Jinx Series

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Match 1

Rolfs lake

Oxfordshire

First match of the series is down at Rolfs and with a fine day forecast it was looking good for a good start to the series

But upon arrival it looked like Rolfs had gone back a couple of months as the water was over the platforms and right up the bank almost to where it was during the winter league

And to make it even worse the Carp had decided today was the day for luv and were all heading to the margins for a bit of slap and tickle

So with the lake in flood and the fish in full spawning mode it wasn't looking too hopeful after all

At the draw I pulled peg 6 out another peg I haven't fished before so if nothing else I can tick another peg of my list

Not that I managed to get anywhere near the platform which is next to the reeds and about 2 foot down

My plan today was to fish at 7m straight in front

And a margin swim next to the bush to my right

Straight across in front of me I saw the Jinx himself setting up on peg 34
and fair play to him he wasn't going to let a spot of extra water keep him off the platform

On the all in I put 2 pots of pellets out in front at 7m and 2 pots next to the bush in the margin

Then I went out on the 7m line with a 6mm natural GOT soft hooker looking across the lake Peter on peg 38 was into a Carp already having chucked a feeder down to the corner and the next time I looked up he was into another looks like he's making up for the nightmare he had on peg 37 last visit

After about 15 min's my float shot under and I was into a Carp I shipped it back and it followed me in nice and easy although there was a few inches of hydro out I was beginning to think it was a decent Bream as it wasn't fighting at all Just as I got it onto the top 2 it suddenly woke up and tore off ripping the hydro out at a great rate I played it back and fourth for a bit trying to keep it away from the sunken platform then all of a sudden it went solid I was sure it wasn't under the platform so kept the pressure on it slowly it started to come up then all of a sudden a large branch broke surface with a Carp mixed up in the middle of it

I was just deciding what to do when the hook pulled and the Carp and the branch slid back off to the depths

Malc took great delight in reminding me that that's what you have to expect on a Jinx match

But where theres 1 theres usually another or at least that's my theory so back out I went with another pellet but it looks like my theory was wrong as all I could catch in the next hour was 3 or 4 skimmers

Peter was still catching the odd fish on 38 but was now fishing the pole in the margin

And Malc on 34 was getting amongst a few Carp too fishing the margin as well

So I decided to give up on the 7m line and concentrate on the margin swim

I put a cube of meat on the hook and lowered it in as tight to the bush as I could get it but was still unable to get a bite after about 15 min's I moved the rig out about 2 foot from the bush and after a bit of bobbing and swirling the float disappeared and I was into a hard fighting Carp I managed to get it away from the bush and out in front also away from the platform after a short battle I had a Carp of about 8lb in the net

Back in with another cube of meat but the swim had died totally I couldn't find a bite any where on any bait corn,pellet,meat and paste all had the same response zilch!

So I gave the pellet waggler a shot as the guys on peg 40 and peg 1 were catching shallow I had a few bites on the waggler shallow and eventually managed to hit 1 which turned out to be a small Roach followed on the next put in by another Roach I stuck at it for a bit but was unable to temp any thing decent so with about an hour to go it was looking like i was destined to end up with just the 1 Carp and a few skimmers

So I decided to sit it out on the margin swim and hope for another Carp before the whistle

First put in with cube of meat 2 foot off the bush and the float buried instantly and I soon had another Carp of about 8lb in the net and in the last hour I managed to land another 3 Carp all around 8lb ish I also had quite a few foul hookers and as is usual just as my swim comes to life some bugger blows a whistle

But that's match fishing for ya!

I put my gear away and headed of round to help with the weigh in

As expected a lot of people struggled and the car park bank in particular was very hard but as usual the flyers and corner pegs produced and some good weights were had

I managed 44lb 12oz not a great result but tbh better than I was expecting 4 hours into the match

Dave Moore had a fine result and a new PB of 150lb 10oz from peg 8 for a fine win in the first match of the series

Next match in the series is at Tunnel Barn Farm lets hope for better conditions

Full Individual Results

Dave Moore .................. 150lb 10oz

Anthony Haywood...........145lb 4oz

Roy Ravenhill.................139lb

Malc Doyle ................... 135lb 12oz

Brian Bevan .................. 109lb 12oz

Mark Causer.................... 93lb 4oz

Paul Roberts.................... 81lb

Nick Williams....................76lb 12oz

Matt Nutt ....................... 75lb

Eric Robathan.................. 72lb 14oz

Colin Sharrard ..................66lb 8oz

Peter Morton ................... 64lb 8oz

Fred Parker .................... .62lb 12oz

Steve Wilson................... 59lb

Clive Pritchard ................ 44lb 12oz

Keith Ashby.................... 36lb 4oz

Keith F (guest)................ 32lb

Nick Jones ..................... 30lb 8oz

Tim W (guest)................ .23lb

Simon Rowley ................ .20lb 4oz

Dai Thomas .................... 17lb

Dave Collier .................... 15lb

David Ashby .................... 8lb

Paul D (guest) ................. 5lb

Geoff Eggison ..................... 4oz

Jeff Hollidge ................. DNW

Nick W-P ..................... DNW

Malc Hawkins ............... DNW

Dirk Williams ............... DNW

Total Weight On The Scales Was 1564lb