Angling
Two personal bests and match win for Matthews
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| Nigel Matthews, with his 31lbs 4ozs common carp |
NIGEL Matthews is asking himself if he'll ever have another ten days as
memorable as those recently spent at Bathampton AA's Hunstrete main lake.
With the club's first carp match of the year looming Matthews decided to
spend some time at the lake to get in tune with the fish and how they were
feeding and the results were beyond his wildest dreams.
His first session saw him at peg 28 and, after a quiet day and closing time
approaching, he placed a single boilie off his rod tip when, bang, a violent
bite resulted in a furious ten minute fight.
The successful result was a solid 28lb mirror, and a new personal best was
photographed and safely returned.
Matthews, from Bristol, returned to the lake a couple of days later and
chose a swim at the far end of the lake based on his observations.
Mid-afternoon arrived before he had any action, then another fine mirror -
this time at 25lbs 4ozs - took his single boilie off the rod tip.
This was followed by a 15 pounder and then another take from a fish picking
up a single boilie which was just six feet off the rod tip.
A long battle followed and, eventually, a wonderful sight came into view
alongside his landing net. It was soon netted and placed on the wet
unhooking mat.
It was a scale perfect common - true excellence at 31lbs 4ozs when weighed.
Two personal bests in a week, topped by a fish caught at 30lbs plus for the
first time.
The weekend arrived and the members-only 30 hour carp match takes place. And
there could only be one winner.
Matthews proved beyond any doubt that there was as much, if not more, skill
involved by landing five carp totalling 78lbs 1oz from peg 18.
His single boilie approach accounted for mirrors of 9lbs 6ozs; 16lbs; 13lbs
11ozs; 20lbs 8ozs and a nice winning cash prize.
According to co-organiser Andy Coombes the win was well deserved if only for
the amount of thought and time spent positioning and re-positioning his
baits.
The biggest fish prize was won by Grant Barry, from Bristol, with a 25lb 2oz
mirror from peg 31.
Runner-up prize went to Jerry Redman (Bristol) at peg 15 with three fish
weighing 22lbs; 19lbs 8ozs and 22lbs 10ozs for a total of 64lbs 2ozs.
HAVE you got an angling story for the Wiltshire Times or Chippenham News?
Had a good day on the river, lake or at sea and taken a specimen fish
or a match-winning catch. Send the details, with your name, address and
telephone number - and a picture if you have one - to mbristow@newswilts.co.uk
5:17am Tuesday 29th April 2008
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