Character Building Canal

Today was character building big style.  I woke to a covering of light snow. It was colder than yesterday and that was freezing enough.

The Canal at Pewsey was frozen in sections, occasional clear patches near the stationary house boats that were occupied overnight.

I prayed to draw a clear bit, as whilst I have an ice clearer, I still find it hard to use.  I suppose its the Crabtree bit in me that believes in stealth and quietness around my swim as opposed to crashing about with a lump of chain and weights.  Still I am proven wrong, so many times as I have seen time again fish caught through broken ice.

Only 11 (section of 6 and 5) of us today the bitter cold keeping away even the hardiest of anglers only the dedicated or daft remain.  I draw peg 4.  Peg 1 being first under the bridge at the Wharf, and 11 being at the edge of the bay, on the way to Wilcott.

Oh gods of angling grant me a clear swim

Netting ice from Peg 1


 

The start is delayed till 10.30 to allow for ice clearing.  The snow on top of the ice has led to the water taking on the consistency of a slush puppie.  I beginning to wonder if I should have stayed at home.  God I am so cold.  I can barely feel my fingers and the wind is biting into my face, burning the skin a deep red colour.  Dew drops form at the end of my nose, my eyes are running; and I am struggling to see my rigs as I attach to the end of my top kits.  A quick pacy walk up and down the bank to get the blood moving around my body, whilst I wait for the all in.  The trade off of wearing waders (so I can get the platform in) as opposed to my "Hot foot" moon boots is beginning to feel like a wrong move despite three pairs of socks.

The gods of angling (Marks, Mumford and Heaps) had agreed partially with my request, half my swim was clear.  The match gets underway, and I start on the punch.  A couple of roach barely the size of my little finger. Then nothing.  Gary on the next peg has chucked bread on the ice , and is using a flock of ducks to smash the ice in his swim, surprisingly effective.

Problem is the resulting icebergs are blowing into my swim.  As the match goes on, the line is freezing to the top section.  I can here Leo (Match secretary) Pocock, to my left cussing at the moving Ice, and stories of possible blank nets and frozen anglers seep along the bank.

 Better news from the far end near the bay it appears they are catching, and James Carty is going well on peg 6 (fortunately in next section).  The match grinds on through the day, and for the first time in a while I wonder why I am doing this.  You are after all supposed to enjoy it, and frankly today its not fun.

 A couple of fish put me in a dilemma, its not a team match, I wouldn't be letting the team down if I pack up.  A sprinkling of fry scatter near the boat opposite.  So I slip on a brandling and drop it tight. The float dips and slides away and I dolly in a Perch of around 6 oz.  Then nothing for an hour.  A conker size nugget across in 18 inches of slushy water, results in a few more tiny fish.  Squat and Pinkie has done nothing today.

The weigh in sees a few dry nets and the weights at the bay end. 11 and 10 are 5 and 4 lb respectively.  James Carty, has just over 3lb on peg 6.  Leo to my left (section 1) has 15oz bag of tiny fish.  Peg 1 has taken my section with 2lb on the nose I and I have second in section with 1 lb 10oz.

No cash today, and the sort of day that you couldn't wait to get home to a bowl of hot stew and dumplings and a raging coal fire.  Walking back to the pay out in the car park I notice the the snowdrops have pushed through in the sheltered edge of the bank.  Lets hope its the sign of spring sunshine and warmer weather.  I have forgotten what it is like to fish in short sleeves.

The Chips are down in Chippenham, but lady luck shines

With the Army lads again today. Round 4 (of 10) River Avon at Chippenham. 

The day started cold, 6am and scraping ice from inside and outside of the windscreen.  The hour long drive to Chippenham was grind.  Fog, convoys of lorries, tractors across Salisbury plain to Devizes and onwards past Bowood House (lovely estate lake there).  Remember fishing it as a nipper, big bream on the swing tip.  Swing tip - remember those?  Met Carl at Riverside drive at 7am to peg it.
Disappointed to hear we only had twenty turning out.  That's one of the lowest turn out for some time.  We didn't peg top meadow on advice from the local angling shop Premier angling.  Three sections of 7, took us from wellington ditch through to the Cadet boathouse.

Back to the Bridge house Harvester in Chippenham for breaky and the 8.30 draw.  Tea and a fry up (not good for the heart) banished the memory of the slow journey; and I look forward to the day.

Carl draws and I get B2 and the scales.  I am sort of pleased as I think its a good peg, that is until I find my good friend John Dewberry is on the next peg.  John has been advising me over the last couple of seasons.  He does win a lot, clearly knows his match fishing, there are times when I think I should set up a direct debit to him it would be easier.

John "Yoda" Dewberry

We get to our pegs, John is to my left and on the last of the "shallows" between him and I it starts to drop of to around 4-5 feet at my peg.  Immediately he starts with the mind games he cant help it. "Your a lucky git" he says "That's a real boys peg , you should win off there today"  Its all designed to apply pressure to me.  He knows I am a little susceptible to pressure, and when the match starts if I am on a good peg, and should be catching and the float doesn't dip - I panic.  When I panic my I make rash decisions like overfeeding etc - in short I dig myself  a hole and end up ruining a good peg.

Today though, I am managing to laugh it off, and I try a little reverse psychology, by saying " your the man in form , you will be the one to beat today".  It doesn't work he smiles lights a fag and says no pressure, I think we will all struggle today the rivers really pushing through, I am not hopeful.

Any way my peg.  Inside I was jumping for joy.  It is a good peg.  A 6 foot drop down steep bank to a metre square platform.  Little bit of a balancing act, some scaffolding poles have bee driven in to help give hand holds.  The cross section pole was slippy in muddy wellies, but managed it.  To be honest I was spoilt for choice.  A nice little run for a stick float along the inside, waggler or feeder across.

Bait, quality maggott from Reid's tackle, bronze and a little red and pinkie left over from the weekend.  Bread and worm to back up last resort.

I shout the all in and we are away.  I have a deep hole slightly to my right and in tight , its a good 18 inches deeper than anywhere else.  The wind is a real bitch, freezing cold and coming at me from 10 o'clock and swirling downstream.  So I start over the hole with top 3 pole section no 4 elastic and a 0.5 body up float.  Perfect Crabtree - only not perfect.  It is crammed with snags and garbage from the recent floods.  In fact the tree to my right is like a Christmas tree, hanging with floats, feeders, carrier bags and other general detritus.  Little whinge time, why do dog owners bag up doggy doo and then not take it home but throw into the trees.  Talking of dogs, I turn around to grab my ground bait only to find a jack russell peeing into it!  I shut my eyes, bite my lip and stir the warm liquid into my ground bait mix.  Luckily the sieved  mole hill soil , soaks it up.  I put some in just up stream.  Don't know what was in the dog pee but an oily slick emanates from it to the surface.  Hope it hasn't ruined the swim.

Well in short after trying my favourite, drake 4x4 ally stick, waggler, and feeder. After 4 and half hours I hadn't had one single bite!!!! Now this will sound slightly big headed, but I do know how to fish rivers, I am not as good as my brother Gordon, or Dave Moody or his brother Rodger; but be assured I can catch fish on a river!  To be honest a blank would be unthinkable on moving water I feel that confident.  I really worked it trying differant shotting patterns, moving the float up and down to differant depths.  But nothing, not even a bloddy Bleak or minnow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  God I am so cold - that bloody wind is all over the place.

 Some of the lads were walking the bank and the message was it was dire.  Most were blanking, some had the odd fish.  Mick Craddock and Mike Poolman were doing the best Mike Poolman had a chub.  The wind was making it near impossible to present a bait, mend the line or keep it going through straight. Tangle after tangle, twig after leaf, after branch, after carrier bag was hooked and swung in.  Hook lengths were broken.  I fished some snaggy swims lately but this one takes the prize.

Finally 10 minutes from the all out; lady luck shines.  Another tangle, how can that be lucky? then read on.  I went to flick out the stick float for the thousand time, and it splashed short very short right at my feet.  Then line had tangled around the back of my ABU 709 close faced reel.  That's it, I said enough is enough I am packing up.  So I dismantle the reel to find an incredible birds nest.  I decide to bite through the line and chuck the rod up the bank.

But wait a minute as I am biting through the line the end in my left hand starts to pull away.  I look astonished at my feet to see my float disappearing under neath my platform.  Hanging on tightly with my left had I passed the cut line to my right hand and grab the landing net with my left hand. the fish has swum around the scaffolding pole holding up my platform.  After some jiggory pokery with the net , I am on my knees and hand lining in a Perch of about a pound!

I look at my watch two minutes to go, no time to set up again, so I sit happy on my box.  Happy not to have blanked.  The weigh of the section sees Mike Poolman win with 740 grams, Brian parsons has a nice Roach and 3 tiddlers for 230 grams and my Perch weighs in at 210 grams for third.  John has amazingly blanked the others have 20 and 40 grams.  The other sections are a mixture of blanks and 10 to to 60 grams.  Mick Craddock the wins the match with with 890 grammes, Mike Poolman second I think.

3RD in section good team points(2)  Brian Parsons was fishing as an individual. Dave Critcher and Carl made total team points of 6 for our team the Orphans.  We are second on count back.  A good day in the end....... oh and third pick up in a row, nothing big but a "fiver" cash is cash and I will take it when I can.

Role on Sunday and the Canal at Pewsey.

Pummeled by Pommey, but still manage pick up

The day started bright following on from a lovely spring like Saturday.  My ears were still ringing from a concert (Rumours of Fleetwood Mac) last night at Salisbury City Hall. Loving the Blues last night - would the Blues be repeated today.

Well certainly the day started Blue. As I emerged from the thick fog of Salisbury Plain into Salisbury the sky was as blue as I have seen, perfect not a cloud in the sky.  I arrived at Witherington Farm for an Eastliegh club match on the snake.  Would I draw 54 again?  Before going into the Cafe' I leaned on the gate and looked out over a glorious morning - more people should go fishing - just seeing the world first thing in the morning makes it worth it.

Another Blue, this time the plop and Blue flash of a Kingfisher in the overflow stream that circles Barnmoor.  The kingfisher perches in the tree over swim 2 and whacks his prize on a branch before turning and swallowing.  I don't think Anglers know how lucky they are; some people will go their whole life and never get that close to a Kingfisher.

Cheery smiles and good mornings greet me.  This is too good to be true.  This is not normal, perhaps the sunshine has cheered everyone.  Still get some breaky, I think I will go full Monty today.  I reach into the wallet to get a tenner out, only to find with more joy the breakfast has dropped back to the old price of £5.00 all in brew as well.  Good move I think, it was putting me off with the higher prices.  Match talk is of yesterday and how well Cottage Lake, and Sellwood lake fished yesterday with big bags of skimmers showing.  The Mayo boys did well as did Dave Hydes.

Stab my sausage into a runny egg, and down some tea.  Pay my tenner match fee.  Then go through to Reids tackle shop of the cafe'.  The beautiful smile from the wonderful Christine Moody, greets me and she says "want your'e bait Gary".  I grab my bait for today and the upcoming match on Wednesday (Bristol Avon - Chippenham).  James Moody takes the cash, as his dad Dave sits behind him downing a bowl of Porridge (Daddy Bear).  Banter and abuse ensue, as the day gets into full swing.  People are asking if I wouldn't mind drawing something other than peg 54!  You know you win a little money, and the abuse never stops. Mornin' End Peg, its the man with the golden draw hand etc etc.

Clive Egerton, draws first and gets 54.  Somebody whispers oh well Gary back to the land of the living.  I draw Peg 87 in section C.  There are 3 sections today A,B and C. A is on the outer ring and b and C make up the inner snake.  Pegged to my left was Clark, and Steve Pomery to my right.  Both good anglers, Pommy won the Pairs last week could he keep up the good run?

Pommy is off like a shot, fishing across at 16 meters into a cut in bank he is quickly into his stride, small goldfish and crucians one after the other.. Then they are not so small.  Actually this is worrying, my float has not budged, 40 minutes gone and the expected Carp that should have been mugged hasn't materialised.  Pommy is on 6lb already, mustn't panic.  Nobody else in our section is going well.

So I come back over my ground bait (down the track) the float moves imperceptably then lifts out of the water and I lift into 12oz skimmer.  I am away, what a relief I wont be blanking today. Roach after roach come quickly - all of them around 2 oz peas in a pod.  The guys behind me on the outer snake (44 and 46) are into the Carp and these pegs look like they may win like last weekend.

I match Pommy fish for fish but I am swinging in 2 oz fish, he is netting 12oz skimmers.  3 Hours gone and I start to pick up bigger nettable skimmers (  I must say at this point if John Dewberry saw me swinging in fish he would go mad - still its not a team event).  Inexorably I feel I am catching Pommy, then I hear a splash and he nets a good 3lb carp. Dammitt.

Again he stretches away and with 5 minutes to go his elastic stretches out.  Big fish!  All out is shouted and Pommy shouts "fish on".  A masterly display of patience sees him land a double figure carp to top his day within the allotted time.  I stroll along and ask what he caught his fish on. Sweetcorn across and maggot.  I caught all mine on a mixture of double pinkie, or single red maggott; all on a size 22 b510 cystal Kamasan hook.

Back to the cafe' for prize giving.  Cup of Tea and biscuits as the scores on the doors are totted up.  Clive Egerton wins with 50lb + Carp of yes you guessed it peg 54.  B section has a big weight of carp for second place caught by the bridge peg 60 something.  Dave Moody Six Carp and 11lb of silvers picks up £30.00 for section by default.

Me, well "pummelled" by Pommy who took 3rd place with 34lb, meant I picked up section by default with 12lb of silvers and one small Crucian.  £30.00!!! Unbelievable (pick up two weeks running) a Blue day but not midsectionblues.

What's a Pinkie?

I have female fans, can you believe it? No neither could I but a friend of mine Sara Simpson, said she had read the blog but found the jargon off putting! her pal Beverley Townshend agreed - read the blog; found it entertaining but thought a pinkie was your little finger.

Not sure I am qualified to explain, and experienced guys will probably laugh all the way to their peg - whats a peg I here you say.

So please excuse the layout of this entry but its Jargon buster time:

• The All in = start of the match
• Blank or blanked = Fished the whole match and failed to catch a fish
• Commercial lake / fishery = a lake built (generally in the last couple of decades) specifically to stock fish and sell day tickets to people who want to fish.Commercials generally have a purpose built cafe, toilets and easy access to the bank side and parking.
• The Draw = Fishermen draw tickets to fish a numbered peg (see peg below)
• Dry net = same as a blank
• Fine down = River returning to normal levels after being in flood.
• Natural water = Fishery (River, Lake or Canal) has irregular depths, bank side shape, well established features (islands etc) - and is not been built in the last 20 years.
• 05 or 06 bottom = the numbers relate to fishing line diameter in millimetres 05 being thinner than 06.
• Pinkie = a small maggot pink in colour(bred from the common green house fly ? not sure if this is true)
• Peg = a designated space to put your seat down and fish.  Sometimes called a swim.  Generally has a little peg or post stuck in the ground with a number on it; i.e. if i draw peg four, I walk to peg four on the bank tackle up and wait for the all in.
• Pellet = a man made bait shaped like a pea (soft pellets are soaked and you can push your hook into its middle - hard pellet is held on the hook by tiny elastic band)
• Pot in = The pot is a little cup you put on the end of your pole.  You place bait in the pot and ship your pole out tipping it upside down at the point you want to fish, depositing your bait into the water.
• Pop up - a bait that has buoyancy. Place a weight on the line and allow the bait to float upwards towards the surface.  This is useful if the bottom of the lake is covered by detritus.
• Rig = A length of fishing line with float weights and hook already attached. You attach rig to elastic that runs through the top sections of your pole.
• Section in a match = Matches comprise of a number of individuals competing to catch the heaviest weight of fish in an allotted time frame.  Generally, the overall number of participants say 30 is dived into 3 sections of 10, with smaller cash prizes for winning section as opposed to winning the match.
• Silvers = Silver coloured fish and those that are not part of the carp family species.
• Slab = A fish called a Bream.  In my younger days a slab was a Bream of around 2lb+ in weight.  These days I rarely here this - now it appears a slab is 5lb in weight.
• Skimmer - a small Bream up to 2lb in weight. 
• Top 4 = The top 4 sections of your pole.  Poles are made up of around 6 to 8+ sections that slide together, to make long pole.

Sara, Bev hope this helps. Thanks for following midsectionblues.

Cash ...Real Cash..it is possible to collect after all

The day dawned wet.  Its been raining since 3pm yesterday afternoon when the snow that was falling freely, changed to the wet stuff.  The roads on the way to the lake were flooded in places and the fields either side of the road were groaning under the deluge.  The Chubb (in the meadow fields) alongside the River Avon; had tails out of the water as they gorged on the drowning lob worms that had come up for air.  Will the river fine down, to be fish able before the end of season... I don't think so.

The nerves build before the draw

Still, met Steve at the Withy Cafe, for a brew and sausage bap.  Steve seemed to be a little down; commenting that we had done well to get this far and be second.  Its cold, its wet, its not looking good; If we don't do well to day we have had a laugh etc.  "Don't be like that mate" I say," we have just as good a chance, as anyone else" depends on the draw.

Steve goes up to draw and draws 78 on the inner and 54 (good peg) on the outer. After much debate we decide to shuffle the cards and pick. Tough draw for Steve, 78 has some stick up reeds in it which are good for Perch, and its not unusual to pick up 2 or 3 around the 2lb mark.Me, well I will go for Carp for the first Hour and then, come back to ground baited swim for silvers. 

The rain is relentless and now a turbulent wind adds its icy edge.  The "All in" is shouted and I ship 16 meters across to "mug a carp" The wind is playing havoc with the pole and I feel like I am conducting and Orchestra its up, down,left and right. Presentation is difficult.  I decide to put a longer rig on to give me more line between the end of my pole and the top of my rig. 

This helps as when the pole moves I have time to steady it before it pulls the rig out of position.  The first hour sees to Crucian carp, around a pound and one around 6oz.  Not good but Carp in the net.  I take the pellet of and stick on a bit of corn. This normally does it; but nothing for half an hour.  Try a bit of Bread flake and the float sails away.  The elastic goes solid under the the far bank undercut; and after shipping in I pull the elastic by hand until gradually I pull in a tree root and weeds.  After putting on a new rig, I "pot in" some micro pellet on the far line and leave it to rest.  Rest! that's a joke it has hardly been over worked. 

I come back over my gound bait and pinkie line, and start feeding a swim of to the left with 6mm soft pellet. Its an hour before I get another bite.  To be honest I am starting to panic.  I am on a good swim clear peg either side of me, I should be bagging.  It can't be over feeding (my normal weakness).  I put out a light "3x10 image float"o6 bottom, fished about 6 inches of bottom and quickly pick up a Perch around 8oz and 4 Rudd totalling around a pound.  Then nothing for 20 minutes.  Back across to the far bank, bread again results in a 3lb Carp and another rig lost (pulled under the bushes until solid).  Down to my right Mark Illingworth is bagging big style, fish after fish. Next to him Dave Self is fish for fish and they look to have the section sewn up.

The wind has just picked up taking my net bag and all my top sections into the lake.  Clive Egerton whose brolly was attached to his box , has been tipped over by the wind as he landed he broke two sections of his pole, and some top sections.  20 Minutes passes by and I have retrieved everything from the lake except my maggots and their container.  Brown muddy water sluices under my box and into the lake, can it get colder?  Yes is the answer, and the normal banter is replaced by people walking the bank, or if they are no where in the competition going back to the cafe to warm up.

Depression washes over me as still the float doesn't move.  The miracle of miracles it sails away and the elastic stretches out.  Another carp, around 5 pound.  I estimate I have around 10 lb of carp.  Is it enough for good Carp points? Maybe.  2 Hours to go.  Must get some more Silvers.

Decide on double pinkie over my pellet line as pellet is doing bugger all. The float slides confidently away and a nice skimmer makes a half hearted attempt to get away, then another and another.  The wind has dropped and the rain although still falling has slowed.  My hands pink are crinkled like I have been in the bath too long. But the roach and skimmers keep coming.  Its too late to catch Mark Illingworth hes out of sight.  Another two carp approx 4lb a piece and three more skimmers.  Sees me finish with 17lb 8oz Carp and exactly 9lb Silvers.  Is it enough?

My partner trudges dejectedly by me.  How did you do I ask. Blanked he says.  Your kidding, tell me your kidding.  No, seriously I did not have one bite all day, I am cold wet and pi***d off.  I am going home.  To make things worse I get bogged down in the car park which has turned to mush after 24 hours of solid rain.  Thanks to Rich Penney , Pommy and Gary Naylor for helping push me to hard ground.

The scores are totted up and I have 25, points but with my Partner on nil points, and gone home already, is it enough.  Dave Carver (a former accountant) and Gary Naylor double check the complicated carp and silver points, again and again.  The prize fund has dropped a little as a few pairs have dropped out.  Steve Pomerey and Dave Poole seemed to have retained their unassailable lead.  But how did Tappy and Paul Sear do, or and Gary Naylor and Mark Bake, they were 3rd and 4th behind us at the start.

Amazingly they have not done enough between them to surpass my 25 points on the day, so Steve's blank doesn't matter.  From the depths of despair........  Not only that; Dave Self and I are on the same points, with Mark Illingworth winning the match Selfy and I share the £30.00 section money by default. 

Steve, and I share £165.00 for second place with 107.5 points. Mark Illingworth and Ray Hayward and come from 12th to third!

My share, £82.50 + 15 for the section £97.50 in all.  I drive home with a happy glow.  On entering the kitchen, an expectant wife, holds out her hand.  "Your late " she says " It can only mean you picked up money"

Easy come, easy go.  I put Steve's share in an envelope, ready to hand over at the next match.

Can I keep it going?..................

Is that pressure I feel?

Well tomorrow sees the third and final round of the Eastliegh club pairs match series. A series I have enjoyed.  Aside from being a pairs match the match is based on an interesting points system. 

Fished on Witherington Farm "snake lake" one team member fishes the inside ring, and one the outer ring.  Both rings are then divided into sections of 5 anglers.  The idea is top weight of silvers will receive 10 points down to 2 for lowest silver weight.  The same for your carp net.  Points are then added together to give your personal total.  Finally added to your partners points.

Got that phew........

Any way only being in my second season with Eastliegh; I asked around and couldn't get anyone to fish with me.  Clearly, some of the superstars had teamed up, and perhaps people seeing this thought is it worth it.  So billy no mates here was struggling to be involved.

Until that is, Steve Ware stepped forward, with a similar tale of woe.  "You looking for someone to fish with" he says. "I'll fish with ya"

Now I can generally scratch a weight of roach but struggle with carp.  Turns out Steve is the same.  We decide on going for silvers and see what will happen; and after the first match we a creditable 8th.

After the strong second match, the points are totted up and the unfashionable outsiders are causing concern as we have pushed up to third.  Then Steve tells me at last weeks Winchester match, the points have been recalculated and actually we are 2nd , one point ahead of Tappy and partner (superstars).

Withy snake, is fishing funny, levels are up and down. The fish seemed to have shoaled up tightly, in the cold water so its very peggy if they are there and feeding you might get a few.  But there will be anglers, even good anglers who will struggle.

With £300.00 for 1st prize, £200.00 for second and £100.00 for third; the pressures on will we draw well? Can we make the most of a good draw?  Yes you could say I am a little tense. Would love to pick up winnings for a change, but most of all don't want to let Steve down - if it wasn't for him I could have missed out altogether.

Army be the best, and return of the comeback kid

Army fishing today.  On the Canal at Bishops Cannings Devizes.  Match 3 of our 10 Match series.  Blew out in match one 9th in my section, got too excited after a good start  - overfed it and killed the swim.  Match 2 wasn't much better going for the bow waves in my swim hoping to mug the clearly large Carp feeding there, I was distraught to see bold as brass an Otter slide up the far bank in front of me sit there and chomp on a 12oz skimmer.  Some carp!!! with an otter in the swim you can guess the rest.  Would my luck change today?

Drew A8 an end peg wonders will never cease.  Happiness took a knock as I passed Brian Shuttler, Nick McCartney, then couple of lads I know by sight then Roy Rickets Ivan Oakey all good Canal Anglers.  Last two pegs Craig Micalef and me end peg - but going to have my work cut out to pick up in this section.
Bit of a blow really as we fish in teams of three one member in each section; and our Captain Carl had already withdrawn due to work so we were down to Dave Critcher and Me.

Craig clearly doesn't fancy it and offers to let me set up for him while he drinks coffee!  To make things worse I slide down a very steep bank to stand on the near shelf and lower my platform in.  I did prod around first and there was a shelf!!  Except it was very unstable,it collapsed under my weight and I started to go down like the Titanic Platform in hand.  Tried to throw the platform up the bank but the legs got tangled in the rushes and brambles. 

What a disaster, still sinking fighting with the platform, which seemed to have a life of its own. eventually just as water was topping the waders I managed to slither up the bank like some great big beach master Walrus.  Hands flailing,  grabbed some stingers and brambles and put my other hand in some doggy doo, well almost it was old and dry- lucky break.

Match under way, fishing top four, inside line fed with a walnut size nugget of bread, fishing a Mick Craddock 4x10 float again kamasan b510 hook o5 hooklentgh o7 mainline. First eight drop ins, and 8 quickfire fish, and then nothing.  Don't panic -learn from last time don't overfeed.  Left the inside line to rest and tried my choppy worm line down the track (end peg so fish 16 meters to the right, try and draw the fish down the canal and into my swim).  No joy.  Ping some squat across to the far shelf only got around 18 inches of gin clear water there - and it proves fruitless.

Decide to cup in a a dozen pinkie at the base of the far shelf; and then come back to near side swim. Dropped in on the nearside with punch and the tiniest roach in the world grabs on, just as I lift out 30 or so equally tiny fish break surface.  Oh no Pike!  15 bitterly cold minutes, (eyes watering nose running) pass by the float stood still.  Whack a pinkie on and drop it in over the bread.  The float sails away, big style and the no 3 elastic stretches out inexorably as the hooked fish rips up the canal.

I dip the pole in the water and add a couple of sections quickly.  It feels weird - eel- like, are there eels in here?  The wind is whining against the taut, overly taut rig line - quick prayer to Ivan Marks - and I pull gently on the pulla bung.  Gradually the elastic comes back , but dogged surges are keeping my cheeks clenched.

I see it!! A clonking great Perch must be 3 pound plus, and s**t its foul hooked in the tail, its getting closer this is a match winning fish take it easy - gently slide the net under it.  Time stands still as the o5 hooklength snaps at the first no 12 shot and frantic flailing with the landing net comes to nothing.

The air is blue.................... never mind get in there and go again.  But nothing, I rotate through the swims.  Not a sausage. A shout down to Craig confirms he has dozen + small roach.  An hour gone, no bites. 2 Hours then 3, then 3.5.  God its cold, and the floats not moving.  Come on think.... buck up concentrate.  Drop in over the pinkie I put at the base of the far shelf. Was that movement?

Certainly the float moved left but didn't dip.  Dot it down to flush with surface.  The wind is biting into my face and the tears are blurring the vision.  Any colour that was in the water has completely dropped out and I can see the fish in the bottom of my keep net.  There it is again slight sideways movement.  I hit and a fat roach, of around 6 oz is soon in the net. 

The bites are barely noticeable just a little side ways movement. But I hit them and 3 Ruffe are swung in about quarter ounce a piece.  2oz Perch follows then a couple of gudgeon.  Check of the watch and half an hour to go.  The Comeback kid is back in it  I must have 3 quarters of a kilo, not bad - in with a shout - kilo and half is enough to frame in these matches.

A steady fish every drop in, and the weight is building will it be enough.  "All out" is shouted as I swing in a 3oz roach.  Being end peg, I am not sure till we get back to the pub where I stand.  Happy with my 1 kilo 160 grams, but soon find that Brian, Nick Mac and and Ivan all have better weights.  Brian's was 1 kilo 460 and wins not just the section but the match.

Close but not good enough. Guess what mid section again!!!!!!!!!!  Still good team points 3 (as Nick Mac was fishing as an individual)  My mate Dave, is 4th also so good team points.  The team finishes equal 6th as we had to take 10 points for our missing Captain.

Roll on Sunday, Its the last of the Eastliegh Pairs match series and my Partner Steve and I are in second place - can we hold out and pick up prize money.  Or will it be mid section blues again?

Life of Brian (the Brasem King)

Today (Sunday 3rd Feb) saw me at an Eastleigh Club match at the notoriously difficult Winnal Lake(Winchester). Difficult because serious fish kills in recent years have left the lake a shadow of its former glory.  I haven't fished here much and mostly in summer conditions.  So it came as shock to see it in its winter coat.  The Crabtree scenes of summer Lillie's willow trees and tench bubbling away all gone to be replaced by storm / snow damaged trees.

The draw bucket saw me draw 18 on this 46 pegger.  Not having fished that end of the lake before I asked the locals for advice.  Advice ranged from go home and watch the telly mate, to that's the dead stretch chuck the splodger you could get lucky!

Peg 18 was featureless, or so I thought plumbing around, found a million sub surface features in the form of branches , twigs, decaying leaves etc.  The dead stretch indeed, it was like an elephants bone yard.  An hour gone and a roach to my name.  I had sculptured a small compost heap to my left, of all the detritus dragged from the swim.  A strong left to right wind was making presentation difficult.

I had gone with a 4x10 diddy float made by a friend Mick Craddock, 06 main line through to 05 hook length and a sensas 3000 "feeling" hook size 24. Single squat or pinkie.

Over half the match gone and many anglers are walking the bank, to keep warm and see if any one has actually had a bite! James to my left have few roach for around 10z; Karl and Maurice to his left are blanking.  Brian Keen on my right and a few pegs down is catching skimmers and has just had a 1lb+fish.  I can smell the Braseem from my peg and I sneak down to see what hes doing to actually catch.

He has concocted his own ground bait from crushed pellet and copious amounts of braseem.  I watch him cup in a semi sloppy mix which clouds the water. His float dips and out comes a near 3lb Crucian!!!!  Double red maggot on an 18 and a much heavier setup than my fine approach.

Maurice has whacked the tip out and had a couple of Bream. We enter the last hour. Brian is still baggin, Pommy to his right in the bay has picked up a couple of skimmers and me well I had tried the splodger for an hour - no joy.  Giving 10 minutes in each of my three swims on rotation had produced nothing but more leaves and twigs.

James has just had a 6oz roach to my left.  Do I pack up and go home watch the rugby( many of the  lads are).  Sod it, stay.  I shove all the weight under the float except a dropper no 12, come 6 inches off bottom and start pinging pinkie out with a catapult.  After 20 minutes and 10 minutes to go the float sails away. Then again, and again, and again!  Finish with 5 roach for exactly a pound.  Why I didn't I try that earlier?

The monster 6oz roach James had was enough to pip me( he weighed in 1 lb 2oz). Brian has stormed it with 11 lb+ and Maurice has 3 slabs for 8 lb+ Pommy had third with 2 lb+.  Rumour has it Tappy has won with around 14 lb+ from the other side of the lake. Dry nets and long faces abound.  Even good anglers were reduced to fishing pop up boilies in the hope of a big Carp.

Hope the Canal at Devizes is kinder to me on Wednesday.