Big Bash Summer league round 9 Grange. Park Curlew 2.8.2025
Cloudy overcast day with periods of sunshine and a slight wind blowing down towards the road banking. Curlew lake has been in good form of late and a sneaky practise earlier in the week for 3 bashers reaped good rewards and gained a little bit on knowledge prior to the weekend. However Big Bash AC is not known for following the form books and with a great response of 19 anglers attending the day there was a huge amount of pressure on the lake. Tactics gleaned on the Monday, were quickly adjusted to try other options as the fish never were interested in shallow tactics
Friday night draw saw 3 sections of 5 and a section of 5, a refreshing 95% take up go on the wheel of fortune. Peg 23 for yours truly and happy with that as it had a spare peg to my left. We also welcomed back Richard Cook to the fold for his first outing of the year.
The Big Bash breakfast club enjoyed the offerings of the café and were fully primed for the day.
The lake had a large amount of fish showing on the surface and in the margins so hopes were high for a fish fest. The time when Mr Lanelly gave 3 toots on the whistle the visible fish seemed to reduce in number however their presence in the pegs remained.
Plan for the day was shallow, over shotted float, in front at 2 +1, paste line also 2+1, margin to my left near a lonesome reed and method rod just in case. Peg 23 does not have an island chuck but offered open water and the vacant platform of peg 22. Baits were to be 6 and 8mm pellets and paste.
The match started slowly, I chose to hand feed pellets in front and also my margin swim. Tried shallow in front , over shotted rig for no bites all time and with fish in the margins went in there. Hooked one and lost another before they spooked and were off. Back in front and went dead depth on 8mm to pick up a couple before the left. For me it was a match of swam and change both lines and baits to induce bites. method tested in margin and also to next platform, nothing. The fish kept showing in the margin however could not get an interest in my offerings. Even tried worm for no bites. Best bait for myself was paste at dead depth 2+1 which produced more fish than pellet but nothing to write home about as can be seen from my total weight.
The lake seemed to shut down for most around 12 pm and bites were even harder to achieve and had to be worked at. Some guys managed to find fish well done to those. Even our mighty fish finder also unusually voicing his frustration despite a decent start then struggled for a long bite less period.
All in blown by Gino Lanelly and the weigh team of Jasper and Steve proceeded to do the business weighing and scoring, thanks guys.
Peg 2 Keith Smith sat on his lonesome in naughty boys corner. Keith got off to a flying start with about 50lbs in first couple of hours. Chucking his feeder to the island sand bank then he hit a wall and a no bites all time which was to cost him. 69-11 and first in section.
Peg 4 Andy Waite. Summed up in a simple word struggled, caught a few on method to island then they deserted him. Even packed up early to ensure he wasn't late for his early morning flight Sunday and his jollybobs. Enjoy buddy.
Peg 5 Indian. Started on his trusty feeder to corner of his island whilst priming his pole lines. Caught a few and when bites dried up went on pole line but had to work hard for bites. Struggling and at 2pm switched to method close in his right margin and bingo fish kept coming for a period of time. With Andy leaving early Kev even chucked to the now vacant peg to his left and yep he snared a few. 61-9 second in section.
Peg 7 Steve Curtis. Didn't fancy his peg but was no doubt chuffed it was the golden peg draw. Started slow but the fish were found and he had a good early run. During quite periods even chucked his feeder in open water which is not his usual tactic. Again in late afternoon chucked to vacant platform 6 and instantly was into fish. Sat opposite Steve you could see and hear his frustration at times as bites deserted him but once again he delivered a match winning 140-9, well done mate
XXX
Peg 8 Jasper who delighted in introducing his new van, Kermit, to everyone. He will not get lost in that one as its instantly recognisable. Good planning also for his winter feeder fishing as his barrow will be simply wheel out and away. Looks good mate, but the colour....... Jasper wins first fish on the match from his feeder to the island, and this was quickly followed by a couple more. Again swapping and changing feeder, pole in front, margins was the order of the day to achieve 63-8 and a section win. Well done mate.
Peg 9 and tasked with stopping Steve win the golden peg money was Scott. Despite all the hype and build up on the 200lb+ weight being delivered earlier in the week it was a frustrating day in the office for Scott. 28-1 was his reward as well as he gets it all to do again Sunday as he is back on the lake with another club. well done mate and good banter as always.
Peg 11 Mark Radford. 47-1 for second in section. Good start with small stockies however these disappeared but the fish were in the net to help him score later in a hard section.
Peg 12 Nige Cooke, 13-2
Peg 13 Smiler corner peg 32-4 however he took another shiny pound of his close mate and fellow chuckle brother Steve
XXX
Peg 14 Tracey Benson corner peg with wind blowing down struggle for consistent bites. 35-12
Peg 17 John Lanelly. Not sure how John fished and if he was able to copy Mondays shallow method but he did manage to land 54-12 and a section win, well done mate
Peg 18 Steve Guy and a hard day at black rock for 9-3
Peg 20 Woolfy. 25-2 and I think worm was his best bait. Margins and in front for his fish.
Peg 21 John Utting. 38-14, second in section and another frustrated angler whose plans A,B and C didn't work. Despite some fish in margin and on short pole I think its fair to say his best reward came from method to corner of island.
XXX
Peg 23 Leo 23-2
Peg 24 Michael Roche who came with a plan and executed it. May not have caught all he wanted but managed 49-6 for a section win. Some very blank periods but came good patiently sitting on short pole with mussels, again. His new go to bait and thanks for sharing your info. Well done mate
Peg 25 Richard Cook 18-4, long, short pole, dead depth, shallow and margins you name it he tried it. Welcome back buddy.
Peg 27 Joe(not in a corner peg)Martin 44 lb second in section and bragging rights for the ride home with Scott.
Peg 28 Paul Whitehouse end corner peg however struggled and weighed in 39lb.
XXX
A long frustrating day at the office for all concerned. Well done to Steve and other packet pickers, please share your methods to those that struggled.
No issues with the lake, no issues with the fish being present. In numerous discussions we assume it is down to the pressure and number of anglers around the 28 peg lake. The fish would arrive, give a bite or two and move off. Margin fish did not seem interested which is unusual. Lake pressure is something we cannot avoid if all our anglers turn up. we have generally fished our matches below the subscribed pegging numbers both last year and this year. It is certainly a discussion point for the AGM as we have 20 pegs booked for 2026 summer league matches and for 2027 we have reserved 15 pegs on most fisheries. The costs of unused pegs need addressing.
Other lakes on the complex returned very good weights on the same day, not sure how many anhlers were on them
As a club we are however expecting great things from Scott and Joe who are back on the lake Sunday, its certainly had some feed put in in preparation for them. They cant complain about the weather either as it was dry for the Big Bash and predictions are a wet one for them Sunday. Good luck lads, don't forget to update us.
Just to make Jaspers Day even more enjoyable. I managed to fish and attracted numerous wasps throughout the match around my peg, bait tray, and platform unscathed. On the weigh in, a big Jasper got Jaspered by a little Jasper. Fly in, attack and fly out , much to his annoyance. Get well soon buddy.
Our next match is at Lindholme lakes on Willows in 2 weeks time on the 16th August. Please acknowledge and pay on to help admin.
Peg 7 for me not overly pleased with it as i had no island chuck but it had been fishing well so was not too bothered,started on feeder 12m had a few,jasper next to me the same up to the island then struggled to get much had a few smaller fish in front on top 3 on paste but was not going to plan,they did not seem to want to stay on food.had a good hour 12.30 to 1.30 down the edge on paste then they dissapeared.scratted about for the rest of the match picking odd ones up,had a few to the next platform in last hour but apart from kev on 5 and myself it seemed to have shut down which showed at the weigh in.A very hard match for grange standards.
John Lanelly
Nice write up Leo
To answer your question on how I fished the match trying shallow as per Monday the fish were not having it. Tried long pole 14 metre to island 6mm pellets deck and shallow only picking up very small fish gave up as could catch the small stamp a lot closer. Best results on worm fed very wet stiff ground bait to each margin found 18inch depth each side double worm on a 14 hook found a few fish very slow but kept coming.