tie specially for us) resulted in an intriguing 4th section of our Big Bash all-stars sat together.

On arrival some of our pegs were unfishable (platforms under water, reeds in front of pegs etc.)  resulted in some shuffling of pegs which because of allotted space was able to be accommodated. Always fun on the day of match moving Big Bash anglers around and no wise comments from anyone at all....... Again due to timing and location this cannot be helped as no one was able to check the pegging supplied.  This side of Moat Outer does look to have several pegs which are not fished regularly and I guess our results support my theory.

I must say the weather was really kind on the day which as Big Bash Ac members know is not usually the case. Some cloud, some warm welcome sunshine however a horrendous wind which although not too strong changed direction several times, but predominantly was blowing down to the high numbers.

Fishery looks lovely, professionally laid out, helpful staff, we have been here a couple of times but usually later in the year. On site café, well stocked tackle shop,  Park behind pegs, equal in features, silvers and carp. All types of fishing catered for, feeder, bomb, pellet waggler, long pole, short pole, margins. Oh and did I mention zoo creatures where 4 fish can top 100lb. feedback required for club members on this one for future booking reference please. It would seem it can be peggy on todays performance, so are a lot of other fisheries we travel to and we fish for section points so can equal itself out across a match

Before I move onto our match I must say it is disappointing to report other club anglers not drying their nets and putting them straight it the water on arrival to their peg. KHV I the area, I know the nets are/ should be dipped at Hallcroft but it doesn't take anything to lay nets out and dry for the time it takes to set up. At least 4 of the club anglers opposite put their nets straight in which does not help contain the spread of the disease.
Peg 92 was to be my home for the day, o arrival I can't say I was disappointed feeder, bomb, pole in front and margin each side. Word from helpful  bailiff Lee was feeder and feed pellets over top. MY baits were to be 6mm feed pellets, micros for feeder, Aquastim crushed expander groundbait, a selection of wafters for method with 6mm and 8mm hard pellets also. Paste, corn, coloured 6mm meat and some worms for the zoo creatures in margins.
 
To my left was birthday "boy" Glen whose drawn peg was dodgy and under water so he moved closer to me on peg 90. Glen announced he had brought an old strong margin pole out of retirement for the occasion. Sadly it wasn't required as he had a match from hell with not many bites all time. I think he had 2 small skimmers on pole in front, nothing on rods and small skimmers and roach form his margin. One margin bite resulted in a large bow wave as the only signs of a carp.

To my right on peg 94 Jasper fresh from his annual carping antics in France. Jasper tried everything in his armoury in a quest for carp to no avail. He even tried his less than favourite pellet waggler for some spells at cruising carp. If I am correct his most success was skimmers and perch from margins in particular the tree to his left, last decent one a minute or so before whistle doing me for the lower point places, well done buddy.

Anyhow back to peg 92. Method out and pellets over top for first hour whilst priming top 2 + 2 line which was almost top kit deep. Tip went around after 20 mins and it came off. Wasn't sure of carp but as match went on it could have been a large skimmer. 30 minutes I a twitchy bits resulted in pound skimmer. Long gaps between bites which were twitchy and not very positive and hard to hit from skimmers. Moved onto top 2 + 2 line and started feeding right hand margin corn and meat. Nothing hard pellet, corn so tried paste which started to produce occasional skimmers, stayed on this as bites quicker than feeder line but stamp of fish smaller. Thoughts being maybe carp will turn up, I live and dream. As bites dried up I alternated lines between pole and feeder and the chose to go in right hand margin at 2 feet deep for nothing.
 
2pm it was going to be all or nothing and remembering you are fishing for 1 or 2 fish from this fishery on days like this to make a big difference in weight. Small roach from right hand margin nothing to right home about. I fed left hand margin with micros as a different option and left along rotating lines again. Another small skimmer from right hand margin and frustration sets in. Skimmer on meat from top 2 + 2 lie but nothing else. 3:30 and what's this, a 8 inch wide rudder of a tail is waving at me from my left hand margin. Corn, no meat, no, paste no, worm, float dips and goes under and a 3 inch perch is the result. The last half hour 3 bites and 3 perch which sort of sums up the day from peg 92, 9lb 12 and thanks for coming. However as always I enjoyed my day with the Bashers and resets my mind after a couple of hard weeks at work.

20 anglers fished the match, we welcomed Bernie Hook back with us who seems to be getting a taste for Big Bash fishing. Also newbie Mark Bissel who came to clean up but unfortunately the fish had different ideas and did not play. Good to have you on board, please see forum for other fixtures.

20 anglers makes it easy on sections of 4 x5.

Section 1 winner Nige Cooke on end peg 70 fishing meat for 26lb 4. Second in section on peg  78 Docklow catfish tamer John Lanelly with 23-5.
Section 2 winner Paul Whitehouse peg 87 with 18-12. Second in section 2 local lad Indian peg 84 put 13-7 on the scales
Section 3 winner Michael Roche with 31-2 from peg 100, welcome back sir and second in section Kev Chalk of peg 98 with 25-10.
Section of doom 4 winner Max with 40 -14 off peg 106, and second in section Joe Martin with 25-12.
Well done the winners and those who persevered and tried to coax the carp to feed.

Our last two seasons have been won by the guy they call fish finder, Steve Curtis. You may wonder why his name has not been mentioned in the section segment of the write up , its because he deserves his own write up. Passing me to go on weigh in duties I asked how he had gone on and he looked very thoughtful in his reply, I may have done a ton he said with a knowing smile. Well done Steve says me. He forgot to say he had a ton in two nets and had put 4 in. 215lb 6 ounce was his weight he lifted on the scales, well done Steve, for taking the match out, again, mind blowing.

The club match on moat inner opposite us also had a tough one with anglers packing up early and leaving. The guy opposite me had one skimmer. He went in his margins around 12:30 and stayed there looking to get out of jail, sorry mate it didnt work. The guy next to him had about 6 carp and several skimmers sat on feeder casting out opposite Glen. Very moody lake today.

They call if fishing and not catching fish, as said earlier I would be interested in team members views as I wouldn't want to write it off or is it just me?

Laugh of the day was as Andy Waite walked past me on his rounds and caught my tip rod with his foot which was laid on the ground. Oi watch my rod you've caught my tip, well is probably only movement you will get from it was his reply, typical basher comment.

Next match is September 2nd back to Lindholme on Bennies, please book and pay one and we go again.

[fishfinder]

Good write up again leo on a hard match for most,fished moat a few times and has usually been hard and end pegs usually dominate so what max informed me,as i missed the draw,that i was on peg 111 was more than pleased.
Set up paste at 10m,edge rig,feeder and bomb,started and finished on feeder,chucked across to my right and had 7 in the first hour for about 45lb then went an hour with 1 fish,this broke me at the net the main line broke,chucked my 11ft rod out whilst i re- rigged but snapped my top section not happy.Re- rigged
chucked back out and had 4 in 4 chucks,caught steady rest of match ,5 to my platform to the right rest across,pleased with over 200lb but a shame the match was very difficult for the rest,at wiegh in was quite shocked at the state of some of the pegs,some were quite dangerous.