John Adamson reports: Had it not been for the bitterly cold North wind it would have been a pleasant day, as it was cloudy with sunny periods, and, for a change, it remained dry.
MATCH RESULT/REPORT
EVENT: WEDNESDAY “NISA” OPEN MATCH
VENUE: LAKE TWO - Makins Fishery
DATE: 24 APRIL 2024
RESULT:
Place: Peg: Angler's Name: Sponsor/Club: Weight-lb/oz
1st: A18: Gaz KITCH: Wykin Fishing Club: 154-00
2nd: A13: John ADAMSON: Nisa Feeders: 148-04
3rd: A21: John LACK: Northampton: 108-12
4th: A15: Rob HENRICK: Mallory: 107-00
5th: A07: Philip ALDRIDGE: DT Floats & Bait Tech: 58-06
6th: A11: Peter STOCKWIN: Northampton: 57-04
7th: B23: Phil HUNT: Grenadier Guards: 45-02
8th: B20: Rob MALLABONE: Cross Keys AC: 39-14
9th: B17: Tony LAMB: Elephant & Castle: 33-11
10th:B03: Scott Ford: Northampton: 26-11
Report: Although Makins “Spring Three-Day Festival” was also being held, and there was a “Fishomania” qualifier elsewhere (both of which had some of our regular attendees fishing) we still had a decent attendance. However, not being a “sell-out” enabled more spacing between pegs so everyone had loads of room.
Unfortunately, the persistent cold North wind seems to have kept many carp shoaled up in the high A numbers, and once again these pegs dominated the results. However, introducing a bank section pool continues to give the anglers on the B-bank interest until the fish spread around the lake. The payout was to the top two individuals and two default sections. Despite two “DNWs” (both caught fish), weights averaged over 65 lbs per angler.
The top weight came from peg A18, where Gaz Kitch caught 154-00 of carp to record his first Nisa Open win. Gaz has been a very consistent prize-winner and checking back I was very surprised to see this was his first win at our matches. He caught at a steady rate throughout the match, first on the method feeder fished to the post, and then later on the pole and pellet fished towards the corner of the lake.
John Adamson on peg A13 was a close runner up, ending one fish short of the winner with a weight of 148-04, with all his fish falling to method feeder fished at range. After a decent carp on his first cast, he had to wait over 2 hours for his second fish (his only bream), and he caught over 100 lbs during the last 2 hours.
John Lack on A21 filled third place with 108-12 taken on the method feeder, and although he matched the winner fish for fish in the early stages his catch rate slowed in the last two hours. This took the “A” Section money.
Rob Henrick (A15) failed to get much response on the method feeder so he switched to pole short with meat and in his margin. As the match progressed his catch rate improved and his fourth placed 107-00 left him a bare 1-12 short of a prize.
Philip Aldridge on A7 had the bulk of his fifth placed 58-06 short on the method feeder, whereas Peter Stockwin (A11) caught his (also method feeder) by casting long.
The winner of the B bank pool was seventh placed Phil “Bagger” Hunt, with a seven carp catch weighing 45-02 from peg B23. Phil caught one from his margin on the pole and the other six in the last hour on the method feeder, just enough to sneak the lead over Rob Mallabone (B20), who accumulated 39-14 of carp and bream switching between pole and feeder throughout the match.
Many thanks to John Lack (and later Gaz Kitch) for their scales-work. Photos show the prizewinners.
NB. Nisa Opens are held every Wednesday on Lake Two at Makins Fishery (see Facebook "Nisa - midweek open matches" to book a place).