Pewsey - Bowdens bridge and the Usual suspects.

Continuing Health issues kept me awake most of the night.  Much to the annoyance of my wife nothing it seems will stop me fishing.  It is the one thing that keeps me going.  I look forward to it all week.  So I left under a cloud literally and figuratively this morning cloud and spitting rain, and after stubbornly refusing to stay home my wife was giving me "picture - no sound"

Seriously I suppose I will have to find a gap in the diary to answer the hospital letters and get myself fixed.

Still back to the fishing  The ever reliable match secretary Leo Pocock already pegged the Wilcot to Bowdens stretch.  Nice bloke is Leo, in fact all the Pewsey guys are.  Some fishing talent stalking the canal edge this morning; going to have my work cut out to gain championship points.  Bit of a blow really, having missed two matches and blanking at Ladys bridge I am languishing mid table after a good start.

  Despite everyone paying in for pools and super pools, lots of additional "quid" side bets between individuals were agreed , and after drawing peg one, I watched everyone "stomp" their way up the canal hoping to push the fish to their peg.  Quality anglers Kev Chubb, Spanners  and the ever reliable Si Burden had drawn the three end pegs the other side of Bowdens bridge a favoured area and thankfully the talented James Carty was in that section as well.  In fact with Leo and Chris Rushton also in the section it really was going to be a battle of the egos.

My peg looked a dream a bush right in front of me, nobody to my left, nice colour.  No boats/  What could go wrong.  Well not a lot really, whilst it looked great there were not many fish and I worked hard for my bites. Couple on the inside on punch, then try the choppy line 16 mtrs to my left down the track. Float slid away on the worm line and  a 1 lb Pike crashed on the surface.  It was a beautiful fish glorious markings and bristling with attitude.  The commotion seemed to kill the swim as I had no more bites for an hour.  Eventually I saw sign on the far side and dropped in a pinkie to be rewarded with the obligatory 2oz Perch.  Two more 5 gram roach and then wallop as I hooked another pike this one aground 3.5 lb gripped the fish neatly across its jaw and steadily pulled out the number 3 elastic till it bottomed out and the 07 line broke.

No use bleeting, get on with it.  It was painfully slow, I tried caster, I tried maggot, and I tried punch. All with occasional but inconsistent success.  The hot sun and the sleepless night were having an effect.  The niggly problems like no room to move, unable to push pole left with high nettles, also unable to ship back because of a dense thicket of a hedge.  Were all combining to make the day less than pleasurable.  Decide to get up and walk away, have a pee and a drink and start again.

 Slightly worried as my pee looked blood tinged, but it must have been the stack of beetroot I had yesterday coloring it up.  So that aside it was with renewed vigour that I started again.  The boats are becoming an annoyance and there is a definite difference between how holiday makers and regulars respect fisherman.  Still its the same for everyone.  I am getting about one bite every 15 minutes, just by moving around.  Slight movement at the full 16 mtrs to my right in the reeds makes me try an area I had not tried. A single pinkie, comes back sucked dry three times in a row.  So I got out the scissors and cut a pinkie in half.  Tried again and bingo two tiny Ruffe followed by a couple of 5 gram Roach.  Then yippee an elastic puller!!  Perhaps not - another Pike! .  Three now shame they don't count.

Eventually the all out is called and being on the board I pack quickly and walk up to Will on Peg 2.  Ready to go says I lets do the weigh in.  I am not doing scales he says I have a Pool match to get too, and I haven't caught anything so see you later.  So I grabbed the scales and walked the 300 or so meters up to Bowdens bridge and the three pegs the other side. It was quickly obvious that's were the fish were as Kev weighed in 5 lb 1 oz(140 fish) and Spanners 5 lb 2.5 oz (143 fish).  Si Burden weighed in 4 lb +(100+ plus fish). Back under the bridge, and back toward my peg.  Banter and abuse was high and those "quid" bets were settled. I weighed in last a better that expected 1 lb 15.5 oz.  Not enough really. 7 points I think, out of 15 so I suppose Midsectionblues.

In general I am pleased been Canal fishing for a calender year and the results are getting better.  Still a way to go to beat the Usual Suspects, but if they look over there shoulder I am always in the shadows.

I felt for Mike Marsden, James Carty and Si Burden today.  All over 4 lb with a hundred fish each. At least Mike and James got their section by default, Si missed out for a change.

Spanners 1st ( middle)

Kev C 2 nd (left)

Dave Johnson 3 rd