To clarify any outstanding queries from yesterday’s match, below is an extract from the National Federation of Anglers (NFA) rules under which my matches are conducted. Rule number 22 to be precise.

• A competitor must cease fishing at the finishing signal.  Should he/she still be playing a fish hooked before the signal is given, he/she will be permitted no more than fifteen minutes after time has been called to land the fish.

Yesterday’s match was an interesting affair with an equal split, again, of 5 Brits and 5 Bulgars. The draw ended with all 5 Brits on the wall and all 5 Bulgarians in the reeds on the house bank.
I drew peg 10 and in my case it was my first match fishing on the wall having drawn the house bank on all previous occasions.
I’d decided many matches previously that should I draw the wall I’d fish with a float rod rather than the pole. My reasoning being that on almost every previous occasion, someone on the wall had hooked and lost one or two lumps due to their pole/whip being unable to cope with the initial surge these biggies can create. my decision proved to be a good one.

I tackled up my Maver Reactorlite float rod with 6lb straight through to a 1.5g pole float and size 12 Maver Katana hook with the bulk of the shot about 15″ from the hook and a couple of number 8 droppers below that. Just in case, I tackled up the top 3 of my pole as well intending to use it as a whip should the need arise. With black Hydro and 0.2 line, again with a size 12 Maver Katana hook, only the monsters were going to get off that set up.
For once, I used groundbait, strawberry Sensas Carp 3000.
At the hooter I balled in 8 ‘Jaffas’ heavilly laced with wheat and sweetcorn at the 4 meter mark (2 rod lengths) in 4ft (1.2m) of water. I fished about 6″ (15cm) off the bottom as the rocks on the wall are very unforgiving if you get snagged up on them.

The 1st hour was great for a change. Feeding wheat regularly every 30 seconds or so, I was into fish within 10 minutes and had 17 grass carp plus about the same amount of crucians at the end of it. These grass carp are great fish to catch, ranging from 60z to just short of 2lb. I estimated I had about 10lb (4.5Kg) at the end of hour 1.
Hour 2 slowed considerably with the majority of my fish being crucians, and not too many at that.
The biggies had moved in and the grassies had moved out. All the other guys around me were commenting on the huge swirls going on in front of them. My peg was no different and I managed to hit one. Not for long though, it took off like a rocket and my hook pulled out. I think I swore a little.
At the 3 hour mark the grass carp came back for a while and I managed to up my number of them to about 30 before the monsters re-appeared. Again, I hit one and got the same result as previously with perhaps a little extra swearing thrown in! There was just over 1 hour to go.

I knew I was in with a chance at this point but needed to up the catch rate which I managed to do. A little searching around the swim, all within 10 metres of the bank, up and down in depth, increased my number of grass carp to about 45. Then it happened again with 15 minutes to go.
At this point I estimated I had close to 30lb which should be enough to frame and everything had been caught on sweetcorn.

(Now,  I’ll refer readers to the opening paragraph of this page, i.e. the NFA rule, number 22.)

All hell broke loose as a biggie took off with my tackle. It headed straight for the water tower which was approximately 40 metres away from me. Thinking I was about to lose it in the concrete construction around the tower, I gave it some stick and it kited to my right. At this point it’s taken about 50 metres of line off the spool and it hasn’t finished.
Another powerfull run gained it an extra 25 metres before I managed to start getting line back. By now it’s been on the line for close on 10 minutes and still pulling hard.
The hooter went (see above, rule 22).
I landed it 5 minutes after the hooter, all 10lb 3oz (4.62 Kg) of it, a Tolostollop. I think they’re also known as Big Head Carp but they’re ugly. Only their mothers could love em.

My choice of weapon had proved correct!

And now, the results:

1. Paul Mansley          38lb               -         17.24Kg
2. Ivailo                         35lb 11oz    -          16.19Kg
3. Nikolai Simeonov 24lb 5oz      -          11.03Kg
4. Tikomir                     23lb 7oz      -          10.63Kg
5. Nikolai Nikolov     15lb 1oz       -           6.83Kg
6. Hristo                        14lb 7oz      -           6.55Kg
7. John                           13lb 3oz      -           5.98Kg
8. Gary                           10lb 8oz      -           4.76Kg
9. Allan                          5lb 2oz         -           2.32Kg
10. Simon                        4lb 11oz       -           2.13Kg

The next match will be a Monday match (to give gary from Izgrev a chance of attending) and will be held on Monday 13th September. Normal times apply.

The next weekend match here will be Sunday 19th September.
There is a match at Odrintsi next Sunday, organised by our buddy Vlado. I intend to fish that. Odrintsi is about 6Km South of Dobrich.