Pewsey Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday started with a poppy red sky, giving way to a blue cold and frosty one. I stopped in Tidworth for fisherman's breakfast - sausage roll and vimto + fuel for the flyer.

 Before the match began, all of us observed 2 minutes silence and gave our thoughts and thanks to those Pewsey men, indeed all of those who have left Wiltshire and these shores never to return home again; in defence of our freedom.

Lest we forget.................

I blew the whistle to end the silence and start the match. Turn out was low today, with I was a little unsure how to approach the day two hard nights of consecutive frost on the back of a week of cold rain falling onto the lake will bound to have affected the fishes feeding patterns.  Could be a day to scratch a bag of snotties together canal style.

Now I am not saying there is fiddling going out at the draw, just sheer coincidence perhaps. Spanners had the pipe swim 12 again!  Chris had 9 again? Carl had 10 again (won of that last time) and Jimmy 15 again!  Me I had 5 last time I drew this one was at the beginning of the season.  After two hours in that match I was asking my fellow club mates if there were any fish in the lake; and it was the same today.  Two hours with no bite.  Clearly winter is right on our doormat.  Leaves are down and covering the lake bottom; any colour has dropped out of the water completely and you could see the bottom 5 feet down with no problems. Took the water temp and it was down again this time to 3 degrees; and to quote one of the 3 degrees hits, I felt like givin up' givin in' or even singing to the fish - "when will I see you again?"

But I persevered, I had Brian Shutler and Chris + Carl in my section.  Will T was doing his normal; shit or bust for Carp - I didn't see Carp moving or even likely to bite.  Roly was back after a triple heart by pass, so he was just glad to be on the bank again.  Chris was catching snotties, and Brian was bumping fish on the pole.  Elastic too strong.  Whilst he was catching on a light waggler.

I was now of the bottom and trying different shotting patterns etc.  Nothing was working nothing.  The pole seemed to be spook the fish that were up in the water. The clear water not helping.  The normally reliable pinkie, was coming up short. Maggot was just too big a bait.  Time to change, 2 hours to go and 5 fish for around 2 oz in the net.

Cupped in a satsuma size bread nugget off the dying lily pad to my left.  Fished a long line to hand, so the pole wasn't over the fish.  Scaled down to a 22 hook 0.8 line 03 elastic and fished 3 mil bread punch. First bite, then another, and another. They were tiny fish, just out of the egg sack, but they were fish something was going in the net.  The low levels of light under the surrounding wood, and the cold dank conditions were not making it the best of days. But the calm conditions were quite nice compared to the hurricane conditions of the last two matches.

The 3 pm finish came around, not soon enough for some of us.  I could have done with another 10 minutes had em going now.  Brian strolled along to see what I had, and tell me that Chris had been catching.  Brian thought he had 8 oz.  I conservatively thought I might have the same I said, but inside I was hoping for a round a 1 lb.

My net below.

Spanners above on the fancied pipe swim. Baptism of fire for Brian on his first lake match.  Knowing him he will have learnt a lot and won't do the same again, god help us in the next match.

So to the results:

Simon Burden takes the match with one 7 lb 9 oz Carp and six ounces of tiny silvers, with Jim struggling in the other flier.  Spanners takes the silver fish pool and second with 1 lb 15 oz.  Chris and I tie for third place with 1 lb 3 oz.  Good points 8 each for both of us, but with the top two in the Championship doing well nothing gained there, except on those not attending.

The spoils are divided up. Si takes first place £20 and his section £5. Ian takes £15 for second; but with both not going in the super pools.  Chris and I share section money £5, super pools £30 and £10 for 3rd place. A welcome £22.50 each.  Pick up two weeks running great stuff.

Left to right yours truly, Spanners, Simon, and Chris Rushton.

Next week the final round of the North Wessex Winter League.  Will the above feature lets hope so - Go Pewsey!!