Pewsey Club - Back on the Straight and Narrow at Wilcot

On a downer mid week after the highs of last weeks Winter league title, so the enthusiasm was low however on the rise again today; and whilst not back to my normal gagging to fish mode. I was definitely more up for it than in Chippenham on Wednesday.

 Waiting for the draw on a cold Morning.

Back on Wilcot straight, always a chance of a bigger fish on this stretch, but that was balanced by the possibility of dry netting.  Last time I fished this stretch was the end of April and I came fourth (1 lb 13.5 oz) just behind Spanners (3rd) Kev Chubb (2nd) and Mike who had 1 lb 6 oz silvers and a bloody 3 lb Tench.

Looking back to Chris on Peg 13 Wilcot Village in the distance

That Tench has not been forgotten all season and Mike has constantly been reminded of it.  New members abound today with Brian Shutler, Si Burden and Danny Jones swelling the numbers.  This is great news for the club, the banter remains high and the friendly feel remains.  Though there is no doubt its going to make it harder to Championship points. I may regret it but have gone a quid with Si Irwin -sucker for punishment.  Question is where are the fish?  Section one back towards the village, or down in section 2 bottom end of Wilcot lane toward the Iron bridge.

I was on 14 and didn't like the look of it.  Featureless shallow and looking barren.  Couldn't see why Leo thought it would fish well but took his word for it that I stood a chance.  Si set up quick and came along for a chat, things were not going well.  Initially I had not listened at the draw and had set off to the wrong section!! Once I got to my peg, nothing was going right we only had an hour to set up and I spent to long setting my platform in the canal.  Then the zip jammed on my pole bag and I couldn't get my pole out.  So it was nice to chat with SI but the all in was called and I was not ready.

I need not have worried I had  all the time in the world.  In fact I had another two hours !!! Before I had my first bite.  Chris to my right had 7 fish in the net by then. But first bite on 2 mil punch resulted in a fish so I had avoided the ignomy of dry netting.

  I must be rank last, Roly to my left has his elastic well out, but I needn't have worried as it turned out to be a Tesco bag for life.  Chris shouted down that Tesco bags didn't count, only Marks and Spencer ones did!!  Si wanted to know if there was any shopping in it as he was cold and starving. 

As the temperature dropped,  the water was clearing and the shallows (15 inches deep) across had small fish pipping on the top.  Soon as I put a pole out the scattered, I set up a waggler with a 2 BB Stillwater blue float and pinged some pinkie across, perhaps the pole not over them they would feed. Another hour and a quarter passed before I had three more the same size one the smallest perch you have ever seen on twitched worm.  So I know had four fish for a massive 2 oz.  That was it;  I was getting a leaf or twig every cast or drop in the pole.

Three boats came through with 20 minutes to go and despite dropping in behind them I had bugger all.  I decide to come of the bottom again and shallowed of to around six inches of bottom down the track. Twitching almost jigging a pinkie the float sailed away, I lifted the rod into a pleasing curve and watched the line cut away left.  I reached for the bone dry landing net and slid it under a Perch which I estimated as pound.

The all out was called and it was clear our section had struggled.  The weigh in ensued and to my delight I had taken a quid from Si Irwin, undeserved but gratefully received.  Chris's good start and steady scratching of tiny fish saw him surely taking our section so it was really how the other end had fished to decide whether I had any or no Championship points.

Leo tots up the scores and its clearly the other section was where the fish had shoaled up.

Golden Bollocks, Spanners has drawn another end peg and makes it pay with a terrific 5 lb 11 oz.  The other two protagonists that make up the top three in the Championship, Si B and Paul Giddings take second and third respectively.  With every other angler in the section getting respectable 2 lb + weights.  Danny takes section by default in his first club match well done Danny.

Back in the real world section 2 could not compare.  Chris had taken first with 1 lb 8 oz. Well done Captain.

Another new guy (Paul Mallone) I think; at least I not seen him before had 1 lb 2 oz had second with Kev Chubb and I sharing third with a pound. Thank god for Perch. 5 Championship points I think not good enough but not a dry net small blessings.  So the usual subjects increase their lead and take the money.  Well done lads.

Left to Right Danny Jones and Chris section winners. With Top Three Si Burden Spanners and Paul Giddings top three.