Avalon open

Not been to this picturesque venue for a while so I was looking forward to the comp today. Went to Landsend fishery to have a breakfast before the match and found It was a little overrun as the ladies hadn't banked on so many turning up. Off to Avalon after filling my belly and found there was 34 fishing today so a good turn out. Last time I was here I drew peg 48 in the far corner of the carpark bank and managed a win, and blow me down I drew it again. Happy chappy. For company I had Leon Hubbard opposite on peg 1 and Joe MacMahon on peg46. and that was all I could see. Got to the peg and after a bit of gardening on the end bank I set up 4 rigs. A .1 shall slim to fish 8mm over 6's at 16 metres along to the end bank. A .4 slim to fish meat at 2+2. A paste rig to fish paste over micros at 8 metres, and a .3 diamond to fish corn to my right hand margin. I also set up a pellet waggler to fish under the trees along the end bank behind the moored boat. At the all in I fed all lines then went straight out on the wag with 11mm pellet and firing out 8's. Second chuck and I'm into my first carp. If about 4lb. But that was it for a while 30 minutes later I cast out, picked up my catty and as I was firing some pellets to the end bank the rod tip rips round but it came off a few seconds later. Ten minutes later I hook another but it shot under the boat and snagged me up, so I pulled for a break. Set another float up, wanged it out and put it straight up the tree. Bugger. Rig lost before it got wet. So I put that down and went for the end bank rig. Dropped an 8mm pellet in and within seconds the float buries and carp number Two is safely netted. I stuck with this line for a while, but even though it wasn't hectic I was getting the odd fish, even though they were a bit on the small side. Leon and Joe weren't doing g so well so I thought I'd just take what I could for now. But after about an hour that line went very quiet so I tried all the other line over the next half hour but had nothing. So back to the end bank and I had a decent hour putting another 6 fish in the net. I was now on a dozen for about 50lb when the sun came out and it totally killed the peg off. I couldn't get a bite anywhere and in the last 2 1/2 hours I only had two more carp, one from the end bank and one squeaker from the right margin. At the whistle I was glad it was over. Joe had a few at the end but I was sure I had him beat and Leon had struggled for most of the day. My clicker was on 62lb but I thought I'd overdone that by just a few pounds and was banking on 60lb. I was first to weigh and put 58-10 on the scales. Joe had 44-12 but as I was right next to the car park I didn't follow the scales. As it turned out the ever consistent Tony Rixon had top weight from peg 28 catching mainly shallow on pellet with 125-2. Second was Tom Magnal with 86-15 from peg 11 caught on pellet waggle and later expanders fished short. I managed to steel the section money by default so my day was paid for. It fished hard for quite a few with several anglers calling it a day early.

1st Tony Rixon 125-2, peg 24
2nd Tom Magnal 86-15, peg 11
3rd Dave Domain 69-12, peg 44

Silvers first, Paul Fairs 21-8, peg 21