Lewy's Lines

Day 3 of the MFS Silvers festival at Stafford Moor.  My group would be on Pines today.  It was a very heavy night at the Lodge of Plenty and my head was in bits due to a large amount of spiced rum and coke! The Draw Peg 3 on Pines was my home for the day. Set-Up Pole lines only today and they were very deep!  One at 13 metres that was 7 feet deep and the 5 metre line was 6 feet deep.  I also opted for a short margin line to my left side just up the shelf. All-In Match plan was to follow Animal’s lead from the previous day and to try and get as many fish short using 4mm expander while having a long line as backup. When we were setting up you could see some fresh water coming into pines, it mixed up with the cloudy water and looked like tea with milk before it’s stirred. This cold water was moving towards my peg and I was worried that it would push the fish further up the lake and away from me. I cupped in a nugget of groundbait on the 13 metre deep line...

Day 2 of the MFS Silvers festival at Stafford Moor.  As I'd been on Tanners the previous day my group would be fishing Woodpeckers.  Woodie's had not thrown up large weights the last two days so a good draw would be needed. The Draw Woodpeckers has been re-pegged by Paul and my draw resulted in Peg 18 (old peg 32) in the bay at the back of the lake.  I've been here quite a few times over the years and never had a good result from it so I wasn't too pleased with my drawing hand. Neighbours for the day were Hathers and Al Rutherford. Set-Up Pole lines today would be 2 lines at 13 metres 5 metre line Margin lines to the left and right I also set up the waggler to cast around the bay. All-In A normal pose from Hathers for a change! I spoke to Steve Martin who had fished this peg earlier in the week. His advice was to put in chopped worm on one line and leave for as long as possible before going over it. The other line would be fed with groundbait a...

Day 1 of the MFS Silvers festival at Stafford Moor fishery.  The weather on the previous day was pretty horrid and the forecast wasn't looking any brighter but spirits were high amongst everyone.  Herbie gathered us all in the tackle shop at 9am for the draw and to outline the rules.  We would be fishing from 12pm to 5pm so plenty of time to set-up. The Draw Today we would be drawing for either Tanners, Woodpecker or Pines as Oaks had been taken out due to a large amount of carp caught yesterday.  Peg 9 on Tanners for me today which meant a very easy walk from the Lodge of Plenty. Peg 9 in on the lawns side of Tanners and the peg could be classed as the point. Set-Up The previous day an open was fished on Tanners and the guys were picking up large skimmers using an open ended feeder towards the island, so I thought I'd emulate this and set up a feeder rod. Pole lines were 12 metres and 6 metres both straight ahead.  I had a margin line to my left too...

That time of year has come round again, the annual trip with the Match Fishing Scene crew to Stafford Moor in Devon.  The build up on social media was brilliant with everyone excited to head down to the fishery that Jo and Paul took over a few years ago.  Jo and Paul have worked really hard to improve the fishery and the results look great!  The new tackle shop is extremely well stocked with plenty of room for Herbie to call all the anglers to attention. What Paul has done to the fishery, a new Pines lake that has been stocked with silvers from Lodge and other lakes, stocked some "Robinson's" aka carasio's, improved the lodges and seen to the paths, roads and parking areas, reboarded many of the lakes islands including renewing the pegs themselves.  I'm sure I'll have missed something but believe me Stafford Moor is on the way up! I'd driven down on the Saturday, meeting up with Shedders on the road, stopping for a quick caramel cappuccino (Shedders ...

Just for you Herbie, an empty box!  Peg 18, Willows The first outing of 2017!  To say I was looking forward to it was an understatement.  The winter had been quite harsh and I'd decided not to venture out at all, so I'll take the "fair weather fisherman" abuse without complaint. Colbrad had organised a match at Lawn Farm Fisheries, Cambourne with the MFS crew.  As I'd been to this fishery over the years I knew it was to good to miss out on.  It was an early start from the good ladies house in Surrey but even though the alarm was set for 5am I was straight out of bed and on the road. The obligatory breakfast meet was at Mcdonalds a few minutes from the fishery and as always it was great to see so many familiar faces.  Colbrad even tried to use the new technology to order his meal despite there being no queue at the tills, he still required assistance from the lady behind the counter! The Draw Willow Lake was the venue today, 38 Pegs available to...

After a quiet night in downtown Waltham Abbey and a cracking meal at the Turkish restaurant it was back to Lake John for Day 2. Fishing is one of those sports, yes it is a sport for you none angling readers, where you get to meet famous anglers young and old, socialise and fish with them.  Today was one of those days! I was having breakfast with Andy Kinder, Chris Vandervleit and none other than Dickie Carr who has fished for England in both the regular and veterans team.  What a lovely bloke Dickie is and it brought back memories of reading Angling Mail and Times featuring Mr Carr.  Great to meet you Dickie! The Draw Today's home would be the back bank on Peg 30 with an even longer feeder line to the island. Set-up Again the feeder came out, this time the 12 foot rod with a mini pit reel as it was a big chuck. Pole lines which were all the same depth, so one rig required: 14.5 metres and 10 and 2 o'clock 5 sections straight ahead The rig was a heavier...

Carl had organised a two day event at Lake John Fishery in Waltham Abbey on the main, top lake. Lake John is well know for its great head of skimmers and bream so after a great day at Bury Hill I already had a plan of attack.  There are also some very large carp in the Top Lake and should we catch any fish over 10lb they would be counted as 10lb only. What we didn't expect over the two days would be the amount and size of the carp that would come out! A great breakfast was quickly dispatched, thanks to the ladies who do a great job.  There was a mix of people I knew and some new faces, most of who were regulars at Lake John.  Plenty of tips were exchanged and it was time to draw. The Draw The little wooden cube with number 34 came out of the bag.  I''d been in this area, well, Peg 35 during a mini competition with my mate Mark in 2014. Set-up The island had a bare bank to target so the feeder rod was set-up. Pole line I decided to fish two line short ...