Rd- 9 - Winter League - Grange Park - 22nd March - 2025

[Leo Martin]

Big Bash Winter League Rd 9  Grange Park 22.3.2025

The final round of our Winter League and with 13 names on the wheel of fortune the Friday night draw had a little more excitement than usual as league placings were tight at the top.
Draw made and with the favoured Heron bank having the most pegs on it of the 3 man sections it was all to fish for. League leader Jasper and Lewis also in clear vision of each other to monitor each others progress. I drew 26 which I was happy with having fished it last Saturday although it would appear nothing was gleaned from the practise and it fished very similar and was again hard work.

The weather had been warming up, however we still had a couple of frosts to dampen our expectations. A promise of clouds and rain which turned out to be wrong again, it was a real mixture. Starting in drizzle, then sunshine, clouds, and a good rain shower. The wind changed directions several times in the match. South the North, East to west and all combinations in between. The water had some ripple in the wind and also periods of flat calm ever changing as the day went on.

Set up was bomb and hybrid feeder rod to chuck to the end of the island on my right. Pole lines 2+1, 2+2 and 2+3. Also set up a margin line to my left. Baits maggots, corn, hard pellet and fishery micros alone and with "juice".
Very slow start with absolutely no bites on maggots (not as predicted) in fact it was well after 1pm before my first bite. Only had 3 fish on pole, 2 close together after 3 pm wheni thought they had turned up to feast on the maggots I had been feeding all day but  after 2 fish in succession, they left as quickly as they had arrived. One twitch on bomb on hard pellet. Method rod gave me about 5 fish, one lump which I had to bring from behind the island and another decent 5lber to give me 23lb and thanks for coming. I had hoped they would arrive in force like last week at 2:45 and did manage a fish at 2:45 to raise my hopes but hey ho you know the story, all good plans made and nothing showed.
Around the lake

Peg 2 John Utting. Corner peg that struggled with Cookie on it last week retained its form and was hard work for  John. 13lb
Peg 4 Lewis Fox chose a pole and maggot attack and fished it at various lengths to catch though out the match although did have some long biteless spells which cost him. 37-8.
Peg 6 Joe ( no corner peg) Martin again fished mostly on his pole although dropped on his rod to eat his snap😊. Joe caught thought out the match in runs of fish as he change lines when bite dried up. 54.11 and section win.
Peg 8 Mark Radford who I suspect followed last weeks results on maggots and after a slow start had runs of decent carp to weigh in 49-3 for second in section.
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Peg 10 saw a welcome return of Dave Fox after his break for treatment. He weighed in 38lb for a section win in a very tight section. Well done Dave.
Peg 18 on Heron bank saw Keith Smith take advantage of his space and room to cash in 75-2. Fishing out in front and then to peg 17 platform Keith chose maggots and micros approach and maggots, expanders over micros to the pallet of 17 to take out the match with a very respectful weight and match win. Well done mate.
Pegs 20 and 22 saw Andy Waite and Steve Jackson fishing toe to toe. Both had to go to 16m to try retain their fish and weighed in  36-7 and 34-9 respectfully. Andy taking second in section.
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Peg 24 Jasper started on his beloved rods and resorted to his pole fishing to various lines alther nating throughout the match for short runs of fish. He switched to his margins around 2pm and had a good hour of decent fish to give him a return of 71-3 and section win, probably one good fish short of the match.
Peg 26 Leo, 23-3, need to avoid this peg like the plague as cant figure it out.
Peg 28 John Lanelly 32-3 . John started on rods to island for the first fish of the match prize on his first chuck. Whilst this would have wet his appetite thewre was a gap till his next fish although several more followed. He also caught on various pole lines and on his last put in found a lump in his 3rd margin line he had set up to boost his weight.
Peg 30 in naughty boys corner was the inform Tracey Benson. 34-8 was his return from various lines along the end of the lake. This gave his a second in section, well done Tracey.
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The weights around the lake were respectful on recent fishery form and the fish look like they are starting to feed now and are moving around. More sunshine, less overnight frosts and hopefully the feeding will accelerate.

Its been a good winter league with mixed fortunes for some and rewards for others. We have had a consistent turn out  supported by riders on occasions. I think the use of 3 fisheries for our matches has helped as well as it has offered some variation whilst not loads of different unused pellets being required.

League awards go to
1st Jasper 11 points and 358-8 retaining his title
2nd Paul Whitehouse 13 points 255-3
3rd Keith Smith 14 points 351lbs
4th Lewis Fox 14 points 241-10
Well done guys.

Massive thank you to all league members and our guests for our support and we will no doubt do it all again later this year.

Summer league membership now being taken as it all starts in a couple of weeks time where we hopefully swap our coats,  heated socks, and heated waistcoats for tee shirts and shorts.