Monk Lakes Lake 4 31st March 2012

#1

Well we're off and running for another year.

Clive pulls into the car park, gets out and utters the immortal words "Well at least it isn't windy"

This is Monk Lakes, which must be the most exposed fishery in Kent.
Needless to say it WAS windy, and crappity smacking cold.

#2

Have you seen the weather today????????????

Sunshine, Blue Sky without a hint of cloud and not a breath of wind.

#3

Yes Pete but that is Sydenham not Staplehurst

#4

Typical isn't it. I had my thermal top on, fleece on and hood up and was still cold yesterday. Couldn't keep my float still

#5

Even though the weather was crap yesterday the lake fished surprisingly well. I think we all knew what was going to happen when Al again drew a peg with an island in pole range.

#6

Well done Al, Keith and Mr Frog for framing.
I see Clive got to watch Al catch all day for his wind comment

#7

He also got to fish 16 metres to the island but it wasnt a problem for him because it wasnt windy.

mickthechippy · #8

enjoyed myself immensly again,

bit of a fish race with mugger, (which I lost again)

Thanks very much for the invite

#9

Ah well the end 3 sections of my pole have had an outing that's their lot till next year

#10

Monk Lakes. Match Lake 4. 31st March 2012

Well today would see me fishing the first Marsh AC match of the season down at Monk Lakes on Match Lake 4

. Having not fished since the last club match in the middle of October I was really looking forward to this, getting back on the bank and blowing a few cobwebs away. I was soon back into the old routine, up early, get the cats fed and a couple of cups of coffee for myself

before loading up the car and setting off for the venue.

It was a dull grey overcast morning as I drove down toward Staplehurst with the temperature showing just 8°C

. I'd like to say that it was an uneventful trip, but a bit of debris falling from a truck I was following shot under the car, with a bang signalling that it had hit something!!!!! The centre box of the exhaust as it happens, which will now need fixing

. Anyway I made it to the fishery with Rod and Clive arriving behind me. Getting out of the cars Clive looked around and uttered the immortal words "Well at least it isn't windy"....he really should have known better

.

Over to the food bar for a breakfast roll and a cuppa where a healthy turn out of club members was assembling along with Mick the Chippy who was my guest for the day

.
The draw took a little longer than usual as Dave had club fees to collect, but the draw was soon underway and I found peg 154 was mine while Mick drew 155 meaning we would have a good old chat today if nothing else.

Into the cars and up to the lake, I soon had my gear at my peg as I was able to park within 20 yards of it. I can't say I was delighted with it as pegs 154-160 are generally regarded as "The Corner of Death" and not the most favoured to say the least, but hopefully we would still get a few

.

As we started to set up the wind got up, a nasty chill north easterly from my right blowing down into the corner, making it feel cooler still

. Having not fished for a while it took a bit longer than usual to get set up, even though I was going to keep it pretty simple today. Just 2 top kits loaded with black hydro and a couple of rigs the first was an 0·4 NG XT Gimp on 0·14 Ultima power match straight through to a size 16 Kamasan B911X to fish on the deck at around 10mtrs, while the second was a, 0·3 NG XT Power Pencil Mk 2 again on 0·14 Ultima power match straight through to a size 16 Kamasan B911X for a 4mtr line on the deck. Both lines had a similar 4ft of depth. Bait for the day was going to be a mix of maggot and hard 6mm pellet along with some 6mm GOT Rippers

.

Mick meanwhile had the site of a couple of randy swans on his pole line that decided it was the perfect time and spot to make cygnets

!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thankfully they soon departed though.
Kev also appeared with a welcome cup of coffee from Jean

. Dave signalled the All-In at 10am and I fed a mixed pot of maggot and pellet at 10mtrs, before starting with double red maggot over it, while Mick started on the method just short of the island. Mick was soon off the mark with a gudgeon which led to a discussion of the merits of the humble gobio and soon followed it with a small carp and another gudgeon before my float dipped and I bumped a bottle top off. However it was soon followed by another, all of 2 inches long, but at least I landed it saving myself the dreaded DNW

.

I could already hear splashing from up on peg 151 though where Al was able to fish across to the side of the island in relative comfort and seemed to be catching carp already.
Mick was ticking along till he got broken by an unseen denizen of the deep, but I was starting to worry about the destination of the Golden Nugget that was riding on our head to head. Maggot appeared to just attract tiny skimmers and roach so a pot of 6mm's was followed by the rig with a 6mm ripper on the hook. a bit of lifting and dropping resulted in a positive bite and finally a carp was on it's way to the net, a nice plump little mirror of around 1½lbs

.

It was still hard graft for me, though Mick kept slipping one or two into the net. By 12o'clock I just had 6 carp and that solitary tiny skimmer to show for my efforts so I fed 3 handfuls of pellet onto the 4mtr line and decided to take a stroll with the camera

.

Rod and Ken on the other bank of the Corner of Death were having an ever worse time of it than Mick and I as they had the North Easterly blowing full into their faces

......

Graham at least was sheltered by the island, but was still having a struggle to find some fish and had an early look down his margin with some paste to try and snare a carp or two ......

Vic's peg looked lovely but he was having to work hard for fish that really didn't want to play ball ........

Kev was also struggling despite encouragement from Jean (at least I think that was what it was

) I found Tony fishing his right hand margin as his main swim appeared to have died on him, and was lucky enough to get him to pose for a photo with his next fish

........

Simon was struggling as well despite using his new Maver Elite Carp for the first time and I managed to talk him into letting me have a go with it. A nice pole, but not for me as the balance didn't feel quite right I'm afraid even after I got Simon to fit the 13mtr extension the right way round

.

Round to Keith who complained he was being battered by Mick on the next peg, but he was soon into a fish, but as I raised the camera for an action shot the hook gave way. The curse of the camera? who knows but I felt it best to depart before copping a top two round the ear-hole

.

Chris was whittling a few out on his first session since recovering from his broken arm, while Dave had gone for a stroll. Looking back though I could see that Keith and Mick were having a good old ding-dong with the two of them both playing fish ......

Clive seemed utterly miserable as he found fishing at 16mtrs to reach the island to much in the wind that was buffeting him and had resorted to the feeder but with little joy

. It didn't help that he had to watch Al on the next peg catching well from the side of the island as it sheltered him from the wind, and it was pretty obvious already that he would be the one to beat today

......

As I returned to my peg Jean arrived with a welcome cuppa and a cheeseburger from the food bar, so that was consumed

before I got back to the business in hand.
Time to attack the 4mtr line and see if I could make something happen. Feed a small handful of 6mm's and swing a banded 6mm out to the same spot. A couple of lift and drops and the job's a good un as the float buried resulting in a nice little Mirror

. It was never hectic but by sticking at it I soon had small carp and F1's coming regularly to the net, forcing Mick into trying a similar approach in an effort to avoid the loss of a Golden Nugget.

Fortunately for me I managed to keep them coming at a greater rate than Mick and when Dave called the All-Out at 4pm we both knew the Nugget's destination

.

With the kit back in the cars the Weigh-In started at Mick's peg with a hard earned 39½lbs while my net came to a level 63lbs

. John chipped in with 23½lbs. Al had made the most of his island peg with a fine 113½lbs

. Clive had suffered with just 29lbs and Martin had fared even worse with 17¾lbs

. Dave and Chris had had 84lbs and 53lbs and Jim 27½lbs. Mick's 83lbs left him short of Keith's 97½lbs. Zack added 23lbs to the total and Simon could only muster 20lbs while Terry was rewarded with 46lbs. Tony put 61½lbs on the scales, while Jean's coaching had resulted in 37lbs for Kev. Vic's hard work produced 70¼lbs for him while Graham could only muster 20½lbs. Rod and Ken finished things off with 9½lbs and 18¾lbs respectively.

Back to the car park for the results, with Al taking the win

. Keith second

and Dave 3rd

. Al, Dave, Keith and Vic took the sections on the day and Mick's Golden Nugget found a new home in my pocket

.

#11

Great to get out and see everyone again after a pretty miserable winter for me. Really enjoyed my day - just nice to see the float go under (well occasionally). Usual Monks weather - but actually a reasonable set of weights all told. Well done to framers and section winners - not many surprises there. Nice one with the excellent write up as usual Pete. Thanks to Dave for organising all the cruise money club funds, and the draw as always.

#12

Thanks Dave for organising the day.

Nice to see Clive putting on a growth spurt at last. Puberty has finally struck him.

Always good to see reliable as ever the wind blowing. :(

Well done Al on the win and the other section winners on an awkward day for most. Still with cobwebs blown away everyone was raring to go.

Hawkhurst Next.

#13

Cracking report (as usual) Mugger

mickthechippy · #14

after reading the blog/report and reminiscing with myself

Im beginning to wonder if Im the new "Vince" !

#15

after reading the blog/report and reminiscing with myself

Im beginning to wonder if Im the new "Vince" !

I couldn't possibly comment Mick

I'm sure there will be a few along that will though.

#16

The question that needs to be answered Mick is " How many times have you ever taken a golden nugget from Mugger."

If the answer is less than 5 then, in all probability, Yes you are the new Vince.

Drynet · #17

Nice one mugger

great report and pics.

Ah well the end 3 sections of my pole have had an outing that's their lot till next year

use them as pole tubes

Well done Dave

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