Match 4

Nine Oaks, Aberaeron - 25th Feb 2007

Match Report

Fish4Wales's 1st visit to Nine Oaks for a full match was a success, even if the weights were lower than we had anticipated. For the second time in a row this match was a sell out with the maximum 18 fishing.

Nine Oaks favourite from recent visits was Brian Bevan, who had commented only the week previously that it's the Angler and not the peg after once again having great success last sunday on peg 1, and may have wished he had stayed quiet after failing to finish in the top 5 today. Tony also practicing on Peg 13 was having a very good day, and that peg at least stayed on form for this match.

Today the wind was very cold and quite strong at times making the long pole quite difficult and with the tow also not helping presentation bites were hard to come by, but for a few there were some Carp to be caught. Many of us myself included hooked and lost carp and the biggest for the day falling to Malc Hawkins weighing in at 6lb 10oz. Congratulations to Malc, scoring a section win and 3rd overall at the same time from difficult to fish peg 6 with it's over hanging trees, but hey Mal thats where the carp want to be, so maybe the pick up will ease the blow of all those rigs caught up in that tree. Steve Davies one of our recent new members was best adult on the day landing a respectable 19lb 13oz from the washing machine peg, well done Steve showing Dean and Chris there are fish in that peg, but it was a junior who showed us all how it's done today, after drawing in form peg 13 Ryan set to work and anhilalated the majority of the rest of the field finishing top rod on the day with 26lb 11oz recording his 1st F4W win and posting his highest match weight in the process. Well done Ryan, who says 13 is unlucky.

Results - Overall

Biggest Fish was won by Malc Hawkins with a 6lb 10z Carp.

Here are the results of our previous match.

On the left we have Steve Davis of Burryport with a 6 1/2lb Ghost Mirror caught in the House Pool on 19th February 2007. Float fishing in about 6ft of water 1 rod length out from the bank using sweetcorn.

Recent catches have included a 9 3.4lb Ghostie on floating Chum mixer by Daniel Pearson of Llangollen. Many other good carp have been landed using floating or surface tactics during the past couple of weeks.

At this time of the year winter fishing also includes regular catches of tench! Recent matches have been won by Fishf4Wales team member Brian of Burryport with 65lb 1oz of Carp and Roach on Pole tactics at about 11m. Best individual junior catch has been this 7lb Common by Calvin Hughes of Briton Ferry. It First was his first time on our lakes and was captured using size 16 hook with 3lb hook length on a pole with a bait banded pellet.

Our aerators are on from 2am for awhile and then each afternoon for 1 1/2hours when margin fishing is superb after the floating baits have been pushed towards the lake's edges. The best fish over Easter from the main lake has been an unknown 20lb Common Carp caught by Trevor Thomas of Ton Kenfig, Cardiff. The best from the House Pool has been a 10lb Common plus many good Bream up to 5lb being landed.

We won't be netting the margins of the Main Lake again until after Easter. Since our last netting two weeks ago fishing has been really good with most anglers having some excellent fishing!

On the Trout lakes, after last years maintenance work on two of them, fishing has been excellent with morning and evenings being best. Most anglers have bagged up with pink Damsels being the best fly. Most fish have been near the top until lunch time when fishing gets hard and then it improves as the evening shadows begin to grow longer. Best fish over the weekend has been a 3 1/2lb Rainbow.

Following the hot weather in April our Carp spawned very early, consequently we closed our Main Lake for 6 weeks to give the fish a chance to recover. Since then the best fish so far has been a 23lb Mirror caught by John Conlin of Leeds off the "helicopter pad" and an 18lb Common. One angler from South Wales fishing very close in had a blinder of a day landing a total of 41 Carp in to double figures. His tactics were to sit well back from the bank with the rod butt on a rest and the rod tip resting on the edge of the fishing platform. He fished 18" out from the bank in 2ft of water.

Best times of the day are early mornings and after 4pm when the "dinner bell" rings and fishing on the top with floating baits, bread or dog mixer pellets, can be awesome. Some super bags of Roach in the 3/4lb range are also being caught with the occasional Tench up to 3lb. Very few Bream have been caught.

The Novices pool continuers to produce plenty of 3/4lb Commons and Mirrors with the occasional heavier fish with the best this year being a 10lb Carp.

Plenty of Carp are being caught in the House Pool with the best around 12lb, best Bream so far weighing in at 3lb. An exceptional Roach bag included 12 over the 1lb mark with the best at 1 3/4lb. In the first week of July a local angler caught and lost at the net a huge Roach estimated at well over 2lbs! Since January Tench have been caught regularly on sweetcorn!

Best bait has been maggots for the Roach, and Paste, Sweetcorn, Luncheon meat especially curry flavoured and Cat meats for the Carp, Bream and Tench with Bread and Dog mixer pellets as floating baits for the Carp.

Trout Fishing:

At the end of August 2006 the Weir lake was drained and left empty for some months before replanting it and then being re-stocked earlier this year. Since then Trout Fishing has been pretty good with some really hard fighting Blues and Rainbows coming out mainly on wet flies, buzzers, damsels, hoppers etc. and tiny black dry flies during the last hours of day light.

One angler had a good 2lb+ Blue that went about 2/3rds the length of the lake before it could be turned - that's hard fighting!

The other two lakes, Pallen and Derwen, have also produced regular sport with Trout in Derwen having a preference for something with a little pink in it! Again, mainly wet flies. Most Blue and Rainbow Trout are in the 2-3lb bracket with the occasional bigger fish.

Fishing costs £10 for catch and release (barbless or debarbed hook), £14 for 2 fish, £18 for 3 and £24 for 4. Best bag so far has been 2 x 3lb and a 3 1/2lb Rainbow. Not huge fish but good sporting fish well worth the effort.

The best fish in recent weeks has been an unconfirmed 21lb Common from the Main Lake to one of our junior anglers and weighed by some night anglers. Plenty of good Carp are coming out on all lakes along with Bream, Tench some excellent Roach and Grass Carp. Main baits have been Luncheon Meats, floating baits (bread, pellets), maggots, Marine Halibut and black slugs.

On friday 7th September, Mr Reg Clinch from Berkshire had a wonderful day on the house pool fishing just off the Lillies with many fish being caught. His catch return of noteable fish reads:

2lb Tench,

4lb Koi,

7lb Common,

2 x 1/2lb Roach,

3lb Tench,

3lb Carp,

2lb Roach,

5lb Common,

1lb Bream,

2lb Carp,

1 1/2lb Bream,

5lb Carp.

The Novices pool has produced some excellent fishing with consistant sport with good Roach and Carp for most anglers.

During National Fishing Week in early July over 100 anglers were introduced to fishing with everyone catching and all youngsters going home with a free rod and rig!

Trout fishing continues to be hard with plenty of fish feeding on small white flies but reluctant to take a fly!

What can I say? Coarse Fishing has been excellent all summer and in recent weeks with floating baits (especially Bread and Dog mixer pellets) and Sweetcorn of curry flavoured Luncheon Meat on the bottom have been the best baits that have consistently produced some excellent fish.

The recent best has been a 16lb 2oz common followed by a 14lb 6oz Common and today (28th October more doubles including one at 12lb). The last time young Daniel Pearson ((pictured) was here the average weight of his Carp during the whole of his holiday was 7lb per fish! Excellent by any standards. Best bag was on Friday 12th October when Mr Savage from Newtown, was fishing on the end of the promontory using bread and various pellets, including Halibut, he caught no less than 39 Carp plus some good Roach; with the best Carp being a good double. Another angler, on the same day, fishing floating bread from the Helicopter Pad caught and lost a really good Carp when his size 10 Raptor hook was straightened during a good fight!

Several good sized Grass Carp have also been caught on Floating Bread and Dog Biscuit from the House and the Main Lakes.

Bream to 2 1/2lb on Maggot plus some fine Roach around the 1/2lb mark with the occasional Tench have also been landed.

While the weather is still relatively warm floating baits all around the fishery have been really producing the goods with many anglers reporting their best fishing sessions ever!

Trout fishing continues to be hard with plenty of fish feeding on small white flies (Canis) but reluctant to take a fly!