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!