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?..................