Army Group 2 (South West) V Andover AC - Sizzling Sunday

Witherington Farm was once again host to the annual Challenge Shield between Army group 2 and Andover AC.  Initiated in 2011 which was won by one point by Andover. 2012 saw Group 2 win by one point to take the Shield back.

Withy was really busy, with matches on the inside snake. As well as our match on the outer ring.  A match on Cottage and lots of pleasure Anglers on Selwood and Barnmoor.  Tony was drowning under weight of anglers wanting breakfast.  So I dived in and buttered rolls, and washed plates, made tea etc.

Quickly grabbed my own breakfast, just in time for the draw.  The match was sections of two, so a group 2 angler versus and Andover angler. 1 point if you won your match, 2 points for second and three points if you blanked.  Blank not likely you might say no chance but trust me the snake water lacking oxygen, air temperature 30 degrees and the fish cruising around mouthing the surface - a blank was entirely possible.

I drew peg 15 along the dead stretch, against a tough opponent James Hillier. I decided just to enjoy it today, I wasn't expected to win my match.                                                                          

James Hillier Peg 16 Outer Snake              

Arrived at the peg to find it absolutely baking hot. After my accident with pole elastic lube last week, I carefully searched out the sun cream.  After a liberal smothering, I looked like somebody had tipped a tub of ice cream over me; but I didn't care; no skin cancer for me.

After looking at my peg it was clear it needed some gardening.  Nettles and foliage was high.  Grabbed my shears and scythe and walked around to the inner snake.  If I was going to fish tight to the far bank I had to clear the hog weed and stingers.  Withy is a great place don't get me wrong but there is a lot to do to keep on top of it.  Can't be easy for Eastleigh the host club. They could do with some on site help with the day to day maintenance of this big site.  I know Reids tackle get out and do a bit, but its not really their place to do that. Still I am sure Eastliegh are grateful.

 Good job done.  I was glad I took the time to go around the stingers , reeds and other foliage was thick and sub surface, something I couldn't see from my peg.  I could now fish tight, in the only bit of shade I have.   Cleared a spot about two feet long.  Back round to my peg and another 10 minutes digging out and cutting back the nearside bank so I could fish down the edge to the blank peg on my right.

Time is racing on toward the start of the match, so hastily I set up three rigs.  Meat rig to the left, ground bait caster /worm to the right for the skimmers. A rig for the bottom far bank which was around 2 foot 6 inches deep on the shelf.  Seeing the fish sunbathing and gulping air on the surface , I thought the fish may be up in the water.  So I set up a roach rig for mid water and a banded 6 mill pellet rig at around a foot deep for the far side. John shouted the all in and I shipped across some micro pellet, few grains of corn and a a few 6 mill pellet.  Cupped in a ball of ground bait , chopped worm and caster.  Shipped across the shelf rig. Two minutes in and it dipped and a 4oz Rudd had taken my pellet.  Memories of the mid week match at Todber came flooding back - will it be silvers again!  Another ship across and another roach, then a skimmer.  Followed by a 6 oz Crucian / Goldfish. 

 Fixed a shallow toss pot to the end of the top kit.  Got into a rhythm of shipping across tipping in 20 or so micro pellets and a couple of 6 mill pellets.  Started chucking a few 8 mill meat cubes on the track line to my left.  Haven't had a bite for  10 minutes but the constant feeding of micros, has brought the fish up in the water. Swapped to my up in the water rig.  Several missed liners then nothing.

Potted in more bait and left it for a rest.  15  bite-less minutes over the meat. Changed to my skimmer rig and went in over the chopped worm.  2 minutes and the float dived under. Caught on the hop, I couldn't ship in quick enough, and the hollo blue 9 elastic ripped directly toward me.  After the double figure Carp crashed into my keep net doing about 30 mph.  It promptly, transferred the hook to the keep net.

Gutted I had lost the fish I pulled in the net unhooked and chucked the net out again.  Dropped in over the ground bait again this time the worm was took on the drop and it ripped off in the other direction straight into the far bank and it went solid.  This time it meant pulling the elastic by hand to avoid breaking top kit.  Wincing against the break I kept my hands low in case the float catapulted out and into me. It wouldn't budge so I looked back toward it and changed the angle.  Promptly it fired out like Usain Bolt out of the blocks and stuck itself in my forehead dead center.  Blood dripping of my nose and sun tan cream running into my eyes. It was not going well.  Lucky not to lose an eye!!

After half an hour on the worm and caster and only a couple of tiny skimmers, I decided to go back across the fish were clearly still there and gasping on the surface.  Shifted my foot deep rig up and was now fishing at around 3 to 4 inches deep.  3 Carp in a row around 2 lb a piece, couple of them the milky white ones stocked by Eastleigh last September.  Stuck with it for a bite less hour.  Back over the worm and started feeding the edge, with 6 mil pellet.  Steadily built around 1 lb 8 oz of Roach and tiny Rudd.

Back across and the fish are coming steadily at 3 inches deep. Probably 6 carp in a row. James has just had three munters down the edge, but I think I might be shading it - just. Last hour down the edge without a bite. Its gonna be tight unless I have miss judged it.

 The weigh in.  James has weighed 18 lb 1 oz.

 Me a creditable 26 lb 6oz.  £10 section win in the bag and most importantly 1 point for the team. War wound , dead center of fore head - the bloody trickle dried in the sun.

 Score sheets below show its tight.

Clearly the weights on the other side of the Snake were better.  Gerry Blunt , made the most of his shaded boys peg 54, with a excellent 631b 2 oz to win the match Stevie Pierce just to his right on peg 48 had a storming last hour to weigh in 57 lb 4 for second place.  Nige Gregory not realizing the 3 points for the DNW had chucked his fish back,knowing Nick McCartney had beaten him.  So three points instead of two. Would it cost us?

Kev East was 3rd with 34 lb 14 oz.  Me well 9th over all.  John Dewberry was looking good to beat Barry Giles off the next peg with 47 silvers and 3 Carp for 10 lb 10 oz.  But Barry pipped him with one Carp in the death throws of the Match which weighed an incredible 17 lb + .







Prompting the Kodak moment and much laughter from fellow Browning Anglers.

Barry grabs his tenner with glee, from a sporting John.

The scores are totted up and amazingly another close match.  The Army Group 2 team retain the Shield by one point again!!

 Great day thanks to Andover AC, especially to James H, not only did he give me two Paracetamols for a raging headache - dehydration I think; but he very sportingly shook my hand an congratulated me on fishing well. 

Pewsey Lake next week, back on the Championship chase, lots of ground to make up after my blank at Lady,s Bridge.