*******SPECIAL REPORT******** Garbolino Club Angler FINAL, Barston Lakes, 22/7/15

For the second year running I qualified to represent the club in this event, and once again I got through the Tunnel Barn Qualifier. This time however, I would have some company on the big day as Tony Wilson had also got through.
I must admit, immediately following Tunnel Barn, I was not looking forward to the final, which was scheduled for Barston Lakes in Solihull. In my ignorance, I thought it was out and out carp and the dreaded method feeder at 100 yards was the main tactic. The lake is about a mile long and 400 yards wide. Really not my cup of tea, but over the following few weeks I started getting information which cheered me immensely. Although the big carp and decent F1s were mainly on the tip line, they were as close as 20 yards. There was also a ton of bream and big skimmers to be caught on the long pole. Now, to me, long pole also means short pole so I started feeling a little happier and was now actually looking forward to the big day.
 About a month ago I took the opportunity, along with Pete Lucas, to have 2 days of fact finding at the venue. Tony had been for a few hours the week before and things were promising. At Barston you are allowed to drive down one side of the lake and park at your peg. The "match" pegs are generally on the other side, so it would be a long walk from the car park. I slowly plodded until I could go no further. I had reached peg 14!! It would have to do.
Luco asked me if there was anything I would like him to try. Thinking that even if he emptied it on a method feeder at 100 yards, I still wouldn't follow suit in the match, I asked him if he would ping pellets out to 25yds and fish the straight bomb. He agreed, while my plan was to skimmer-bash on the pole.
Pete battered carp and quality F1s right from the off. Following advice, I put in three big pots at 12metres, containing groundbait, pellet and corn. After an hour I was struggling with line bites and foul-hookers, and I felt I had the wrong rig on. I changed to a winter wire and went out to 6 metres with a tosspot full of micros. Almost immediately I was into a decent skimmer. I was now happy, and even more so after I'd had a fish a chuck all day. I even had half a dozen Lumps from down the edge.
The following day we made it as far as pegs in the 20s. Pete wanted a bash at the skimmers while amazingly I fancied an hour on the bomb (I know, I know, tip-w**ker).
Lucas caught some proper bream at 4metres on paste and had a fantastic day, while after a slow start, I started getting F1s to 3lb on the tip. The hour I had planned turned into a five hour stretch as I was enjoying the change and catching a few too.
As usual, any excuse for a couple of days away saw Tony and I fishing Barston the day before the match. I had planned a 2 pronged attack using both pole and tip. On the journey down, somewhere near Stoke, a transit van pulled alongside us and beckoned me to open my window. He informed us that a rod-bag had fallen off our roof-rack. Turning off and going back up the motorway for a junction, we wanted to clarify the situation. Back on the southbound carriageway and the first indications were overhead messages indicating a 40mph speed limit due to 'Debris in the roadway'. The motorway patrol vehicle was on the hard shoulder and as we slowed, there was my ready rod bag lying in the fast lane in a slightly squashed condition, having been run over by every passing vehicle. We carried on driving, totally amused.. who wants to sit on the tip anyway?
We found out that the whole lake was being used for the final  so with 120 pegs and only 45 anglers, we would all get a bit of room. With this in mind, we went on the 'driving' side. After passing an assortment of bivvies, pleasure anglers and the odd matchman we were nearly at the end of the lake.
Tony started by potting a decent helping of bait on the pole line and then chucked a method, unsuccessfully, for an hour or so. I went straight on the pole. After a couple of hours of skimmer fishing at 10metres, and catching some proper bream, a fellow qualifier came for a chat and seemed surprised at how well we were doing. He informed us that we were on a couple of dud pegs. With Tony getting a few on the bomb late in the day, we went back to the Premier Inn brimming with confidence.
When I say 'confidence', I mean that we would be able to catch a few and not make fools of ourselves rather than a belief that we could enjoy any great success.
Apparently we both drew decent pegs........ on the walking side. After the trip to the 20s a few weeks prior, Tony had a long walk to 38, while I had further to go than I would normally go on my holidays, all the way to 54!!
Garbolino's Darren Cox, and magazine editors Joe Carass and Alex Bones were on hand and gave advice freely to anyone who asked. Joe told me he'd done a magazine article earlier in the week on the very same peg 54. Corn at 6metres had proved to be a winner so I was at least on the right track.
With enough gear to carry as it was, the weather forecast was for light showers on and off so I left my brolly in the car, along with my coat. Big mistake. A long spell of heavy rain early in the match had soaked me and my gear, right through to my boxies. At one stage I looked like Lee fishing the Mong as I couldn't hold my pole still I was dithering that much with the cold and wet.
Contrary to what most people would probably do, I thought that I'd start on the pole for the skimmers, while pinging pellets on the bomb line (borrowed a rod off Tony). It worked well as I started catching skimmers right away, and had about 12lb after 75 minutes. Action slowed a little so I put a bit more feed in and chucked the tip. I managed 2 small mirrors (8oz) and 3 decent f1s but it was too slow for my liking. Back on the pole and I was into skimmers again. Corn at 8metres proved the best tactic. I fed the margins with 90mins left, and 20 minutes later, on my first drop in I got a 3lb bream almost immediately. Next drop in produced a 7lb carp and I thought I was going to empty it. Alas, that was the last bite I had, despite frequent looks in between keeping the skimmers coming.
At the whistle I was really pleased with what I thought was about 60lb total. A great day's sport, and I wasn't going to embarrass myself when the scales came round.
My carp and F1s came to 21lb and then the 'silvers' net went 66lb. Unbelievable!!! 87lb 09oz in total. Rumour was that someone a couple of pegs away had done well on the pellet waggler and so it proved. A masterly display put 125lb of carp on the scales and gave us a comfortable leader.
A hike up to Tony saw him weigh 64lb, and he was confirmed as a section winner. Another stunning effort, even if he is from Poulton Vics. I think he was secretly buzzing too.
Complementary pie and chips in the clubhouse meant everyone stayed for the result and the presentation, which was really nice. I thought I might get my section by default as the 125 was in mine, and it looked like he might be the winner. Apart from £70 section prizes, the top 5 were getting paid and receiving tackle prizes. We joked about me winning a new tip rod.
The tip rods went to places 5, 4 and 3. I was out of luck as I had finished 2nd and had to settle for a new Garbolino Power Legion pole and £200. Tony had finished agonisingly close to a tackle prize in 6th overall. This is all a dream for the pair of us.
Like I said last year, thanks to the club for giving me the opportunity to represent them. It was, again, an incredible experience. Thanks too for all the good luck messages of support, they genuinely meant a lot.