Big Bash Winter League Rd 8 Lindholme Strip lake 8.3.2025
A beautiful day of sunshine was forecast for the 8th round of the winter league and 13 anglers booked on. With guests Joe Martin and Woolfy in attendance to make up the numbers for 2 x 4 man and a 5 man section on the whole of Strip lake. Loads of room and strip lake has consistently being delivering high weights every time we have fished it recently in our knock up matches. Warmer temperatures, sunshine, hungry fish and big bash winter league, is this another aspect of our ever changing world?
Friday night draw and first on the wheel of fortune handed me peg 1, not something I would have chose if there had been only one peg in the bag. Last weeks knock up results had this end of lake with up a much smaller stamp of fish then the other end. Anyhow the draw is what it is and I am not known for pulling good pegs out or anything good in draws. Match time also extended 10 to 15:30 to enjoy the sunny dry day and extended daylight hours.
Time shouted and everyone was set for a fish race hoping to seek out the larger stamp of F1s. Jasper with his new Aquastim prototype soft pellets to test and shock horror a pole in his hands, no rods in sight he showed his versatility to take the match out from peg 20 with a recorded weight of 118-14 due to an overweight net. Total fish caught was actually 137-11, I guess the new Aquastim baits get a tick from Jasper, well done mate.
Around the lake the results were:
Peg 1 Leo 50-6
Peg 3 Woolfy 37-14
Peg 5 Tracey Benson 76-15 2nd in section
Peg 7 Joe Martin 98-1 1st in section
Peg 9 Lewis Fox 53-0
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Peg 11 Ridhard Cook 42-2
Peg 13 John Utting 61-12 2nd in section
Peg 15 John Lanelly 67-14 1st in section
Peg 17 Keith Smith 62-10
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Peg 19 Gavin Cooper DNS
Peg 21 Jasper 118-14 Match win
Peg 23 Mark Radford 78-8 2nd in section
Peg 23 Paul Whitehouse 87-3 1st in section
Nice to see everyone with a few fish caught. Majority were pastie size F1s or smaller, with carp still not showing. The larger F1s also difficult to locate for all, some were caught but they are still struggling to engage because of the smaller stamp of fish.
My match was fished differently to last weeks knock up, taking some learnings on board. Pole elastics last week used was slick 6-8 and microbore12-16 for hopefully he larger stamp, this weeks choice was 6-10 microbore and 10-12 twincore both worked much better. I still used maggot as main s bait with hard, soft pellets and corn also tried. Difference was this week choosing 4 to 6 maggots on a 16 hook compared to 2 last week and fish stamp had a slight improvement. Pellets resulted in no bites at all, last week the fish took hard pellets. Corn also worked last week however only 4 fish on corn this week it just shows the difference a week or peg can make. I started on maggot feeder again to put some bait on my long pole line and again fish a chuck for 3 first casts before moving quickly onto the pole. 3 pole lines uses. 2 + 4 (A) at 11 oclock until sun moved round making float invisible. Then moved onto 2 + 3 (B) at 10 oclock, back on 2 + 4 ( C ) before moving onto 2 + 1 (D) close in at 10 oclock. A worked well till sun made it difficult, B worked but not very productive, C struggled before moving to D for last 90 minutes and had a good run on this one. I was loose feeding A and C with kinder pot, B and D using pole pot, ground bait was used as heavy feed on D and I think this helped more than pellets being used on other lines. D also produced some decent F1's which were welcomed. I guess hindsight is wonderful and should have fed heavy ground bait earlier instead of loose fed pellets and maggots. Over 3 pints of maggots used and I guess I could have also fed these much more.
Around the lake some lads used maggots, some hard and soft pellet and some on corn so I guess you have to feel your way into the match and see what works on the peg on the day.
Many thanks to Jasper for organising and running the show. Thanks also to Lewis for his weigh in duties which were a little more taxing than our last winter league match on Willows next door.
Nice to see everyone catch a few fish and the sunshine also resulted in some sunburnt knees for Lewis who was sporting shorts today.
Next and final winter league match is on 22nd March on Osprey at Grange Park. Please note if a practise is required there is a knock up arranged for 15th March ( next weekend) on Osprey. Knock ups also arranged for 29th March and 5th April, again please be in touch if interested.
We also had a welcomed visit from Mr Fox senior today who had a walk around and a chat with everyone before sitting behind Mark for a short session. Good to see you, Dave.