H&C

"Recently I spent a few days in Peterborough competing at a well-known venue called Decoy Lakes in the Fens. The first day was practice as we, the London Central team, had never seen the fishery before. After gleaning some information from Kevin Wilmot from TCF magazine, I was confident that the Strip lakes would suit my style of fishing - and it did.

I was soon into carp and barbel of good size and it was clear that too much feed put the fish back, while under feeding attracted more bites. Day two we had a 12 man knock up with all of us in a line and the skipper placed us into what pegs he wanted. My 0.5g float and 6mm expander pellet was soon gobbled up as I started to amass a decent weight of carp from 2lbs up to around 7lbs+. As I tuned into the venue and went into the zone, I was unaware that behind me a gallery of anglers started to build up and while I was enjoying myself, I was also entertaining a small crowd that also contained competitors over the next two days.

Sneaky opposition

The other teams had started to arrive and news soon got round that I was emptying the place - hence the sneaky little so and so’s from the West Midlands team, sneaking a little too near, to clock what baits I was using and the make-up of my rigs. Of course, once the penny dropped what was going on around me, I started to ease off - I did not want to reveal any more tips on how to fish the lake.

At the weigh in I scaled 135lbs 14oz with 96lbs being the nearest weight. The next day, with a draw of Oaks 28, it put me at the wrong end of the lake and with the wind blowing hard into my face, making pole presentation almost impossible in the last two hours of the match. I weighed in 46lbs to win my side of the lake and a section win, but I was cheesed off as I knew if I was on the other side of the lake it would have been a different scenario as only 99lbs won the 74 pegger.

A team effort

On the team event draw, I drew Oaks again but this time on the other bank and I was rubbing my hands in expectation of a big weight, as I had been drawn down the end of the lake, spot on. After a hearty breakfast I drove off to the venue and when I climbed out of my car I was gobsmacked to feel that the wind had changed direction and was blowing even harder right down the lake. I caught early and it looked good, but then the flow started running against the wind direction and I started to foul hook fish. My match went downhill with a weight of 42lbs putting me fifth out of 12 in my section. We finished second in the team event, behind the Yorkshire lads who put in a great performance and deserved the win. Next year we are off to a place called Solhampton Fishery near Worcester to try to put things right." 

Tight Lines,

Russ Evans

“Last week I held a 32 peg open on the Old Lake at Bury Hill as part of the run up to Autumn Silvers festival on 20 and 21 of September; where 50 anglers will be competing in what is sure to be another enjoyable event. I managed a good draw to secure fifth place with 45lbs 8oz of bream on the feeder as the fish just would not come over the pole line and I can only imagine that the reason for that, was the rain we had suffered the previous day pushing the shoals back into the deeper open water. Adam Lee fished a fine match to win on the day with 61lbs 1oz. The performance of the match was from 14-year-old Bradley Gibbons from Berkshire who came third with a creditable 53lbs 6oz of feeder-caught bream. Last Sunday was the third round of KAL at Orchard Farm in Kent and, fresh from my win on the Rother, I was not really looking forward to it as with 54 anglers on a 60 peg lake, the tiddly F1’s were going to prove even more finicky to catch. The round was a disaster as my team NDP10 finished last on the day and my 32lbs 8oz got me nowhere, as Dean Lock recorded the only ton up bag to win with 114lbs.

A better day

The following day I was back at Monk Lakes fishing a 20 peg open on Lake Two and drew peg 77 for the first time- which is one of the form pegs. The wind was blowing in the other direction so I was a bit concerned, as the fish do follow the wind but I caught steady without going mad, to put 51 fish in the net for 157lbs and sixth place. With carp up to 6lbs and barbel up to 4lbs it was a very enjoyable match which blew the cobwebs away from the previous day’s disaster.

A guest spot

This Sunday I am guesting for my old team Sport One in the Rye teams of four on the River Rother and by all reports the river is still gin clear. No doubt it will be another difficult match but I am still looking forward to spending another day on my favourite river. My diary in September is solid and starting next week I am off to Decoy Lakes in Peterborough for the Barclays National individual and team event which I am very much looking forward to. With two days of practice and two match days it is going to be a nice break on a venue I have not seen before and with news of barbel stocked in the entire match lakes, let battle with the whiskers commence! Tight Lines.” 

Russ Evans

“Last week I competed in my club's three day festival at Monk Lakes in Kent with the first day being held on Bridges Lakes.

Bad pegs

We were allocated probably the worst pegs on the lake and a draw further up the lake was needed for a good weight and with a draw of peg three, I was at the wrong end to win the day.  When all the wind started to blow across from right to left as the match progressed, the bites became very finicky with small skimmers playing havoc with presentation. I was nicking the odd fish here and there with the occasional bream of 2lbs being a bonus and one tench of a 1lb plus but with just fewer than 30lbs; I came fourth on the day with 32lbs good enough for second spot. The easy winner was Andy Goldthorpe with 86lbs.

A confident day two

Day two saw us on Lake Two, where I drew permanent peg 49 again up against some much better pegs but I do well on the lake and with some recent big ton weights already on this lake I was confident I could make some headway. Feeding my margin lines and then left to settle down I caught the odd carp on my six metre line out in front of me for the first two hours and when it was time to move in on my margin lines all hell broke loose as it was barbel time. With the odd lumpy carp in the mix I had a busy last two hours putting 70lbs in the net for a final total of 129lbs for second place, no match for Andy who again won on the day with 168lbs of big carp. This put me third overall just one point from second but had the luxury of a four point cushion from those below and with a top four pay out to aim for, a good enough result on day three should secure some winnings.

A close finish

Lake Three was the lake for the final day, a moody lake with a good draw essential for a big weight or two. I drew peg 106; not good as again I was on the wrong end of the lake and I counted seven much better pegs to contend with. It was a very slow day for me and with an hour to go I had thoughts that I was going to blow my four point cushion and miss out on the frame. I had just 28 carp in the net and was not confident that I had made my target from the peg of 100lbs which I felt was needed to frame. The draw had put paid to me trying to fish for second so it was a case of damage limitations and my weight of 95lbs was bettered by weights of 97lbs, 99lbs, 128lbs, 157lbs and 162lbs giving me sixth place on the day but thankfully good enough to hold onto third overall by one point.

It was an enjoyable three days and the local B&B called ‘The Granary’ where I stayed made for a pleasant break all round. Roll on my next festival next month where I am off to Decoy Lakes in Peterborough for a few days of more fishing, can’t wait. Tight lines,

Russ Evans."

"Last Sunday I competed in the second round of the Kent Angling League, on the River Rother in Sussex between Iden Lock to Newbridge and I make it no secret that the Rother is my favourite river with plenty of team points and section wins knocked up over the past few seasons.

Banter by the water

Last Sunday I had a feature appear in MatchFishing magazine which clearly indicated how I approach my matches on the river; plus on my http://www.youtube.com/user/RussEvans1 angling channel I also have some film footage showing again how I fish the river with rigs, baits an approach openly discussed in front of the camera. The river as I found out earlier in the month is gin clear and fishing very hard so I knew it was going to take a good effort to put a few pounds on the scales and when I drew the first peg F9 at Newbridge I knew I had a good chance of winning the match. A few of the opposing lads had seen the article and passed comment -banter style- but I knew they were trying to put me under pressure with their mind games as I was in a good peg. I am too long in the tooth to fall their games and being confident on a venue makes all the difference and I casually smiled at all of their remarks. With 54 anglers taking part it was worth winning and I set up all my tackle and prepared my bait with even more confidence as I was very keen to back up my feature with a good performance.

Another win

With the water clear I did not ball in at the start as I normally do but cupped out four big balls of my black groundbait mix with loads of chopped worm. I fed my eel line but felt it was not the right conditions, never the less I had to feed it as I might need to give the line a go. A few minutes into the match I was catching some small beak but then my first small skimmer came some 15 minutes in and I knew that was a good sign. During the match I could see a few whips going up and down so I knew some of my section rivals were after the bleak, but as I caught more and more skimmers, bigger as the match went on I knew providing no one had found some big slabs I was going to go close. Confident that I was going to win the section anyway from any peg I got my head down and worked my socks off for the win and by the time the scales had come to my peg just 7lbs 4oz was winning the section. I knew I had reached my target weight for the Rother which is double figures and when the scales stopped on 11lbs 15oz, it was another section win under the belt.

Word had spread around that the river had fished hard as I knew it would and my weight was the only double figure weight recorded with 7lbs 4oz the nearest. A cracking win for my team and a very enjoyable and satisfying round win for me.

Tight lines,

Russ Evans."

“These past three months personally have been the busiest I can recall for some time and during this period I have gained a new bait sponsor in Sticky Baits which I touched upon in a recent blog but I had my turn to put the baits through their paces in a recent feature for Total Coarse Fishing mag where I was targeting the Golden Tench at Monk Lakes. Normally I would prefer to fish the pole on Bridges Lake but the publication wanted me to fish the feeder instead and with my cage feeder and lasso rig set up I put together a cracking bag of mixed species which included plenty of our intended GT over 4lbs. Using the brilliant bloodworm range from my new sponsors I glugged my meat pellet shaped baits well in advance of the feature and in conjunction with the bloodworm groundbait and hydrolysed liquid I had the fish pulling my tip round on virtually every cast and when the first fish of the day was a nice Golden Tench and I knew the feature was going to be a great success. The feature will be out within the next few weeks and I will keep you posted.

A series for Russ?

One feature that I have out soon (19 July) is the barbel piece I did for the Anglers Mail at Monk Lakes in Kent and again it was a cracking feature despite a wet and drizzly day. Fingers crossed I may be on the verge of having a series in one of the leading magazines which would be fantastic and everything I have hoped for, I should know in a couple of weeks if it will come off, I do hope so.

My latest DVD Crucians Galore which I filmed on Milton Lake at Bury Hill fishery should be out shortly as I am just waiting on some artwork for the box cover before I can get the ball rolling for production, if you like your crucian fishing then this will be just for you. Earlier last week I was down on the River Rother filming again the latest episode but with the river was gin clear and it was tough going for the bonus fish. It was still a good session all the same with lots of information and I am currently editing the footage but if you want a sneak preview I have uploaded the opening intro on my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/RussEvans1. If you are interested in purchasing any of the DVDs then you can now online as I have set up a web store on my angling website www.anglingfeatures.com. All payments are done via PayPal, there are six parts available.

Coaching available

If you are looking for some one to one or two to one coaching then I still have a couple of dates available for the next couple of months whether it be a full lesson morning or afternoon or a 3 hour evening lesson. For details of dates and costs you can call me on 01306 883621.

This Sunday I will be at Orchard Place lakes near Paddock Wood trying to pick up some more club championship points and the week after I am back on the Rother for the next round of the KAL, I hope river is not so clear this time.

Tight lines,

Russ Evans.”