Big Bash knock up Saturday 21st December 2024

[Leo Martin]

Big Bash Wrinklies Knock up  3 arranged Saturday December 21st venue tbc

£15  pegging and pools to be paid on day  Correct money please to help admin

Payout depends upon numbers entered.

Book to be closed Monday evening 16th December

names to be added below please

1 Leo
2 John Lanelly
3 Big Glen
4 John Utting    TBC
5 Indian
6 Mark Radford
7 Dave Fox
8 Tracey Benson
9.Wayne Smith
10. Paul Quinton

Thanks in advance

[Leo Martin]

Big Bash Wrinklies Knock up  3 arranged Saturday December 21st Lodge Farm Thistle Lake

£15  pegging and pools to be paid on day  Correct money please to help admin
Pay on 08:00 and draw old fashioned way at 08:15 latest

Payout depends upon numbers attending as pegging fee as last time.

Hoping for 1 x £30, 2 x £15 section winners and 2 x £5 2nd in sections

Book to be closed Monday evening 16th December. anglers limited to 10

Mark can you please bring your weigh bag and scales, thank you

Pegs taking from last match as 33,35,37,39,41 xx 43,45,47,49, 51 I have removed 40 to give a little more room on that bank and everyone has spare pegs alongside. Fish have fins so hopefully they may have moved around a little since our last visit

Anglers fishing are

1 Leo
2 John Lanelly
3 Big Glen
4 John Utting   
5 Indian
6 Mark Radford
7 Dave Fox
8 Tracey Benson
9.Wayne Smith
10. Paul Quinton

Please be aware of fishery and Big Bash AC rules.

Fishery rules

•   All nets to be dipped on site
•   Barbless hooks only; maximum size 12
•   No keep nets (matches excepted, 50 lb maximum per net)
•   No elasticated hook length method feeders or fixed feeders
•   No braided line
•   1kg groundbait or pellets (1/2kg groundbait 1/2kg pellets)
•   All loose feed pellets to be purchased on site
•   Groundbait applied by cup or feeder
•   No nuts, boilies, bloodworm, joker or meat (luncheon meat excepted)
•   No Floating Baits
•   No artificial hook baits
•   No fish to be handled in rags
•   All fish to be landed and returned to the water by landing net
•   All fish to be returned to the water they were taken from
•   One rod only to be used at any time
•   All litter/rubbish to be taken away from the site
•   No tins on the pegs
•   No audible bite alarms
•   No music
•   No dogs


Matchmen please note: All nets to be laid out along the bank until 10 minutes before the start of your match. 55lb maximum per keep net. Rules subject to change, see bailiff.

Please note the lake is of an irregular shape and pegged as best thought to cause least issues. Please be respectful of fellow anglers if chucking a rod out to aerator in middle of lake

Thanks in advance

[big glen]

Nice one Leo
just don't want a named storm on the day

[Leo Martin]

Hi Glen, I will havea word with him upstairs but can't promise, sorry

[Leo Martin]

Big Bash Wrinklies Knock Up Lodge Farm Thistle Lake 21.12.24.

Two weeks on from the storm Darragh visit to Lodge farm and another knock up on Thistle Lake attended by 10 anglers. Despite being slightly warmer, no rain. no named storm to contend with, despite fish being caught all around the lake in the first 30 minutes, the match was totally different to our last visit come the weigh in.

After a couple of early morning frosts today it was 6 degrees when my car set off this morning. 9 Wrinklies dutifully waiting for yours truly and some enjoying their hearty breakfast as monies were collected and pegs sorted out ready to draw, assisted by Glen. Thankyou everyone for right monies. Some anglers were either lucky or unlucky to draw exact same pegs as 2 weeks ago. Others shuffled around the lake to different homes for their day sport.

Everyone set up  early so match started at 09:30 to hopefully gain another 30 minutes sport and keep the bashers occupied and nothing is worse than mischievous bashers wandering around with time on their hands.
2nd chuck in and Wayne Smith was into a fish, quickly followed by Mark Radford, Tracey Benson, Paul Quinton, and John Utting. I checked my watch, and 6 fish had been landed in the first 5 minutes of the match. Expectancy and hopes were high. Yes, my name is missing but it took a little longer for the tip to go round to give me my first fish as well.

Peg 35 was left in the hat for yours truly at the draw which I was happy with as Steve Guy caught on this peg 2 weeks ago and from early on in the match. My plan was a 3 rod approach and the pole was stopping in the bag. The promised gusty high wind was my reasoning, so bomb, method and maggot feeder were todays approach. The rods also gave more success on our last visit and what Steve used 2 weeks ago
Peg 35 is directly opposite the aerator so it target for the casting as the only in lake feature and peg 35 is the prime position against the other pegs.
15 minutes into the match when the tip slowly arced around and it was hold tight as the fish fought to  go around the aerator. 5 minutes later and a healthy carp graced the net. 15 minutes later and the tip went around again and carp number 2 was netted and my hopes were rising. After a promising start, hopes raising,  things then went downhill. There was a barren slot and the whole lake seemed to switch off for everyone. Corn was my first bait, 8mm bread discs second, then the method feeder went out with a selection of Aquastim wafters on fishery micros, and finally the maggot feeder. This had the result of nipped ends of white maggots but the fish obviously not big enough to swallow and record a tip movement.
Rotating the baits and methods I plugged away, I had the aerator to chuck to, I also had a swim fed midway across at 11 o'clock which I was trying. 2 more bites were had and smaller carp netted giving me 4 fish for 11:30. Then the bites ended and the long afternoon commenced.  10lb 12 graced the scales for a frustrating day. That's why the call it fishing and not catching fish I suppose but it does not help your mood.

We experienced a decent days weather all things considered or at least the lower numbered pegs did. The wind was blowing across the lake primarily from the Sand Martin side into pegs 39 and 43 and then shifted to blow into 45,47 and 49. We had clouds, blue skies with dare I say it some sunshine, deep dark clouds where it was like night time and a couple of slight rain showers. The promised rain held off thankfully as that would have made a poor day even worse. Whilst the waves lashed into the side on the tree side bank, flat calm was the water surface on our bank at times.

Around the lake, section 1

Neighbour to my right Mark Radford draw exactly the same peg (33)  as he had 2 weeks ago. He set up with the same plans of bomb rod and pole to use a maggot approach. After a couple on the bomb he moved onto his short pole line. Mark kept busy all match swapping and changing searching for fish. The white maggot approach again proved to give him the most rewards however the carp never really turned up consistently however he still managed to record 32-8 which gave him a default 2nd in section. This was also just 2lbs behind his previous weight 2 weeks earlier. Well done sir.

Neighbour to my left was Paul Quinton on peg 37. Paul,  I think made a commitment like myself to commit to the rods and unfortunately the fish never showed in peg 37 as in my peg 35.  4lb 8 was his return for a long hard day at the office.

Peg 39 was occupied by Tracey Benson who quickly realised that the rods were not going to give him the results he required. He changed to his margins early on fishing alongside bank side reeds and  below trees to both his left and right hand sides at 2+2. He also set up  a swim in front if him but I think the majority  of his catch was from the margin swims. Fishing maggots and topping up occasionally with pole cup, the bites and fish were slow coming but consistently gracing his landing net to give him a section win with 35-3.

Peg 41 saw Kev Indian Webster puffing away on the Cuban cigars in the wind. Kev chose a bomb and corn approach chucking about 25 yards out and managed to record 45-11 for a match win. He did try 6mm over 4mm feed  but the bite rate was well behind patience on the corn. Kevs first match with the Wrinklies, well done mate.

Section 2 started with John Lanelly on peg 43 which was the favoured corner peg and wind blowing in got him that excited he needed to drive off to the toilet.  The strength of the wind didn't help him at all as he struggled to hold the pole still and present a stationary bait. Frustration nearly caused John to loose it at one stage which entertained the rest of us. Not a match that John will want to remember as he recorded 12-12, hard luck matey.

Peg 45 saw Dave Fox weigh in 14:00 and another frustrated angler wondering what different they could have done. With no joy out in front on the rod, Dave went to his right hand margin fishing off the reeds to catch some but unfortunately a couple of silvers short of second in section. Hard luck mate.

Peg 47 was big Glen, my peg 2 weeks ago and one up from where he sat on that match. A couple fish on the bomb rod on corn out in front then a long lean period of no bites all the time. Glen followed Tracey's example by fishing his margin to the right-hand side. Fishing dead reds about a metre from the reeds in 3 feet depth of water he exercised his patience to bring small carp to his net and record 21-9 for a section win. Well done Glen.

Peg 49 was occupied by Wayne Smith who with the wind lashing in had the first couple of fish of the match on his rod  fishing to the aerator then when bites dried up went on his pole to catch small silvers. He worked, swapped and changed all match to achieve 14-3 and sneak in with a 2nd in section. Well done Wayne

On Peg 51 was Darkhorse John Utting who was the second angler to draw the same peg as the last match. The last match saw a frustrated John take 23-7 to the scales and he would have settled on that weight this week if he was able to do so. John fished both rods and pole but the fish were not "playing". John fishing pole could only catch very small skimmers so tried to search for a carp as he realised the difference on carp could make to his weight. He did loose 2 carp in the last 30 minutes of the match from his margin as he tried to copy the margin guys in other areas of the pond. John weighed in 7-7 and not a happy chappy. Hard luck mate.

Thank you to Glen for help on admin and time keeping. Many thanks to Mark and John for weighing in duties.

So a long difficult day for all anglers around the lake and lots to reflect over. A lot of fisheries and lakes in the area are struggling with match weights as fish are temperamental with their feed and keeping moving "homes" in their lakes. Weather temperatures changing, cold rain also does not help, the list of potential reasons is endless. Whilst results are important its also good to be in the fresh air with friends doing the sport we love.

The next wrinkly knock up is on the 28th and fully subscribed. Watch out for the 2025 knock ups and thank you for your support.

Best wishes to everyone for Xmas and the new year.