Still I take my time getting ready and at 8.15 take Gladys to work… well someone has got to get some money in to pay for my next holiday while Im out fishing. Load the car and Im off at just after 9am.
What a crap journey,
it hasn’t stopped raining and there is spray everywhere. An hour later I pull into the car park and go and have a chat with the baliff who is busy pruning the brambles on the Reservoir.. Its not been fishing well and the weekend match was won with less than 20lb which is very poor for the lake. Nicks is not much better either. 10 minutes later crap weather forecaster Tony turns up pleading that the rain is not his fault and I should blame the BBC website. 
We both decide to fish the Res but feel a cup of tea and a pie is in order first so its up the road to the farm shop. Now most of you would think a farm shop is a broken down hut selling a few local products, but you couldn’t be more wrong. This is the posh part of Kent and this shop is like a mini high class Waitrose supermarket with its own small bakery section and the pies and cakes are superb.
Back to the fishing , as neither of us fancy any sort of walk we settle into the first 2 pegs me on 29 and Tony on 30 as the light wind is blowing from behind so we will get some shelter from the trees. I set up a rig for 7 metres a 0.4g MW power diamond to .10 hooklength with an 18 B611 and a doubled 6 preston elastic. This should be good for the roach which are my main target today and will cope (Hopefully ) if any of the smaller carp turn up. A large T-pot kinder cup completes the set up.
First put in with a full cup of hemp, caster and a few micro pellet with maggot on the hook results in a 1oz roach , 5 minutes later followed by a 6oz roach. A switch to caster on the hook and several more roach topped by a 12 oz fish and then a 1 1/2lb bream. By this time I had changed the shotting from a 3 no8 bulk and 2 x 10 droppers to spread out and was getting bites by laying the rig out and holding tight to the float. Some came on the drop mostly missed smaller fish but as the bait reached the bottom the bigger roach were having a go.
After 90 minutes I decided to go and sit in the car to have some food. I had had about 15 fish for 7lb including another skimmer but Tony was plagued by the smaller fish and his 18 fish went around 3 1/2lb . On my return his luck had changed and he had bagged half a dozen roach from 4oz to 12oz and we were now neck and neck. He was now fishing at 5 metres and finding it much better and not being one to miss a hint I quickly set up a shorter line rig, sma eline and hook but with a 4x12 chianti float and a doubled 5 laccy. Tony was by now still catching the better roach and walked up with his best fish which was easily 1lb 4oz. A cracking fish in pristine condition.
I couldn’t get my swim producing as consistently as his but continued to nick the odd fish until it died completely. 5 minutes later the float dipped and a lift of the rig resulted in a foot of elastic coming out and then meeting a solid weight, BUGGER . Slowly more elastic came out then more and more disappearing towards the middle of the lake, “ Ive got a very big roach on “ I shout to Tony and a few seconds later he says “so have I” as his elastic stretches towards my swim whilst mine is now going towards his. Fortunately his hooklength parts at his shot
whilst mine stays in one piece ( that will teach him not to use his teeth to put the Stotz on wont it)10 minutes later after gentle playing a 7lb carp finds itself nestled in the folds of my landing net. I only managed a couple of roach after that and a short time later we pack up. As we do the rain finally stops Grrrrrr !!!!
Tally for the day in just over 4 hours
Tony 46 fish for around 16lb
Me 32 silvers for 12lb plus 7lb for the carp.
A nice enjoyable day even if a little wet.
well apart from the Xmas match at Rockells. 
