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.