Pewsey Lake and Back in the Championship hunt

Rain splattered the windscreen as I whizzed through Tidworth and on up to Pewsey Lake.  Glad I booked in, there is only limited pegs, and on top of the normal hardy souls, a few others had turned up.

Wallets were produced and the pools money flowed.  Laughter and banter reigned supreme as we all looked forward to a good match.  Martin Aris was actually smiling as it was his birthday.  Guess's ranged from a conservative 55 years young to an outrageous 105, but the boy kept his responses clean.  Perhaps because his grand daughter was among the anglers today.

Birthday Boy

The draw hat was produced in went the tabs, and the scrabble for the pegs begins.  The good turn out saw 16 of the 18 lake pegs in.  With everyone wanting the favored carp peg 15. Me, I drew unlucky 13, first time I have drawn anything higher than 9.  I consoled myself with the fact that at least I was at Carp end of the lake.

I was advised to sling the splodger across under the trees.  Setting up saw the first disaster of the day. Dropped my cupping kit, and it it cracked perfectly in two.  I did try to telescopic it with no luck.  Tried holding together and taping up but it folded again like a wet hanky.  

Roly to my left offered his cupping kit as a borrow.  It didn't really fit, but nevertheless I took the offer on the proviso that I would use it at the beginning and bring it back.  I didn't want to put Roly at a disadvantage.

He kindly agreed and he we also agreed to me borrowing it half way through the match to re-bait with ground bait.

So the whistle saw me put two balls a little pinkie and chopped worm in.  Returned the cupping kit had a quick pee, downed some Ribena and dropped the rig in my 7 foot of water.  Before the hook bait had hit the bottom it was away. 2 oz Perch was dropped into the keep net and shipped out again.  Using a .75 gram Dino Bream long float double bulked was working well.  With both slide away, and cracking lift bites showing really well.  Spanners two pegs to my left was one a chuck on the whip, and Will two to my right on the flyer has just had a small carp.

Dilemma time.  Do I go head to head with Spanners on the tiny stuff or do I take the earlier advice and go for the carp on the splodger?  Trouble is, If I leave feeding fish, they may not stay in my peg.  Carp rolling under the trees opposite was enough to tempt me off feeding fish.  An excited first cast wrapped itself around the drooping willow branches, and I lost my terminal tackle.  

Not the first, me thinks, the trees opposite are adorned with wagglers and feeders. Problem, left my box of feeders at home - bugger.  Fortunately after rooting through the bag, I found a 15 gram method feeder but no mould.  Pushed some ground bait through the pinkie riddle, and formed a rough shape round the feeder.

After several non effective twig trawling casts, I decided to go with a pop up pellet to get the bait of the twiggy bottom and in view. The tip ripped around and a small carp graced the net minutes later.  Three more belters but no connection, on one second and off the next  fish.  Will has had a second Carp, Spanners the machine is still bagging.

2 Hours without a bite, saw me give up on the carp.  I figured I had around 4 lb total.  A good weight on this lake. But would it be enough?  Spanners looked good for a framing place, I didn't have a clue on the size of Wills fish but guessed he was ahead of me.  I need championship points.

So back on the small stuff for the last 20 minutes.  The all out is called, and I think its tight.  Pete on peg 1 has had a three pound Chubb, in the last ten minutes.  That's torn it.  Coming down the bank, the usual suspects have again showed.

Leo, Simon, Chris and Spanners all have good weights.  Spanner's had been counting and had 183 fish for 5.0 lb on the nose.  That was worrying.  Lifted the Carp out and suddenly it didn't look as big as I remembered.  The Carp weighed in at 3 and the 2 lb 11.5 oz of snotties was enough to give me second.  Will's two carp came in at 7 lb 3 oz.

Happy to be in the frame, second in match and second in super pools. Will had top points (8). Me cash was greatly received  but more importantly 7 Championship points - clawed one point back from back on Spanners (6).  From little acorns.................

Next week Ladies bridge, inter club with Calne I think, but also chance for more Championship points