Playing Catch up.............

After a good start with the Pewsey Championship I was third after two matches.  Problem is as I had booked into other competitions previous to the start of this championship.  So I have missed one Lake Match ( fishing the Toyota missed out on a possible 8 points); and one Canal match (Fishing Blakeys festival missed out on a possible 15 Points) and I have dropped to tenth place!

I probably wouldn't have won either, but I am confident I would have picked up some points, and thus denting other competitors totals. Still no use crying over spilt milk.  Chin up and crack on.

So back on the Championship hunt and playing catch up big style.  On the lake this sunday.  Tough venue, decimated by cormorants and eastern European fish thieves (allegedly)ounces can bring good points.

Name	Overall	Position
Ian Spanswick	37	1
Mike Marsden	34	2
Leo Pocock	30	3
Chris Rushton	29	4
Simon Burden	28	5
Kevin Chubb	28	5
Jimmy Broomham	26	7
Steve Hiscock	24	8
Will Tapper	24	8
Gary Williams	18	10
Martin Arris	17	11
Paul Giddings	15	12
Robin Pearce	12	13
Steve Dean	10	14
Gary Perryman	9	15
Kevin Moore	9	16
Nick Worter	8	17
Roly Phillips	6	17
James Carty	6	17
Gary Hay	3	20
Darren Tapper	0	21
Neil Pegrum	0	21
Pete White	0	21

Tackle Trade Match - Reids Tackle - Viaduct

Another enjoyable day today.  I was very kindly invited to join Dave Moody to represent Reids Tackle at the Viaduct (Somerly Somerset).  Formerly the Diawa Tackle Trade open.  It was now just the South West tackle trade open.

Sunshine accompanied myself and Dave as we motored down the 303 in the flyer (had her up to 78 at one point).

First order of the day was breakfast at Woody's.  We were joined at the table by Mike "Buzzer" Bernstein from Challis Tackle in Andover.  Nice for me to listen to the experts talking through the old and new match fishing scene, and the current ups and downs of the tackle trade.  Although I spend 98% of my coin in Reids Tackle always have done; I do also use Challis Tackle as I am a big fan of Garbolino floats.

The Happy Couple

The draw was at 9 am and I was a little surprised to see we were fishing 10 till 4 pm.  Not much time to set up.  All the pegs were on Campbell lake.  I drew 129 and Dave drew 130!  Buzzer on 124.

The all in was whistled at 10, and I wasn't ready.  Drawing 129 Meant I had the spit to my left.  This had complicated my simple plan of straight lead, to the middle and ping pellet. Eventually fishing pellet waggler up in the water.  Now I was setting up a shallow rig , meat rig for the bottom, and a worm and caster rig (for silvers).  There was no mention or at least I didn't here a mention of silvers pool at the brief. More on that later.

Cupped in some hemp and 8 mill meat at the point of the spit.Some caster choppy worm  and ground bait at 8 meters to my right at 2 o clock.  Sat on the spit line for 30 minutes without a movement.  Came over the caster line again 15 minutes and nothing.  Back over the meat line by the spit all the time pinging 11 mill to the middle.  12 noon saw no bites of any description.  DM had, had a tug on his worm but the skimmer was off before it was properly on.  Dave was cussing the lack of bites, as were most people round the lake.  The guy to Dave's right on Peg 131 had a few fish including Carp. So he was leading (our) A section.  I gave up on the pole and went for it with the straight lead.  Being nibbled out by thousands of fry, was not going to win today.  A few people over the far side and the match organiser in the corner peg were catching down the edge.

12.30 and the first movement on the rod tip, but all a bit half hearted, no ripping round Viaduct style. I had fished Viaduct 10 days ago on scary Carey and 11 mill Donkey Chokers were the order of the day.  Not today though it was all a bit tentative. Pushed the carp rod up the bank and got out my 11 foot Steve Gardner Milo bomb rod out.  Tackle 8lb main line, 3/4 oz arlesley bomb, 15 inch 6 lb hook link to banded 8 mill red robin pellet. Clipped up and fired out.  Pinged 6 pellet about every 2 minutes.

Frightener as the rod almost went in, just as I was catapulting in.   Grabbed it and hung on.  The line was down to the clip and everything was straining - and the fish was off.  After losing five carp in my last match on Monday, I looked heavenwards and asked the gods of fishing (Ivan Marks, Ray Mumford, Ian Heaps etc)  what I had done to offend them.

Didn't lose my temper, this time didn't swear, just fired it out again and carried on. 10 minutes and another ripping bite and after a steady pull I gently coaxed a 6lb carp over the net. Then a run of 4 lb fish, hope was rising.

DM was questioning what I was doing.  Which was no different to what he was doing but; he want getting bites on the tip.  He came over his 14 meter line and dropped a worm in, a carp took it and was on then off.  Both DM and myself agreed he could probably bag up on silvers, but with no silvers pool whats the point.  DM had a tench and then a skimmer, but couldn't buy a carp bite.  The guy to his right had a couple of big lumps and few smaller carp.

The Silverfish kid

Me I was starting to catch the bloke on Peg 131 (to the right of Dave).  Bites had slowed but I was getting one about every ten minutes.  A check of the time on my mobile made me think I was not going to catch enough to win anything.  My 8 meter swim was fizzing like a can of Vimto.  What to do??? Come in over the caster ground bait or stay on the lead. 20 minutes to go.  I come in over the short line and watch the float literally bob around in the mass of bubbles and small swirls and vortex's.

A couple of missed liners, and a nudge from DM to put the pole away, and get back on the tip saw two more fish in the last ten minutes.

The all out is whistled and I guess I have got 65 maybe 70 lb.  I was disappointed to find I had 59 lb 6 oz.  The bloke to Daves right had 61 lb 2oz. Bugger pipped for the section by a pound and half. The decision to go on the 8 meter line for 10 minutes may have cost me.

 Dave had a creditable 23 lb which was 2 carp and the rest was silvers.  Buzzer came along to say he had not weighed in his 4 carp,and just weighed in his silvers around 15 lb.  This was when we realised there was a silvers pool after all!!!!"

I am sure DM would have smashed everyone on his silvers , he really had them going.  But not realising there was a silvers pool he wasted time trying to catch carp when they were not having it in his swim.

Thanks to Dave (Reids Tackle) for the invitation, disappointed at coming second in the section, it was really a red letter day for me.  To have DM and Buzzer in the same section and beat them both is a day I wont forget for a while.

I was seventh overall, the top weights coming from the corner swims.

 1st  110 lb, 

2nd 104 lb and 3rd 90 lb. 

 Fourth was 75 lb,

 5th 66 lb 

6th 61 lb 2oz then me 59 lb 6 oz.  Yippee it is possible to land Carp after all.

Pewsey club match this weekend.

Mr Blakes Festival - A final day sprint from Gary Naylor.

I think I speak for all when I say Mark Blake did a first class job in arranging this festival.  Thank you to him for giving the chance to anglers that don't normally get a chance to fish this type of event.  Some may say he invited a few weaker anglers to improve the odds of picking up pools, maybe there is some truth in that; but trust me - I may not have picked up pools, but I got a hell of a lot out of the three days.  Not least, I am enjoying my fishing again.

The Friendly Festival

I spoke to Gary Naylor before the match.  I tried to gauge why this excellent angler had for him, been lagging behind - he is normally the one who takes the money home.  Clearly he knows the Eastleigh waters well having fished them all his life, but Withy is a bit of a bogey water.  The photo above is before the match.  Blakey the organiser is front center in fetching yellow top.  The shy blokes at the back are Brian Shuttler, and young Daryl Mayers hiding from the tax man maybe, with all the coin they pick up.  I drew peg 16 on Selwood.  Most unusual for me after drawing peg 12 three times in the last 3 I have fished selwood.

I was next to the favoured peg (15) , three matches in a row I have drawn next to the flier.  Still I fancied mine.  I put in a cup of worm and hemp, and 3 balls of sensas magic at 14.5 meters.  It was nice weather till Paul said the weather man said wind today, at which point it blew strong all day.  

Left Paul "Hoffmeister" Hough the bringer of windy weather.  I went of quickly but was losing flying skimmers as clearly the red 11 hollo preston was just a tad to stiff.  After yesterday I was prepared and went to 5 solid on a pulla bung. Paul the harbinger of doom said, you will hook a carp now .....mark my word.  Sure enough bang, barely had the choppy worm hit the deck than it was away.  It was on long enough for the elastic to bottom out. In the next 15 minutes I had five put ins , hooked five carp and lost five carp.  The red mist descended top kits where thrashed against the lake, kit was thrown around; and quite frankly I acted like a total dick.  I was a spoilt child throwing my teddy in the corner. I need some luck. I apologise to my fellow anglers for the bad language, I will try harder to be less foul mouthed in the future.

 Selwood is quite shallow and when carp feed in a frenzy foul hooking is a real possibility.  Blakey (two to my left) and Hoffy, looked on with some bemusement; but with consoling advice that at least the fish are there, your just foul hooking em.  To prove the point on examining the rig after the last fish there was a mirror scale over the point of the hook. So that's Carp 5, me nil (three trashed rigs, one straightened hook and one mirror scale). 

 Meanwhile everyone else was catching, Lee Goodfellow of to my right had had a double figure the Gary Naylor of to my left and the other side of the lake, had a lovely big Carp and a few to go with it. All of us struggled against the wind, and the fact that Selwood had been fished hard for three solid days in a row.

Dave Moody, was catching at 5 meters as the wind restricted anything else.  Brian Shuttler had a few, and Snr Mayo down on 12, was losing more fish than me!!!!!! - that takes some doing.  Young Mayo, was fishing the splodger into the calm water of the lee side of the island, and bagging.  Me, well normal small skimmer after small skimmer, but going backwards. 

Partly not wanting to be last and the embarrassment that comes with it, I was chopping and changing (my mate John Dewberry sat on my shoulder; screaming at me to stop mucking about and changing things, "do one thing well, rather  than lots of things badly") styles and methods, but to be honest struggling to get a bite.  The dream of pushing on from my two 6th (midsectionblues) places; in tatters as I feel it all slipping away; but I listened to John "Yoda" Dewberry and concentrated on one method.  Pole at 14.5, and despite the wind had a few more roach and skimmers

All out was whistled, and the cream comes to the top.  Gary Naylor (cant keep a good man down) a deserved first, Daryl the dazzler Mayer second , Blakey a well scratched third.  Me worst result of the three days. Second from last and a paltry 9 lb 12oz of silvers and one little 1.5 lb Crucian.

Daryl the Dazzler picks up again; as the two best anglers shake hands to end this excellent inaugural alternate Festival.   Not sure what Hoffy is doing , he is not normally one to kiss ass!!

Graham, took back his quid.  That pound coin has done some mileage between us lately back and forth.

As the other Festival (Barneys) has over recent years become a closed shop, except to a privileged few; surely Marks event is the blueprint for future Witherington Farm Festival?  Something for Eastliegh AC and Witherington Farm owners to consider. 

Position	Angler	Overall weight	Points
1	Daryl “Dazzler” Mayers	136 lb 6oz	32
2	Mark “Consistent” Blake	107 lb 11oz	30
3	Brian Shuttler	102 lb 4oz	24
4	Kendal	78 lb 12oz	23
5	Paul “Hoffmeister” Hough	66 lb 14oz	20
6	Graham “ Mr Crabtree” Houghton	88 lb 11oz	19 (6th on weight)
7	Haydon “Mayo” Mayers	61 lb 11oz	19
8	Gary Naylor	63lb 14oz	18
9	Lee Goodfellow	50 lb 10oz	16
10	Gary “Big Dog” Williams	54 lb 4oz	15
11	Dave “Waggler Master” Moody	45 lb 4oz	13
12	“Gorgeous” George Stainer	21 lb 10oz	5

The Festival - Part Deaux - Shuttler makes a point.

Day 2 -  Barnmoor and another sunny day. I hoped for peg 3 or 7, having drawn 15 or 17  for the last 5 times I have drawn Barnmoor.  Peg 15 is not in, good news that narrows the odds. Hope for better today, having yesterday being  drawn between Mayo senior, and the eventual winner Mayo Junior.

So hand in the bucket............................... Peg 17 again!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe it?  Snr Mayo to my right and Brian to the left (on the point) Peg 16.

Shuttler on the point, favourite from the start

To rub it in Brian Shuttler on the point as dead a cert as you can get.  So once again caught between Snr Mayo and the eventual winner.  The Waggler master DM on his favourite Peg 12 ( my bet for a pick up) and Mark Blake on Peg 7 it was going to be an uphill struggle to even make mid section.

Lovely day ensued, Mark Blake has assembled a good cross section of talent and a nice bunch of blokes.  This is definitely the friendly festival.  No pressure just blokes enjoying match fishing.  To think 2 weeks ago I nearly packed in match fishing.  Its surprising what warm weather and some good results will do.  Last week a pick up; and this week holding my own in good company.

I worked hard to catch today lost a cracker in my first drop in as , it took off across the lake and around the island, bending the rushes on the corner of the island as it went.  16 Metres of pole bending and preston red hollo 11 bottomed out -  everything was at breaking point and sure enough the inevitable ...ping.

Another rig of 015 straight through  - snapped 4 inches below the float.

Tried all sorts, to catch had a few small skimmers of the island using the method, micro pellet and banded pellet.  But had mostly roach to mid depth waggler and double red.  Senior Mayo started well with a couple of big carp.  He worked all day long for his weight and with an hour and a half to go had me well beat, with carp and chunky skimmers.  

Shuttler the machine was relentlessly bagging skimmers and small carp.  Blakey had had two big Carp as had Paul Hough on Peg 10.  DM had an eel of all things.

Time to risk it - Silvers are not going to do it.  So I knock up a little paste and fish towards the point down the edge over a meat line I had been feeding all day.  3 Carp, one hooked in a pelvic fin.  This on paste which apparently doesn't work on Barnmoor according to those in the know. Finally with 5 minutes left another big carp rips off and the 17 hollo yellow is at full stretch as it heads past the point on the way to open water in front of peg 12. This time 017 straight through parted mid way.  What have you got to use to stop these monsters?  No time left so I call the all out.

 Weighing in the machine man - Brian Shuttler.  As expected the winner  Fish after fish, led to complaints of arm ache! Cant say he got much sympathy from me.

  A nice fish to end on, hooked in the pelvic fin, a long fish barely went in the landing net it was so long.

 The scores on the doors.  Snr Mayo pushed me into 6th by one skimmer.  Me, consistent scoring mid section both matches.  Leaves me with 13 Points (leaders have 21 and 22 Points), I am one point behind Graham Houghton and I took my quid back today! 

 Paul Hough's (the Hoffmeister) meant he sweated out the match after catching two big carp for nearly 27 pound early on, to hang on for third.  Our genial host second in the silvers and second in the match.

First Place - Brian Shuttler  - 58 lb 14oz

Second Place - Mark Blake - 48 lb 6oz

Third Place - Paul Hough - 31 lb 10oz

Well done lads, will it be third time lucky tomorrow?  I need to win and several people to blank.  If not, I will  hold my own to be respectable, and try and finish as high as possible.

The festival begins - Daryl the dazzler

Today was the start of Mr Blake's festival at Witherington Farm, and if the the first day is anything to go by it should be good.  Well organised, affordable with good payouts on each day of the three.  I drew peg 9 on Cottage.  A good peg with an island chuck.

a good draw for a change.

The  match started well , I fished 11 meters meat over , meat and hemp.  The float dipped regularly and skimmers jumped for a bit.  A ground baited swim of to my left at 7 meters produced a couple of good runs from carp neither of which were landed.  Daryl Mayers the "Dazzler" was on the method on peg ten next to me and was getting one a chuck from the start.  His dad was struggling to my left.

 Fatal mistake time, dazzler was making such a go of it , I stopped and picked up the method rod and went to the island. Tangle after tangle, as knots in the line built up.  Eventually the knots would not go through the eyes and I had to switch to a waggler.  3 Missed carp and one foul hooked in the belly (2.5 lbs). Wasted too much time.  If I had stayed on the silvers I might have won the silvers pool.  Second to Kendal in the end, my 10 lb 10oz not quite meeting his 14 lb.

Graham Houghton also had a purple patch with 5 very decent carp one after another on maggot down the edge towards peg 1.  Took a quid of me in the end.

Final top three was Dazzler 70lb + (12 Points)

The Dazzler bags anther "pup"carp on the way to first place.

2 nd Graham Houghton with big carp down the edge on peg 15 for 55 lb.
3rd Kendal (peg 1) had carp to go with his 14 lb silvers to make up 47lb
 Me I ended up with 18 lb + for 6th and 6 points. Roll on tomorrow and a Barnstorming Barnmoor.

Summer Breeze makes me feel fine - Summer league teams of four.

Got some long overdue enjoyment back today.  It started well as the sun was trying hard to push through the weak clouds and the smell of the golden fields of rape seed oil drifted through the flyers window, as I whizzed along the crest of the Everliegh escarpment.  I do love early spring and summer mornings, going fishing not a soul around.  I did stop at the top of the White Horse hill (Everliegh behind me) and the resplendent beauty of the Pewsey Vale stretching out before me.  It was almost Walt Disney like; with wild life springing all around me.  Sheep, rabbits, a Hare, Muntjac Deer, and flock of goldfinch chomping on spilt Barley seeds, bees buzzing lazily in the morning warmth.

I expected some guy to stroll by singing " Zip de de do dah, zip de eye a; my oh my what a wonderful day, Mr Blue bird is on my shoulder".  You all know I am fiercely proud of my home county Wiltshire; and I challenge anyone to better the view I had there and then - Wiltshire it really is heaven on Earth.

Nature at work

Pulled into the French Horn Pub Car park, and was immediately descended on by Chris Rushton - ah Gary, good man you don't mind Captaining Pewsey Blue do you, no good that's settled then.  I laughed you are kidding right?  But he wasn't.  No he says Pewsey will field two teams of four Pewsey Red and Pewsey Blue (Me, Martin Arris , Will Tapper and Steve Dean).  Did the paperwork dragged the competition money and pools out of the team and paid in.  Last but one to draw (A and B section Wilcott straight C and D Milkhouse Water) I drew peg 3.  So we all went of to our respective sections to fish peg 3.  I had D section, Steve had C section (prime stuff) Martin A section and Will B section.

Pegs  C1 (draw your fish from bridge),2 and 3 all fliers.  The rest of us will push the fish up the canal (footfall noise) to D8 and D7 as we walk the narrow towpath.  Milk house is currently an hour long water.  Get what you can quickly, as boat and towpath traffic will kill the second half of the match.  Team plan was to fish the inside four foot line with bread for the first hour get as many blades as you could and hope for a dog perch later to boost weight.  Fish are on the inside a lot at the moment so if you can get away without putting your platform in do so.  Less  disturbance. D3 was by the stile and so narrow I had no choice but to get in, dammit. Slid gently into the edge and placed all my kit gently around careful to keep disturbance down.  Laid the net along the bank and gently rolled it in.  Got up and walked well away from my peg and waited 15 minutes for the whistle.

D 3 - The "Stile" Peg

The whistle started the match and triggered every cyclist runner , rambler and dog walker from miles around to pound the bank side.  45 Minutes in and mild panic as the float had not moved  - better try track line went over the choppy /caster/hemp line.  Small roach, times three and then a tiny Perch then nothing.  Three boats came through churning up the silt and mud.

The sun brings them out

Still the view wasn't that bad

My mood was still surprisingly good I was even managing to laugh at the volume of detritus in front of me.  It was a job to find a gap to to lower the float in.  The Bread line long and short was bringing not one single bite.  So I went across to the far shelf ( over my hemp - thanks for the tip Ben -  and pinkie line).  The float dithered and dipped.  I lifted into a 4oz Perch.  

The match is 3.5 hours old and I have a pound in the net.  Guy to my right is 4 fish for 6oz, and the peg to my left is blanking.  There have been no boats for 20 minutes so I sprinkle in a little Hemp and a dozen Pinkie.  The Canal begins to tow hard right to left. and I cant hold bottom.  I have a dig around and find a 0.8gramm float rig.  Bulking the shot I lay on about 6 inches and hold it still against the tow and it just lifts and slides away.  A nice fat hybrid is dollied in gently.

Match Winner - could it be?

It must be over a pound and a good fish with an hour to go.  I continue on that line sprinkling hemp and Pinkie, but with only small blades no more bonus fish.  The match is killed as a twat with a speedboat comes through sending wash, bashing into our platforms.  Still he will suffer later, as I managed to get a good pouch of maggot into the cabin area behind his seat.  Should be infested with flies by next weekend - serves him right.

No sooner than he had been through then a massive barge , and I mean massive came through,  I asked the skipper if he was lost.  He looked bemused, so I said this the Kennett mate not the Manchester ship canal.  He lifted is Pimms toward me and doffed his cap.  Pratt.

The whistle went for the all out, and I fancied my chances.  We packed away and walked up to D8 to start the weigh in.  The Swindon ISIS guy had bagged with a weight of 3 lb 7oz.  Next Ian Spanswick team Pewsey Red. Ian had had a dog Perch on the whistle and pipped him with 3 lb 15 oz.  Dammit I wasn't feeling so confident now. Me I was third in section with 3 lb 2oz.  Guy to my right had 1 lb 6oz and guy to my left blanked.

Ian said see you back at the pub for the results.  Turns out my 3 lb 2 oz stood chance of framing, mobile phone texts indicated it was good weight.  After much head scratching and tense moments here and there over an ounce here and 4 drams there results were finalised and set in stone.

Amazingly picked up £30.00 for double default section win, as Ian and the ISIS guy picked up for first and second in the match. I missed out on third place super pools by "one ounce" Peg C1 had 3 lb 3oz!! Still happy with 4th in the match.

My Pewsey Blue team:
Me 6 points (3rd)
Will 5 Points (4th)
Martyn 4 Points (5th)
Steve 4 Points (5th)

Some of the guys seemed happy with their ounces and not to have blanked.  I think comment of the day was Si Burden.  What did you get Si? "oh mostly small stuff for 6 oz"!!!  yes that was 14 fish!

Teams Result
Swindon ISIS 27 Points
Pewsey Red 22 Points
Pewsey Blue 19 Points
Cranliegh 18 Points
Lechlade 16 Points
Bankers 13 Points
Elgin 11 Points
Odds and Sods 11 Points.

Next Match in this series on the Thames at Cranleigh.  For me its the 3 Day Festival at Witherington Farm (Sat , Sun  and Monday of the Bank Holiday) organised by the excellent Mark Blake.See you there.

One FLU over the Viaduct - Army match 7

I was sent home from work yesterday full of man FLU.  I wasn't keen to go home because I knew I had the day off today to fish at the Viaduct in Somerly Somerset.  It doesn't look good boss I said.  I don't want you here infecting everyone  - sod off home.  What you do on your day off tomorrow is up to you. Just get better and come back soonest

So the day broke no better, I was streaming, both nostrils and eyes flowing better than the river Avon.  Took the flyer and drove down accompanied by steady rain all the way.  In fact as I browed the hill at Wincanton  to look down on Yeovil and the Somerset levels it was distinctly cold and wintry - yes I know its summer , but God doesn't, he still thinks its February.

Army match 7. Thirty Three turned out, the numbers are coming up again.

I might as well have had a sign on me saying bring out your dead, everyone took one look me and walked in the other direction. Stay away from me I don't want to catch man flu was the general feeling.  Duncan Cooper and Higgy kindly bought me a sweet tea, fearing my sugar levels would drop; and quite frankly not wanting to do the kiss of life thing.

The Match.

 I missed the draw as I struggled to get my waterproofs on.  Dave Critcher came along and gave me my peg ticket.  Your on scary Carey 102.  I took my kit to the bank and quite frankly just covered the peg with snot.  I looked through bleary eyes trying to hair rig with a band on my bomb rod.  Frankly I didn't have the energy and seeing Brian Shuttler turn up on the next peg, really put the kibosh on it - I wanna go home.  Got my camera out to photo the peg for the blog, and was gutted to see the battery was flat.. Do it with your phone I thought - yes you have guessed it phone battery flat!!

Took the phone back to the van and plugged it into the cigarette lighter and went to have a word with Steve the owner in the shop.  He informed not to bother with pole use bomb rod fire out toward the aerator.
This I did. but I did feed two pole lines - meat down the edge and Caster/ground bait at 8 mtrs.

10.30 all in,  Steve had said not to expect big weights, 5 cold wet days in a row had slowed the big weights of last week. Still hoping for luck I put in 4 nets. surrounding my platform so no carp could get in under the platform.

12.30 Saw only Brian catching at our end of the lake , it looked like the fish had followed the wind to the bottom corners.  I got up and went along to Brian.  What was he doing differently.  Well no wonder he could get farther out with his feed.  He was using 11 and 12 mill pellet, as opposed to my 8 mill, simply they were flying further.

I couldn't combat the wind so nipped back to shop and bought some donkey chokers.  In short after three lost fish, I went from an 18 wide gape to 16 wide gape Kamasan pellet 911 extra strong; and caught my first fish at 1.30.  That was it.

Nothing till 3pm when the wind dropped and the sun came out.  Brian was now catching on the pellet waggler.  I tried it for 20 minutes with no joy and went back on the bottom 4 fish followed.  With Brian catching another battleship on the whistle 4.30, we all weighed in.

Brian had our section and the match with 15 fish for nearly 130 lb.  Me, well best of the Orphans(A) with 5 points (5th out of 11 man section) five fish 46 lb. That secured my quid from Graham Houghton who had 44 lb.

Carl ( not happy talk of being cheated) had six points and Critch for a change was bringing up the rear 10 points.

What did I learn. Well don't be afraid to use hooks as big as a 14, and pellets up to 12 mill at Viaduct.  Keep pinging pellet and they will feed in the end - simple innit!!

My head was too thick with cold to get into the argument brewing in the car park.  Apparently an ARMCEN(A)  guy had  put silvers in his carp net.  My understanding is, that is against fishery rules and that net therefore should not be weighed in.  Problem is Higgy had announced the winners and paid out, with those wishing to raise the point still packing kit up on the bank.  The winners ARMCEN (A)!!!!, this one will rumble on I am sure.

Top three. Brian 130 lb, Second Daz Waite 112 lb Third and a special mention to my mate Dave Wallace from 3DSR Sigs 3rd and 98 lb in the windward corner.  Some weights in the 40,s and a lot of people catching just one skimmer.

Summer League with Pewsey this weekend.  Teams of four, four matches, first on the Canal at Pewsey Milk house, the other matches Bristol Avon, Thames, and Horseshoe Lake wherever that is. So put away the 12 mill pellet and get the bread punch out.

Toyota Tantrum - Whats the point or points?

You will all know that I feel I fall in to that struggling category of also ran club anglers.  You know the ones, pays your money every week and watch someone else walk away with it.  Leaving you wondering about , bad draws , lost fish and conspiracies imagined or not and sometimes saying whats the point.

Its always worse when you are not enjoying it.  We are after all supposed to enjoy it!!  You will gather from my last blog, that it was a toss up today.  Pewsey or the Toyota.  Toyota won. Was met in the car park by  the ever helpful Mark Blake.  He informed me I was bottom of league one , so no pressure don't scratch for little fish he said; go for bigguns and the match.

We went in for breakfast with his thoughts of tying your own hook lengths against shop bought ( the latter in his view better) .  I was sure he was confused there is no way I could be bottom.  After the last match, I had checked the results and worse case scenario I thought I would be 11th out of 15 in Div 1.

So when I saw the printed league sheet on the table, I was not happy , I was bottom?!? how could that be.  After a session of telling anyone who would listen I went outside to ponder my sanity - could I have been that wrong?

 I am sure it has happened up and down the country at many a match - where points have been scrutinised and argued over.  DM was smiling knowingly, and I knew he was having a quite laugh to himself.  But as I have said before there was a time in his and all the top guys angling history, when league position and points meant something to them as well.  So, I hope good anglers reading this; appreciate it means just as much to me now.

Luckily, I bumped into Maurice, and he confirmed that I had beaten him, Pat and one other in the last match so there was no way I could be bottom of the league.  Without prompting Maurice kindly pursued the issue and the mistake was found; apologies were forthcoming from Gary Naylor (Gary is impecablly honest and clearly a man for detail, he was not at fault here a third party was) the competition organizer who said he would put it right after the match. Cheers Gary AND Maurice.

The match itself was a non event, I had an awful draw (second from last out of the draw bag.  Barnmoor 15.  I wanted Cottage or Selwood or at least one of the fliers on Barnmoor pegs 2,3 or 4.  Stuck in the corner, I had no real choice but to fish for big fish, silvers just wouldn't do it today.

 In short I had one bite in the first 1.5 hours.  It took me over 25 mins to get it to my peg on red 11 hollo elastic. When it rolled on the surface I panicked.  It wasn't gonna go in the landing net!!!!!!  It was easily 20lb+ it was nearly 30 inches long and had shoulders like a Russian shot putter.  Struggling manfully to net it, the fish made a final lunge to get under my platform.  This it did, so I was now in the precarious position of fish under the platform, me prodding at the sides of the platform with my landing net; to try and get it out into the open water again.  Ultimately the fish was lost and all hope of making a mark on the match.

My mood was as cold and bleak as the day - yes it is summer believ it or not. Pat on peg 16 the point was catching skimmers and occasional small carp.  Clive Egerton was fishing from peg 2 down the edge to peg 1 and catching carp and Mick Hawkins had a big lump fishing his top two!

 Nothing was working for me.  So I knocked up a little Paste and started down the edge again.  Had seven 1 lb skimmers one after another.  So just the same as last week 7lb of silvers, only this time I managed a 9 lb carp to go with them in the last hour.  16 lb on the nose.  No idea where that leaves me in the final table.

Gary and Tappy the organizers give out the prizes

Along my bank it went as follows Geoff 16 lb 8oz (mixed bag), Brian 6lb silvers, Pat on peg 15 the point 4lb silvers + two foul hooked double figure carp for 25 lb and me 16lb.

The weights came from the expected pegs.  With Clive Egerton (6 carp for 76lb) having a total of 93lb from peg 2.  Micks 23lb carp and 4lb of silvers on peg 4, and Paul White 25lb+ silvers on peg 3.

Pete Newman the deserved Toyota League Champion,
Trophy and £150.00

Lets hope Army match 7 on the Viaduct this coming Wednesday gives me a pick me up.  I might just pack in Match fishing.  I am not sulking over points, but I need to see improvement or whats the point.

Reids Tackle Stoneham Championship -Salvo from Salvi

The thing with being an average club angler is the inconsistency.  It drives me mad; currently I take one step forward and one back.  Last week a section win and this week midsectionblues again. I will say that I cant put my finger on it, but I am not enjoying fishing at the moment.  I think the irritation is borne out of a lack of ability, the frustrations of a club angler.  I don't mind losing if I think I have done the best I can, but just lately my mind is elsewhere - work, home life, etc etc.

Anyway enough bitching.  Stonehams today.  I don't like the venue myself its a long way to go and very peggy.  I hope I draw the bottom lake at last that is consistent, and its my type of fishing.  Top lake is carp based or long feeder/method fishing.  Trouble with Stonehams, is you have to take a mile of kit and bait because you don't know what you will draw.  Will it be in the shallows (3-5 feet) boilies for carp or will it be long feeder fishing method or ground bait in 12 feet at the dam wall.  Caster Worm maggot corn  your knackered before you get to your peg.

Quick summary, picked up Dave Moody in Salisbury whizzed down M27 get to Stoneham, 58 adults and juniors booked in for this club match

 I had dreamt I had drawn peg 27 (bottom end of bottom lake) and bagged up on carp all day down the edge.  Shook Pommys golden hand(boy the man can draw well) but the luck didn't rub off.  Drew widest part of the top lake. DM drew the bottom lake lucky git.  Pommy , well surprise surprise end peg top lake carp flier.  Short walk to my peg on the top lake!; and I dig out the rods first. 

 

My mind can't settle on a plan (John Dewberry sat on my shoulder telling me to keep it simple and don't confuse yourself)  !!! Sorry John, ignored you today and cocked up. 

 

So I set up, pellet waggler, method feeder, caged feeder, 13 foot maggot waggler, deep pole rigs (I had 11feet at 11meters). Mid depth rig and shallow rig phew nearly out of time.  Went to flick out the method rig so I could clip up at the right distance; when the line wrapped around the tip and splintered it. Taped it up with a little electrical tape from Karl Salvi on the next peg. 

 

The all in is shouted and I fling the cage feeder to the middle - the normal start - and hope to draw the bream in.  Fed ground bait mix at ll meters leave for half an hour and sit on tip.  Recast every five for half an hour, if no joy leave for half an hour go on pole line.  You've guessed it no joy.  The pole line is no better, nothing on the bottom but a few roach mid water and shallow.  Clearly the fish are in the warmer thermal layers.  Another hour on the tip, fish are smashing the feeder at mid depth, so I start pinging a few pellet with a view to trying the pellet waggler.  Fish are pairing and getting into threesomes as the circle mid lake and about a foot under the surface.

 

With an hour to go a team of Environment Agency guys turn up and go peg to peg checking we all had our rod licence for this season.  Dug out mine and showed it.  As far as I know all members were on the right side of the law.

 

The trouble with Stonehams is roach wont be enough its big fish or nothing.  Geoff Rowlands is bagging on the end of the dam wall.  Everyone else in my section is struggling with like me a few silvers.  It ain't gonna win the match.  Guys on the top of their game seem to have the patience to stick at a method (and as my mate John says - the fish will come Gary- be patient and they will come) but today I have been all over the place never doing one thing well. Karl on the next peg is struggling.  He pleasure fished the very same peg days ago and bagged up on the feeder or pellet up in water.  Half an hour to go and a couple and news comes down that Geoff on the end peg is winning the section.  The rest of the top lake is doing well with carp. (shallower sections). But with half an hour to go I feel I am in with a shout of section by default. 

 

Gloom descends and I feel section or even match points disappear as the last 30 minutes sees the Carp come on the feed.  A double salvo from Karl Salvi on the next peg as he lands two carp for 26.5 lb to add to his only other fish a 4oz skimmer.  Dave Calver lands a 7 lb carp to add to his 2 lb of skimmers.

 

Alan Hillman end peg to my right lands most of his 20+lb in the last 30 minutes three carp and two bream, bemoaning the all out had come too early.  Me, well best of the silver fish guys(several 4lb and a couple of 2lb weights) midsectionblues with just over 7lb.

 

My section

Geoff 31 lb carp and Bream

Karl 26 lb+ two Carp (above pic)

Alan Hillman 20 lb + small carp and big bream

Dave Calver 9 lb one carp 2lb silvers

Me 7 lb

 

Fair play to Karl he stuck it out all day pinging pellet.  I was convinced he was flogging a dead horse; but not for the first time I leave stonehams annoyed that i have fished hard with no reward.

 

The journey home with a jovial Dave M , happy he had one his section with 32+lb of silvers (he wins a Reid's Tackle voucher!!) and carp.  The top three were all carp weights in the 50lb + (yes Pommy was second of the flier).

Final round of the Toyota next week at Withy.  I am torn between building on my good start with Pewsey and ditching the Toyota.  But have plumped for the Toyota; it will be interesting to see if I can maintain my promoted place in div 1 or will be relegated back to div 2.  Either way It will be better than rank last which is where I started.

 

Just hope the enjoyment comes back....................at this moment I could kick it in to touch and go back to pleasure fishing.