Cadbury Angling Silverfish Open Sunday 10th March Plantation Lake

I was really looking forward to this match, this was the 4th one to be run since Christmas and organised by Toby from Cadbury Angling, I was unable to fish the previous ones but they had been very popular.
I thought I was prepared but I wasn't, mentally I was shot, been in a NEBOSH Course all week (and this week) with 3 hours homework and revison each night, wife has been away so looking after the house and dog who is on heat, youngest daughter has new boy friend, oldest daughter going for her first home oh and work work still goes on - how did this happen?

I tied a few rigs on the Friday night, cleaned up the gear and preloaded the car, bait was caster, maggot, corn and some groundbait pre mixed, soft pellet looked at but decided not required - wro ng decision.

Anyway on arrival a great breakfast with some know fishin colleagues and few faces I had not seen for a while. Steve Mayo turned up (pic below), great angler who had won the last few of these matches, I remember Steve and Des Shipp taking Moorlands Farm apart when there was no Commercials down this way.

The draw was called and I pulled Peg 8, not bad and the right side of the lake. On my right was carp slayer Andy Hembrow, not sure how he would go for silverfish but I soon found out.

I set up 3 pole lines, 1 short and 2 at 13 meters 10 and 2 o'clock, 20 hook to 0.08 and a 4 x 12, thats as technical as it gets. I saw Andy prepare so soft pellets and then I started to question my decision not to take them. Up to my left was Toby and Simon Carvello, again in the right area for silvers.

I cupped in quite a bit of groundbait with a few dead reds at the start and soon hand a few roach, I glanced down and could see Steve Mayo and Paul Nicholls next to him landing a skimmer each first put in, Andy next door was still without a fish, hmmm.
That was all to change, Andy started to catch on soft pellet at steady interval and they were decent skimmers at a 1lb or over, his orange elastic just kept coming out all day, it was a true masterclass.
I just continued to catch small fish, no skimmers altough I did have a big crucian. My weight went between 8 and 9 lb, was off the mark, on our side of the lake, peg 1 DNW, Paul Nicholls had 14lb odd, Steve Mayo on 5 had 21lb, Andy Hembrow 34lb odd, me as stated above, Toby 10lb odd and Simon 14lb odd

Here is Andy with his quality net of skimmers

That's all folks, I am taking a couple of weeks off fishing as I have exams to sit although I may do some fluff chucking. By the way great result Jamie at Summerhayes.