Pewsey New Year. All the gear and no bloody idea!!!!

The rain has stopped!Yes stopped.  So it was with some enthusiasm that I headed for a New Year re-union with the lads for the first match of the year on the Lake. The van warmed through and I could see the icy roads sparkling in the early morning light. The I Pod belted out Foreigners' "Your as cold as Ice" which was very apt I thought.

It reminded of a comment from Dave Self, as he recalled the following.  We used to come down off Everleigh Hill, if the van slid on the ice at the bottom we knew it was a "Punch" day. If it didn't it would be ground bait!  So as I came down the hill using the engine brake on the van and there was a little slide at the bottom, I was glad to have remembered my bread.

We gathered and shook hands exchanged Christmas woes and compared various injuries and illnesses.  Numbers were low as Si Irwin was running a Open on the Wilcot straight.  Many had opted for that match.  Local rivers and Lakes were flooded so it was somewhere to go.  The hardy and the point grabbers still in with a chance of the Lake Championship on points, were with us.  I was 4 points behind Spanners at the start and had foolishly been boasting on Facebook I was gonna take a quid of him. Didn't feel confident now.

Jim decided to do two sections of Five. With a gap in between so 2 to 6 and 10 to 14.  Spanners drew 6 and an end peg, so no change there then.  Me peg 3 one I had not drawn before or fished.  Recently the strong winds had a dumped a tree in the swim, which I was assured had been successfully retrieved.  The level in the lake had been well up but was getting back to normal.  Only difference was it was thickly coloured.  Not a day for punch. Punch had done well for me in the last Lake match but it was crystal clear.

The day was underway, I had spent a lot of time plumbing around and had a mental picture of the swim.  Shallower to the left sloping to the right and away from me.  No ledge the far side just straight down.  First mistake was changing a tried and trusted ground bait mix.  Normally 50 / 50 Sensas Roach and Sensas Magic, will a sprinkling of sensas black dye powder.  Well sieved.  Went for a more fish meal mix.  Silly really shouldn't experiment in a match.

First drop in and the 8 elastic roared away and bottomed out, and the rig came back with a slightly bent Tubertine 808 with a scale over the point.  Must have dropped the bait right on a Carp.

Second mistake of the day, not putting the mirror scale in my silvers net. The Match was Dire, bloody dire.  There is nothing worse than sitting there watching blokes next to you pull out fish and you cannot get a sniff. Jim on the next peg had not bothered with his kit over Christmas, only had old maggots and month old worm, yet was pulling out some reasonable size Perch. Steve Hiscock was flinging the waggler and catching tiddlers. Spanners was lying through his teeth saying he had nothing maybe 11 tiny fish.  Odd when you use the landing net for tiny fish!!

Me I had all the gear and no bloody idea.  I had meticulously prepared riddled my bait and my peg looked like an artillery station everything to hand and spick and span.  I must have really looked the dogs bollocks.  My admin was perfect. Tiny hooks light lines perfectly balanced rigs , everything but fish!!

In short I worked my balls off to try and catch but there was nothing there. Jim kept swinging in the Perch. Gary to my left on 2, roared delight when he had bite after three hours.  It was clear with an hour and a half to go Spanners was stretching away and Jim was not far behind.  So I tried the tip in the hope of a Chubb or Carp. Nothing, but a thumb sized Crayfish.  Sorry god didn't mean to stand on it I slipped.

Back on the pole and shipping back in the top 6 sections came free and started to float away.  Trying to get it back I knocked my bait in and got cramp in the back of my thigh and ass (god getting his own back for the crayfish).

 What a Day I am having I shouted as all decorum was lost.  Frustration was washing over me and I had lost it.  I asked Jim to ban me for trying to fish with a floating pole.  At least then I could say I was in with a chance but a conspiracy amongst Pewsey members had denied me my chance to win the match.  He denied my request.

 Looking around for a bough of a tree that might actually take the weight of me if I was to hang myself, I sat there miserably dragging out 5 gram fish realising the I have probably blown my chance at the Lake Championship.  With only two matches left and Spanners looking good today its not good.

Match over I weighed in 25 fish for 1 lb 1 oz.

 Through gritted teeth I parted with a shiny pound to the boy.  The attempt to psych him out had failed miserably.

  To be honest I was surprised to have what I did, in my heart it had felt like a blank, but 6 points.  I was even more surprised to have pipped Steve Hiscock, who seemed to have been catching all day.  JB had a nice weight with all his worm caught Perch 7 points. Gary to my left had struggled with 4 fish for 2 and half ounces.  Spanners 8 Points,120 tiny fish to pip Jim for the section.  I was hoping Jim might take him, as it was he has stretched a further 2 point to 6 ahead. Gonna be difficult to get that back over two matches need a miracle.

 Will T had taken the other section with his normal Carp or bust approach. First cast one bite one fish 12 lb 2oz.  Si and Chris duked it out and were separated by 1 ounce.

 So Will wins it with Ian second and JB third.  I am not in the photos, I am just of pic crying like a girl.

WT with his Carp.  You might recognize it I caught it at the end of September same swim exactly the same weight 12 lb 2 oz.  Hoping for better not gonna give in.

See you soon a hopeful angler...........