For those that are interested this is a copy of Keiths Blog
This match was not on the original match calendar but with quite a long break between the Mill Barn and Colemans Cottage matches, Dave Collier had arranged an impromptu gathering of the masses at Blasford Hill Fisheries just outside Chelmsford.
I had, as usual, asked for an extra place and my travelling companion cum chauffeur for the day was Pete Thompson. Can you imagine the horror on his face when he turns up at 6am to be greeted with the words "I hope you like Hospital food". A long pause followed as Pete's face drops before I explain that the cafe we were going to be eating in is in the grounds of Broomfield Hospital, just round the corner from the fishery. A rather uneventful journey down saw us puling into the Hospital car park at the same time as John,Martin and Zack and after coughing up £3 to park the car it was over to the cafe or restaurant as they called it. Two full english breakfasts later and we were off again, this time only around a mile to the venue.
It is always nice to be greeted warmly by your fellow anglers and Kevin Loveland started the ball rolling with his cries of the gooners will win nothing this year and the latest transfer gossip surrounding our beloved West Ham and Arsenal. Slowly the remaining anglers turned up and the draw was under way. I drew peg 11 and with Pete on peg 7 we could see each other from opposite sides of the lake. At least we could see how we were doing and the banter would flow.
Blasford Hill Match Lake is a rectangular shaped lake with 10 pegs either side and one on each end. Well established with over hanging trees and bushes and the odd smattering of reed beds. The water had a nice colour to it and odd fish could be seen topping the surface.
View to the Left
Colin had been down for a sneaky practice during the week and had given me a run down of his catch and what worked on the day. So armed with a bit of info I formulated a plan to attack the margins and fish at around 8m for the first few hours.
Arriving at my peg I noticed that I had 2 bushes either side but on plumbing them up I only had 12inches of water so was a little concerned that the shallow water would not hold the fish, so I plumbed up another line at 3m down the nearside shelf to my right and left. At 8m I had around 6ft so 4mm GOT sinkers would be fed along with a bit of catmeat and corn.
View to the Right Peg 11
I set up a NG Gandhi to fish in the 12inches margin swims with .19 poweline to a Toschiro size 14 hook with 2x8 dotting it down. A MW Dinky to fish in the 2ft 6in 3m Line and a MW Pellet float to .19 powerline and B911 14 Hook for the 8m open water swim. All rigs were attached to Red Hydro through my Garbolino Margin Manager.
At the all in I potted a large pot of catmeat and corn onto the 8m line and another pot of 4mm sinkers. A couple of handfulls of the same pellet down both edges and a pinch of corn. At 3m I potted in a small pot of corn, 6mm GOT expanders and a half pot of 4mm sinkers. Starting out on the 8m line I hooked a cube of Coshida and shipped out. After around 5 minutes the float buried and my first fish was on, but soon off as I had foul hooked it. Back out and the float buries again this time a small stockie around the pound mark. After an hour of sticking at it I had only 2 small stockies and an odd roach to show for my efforts. Pete was catching on the opposite bank with his pellet and paste approach. Half an hour in the margins only produced another dog roach so a quick look onto the 3m line. A 6mm GOT Expander produced an instant response and brought a steady stream of small fish to about 2lb but I was foul hooking a lot bigger fish and losing them. Slackening off the hydro seemed to work as the next fish came to double expander and weighed in at 10lb(all fish over 5lb had to be weighed and returned). Pete was also getting off his peg and weighing fish so I assumed he was doing well. Colin was catching on the method to the middle of the lake but Dave was soon going walkabout with only a few fish to show for his efforts. Judy on the opposite bank was getting up and weighing in a few fish and Kevin was soon shouting across the lake her totals on the board. Ken was getting amongst the small carp and getting an odd lump. Jim on peg 8 was playing a fish for ages on his match rod with Dave offering friendly advice. Indeed it turned out to be a new personnal best at 15lb.
Jim Playing his best
Jim with his 15lb Personal Best Mirror
Martin was up and down weighing in his fish. So with a couple of hours to go and with around 40lb on both board and nets I was still in with a shout.
However bites just dried up for me and even switching from single expanders to double, from corn to meat nothing seemed to work regularly. I tried different depths and although odd bites were forthcoming there was no set pattern. So just be plugging away I managed another 4 fish in the last two hours, one at 6lb 8oz, another and 11lb 8oz, one at around 2lb and finally my best fish of the day at 13lb 8oz. The last hour was really a struggle as no matter what I did on any line no bites came.
Dave had decided to fish the maggot and in the last hour hooked 5 only getting one out at 14lb, although he swore it was a twenty, but after weighing it twice it still only went 14lb.
Dave Collier with his "Twenty"
Colin had struggled all day but with his method fish would have a decent weight. Ken opposite was having a red letter day and would achieve his best ever match weight. Judy was fishing Colins practice peg and it was paying off.
After packing up I managed to catch up with the scales with Ken who put a good 63lb on the board, knocking Judy's out of first place. Pete was next with 35lb and I honestly thought he had done more.
Pete Thompson
Martin Hucker
Zack Johnson
A few more 20 and 30lb weights followed, then it was my turn. The weigh board had 41lb 8oz and with another 32-12 to add I ended up with 74lb 4oz and the lead. Colin weighed in close to 30lb and Dave with his "twenty" had 22lb.
All in all a good day out, a match win on a new venue, a few PBs along the way for a few of the other members.
I would ike to say though the journey home was uneventful and it was, apart from us getting caught on the M25 when a speedboat came off its trailer and us missing the M1 turn off and having to go across country for the last part of the journey.
. 3rd cast and the whole rig disappears. 
i should of made him walk home) good job i turned my hearing aids off on the way home.