Gary Thorpe
(GOT Baits)
Peg 7 - 367lb

  "Very Slow start cost Gary the UK Record Again "

Gary Thorpe (GOT Baits) once again asked politely for Peg 7 at the draw and found the lucky barrel of wood inscribed "7" in his hand a few moments later. However, a few hours later the GOT Baits matchman was wishing otherwise after a slow start to the match. Not all was lost as others struggled around him, so Gary continued to feed and slowly the fishing picked up into the 2nd hour. Fishing a short line back towards peg 8, Gary took fish to double figures on GOT 'The Ton Up Paste' paste mix over 4 & 6mm pellet. Gary also alternated 8mm hard pellet when the bites became fickle, but the fishing just got better and better as the match ran into the 5th and final hour. At the scales Gary had totaled an incredible 367lb and had the fish responded a little earlier the UK Record would have surely tumbled.

Gary's positive approach will destroy the UK Match Record, as he has already proven during a 3.5 hour match weight of 437lb that didn't count because of the 'returned fish' rule. However, with so many top match anglers visiting the venue it's just a case of right angler on the right day!.

Bagging machine, Pete Archer - Gold Valley & Vespe, had drawn Peg 10, the site of a recent match win for the Vespe backed angler, but even his 262lb was put into the shadows of Gary's strong finish as Pete continues to favor a shallow bait and long pole approach on the 'fringe' pegs at Rolfslake.

Paste continues to dominate in the margins. Going slow in the first half of matches but expect the pace to pick up in the final 2 hours. Don't be shy in feeding plenty of pellet at both 3 and 8m. If the paste doesn't work you can keep very busy with fish up in the water on the longer line. Any line longer that 10m may prove difficult to return more than 350lb! But I'm open for someone to prove me wrong.