Pewsey - You little Tinca Mike - Wilcot Straight

Pewsey club today first match of the new Canal championship.  Wilcot straight section.  -3 degrees on the temp gauge and a hard frost coupled with a bright morning.  Got there first today.  Was a little fidgety, till a few others arrived - because having not fished this bit before, I wasn't sure if I was in the right place.

Asked around as to how to fish it.  The response was contradictory.  A knock up match two weeks ago had seen only 3oz win the match with 8 out of 10 dry nets!!!  Yet this last week with temperatures up to a balmy 18 degrees, pleasure catches were 5 to 6 lb.  Enquiries as to the best pegs, I was informed peg 1 by the steel bridge, peg 6 the "tree stump" and anything from 10 onwards looked good.  Mike made a few laugh by suggesting the tench might feed, and that it wasn't unknown to see a few small carp!!!! in this stretch.

I drew peg 7. A featureless peg, shelf both sides at around 2 feet deep, sloping gently to a 5.5 feet deep middle track.  Cold wind, from the right a few boats moving a little bit of dirty brown colour, no fish sign.  In short it shouted tough day ahead.  Got the platform in the water and set up; and mixed a little sieved ground bait.  Scissored a bit of caster and worm and mixed it in.


 Leo (our match secretary) shouted the 10 o,clock "all in".  Straight away from the off, Kevin Chub on the tree stump swim started catching and was getting one a chuck.  I was a spectator for the first hour.

 Leo had a couple of blades, not a tickle in my swim, void of any movement at all.  All the pre match hype about caster, worm , pinkie and maggot was looking shaky.  Time to fall back on the faithful punched bread.  Chris Rushton (end peg) is storming away in my section, everyone else between him and me were struggling.  Will Tapper had a nice perch on peg 1 but Kevin was winning section 1 by a mile after the first hour must have had a pound and half in the net.

 

Seventy five minutes in, sees me with no bites sees me and a change to bread and start rotating between 4 foot inside line and four foot coming up the far bank far line. I started to pull a few roach together.  Tried pinkie again and caught the obligatory tiny quarter ounce Perch.  So has Gary Hay three pegs to my left his only fish of the day half an ounce but points Gary its points!!

Couple of fish across and then a couple inside is how I was building my weight.  Not good enough to catch Kevin, he hasn't had a bite for an hour but must have 2lb in the net.  Ian Spanswick to his left is now catching and Mike on peg 3 is also catching. 10 Minutes to go and Kevin's  elastic is stretching out for the third skimmer in a row.  Its going to be close, for the rest of us but I think but I may have my section, and might even frame.  Then a shout of joy to my left as Mike slides his net under Tinca Tinca, the first tench of the new championship. Leo calls the all out and I pack away guessing I have 1.5 lb (27 fish).  Kevin has 53 fish! Net Pic below (3lb 10oz).

Top 5 are below.  Delight for me as I pip Chris Rushton on the end peg by half of an ounce, (that makes up for the last Pewsey Match at the lake, where I missed out on money by an ounce) my 1 lb 13.5oz taking our section.  I am really pleased, a section win outright and not by default, wonders will never cease.

 

1st Mike M 4lb 6oz (Tench 3lb exactly)

2nd Kevin Chubb 3lb 10oz

3rd Ian Spanswick 2lb 3oz

4th Yours Truly 1 lb 13.5oz

5th Chris Rushton 1lb 13oz

 

 

Left to right Kevin Chub, Ian and Mike.  Next week first match of the Eastleigh Club Stoneham series.  See you there. 

Environment Agency imposter

All, please don't get caught out its licence time again but dont get duped.

Bogus Environment Agency officers

The Environment Agency have had reports from the Southampton area of a male impersonating an EA Fisheries Officer. The person concerned is a white male in his mid 30s, around 5'11" with a slim build. He had a foreign accent and was wearing a fluorescent jacket. He showed a white laminated card with the EA logo on to anglers and demanded £3.50 if they were not in possession of a valid rod license. The EA would like to remind clubs and their members that their staff will provide identification. They will never demand money from anglers at the bankside and will never ask for money to be sent to them directly at a later date. They are working with the police to address this issue and raising awareness of this incident via a number of communications channels. They anticipate that the individual is targeting the Southampton area. If you are approached by someone you suspect is impostering an EA fisheries bailiff please contact the police on 101.

Toyota Learning Curve

Beautiful but frosty start to the day.  Got away late today, the continuing stomach problems delaying my start.  Didn't even have the full monty, just one sausage and an egg + spoonful of beans. Washed it down with Tea.  Had a chat with Mark Blake, about yesterdays match on Barnmoor , as normal Blakey had framed with two massive carp and a load of silvers.  Barney had also done well of the flying peg 3.

Almost last to draw on today's Toyota, the inner snake 83 by the bridge.  Mark Blake advised strong tackle and to fish under the bridge and once again he was right.  Fishing has a way of humbling you, just when you think you are getting it right; somebody like John Dewberry Dave Moody or Mark Blake, come along make you realise you are a long way behind the curve.  I am grateful for all their advice

 

Peg 83 Bridge swim Inner snake

The bridge swim can be a flier.  In the right hands , clearly I am butterfingers at the moment as I did just about all I could today to cock up a flier.   As suggested I fished under the bridge; using 4 mill meat and hemp mix, with 6 mill on the hook.  Taking Marks advice I went with an 014 line right through to a tubertini 808 size 20 and a MAP 4 X 10 Carpa. fed the bridge , then a ground bait line at 10 mtrs with caster and a little chopped worm.  Looking down the section I realised it would be tough.  Gary Naylor to my left with Mark to the left of him and Paul Sear (I think) to the left of Mark on end peg.  Behind me on the outer Snake Pete Newman peg 42 ( Toyota League leader) and Dave Higgins Peg 36 sharing the entire corner.  Baiting done, I dropped a 6 mill bit of meat just under the very edge of the bridge.  A dip and a wiggle and then wallop it was away.  No need to lift into it, it was already ripping under the bridge the elastic stretched out as I tried to pull the fish free into open water.  The end three sections of pole bent impressively as the battle of wills began.  the fish seemed to slam into the undergrowth on the far edge of the swim and all went solid.  Leaving my peg I walked out onto the bridge and pulled by hand and eventually some dry old nettles and various undergrowth cam to the surface.  The hook was pulled a little straight , so taking no risks I tied a new hook of the same pattern.  Plumbed up again and dropped in a new bait. Away again and a plump goldfish slid into the net.  That's how it went for the next hour small crucian followed by small skimmer followed by unstoppable lump, followed by fat crucian.  I did manage to get a couple of slightly bigger crucians.

Gary and Mark are catching lumps, so the Crucians won't be enough.  All of us are struggling to present a bait in the horrendous left to right wind.  I come away from the bridge, the fish are getting smaller by the minute.  The gound bait line , producing small silver after small silver. 

Splash behind and I note that Dave Higgy Higgins and Pete Newman are going fish for fish.  Pete is fishing meat down the edge; and I watch as one double figure carp is followed by another.  Higgy too, is going down the edge and great guns as two of his fish are ( confirmed at weigh in) as 26+ lb.

Clearly, I am miles behind so bit more meat under the bridge and try again.  Dejavu as the elastic rips out again so far this time that the fish must be in Pete Newmans swim on the outer snake, another fish lost and almost a broken pole section as it grinds against the edge of the bridge.  Upgrade to 17 hollo, and the float dips again. Bumped the crucian quickly, and then another.  Three fished bumped in a row as the elastic is clearly to strong.  Change back to hollo 13 and the fish come thick and fast, all around 5oz a piece. 

Pete is going great guns now and must have had 15 decent carp down the edge.  (Photo left).  I can see Carp across at 16 mt rs but holding a pole there is proving difficult in the wind. I decide to flick out a method with micro pellet and a banded pellet.  the tip has three sharp taps and a 12 oz skimmer slides towards me. Fling out again, and the tip rips around resulting in a small 2lb Carp.  If I could present a bait on the pole, a bait up in the water might work.  I try it but, it results only in small roach.  20 minutes to go and I go down the edge to my left over a pre baited swim.  This results in a 5lb carp, nice but too late to matter.

The match all out is called, and its clear I am no where.  The Learning curve continues, match by match, but there is a long way to go to catch the superstars of the local scene.  The best weights have come from the outer today, but its good to see the Carp feeding again after the winter.  First in Div 1 is Pete Newman, peg 42 with 96lb+ second Higgy Peg 36 with 93lb+ . Third place goes to Tappy on Peg 3 with 73 lb, and Dave Moody is fourth of peg 15 with 63lb+ . Me I move up a place or two to 12th in Div 1with my 20lb 10oz .  Not bad as I started the competition bottom of the two division (15 in each league) league in 30th place!

Rich Penney cements himself top of Div 2 with a 61lb weight from peg 27.  With one more match to go, I will need a miracle to get in the money.  Pay out top three in each league.  Newy looks good for it.  I am pleased to have done well, but too many silly mistakes and one bad draw has cost me.  Still only sunshine and fair weather to look forward to.

 

 

 

Army Match 6 Todber tiddlers

Army match 6 at Todber Manor, drew 17 on Park lake.  Breakfast at Skevys Cafe.  I don't feel like it today, (not like me) cant shake work off my mind. Concentration is all over the place. This was compounded when I realised I had forgotten many of the things I would normally take. I had left my bait bag (corn, maggott, caster, micro pellet, expanders - pellet pump - mini boilies etc) at home!!!  Left one of my pole rollers there as well. Then to top it all had forgotten to change my rig trays over (still had the canal rigs). No good here. Got to the lake and realised, I had forgotten already (draw 10 minutes ago) what peg I was supposed to be fishing. After finding the board holder and making enquiries I made my way to the peg.

 Its becoming traditional now, when we go to Todber that it is either raining or has been raining for a long time.  Today was no different the place was saturated.


 I mean if there was heatwave from here to September; it still would still be wet.  Water was pouring under my platform causing a little waterfall and affecting my bladder. Constant drip drip, driving me nuts.
 
Enquiries are made as to how close we are to the all in.  Earth to Gary, ( thinking about work) wake up get with the picture, concentrate - get your game face on and shout the all in.

The wind was relentless, all day right to left and really strong; so strong it made it impossible to fish across to the far side with a pole.  So I set up a small method feeder.  Dug out half an old bag of micro pellet, rusty tin of corn and a pre war tin of meat and a quarter pint of maggot left over from the weekend from the bottom of my bag.  Also found some hard pellet and a bit of sticky pellet.  The first 40 minutes across, using sticky pellet powder and micro pellet with 4 mill pellet on the hook.  Whilst the tip is out I set about tying a couple of 0.12 rigs one with an 18 hook and one with a 16 for the big hook baits.

 

The mobile keeps ringing with enquiries from work.  After five or six I get a really annoying one where the caller starts with - you email says you are out of office.  That's right says I; I am on a days leave.  But we need to sort this out now, any chance you can come in.  No I am on leave, and it can wait till tomorrow.  Switched the phone off and went to put it in my pocket when I dropped it.  It bounced to the front of the platform, teetered on the edge but didn't fall in..  The only piece of luck it turns out, all day.

 

Carl and John Goddard had fished the lake a couple of days ago. They had done well on pellet and corn.  So I rotated through the baits Corn , Pellet, Pellet corn.  No joy.  The fish were starting to suck at the reeds on the far bank.  In fact it was turning into a maelstrom of an orgy with carp crawling all over each other.  My hook bait was bank in the middle of it, and the tip was bouncing about all over the place, it was like I had flicked it into an aquarium, never have I seen so many line bites and I couldn't hit any of them. 

 

Several Big slab Bream were rolling in among them now and the water was full of fish crashing around.  It dawned on me now with a deepening depression - they must be spawning!!  The bream were spawning and the carp were feeding on the spawn.  Finally the tip went around and a foul hooked slab , which was absolutely covered in tuburcles and as rough as sandpaper slid into the keep net.

 

Corn and pellet was doing  nothing so I reached into the bag and opened a tin of meat, chopped into 6 mill bits and came back over the 5 mtr line.  The float dipped and a 6 oz roach slid into the net.  Then another and another and another.  That my friends is how it went for the rest of the match. apart from one 4lb Carp, one 10oz Golden tench it was silvers all the way.

The sun comes out for the weigh in and the scales show me what I already know, that silvers are not enough at this venue. You need the F1s or the munters to frame here.  I didn't enjoy today.  Not because I came no where, but because of the realisation that I had ignored my simple plan got fixated on fish that were clearly spawning and not feeding, and wasted half the match.

 

"What a Tit"

 

This game takes no prisoners.  My gut was telling me, I was doing it wrong but I ignored and carried on sleep walking toward disaster.  I should have changed and didn't.

 I finished 7 - not even mid section blues (4 team points) in a ten man section with nearly 16.180 kilo ( so 30+ silvers and a carp) just above me were 2 x 17 kilo weights and a 18 kilo, and Brian and Mike took the honours with 35+kilo and 32+kilo respectively. Clearly the wind had blown the feeding carp to that end; and a couple of good anglers took advantage.

Dave Docs knocked me out of the commercial cup,with 22 kilo mixed bag. B section was won with 32+kilo by Dave Brettle. Orphans (Carl finished 7 and 6 team points) catching loads of lightweight F1s  for 16.760.

The big weights came from White posts lake and C section.

 

Mick Craddock winning with 65 kilo 310.  End peg Daz Mayers 61 kilo 600, Dave Griffiths, 48 + kilo and the man on a hot run at the moment Craig Micalef 40+kilo.  Orphans (Dave Critcher finished 6 and 4 team points) didn't have the best of pegs, stuck between two guys emptying it; but held in there with a respectable 31.660

 Total 14 points and not a good day for the Orphans.  Hoping for a warm windless, dry day on Sunday and for once a good draw in the Toyota league. (Witherington Farm)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pewsey - Committee honours carve up.

Awoke excited to get going today after not fishing last week.  First match of the new season with Pewsey lads.  Fishing Sharcott lake the clubs only non canal water.  Start of the lake championship.  The club runs two parallel championships (one on the canal and one on the lake) at the end of the year the points are added together for the overall championship.  Arrived early to get a little info on the place - know nothing about it.  Brief history is that the local farm fields used to be all for potatoes. The local spud producers dug out a deep water storage lake so they had store of water they could pump out on the fields in dry times.  No fear of that this year, the ground is saturated.

Sharcott water

Feeder Stream for the pond

Holds about 18 pegs in a slight crescent shape.  The fellas were split down the middle about how it would fish, and getting info on what we were fishing for was surprisingly difficult.  The lads were very cagey.  It appears there has been up to 9 Cormorants on the lake in recent times.  In the good days skimmers golden tench and Carp were the order of the day, but now dire days have come and fish stocks are low.  The conversation was up beat, and talk of how the carp in the various anglers garden ponds were starting to move and look for food gave us a bit of a boost, the hope of carp feeding today.  I walked the bank before the draw ropes have been stretched across the lake between the pegs in an effort to deter cormorants from landing and taking off.  Horse bolted and shut the gate comes to mind; as I look at the water.  It is dead  still, I don't mean flat calm, I mean there was absolutely no sign of fish.  None - I mean nothing it looked devoid of fish, the cormorants really had filled their crops with fish here.

The Draw

 £5 pools £5 super pools and £1 silvers pool paid and I ask where the flier is.  Far end mate.  Where don't I want to be? 3,4 or 5.  What did I draw - you guessed it 5.  Trudge to my peg, and sat on my box for a bit trying to form a plan of attack.  First shock is the depth - 6 foot plus down the middle.  I thought it would be 4 to 5 like a commercial.  Problem, very few longer rigs in the box.  Tackled up and looked around to see what people would be baiting up with.  Chopped worm, and caster looked favourite with a little ground bait. I had brought everything, so no worries there.  The all in and I fed a short expander pellet line to my right at around 4 feet.  Bit of cloudy ground bait, choppy and caster. at 8 meters in 7 feet.  The I pinged a 10 gram scoop feeder across to the far edge with micro pellet and a banded 4 mill.  Gave it an hour on the tip -  nothing doing. 30 mins on the deep line and nothing.  Fed a few loose pinkie and came in close over the pellet.  This was no better and no bites for another 30 mins.  Back across on the tip and still nothing. The rain has stopped now and the sun is poking through, its 12.20 and I ask the guys either side of me if there is actually "any" fish in this lake.  The reply all at the other end mate.

  Jimmy (chairman committee) on peg 3 was fishing down the edge in a pile of floating sticks and started to catch tiny fish.  Ian two to my right was swinging 5 gram fish, and me I was getting small nibbles on a worm on the tip, but just cant hit the bites.  Frustration gets the better of me and I, come in over the deep line and the pinkie I had sprinkled in.  It is away 12.35 and my first proper bite. I gently dolly in a nice perch around 12 oz.

 

Fat little thing took a pinkie on a size 22, to o8 line.  Straight back in and two more roach about an ounce a piece.  Its put me ahead in the section but Ian is continuing to catch 5 gram fish.  Perked up and ready to rip into it, I am gobsmacked to find that's it nothing for another hour.  I go back on the tip and start getting the frustrating taps again.  Gary to my right lands a lobster of a crayfish, and then finally the tip goes around , well not quite more like moved a quarter inch and I lift into a crayfish!  So that's what the nibbles were, and thats why I kept pulling in just the head of a worm!.  Two more crayfish one after another and then nothing. 

Embarrassed to weigh in with my new friends I try to laugh off a difficult day.  Jimmy has caught a few tiddlers, Ian has done well I think its med section blues for me.   I walk to the far end, and am amazed to find everyone has struggled.  Chris has won it with 2lb 5 and half ounces - end peg flier.  His section having one blank 3 at 3onces and one 6oz weight.

Ian wins my section with 1lb 4oz (25 fish). Jimmy has last gasp roach (3oz )to come second with 15oz.  Then me with 13 and a quarter ounce, and beaten into third one of the money by 1 and 3/4 of an ounce gutted.  Tough day with a committee carve up for the money. 

1st Chris Rushton (left -Committee Secretary)

2nd Ian Spanswick (middle - Treasurer)

3 rd Jimmy Bromham (right - Chairman).

 

Concerned conversation accompanies us back to our vehicles.  Were the Carp and Bream preparing to spawn, nobody is sure.  One thing is for sure, the Cormorants have done more damage than first thought.  Weights have never been so low apparently.

 

I am gagging for Wednesday to come, Todber Manor.  Army group 2 match number 6.  Cant wait its one of my favourite venues, always a good day there.

 

Angling Times Bait Tech butt clencher!

Early start today whizz down the A303 and turn off through Sherbourne, to Revels lakes near Dorchester.  Pleased but also disappointed to see everyone turn up, I was secretly hoping I could get in as a reserve - I was regretting not picking myself I really wanted to fish.  Bacon and Sausage butties all around, as we watch Haines Anglers arrive.  Some disconcerting murmuring around as we notice a few open match scene superstars make up their numbers.

After a very brief team talk from me, hardly inspiring - the team step forth to show the superstars the Army has got what it takes.

The Dream Team

I blow the hooter to start the match at 10.30.  The sun is shining but a cold wind is blowing from the east.  Our Hosts Sturminster look a solid outfit and after the first hour its neck and neck on the main lake and the same on the other two lakes.  Graham and myself decide to break out the kit and have a little match of our own on the middle lake.  A pound is the prize most fish in 1 hour.  Hour up I take his quid 7 fish to 2.  Leave Graham fishing whilst I start another stint of bank running.  After gathering info it seems Carl and Dave are having mixed fortunes on Treddles lake. Dave loses a fish at the net just as I get there, then drops another decent one.  I decide to leave him, fearing I had brought bad luck with me.  I tootle round to Carl and after exchanging a little info on what bait seems to be working I leave Carl changing to White Corn.  Back down to main Lake and Ivan first his section is really tight, its all silvers and very little in it. Mike Poolmans ahead in his , as is Daz, and Dave. Snr Mayo an Craig are struggling on a slowish start. Below "Doc's" willing the float to dip.

 

Below Pez gritting his teeth through the banter and abuse thrown at him, but held his head high and did well for the opposition!!! Think Army first next year mate

Graham and I had another one hour special and he took his quid back winning 7 to 4. Below Graham the "vintage special reserve".

 Below Top man Carl the steely determination and the slim shady "shades" top weight on the day for the Army side.

 The "Critch" Dave's rubbing his hands at end peg delight.

Ivan the silverfish kid, so unlucky just one more fish!!!!

Snr Mayo netting his biggest silver on the day, tough day for the Commercial venue expert.

Mike Poolman -  tense times and tight elastic for one of our top hopes, he successfully landed this Carp.  The match remained tense throughout , but with an hour to it started to take shape.  Treddles Lake Carl was blasting it with the Haines guy in the other section getting one a chuck.  The two sections on this lake looked like HAINES in first in one section Army 1st in the other.  Haines second behind Carl with "Docs" struggling with gudgeon in third. Desperation Lake saw Dave Critcher, winning his and Mayo 3rd.  So it looked like main lake would decide it. Ivan was second (Chris Haines just had a Carp), Dazzler (down the edge-below) was winning his.

 

 

Mikes was harder to call but we thought a good second and Craig was confident he had dragged back and was in front.  So we were up, 2 out of four, and second in the other two.  If we could hold out, we could win this!

 

The hooter is blown for the all out.  God this butt clenching tight, you couldn't get a fag paper between some of the anglers.  Sturminster (home team) look resigned and are commenting the Army has it.  Haines Angling think its all over and Sturminster have it.  I follow the scales and god it is bloody tight.  With all the weights in, desolation for me as we are third!! SURELY NOT, IT CANT BE; but it is.  Which ever way you cut it the scales don't lie, and it its close but no cigar.  Bitter disappointment for me personally, time to sack the Captain me thinks - oh , no need we are out. 

 

 There were several sections where one fish could have changed it all.  In fact it could have easily been tied on points, then on count back or weight.  In fact look at Ivan, one more fish and he would have swapped with Chris Haines, and we would have tied. 

 

If we had tied and it was on count back Sturminster would have took it by virtue of more seconds. If it was on total weight we would have won by a clear 10 lb+ more than our opponents.

 

Well done lads valiant effort, made them sweat. Weights below.

 

	Weight	Pos	Sturminster	Pos	Haines Angling	Pos
Mike Poolman	20.12oz	3	40.08oz	1	23.12oz	2
Ivan Oakey	21.00	3	23.12oz	1	21.08oz	2
Dave Critcher	25.00	1	1 lb	2	14oz	3
Craig Micalef	22.14oz	2	10.03oz	3	26.12oz	1
Hayden Mayers	3.08oz	3	5 lb	2	13 lb	1
Daryl Mayers	35.06oz	1	13.04oz	2	11.06oz	3
Carl Amman	46 lb	1	1 lb Dave Burford	3	19 lb	2
Dave Docherty	9 lb	3	43 lb Chris Perry	2	56 lb	1
Total Points		17		16		15

Haines go through best of luck to them for the future rounds.

 

Barnmoor and the Battle of the Ego's..

Easter Monday, yes it is April fools day, and nope its no joke as I note the snow sprinkling us from the very cold grey sky again!!!  Winter has had a good run and now its time it just went away.  An accepted phoned invite last week sees me here at Withy again. To fish an open on the big fish lake Barnmoor.

Had breakfast with Graham Houghton and gorgeous George Stainer, who had arrived to fish the same match.  Closer inspection of the participant list makes me realise I should look at who's fishing before I say yes in the future.  Without being defeatist the standard is a little high for me to compete.

The windless section....

The waggler master ( Dave Moody, DM), Mark Blake, James Knight, Brian Shuttler, Dave George, the Good fellow brothers and Martyn Rodgers to name but a few.  Banter is high over breakfast as the Ego's come to fore.  The psychological mind games begin and I am feeling distinctly like a village cricketer walking out at Lords - a fraud about to get his head bowled off.  Still you don't improve unless you compete against the best.

 The lake is divided into two sections, one with access to the island and the other the open water.  I draw peg 11, open water. Blakey on 12, a flier, Dave George on 13, Martyn Rodgers on 7 and gorgeous George on 15 make up my section. DM, draws peg 3 centre of the island a flier; not often DM draws a flier.  Graham to his left on 2, and Ian good fellow on 3 to his right all with access to the island.

 Right from the "all in" its clear those down the low numbers have got better draws the cross wind in our section is making it virtually impossible to fish the long pole.  Blakey has whacked out the tip (cage feeder ground bait and dead maggot) quickly lands a couple of decent skimmers. Martyn of to my left is fishing for the big stuff with a long chuck towards the island.  Me I persevere with the pole and start to catch 2 to 3 oz skimmers on 4 mill expander over ground bait.  Blakey accuses me of fishing single squat on a 24.  Not so says I, I have beefed up today, fishing 0.10 hook length, size 20 kamasan b510 crystal hook!  You're still too light says Mark, you need to be 0.12 at least.  After I have several more fish, Blakey comes in on his pole clearly worried that I am catching faster.  Suddenly the no 5 elastic is tugging well toward the middle, I dip the end of the pole in the water and fight what is clearly a good carp.  Fighting a horrendous wind, the elastic full out I manage to get down to the top kit and pulla kit.

 

 The Carp and I are at stale mate, impatience gets the better of me as I gently pull the top kit past my my head.... nothing doing, change of angle and no change suddenly its off, and I am looking at a straightened hook with a mirror scale on the point. Deja vu. I have lost a lot of big carp lately and its wearing on my temperament. Next pic blakey trying to contain his delight at my lost fish.

 Looking across at the Master waggler man he seems to be getting one a chuck, Blakey has caught and passed me, and Martyn Rodgers is one a chuck. Anther small skimmer slides toward me until oddly it veers off at right angles and becomes very heavy.  Yes you guessed it jack pike with skimmer planted squarely cross its jaw.  Thankfully as the landing net dips in the water the pike lets go and the skimmer bungees into the landing net. Result.

The wind has become impossible so I fish the waggler long , and continue to catch but sporadically.  The cold has affected the bladder, and I leave my peg and go for a pee. Those on the lower number pegs benefiting from the wind break behind them.  The trees are definitely helping, it feels about 5 degrees warmer and bait presentation seems easier.  When I get back to my peg, I sling the cage feeder out with a piece of strawberry flavour red sweetcorn.  Tighten down to a slight curve in the tip and put on the bait runner. As I sip my tea, the tip rips violently round.  No need to strike, fish on and ripping across the lake. The rod bends double as the six pound mainline whines taught in the wind.  Clenched cheeks time, I decide to loosen the clutch.  Inexplicably I tighten it instead of loosening, and the added clutch is enough to pressure the 3lb hook link and 18 hook to snapping point and it was gone.

Results. Well it turns out I didn't do too bad.  No point weighing in (out of the money), had around 8 to 9lb , Blakey was second in section with 14lb+,Martyn Rodgers took our section with 21lb.  So third in section or as normal midsection blues.  DM wins the match and the battle of ego's clearly the old fella can still whip the opposition.  Ian to DMs right peg 3 was second with 22+lb

I don't normally do the post match bullshit about the one that got away.  However today I will.  Clearly if I had landed everything I hooked, I would have been in the money.  Still I do feel I gave a good account of myself.  Maybe I should compete against the best more often.............food for thought?

Prayer to Ivan Marks..........................any chance of some warmth and sunshine mate - it is supposed to be British summertime!