Always Thinking...

Middy’s Andy Quarmby has been on fire again recently thanks to thinking outside the box!


Theale pit is a natural lake, in Theale, just outside Reading; it is quite a big lake, probably around 15 acres. It was stocked with carp about 25 years ago and the same stock have survived and bred, and it is literally solid with 6oz-7lb carp. However in recent years the match scene has gone downhill, through fallings out, and poorly run matches to name a few.

In April of this year, my friend Pat Pritchard announced he was taking over the running of the matches, with organised pay outs, and a few rules such as a 5kg groundbait limit, to keep a bit of order etc. I decided this was going to be my main Wednesday afternoon venue for the summer. Whilst the turnouts are generally in the region of 6-12, the standard of angler is very good, the fishing is brilliant, and the payout is spot on.

Theale is traditionally quite a simple water in that it is method and margin for 95% of the time. Nothing else seems to really work. As it was going to be my venue of choice, I decided I needed to have a think rather than follow the sheep, my thinking being if I do same as everyone else then it comes down to who draws the best peg. Firstly, as the amount of groundbait used it high, the full 5kg is used. People use cheap 50/50 brown crumb, and things like layers mash and other cheap stuff. I decided to go against the grain and go down the fishmeal route, 40/60 brown crumb and good quality fishmeal in hope of gaining an edge. Secondly I needed a line that no one else fished…. with a few ideas in my mind, I went for a practise session one evening before the matches started. Basically I emptied it fishing 8mm banded hard pellets at about 4-5m out in 4 foot of water, feeding 6mm and constantly lifting and dropping. Plan sorted!

The first match I fished was the day after the pleasure session and I drew the same peg I’d just battered…typical! I fished the method with my mix, 5m line with big pellet and margin. The result was I caught mostly on the 5m line, and came 3rd with 178lb, closely followed with 174lb, 172lb and 169lb! 1-0 to the throw away line!

In the following few matches I got in the top 3 every week, however it was back to method and the margin. The 5m line was hit and miss, however it was still a good throw away line, and did throw up a few times, not always a load of fish, but often 6-7 fish for 30lb.

About 6 weeks ago I drew next to Pat, on 2 pegs where we basically both chuck to a sunken island. He used the normal mix, I used my mix, this should be a good test I thought…I emptied it with 194lb and Pat was 4th with 120lb. Whilst I was on the better peg without a doubt, I couldn’t help but feel a different mix to the norm had worked (whether it did or not you can never really tell).

3 weeks ago, I drew peg 56 which is a known flier in the edge, if they come its solid, but this year it has been up and down so I went there with mixed hopes. Basically after 3.5 hours I was bored stiff with about 30lb, method was dead, there was an odd fish in the edge but uncatchable. As a last resort I fished my 4m line next to a tree instead of in front of me, and immediately caught really well (why didn’t I do this earlier…) and with a mixture of this plus the left hand margin where I fed ‘my method mix’ I absolutely emptied it and won the match with 194lb, it was probably the best 80 minutes fishing I’ve ever had! 180lb was second, so the ‘throw away’ line definitely won me that match.

On the last match on the session last week we had a walk off (rover) and I drew 10th from 11. Not a disaster as I believe there are 12 possible wining pegs at Theale, but obviously not ideal. In the end I chose a peg, which is deep in the edge, and snaggy, with a tree over hanging. The reason I did this was that I really fancied fishing 3-4m from the bank by the tree on my throw away line. No one ever fishes here, and you are away from the main snags too. Again after 3 hours it was hard, it was a hot flat afternoon and hardly anything was feeding, in fact they were cruising 80 yard from the bank. I kept feeding the 3-4m throw away line and with 2 hours to go I decided that it was do or die time. I had a feeling the margin wasn’t going to throw up, they were coming in, but very very wary, and the method was rubbish.

After deciding to proper lash some pellets in, they eventually they turned up on the 3m line, and I comfortably won the match with 174lb, feeding 6 pints in 2 hours! The people around me fished the traditional method and margin and were 90lb behind. I felt sure it was this line that had done it, with 130lb coming 3rd, there was no way I was going to frame.
All in all its been a brilliant series, at least 3-4 of us have averaged over 150lb a match, which when you consider that is probably 30-50 fish, it is excellent fishing!

Personally I have had a good series, more ups than downs, and some very good fishing. The last match was an excellent finish to the series, and as the A-Team used to say…. don’t you just love it when a plan comes together!!!!!!

On a separate note, the Theale pits series begins the end of April, draw 1pm fish 2-7, for more information you can contact Pat Pritchard on [email protected]

Until next time, don’t follow the sheep, and tight lines!

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