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Match ace Harry Billing looks back at his White Acres Bait-Tech Festival campaign…

WHITE ACRES BAIT-TECH FESTIVAL 2012

I've been chomping at the bit for the start of the first brilliant White Acres spring festival. The fishing this winter on White Acres has been awesome and this festival turned out to be the best I've fished with loads of bites and great fishing, heres my diary of what happened:

DAY 1 - POLLAWYN, PEG 20

Really fancied this peg as its fished well all winter and has framed on a number of occasions. I started on the meat feeder for a skimmer and an F1. Fished on the bar at 15metres using a 0.3g DC18 float with kindered meat and pinged the same in case they came shallow. These floats have a long wire stem and sit perfect, showing up bites perfectly. As a back up trickled meat at 6m in about 6 foot of water. Had a mixed bag for 67lb, but had to watch the lads on the high bank catching carp all day, finished 5th in section, not the best of starts.

DAY 2 - JENNYS, PEG 15

Another form peg, which I'd framed off twice in the winter. Tried everything, but wish I had stuck to fishing shallow with meat. Used the new Garbolino DCX1 float for the first time and they are brilliant, virtually indestructable with a nice bright tip which is essential for seeing those iffy bites. Again had to watch the pegs to my right bag up and I finished 5th with 48lb, had a great days fishing but no cigar.

DAY 3 - TRELAWNEY, PEG 4

Not a good peg and caught 32lb on meat shallow and on the straight lead for 8th in the section, had to watch them bagging to my left and I came off the bank scratching my head, sometimes we all get no-hope pegs and this was one of those days!

DAY 4 - PORTH RESERVOIR, PEG 72

This is my favourite venue and one that I have built up a really good record on over the last 10 years. This is proper fishing and I hoped to have a good day.

I started on the feeder at 35 turns for about 1lb in the first 40 minutes. Then the angler on my left switched to the pole and started catching. I could'nt change quickly enough for not a lot. Tried in vain all day for some really minute skimmers and roach, but got beat by the angler (well done again, Nigel Smith) on my left. He caught bigger skimmers and weighed 12lb to my 9lb for 3rd in section.

DAY 5 - BOLINGEY, PEG 46

Another decent draw and one which I fancied. The wind was blowing towards me for a change and it did look fishy. Ended up winning the section and 3rd on the lake for a welcome confidence builder. Things really came to life when I changed to fishing in the shallow water down the edge to my right and I caught steady for the last two hours, weighing 128lb and another cracking days fishing. Used the DCX3 floats for my edge fishing as they are very strong and don't let you down.

Overall I finished in 62nd place, which is my worse placing ever in the festivals, but I'm still looking forward to the next one and hopefully will do it more justice. A bit more luck at the draw and you never know...

Harry Billing is one of the most respected top match anglers in the country. The Garbolino-backed ace is originally from the North West but now lives in sunny Cornwall.