Big Bash Winter League Rd 4 Lodge Farm Lily Lake 4.1.25
2025 was started with threats of heavy show, ice rain and freezing temperatures however 15 bashers attended the latest winter league match at Lodge Farm. -1 temperature on leaving home. Thank you everyone for turning out and supporting the club, everyone set out okay and arrived home safely which should always be our aim as fishing is a sport we enjoy together.
Bill at Lodge farm kindly donated the full lake of Lily and the 28 pegs for the match which are numbered 47 to 75. This meant every other peg was in using odd numbers so plenty of room. Lily lake rectangular in shape backing onto railway with higher numbers on that side. In summer there is a bank of lilies down centre of lake, the banks have established reeds alongside. Depth to these margin reeds approx. 24inch deep.
Friday night draw dealt me peg 75 a corner peg which offered various options when I arrived and saw what was in front of me. Park behind peg again, short grass walk to peg which was a concrete slab set on scaffolding over the water. I placed my box on the slab and was joined by a robin who was requesting food. I wish the fish were as hungry as the robin with me throughout the match who was also joined later by a hungry Jenny wren.
Plan was a bomb rod, method rod, pole lines at 2+2 at 6feet deep and 2+4 at 9 feet.
Everyone set up very timely and Glen tooted his whistle for the 10am all in
Bomb rod cast to centre of lake slightly to my right in front of peg 74 with 2 x 8mm punched bread discs and wait. Also pre fed my 2+2 pole line with a small pot of Aquastim ground bait and a few maggots. No indications so swap to corn and wait for no indications all the time.
After an hour I went onto my pole line and after ten minutes the float moved slightly, then dipped and a 3inch skimmer graced the net to save being water-licked. Kept on this line for about half an hour, also tried 2+4 line before and only receiving very small indications but nothing on long line. Decision was then made for me with what approach I would require if any reward for the day was to be had as Paul next door had caught 2 carp. Back on Bomb alternating corn and bread but no shows from centre of lake. Tried chucking alongside the reeds at side of lake again no indications. Method tried similar with range of wafters but again not even a liner. I did go back on pole line a few times however only small float indications were being had so back on rods. Also tried both rods and pole lines in edges but the only and best bites of the day were ham and pickle sandwiches. Chucked back the skimmer to save the arms of weighman Lewis for a DNW, silly mistake as it cost me a point but that wont worry anyone in the league either.
Paul Whitehouse on peg 73 set up for a rod approach all day. All was quiet until tip flew round and a nice carp about an hour into the match and this was closely followed 30 minutes later. Paul had another long lean period then another bites was had and the 3rd carp graced his net for 14-15 and a match win using corn as his bait. Well done sir.
Next door to Paul on peg 71 was Jacko who tried his rods, switched to his pole for a few small silvers then similar to myself realised carp were needed so back on rods cast to centre of lake. Some adjustments to hook length and fishing method with ground-bait and red maggot was rewarded with 2 x F1's for 5-10 and section win and reward for changes he made, well done.
Peg 69 (no jokes please) was John Utting who does fish this venue often and he chose long pole approach as his prime approach. Catching small silvers and persevering managed to bring 4-2 to the scales for second in section. He did try his rods for no joy at all.
Second section winner was inform Mark Radford who weighed in 11-14 off peg 57. Second in section was Richard Cooke of peg 61 who weighed in 8-4. Two quiet anglers who get on with the task in hand.
First section winner was Jasper on peg 55 with 9-5 who had 2 early carp fishing bread on his rod to aerator and a late carp making up his weight. Second in section was Gav Cooper on peg 51 who went down the silver route to bring 7lbs to the scales. Gav was in a close competition all match with Dave Fox on 53 who weighed in 6-6 and Keith Smith on 49 who put 5-11 on the scales. Well done to you all, good to watch you swap and change and settle for the silver fishing.
So a long hard match was had with lots of low weights and Bashers struggling for bites. Well done to everyone for sticking it out to the end. There looked to be a few leaving early on the other lakes matches so I am guessing they too were finding it hard going. Open match held on both signal and Field yielded a win of 32 off Feld and 27 and 24 on signal slightly better than our lake.
Next winter league match is on 25th January back at Grange Park on Heron so a few weeks for this one. Please book on if attending. There is also a Knock up on the 18th if anyone is interested, please be in touch.
This is our first match of 2025 didn't reap the results we were hoping but we are now in the thick of Winter so we cannot expect full nets every match.