Sick Note

Those of you that have been following my blog will know I have not been feeling great lately health wise.  Hence  comments like you look like s**t mate,and bloody hell your as white as a sheet.

Continued trips to the Docs and one to the hospital, have not found an answer; but clearly I am not right and early Friday evening proved as I passed out on the loo and finished up in hospital. Finally, escaped hospital Saturday lunch time having had many cables an pipes inserted in all areas; I walked to the taxi like John Wayne after a very long ride.

Desperate for my weekly fishing trip, I lost the war with her in doors and had to back out producing a sick note, via text for the match at Winnals in Winchester.   I wouldn't admit it to her, but this morning saw me no better she was right I was wrong.

Still look forward to next weekend the Toyota Super League, (an invitation league based with Eastleigh club). Invited to join last season, I missed a few events due to previous commitments; so had to start this year comp, at the bottom of league 2.  There are two leagues of ten anglers.  After two matches the top two go up from the bottom league and the two poorest performers drop down from div 1 to replace them.  This happens every two matches, until the eight match series is over.

The first match was at orchard lake in the new forest, where I managed 123 + lb for 3rd in my league. Second in my league was 162 lb and first (Mark Blake) was 228 lb I think. Round two was at Withy on the snake (much tougher), where I managed 7.5 lb for 4th in my league.  This has left me 4th on points so I wont go up to the top division but remain in a strong position.

Stonehams pond in Eastleigh for the next round this coming Sunday.  Not my favourite place.  I generally catch well but the place is stuffed with big fish and my normal hard worked bag of fish are left nowhere gazumped by two or three massive carp.

It is a weird place, an old estate type lake, depths vary between 3 (shallow end) and 12 feet on the dam wall.  The overflow then runs down hill to a smaller lake ( which I prefer) which is similar in depth range.  There is so much promise yet I cant put my finger on a winning method.  The long standing members always do well, I suppose if you have been fishing the same venue for 20+ years you will know every hole and feature to exploit. I haven't fished Stonehams much this year, as its a long round trip to fish your socks off only to be gazumped by specimen hunters.

 In short there are two approaches.

First mine - pole and waggler catch as many fish as you can hope for a few slabs.  This normally catches me 10 to 20 lbs.  Second the locals  favourite, chuck the method or a feeder into the distance and hope to land on Carp or Bream this can net 50+lb or bugger all.

I suppose I should bite the bullet and try it but, I find it difficult hair rigging a 5 to 10 mill boilie, or banding a ten mill pellet and sitting there waiting for the tip to go round.  I fidget and look around, its having the nerve to sit there waiting for the net buster, as opposed to my favoured way of trying to keep some thing going in the net.  Lets see what the day brings.........................will I go for the s**t or bust method ?

Oh PS. Army Federation (Group 2) has drawn Sturminster Hinton AA and Haines Angling AC (Westbury) for the first round of the Angling times Bait tech Cubman comp.  As Captain I await a call from Sturminster Hintons Captain to see where in the Blackmore Vale we will be fishing.