Apology

There are times when I wish I could engage my brain before I fly off at the mouth, or in this case write / type something I later come to regret.

My last post was intended to touch on my experiences in past years in this competition.  I can see now after re reading my blog I must may have written something that unintentionally caused offence.  Whilst I have been told there is no need to apologize nevertheless I feel the need to set the record straight.

My last blog referred to ringers and sponsored anglers, I did not make it clear that this was my previous experience.  I was not suggesting Devizes AA fall into the category. To clarify I referred to them as a team of gentlemen and quality anglers.  Nobody in the Devizes set up has laughed at us, again this comment refers to other people and the laughter was aimed personally at me. To explain, certain anglers think I am a joke and have no skill.  Their entitled to their opinion.

To summarise I want to make it clear.  I personally hold the squad members of Devizes in the highest esteem.  I admire, and covet the success they have had; and whilst I am still filled with a steely determination to overcome these talented anglers. I offer a profound apology if I have caused any offence.

Devizes AA the best of men.

Pewsey - Angling Times Bait Tech David and Goliath

Well its that time of year again as many hopeful "club anglers" set out on that road to Angling Times super cup glory.  During the past three years I have thrown my name in the hat into this turmoil as a member of the Army group 2 squad.  This year however you will all be aware I have put all my fishing eggs into the one basket, that of my local club Pewsey and District AA.

As with many clubs PDAA have suffered and membership has diminished under the crushing boot of sponsorship based and big money open circuit angling.  However the past couple of years have seen membership increase; and green shoots are flourishing as a new atmosphere of pride in wearing the Blue and Black Pewsey shirt has taken root.

In particular the efforts of those above (left to right) Mike Marsden, Kevin Chubb, Leo Pocock, Chris Rushton and Ian Spanswick have to be applauded in bringing PDAA back from the brink.  I for one am proud to hang onto their coat tails and my heart bursts with pride to wear the shirt of my local Club shirt.

Ambition is a funny thing and takes many different forms.  PDAA is ambitious recent success has fired an enthusiasm in most of its members to build on winning local competitions and consolidate as a team to be reckoned with.  

So we enter this prestigious competition with our heads held high as genuine club anglers no ringers. Just lads fighting for the PDAA badge.

Pewsey has had a glorious past; and in the past been a team to be feared or the team to beat.  Ranking high with Bristol AC and giving all local teams from Salisbury to Christchurch and all, a pasting on many occasions.  

These days its tougher, like in football its Premier league or nothing, sponsorship or picture in the fishing press. Association with or part of a winning team is attractive.  As I say though it takes different forms, for me at this moment in time; ambition is a wider picture than just personal - its all about Pewsey - that's it. That is why I admire those men in the picture above.  The cause is worthwhile. Why shouldn't Pewsey be represented in that sphere they have talented club members just need to coral them.

So that is why for the first time in years the club has thrown its baited hook into the maelstrom of ambitious wannabes and genuine talent.  Talking of genuine talent,  deep end or what we've drawn last years Div 2 Champs and local rivals Devizes.

OMG to use the modern lingo. At first my thoughts were S**t, and other negative vibes.  I know there are individuals who are laughing their socks off and can't wait for us to fail. Possibly even praying we are stuffed and taught a lesson that we have had the temerity to stand up and have a go.

A few days have passed.  My thoughts now its sunk in - I have seen their squad and yes I know the names, even fished against them.  They wont know me or be shaking in their boots at the sight of me at the draw bag; but on odd occasions I have beaten them or given them a sweaty close call.

 Devizes you may be quality anglers and these may be the days that you are at your pinnacle and in the limelight (picture above) but every dog has its day.  And the day of the Pewsey (Dog) is coming.  My negative thoughts have been replaced with a determination to hold my head high kiss the Pewsey badge and get stuck in. 

Devizes you can be sure of one thing you will have to earn it.  If you have ever seen a little dog fight you can be sure one thing many a small dog has a massive heart. We are gagging for it , pressure is on you, and you are expected to win.  Trust me pride in the Pewsey badge is worth winning ounces in the keepnet.  

We wish you well as one team of gentlemen to another team of gentlemen.  But that does diminish our will to win.

Bring it on......................

The wretched feeling of letting the team down

I tried to recount a story today to a friend who felt he wasn't good enough to be part of a team worried that he would let the side down.

The story isnt mine its my brothers from his blog grfishingmemories.blogspot.co.uk .  As my friend was not keen to search I said I would put it on my blog, of which he is an avid reader by all accounts.

So here it is

The Match Angler’s Leveller - River Huntspill and King Sedgemores Drain

 

This will be the last of my short stories. It is aimed at all the ordinary match anglers who never seem to make it big in the fishing world and probably have a low opinion of themselves. I found myself fishing the National Angling Championship. I can’t quite remember if it was for Andover Angling Club or the Pewsey Angling Club, but it was one of them. This was in the late 1970’s and over 30 years ago so forgive me my memory.

The match was being fished on the River Huntspill and the Sedgemoor Drain in North Somerset between Weston Super-Mare and Bridgewater. The lucky anglers got to fish the famous Huntspill which normally produced the National Winner from the equally famous Gold Corner. A really large catch of bream comes from one of those swims. Unfortunately, I was one of the unlucky ones who was drawn on the other venue, the Sedgemoor Drain. 

  

The drain was a featureless scar across the countryside and was used to take the excess water from the Huntspill and the surrounding hills when a lot of rain entered the system. When it had rain, the drain usually had a bit of a flow on it but when I fished it, the drain was almost still with very little flow.

My team had just about afforded to get the money together to buy the bait we needed and to get us there and back home. We had no sponsors and had to pay for ourselves. We could not afford to go up and practice on the Sedgemoor Drain but a couple of lads had made it to the Huntspill the week before and gleaned what they could from bank anglers and localangling shops. None of my team had even seen the Sedgemoor Drain until match day, so we were in the position of knowing nothing of the venue.

I got dropped off with two of my team to walk to the three sections in this area. I was directed by a match official towards my peg with the warning that if I moved away from my peg at any time during the match I would be disqualified and any fish that I caught would not count, and also my team might also be disqualified. I remember thinking, “What a nice man and what a good start to the match, not”!!

After walking half a mile I got to my peg. As I sat down to recover from the trek, I looked up and down the drain. Every swim looked the same. What a featureless scar on the countryside it was.   Nothing like the beautiful mature stretches of river I was used to in Hampshire with overhanging trees and bends.

It was straight for what seemed like miles and when it did bend, it was only slightly. I never saw one fish rise anywhere and it did not fill me with confidence at all. I glanced over to the swim to my right. I recognized the angler by sight, but did not know his name.(after conversation with GR I am almost certain this angler was Mervyn "Topper" Haskins , he of the famous loaded river float design Ed).

I did know however, that he was the captain of the Bristol A team. It did not take me very long to set up my float and leger rods, followed by a pole that one of my mates had let me borrow.

When I was ready, I looked round at the angler to my right again. I could not believe my eyes at what I saw. He had a vast array of armour on show. He had about 8 different poles with different tips, 5 different float set ups and the same amount of leger rods of different lengths. Moving on to his bait. He had as many as 14 bait containers around him. Together with a massive umbrella, I began to wonder how he had managed to stagger to his peg with all that gear. He must have been a very fit and healthy guy to do that.

   

I also wondered what he would be like by the time he got to my age. All in all he must have had 20 to 30 thousand pounds worth of kit at his disposal and at least 3 hundred quids worth of bait with him. Obviously he and his team were heavily sponsored. This turned out to be the case as he was sporting a waterproof jacket with a famous angling manufacturer’s name emblazoned on the back. Two other sponsors names appeared on his hat and on the side of his expensive tackle box.

He was fishing in a different world to anglers like myself, who were living on the breadline. All his kit looked brand spanking knew as if it had just been provided for that one match only. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the angler myself and you can’t blame him for accepting the sponsorship. They had probably used all the backup teams to practice on all the sections and shared the collated information at a couple of team meetings before the match. Good luck to him. It does show the vast gap between us two different anglers fishing the same match though.

I knew that the Bristol boys were absolute magic on the Bristol Avon and were rarely beaten on their home waters. They were all excellent anglers and deserved what they had become. Again, I could feel more of my confidence evaporating as the start grew nearer.  The sheer size, location and cost of fishing such a big match makes it impossible for our small teams to compete against the giant teams of angling.Sorry cant make this any bigger but its the all conquering Bristol team from 1971Ed 

Until a few years before this match, they used to award places based on weight. This did give the small teams a chance, but the change to points had taken quite a bit of magic away by making it impossible for the small team to win the team trophy. The only chance we now have is to be lucky enough for one team member to win the individual trophy. I wish we could go back to the old days when every team had a chance to win this once a year match.

As the match progressed I kept seeing bank runners out of the corner of my eye to the right. They were obviously updating the captain on how everyone else was progressing and what baits were working in what circumstances. He still didn’t look to happy whenever I caught his eye.

At the end of the match I had not caught or even seen a fish caught around me. It seemed to me to be a barren ditch in the ground. Was it polluted or something? There were blanks for six anglers to my left and also the same to my right. This included the illustrious Bristol A team captain with all his backing.

To all you ordinary club match men reading this story in the knowledge that you too have blanked in important matches, I have a simple but true message to give you. I bet you have beaten yourself up, thought you fished rubbish and felt weighed down with guilt as you approached your team mates. Hold your heads up high and remember this. It doesn’t matter how much bait you have, how much gear you have at your disposal, how much practice and back up support you have. If there are no fish in your swim, you can’t catch them.

Although I was a bit sad and annoyed that I had blanked, 

it was tempered by a slight smile in the knowledge that the crack match man to my right, probably felt far worse about blanking than I possibly could. The next time you blank, don’t feel quite so wretched, have a little smile and remember what I have told you. There is always tomorrow and another chance to bag up.

Gordon Rowland                                                               29^th July 2013

Pewsey Canal Championship final round

And so it was that I missed the midweek match with the Army, had to work.

I was disappointed when I awoke this morning.  Having checked every channel and ceefax the weather was supposed to be like yesterday which was a bright blue windless spring day.  Tea and Toast didn't make the clouds go away either.  So it was with a melancholic feeling that I drove north to Pewsey.

Yes I was a little sad that my first full year on the canal was littered with almosts' and nearlies and one of frustration.  Can take nothing away from those at the top they are consistent. Pewsey run two Championships one on the canal and one on the club lake.  The two are then combined to become the overall club champion.  It looks like Ian is going to make it.  I am closest on the lake , and Paul Giddings is closest in the canal Championship.  Both of us need Ian to slip up, Paul wanted it today and I have one more chance in the March Lake match.

We met in Wilcot road and there was a nervous.  The normal friendly banter was there, but there was an edge.  Who says club angling is not competitive, this means something to these lads.  Some were thinking of next year already. 

Me, well it occurred to me looking back how close canal fishing is.  Not like commercials at all, there are no hundred pound bags; generally it comes down to one or two fish.  There have not been many matches this year where one person is miles in front in general its ounces here and there.

You might say thats because the matches are not attended by the best open circuit anglers.  I don't believe that's the case.  I have studied this, and watched open circuit or sponsored anglers and whilst the cream rises to the top; on natural waters like rivers and canals its a whole lot tighter. Its not fill it in with pellet or meat then haul away for 6 hours. There is still a measure of skill involved.

So to the match.  Coughed my way to the back of Leos van for the draw paid my money dipped in and come up with peg 4.  To my right had Brian Shutler end peg 1, by Wilcot Bridge. This side of home was Leo on 2, Chris on what can be described as the closest thing to a flier on a natural water peg 3. No thats unfair, all those three pegs have done well in recent months.  You will recall my previous theory that the high bank, trees, and boats at that end offer some measure of warmth and cover for the fish.

Me on 4, the first peg by the cricket pitch. Wind square in my face I was in for an uncomfortable day.

Couldn't shake my depressed feeling and the peg well my gut said "oh dear".  It was the brussel sprout peg.  Remember, New Years match when I caught the brussel sprout. SAME PEG.  

Still set up quickly and had four lines. One to the edge of the boat to my left. Bread line 2+2 in front. Third line on the base of the up slope at 10 o'clock 13 mtrs. Finally shallow line 20 inches from far bank and 20 inches deep.  Fed across first with hemp and caster. Then in front 2+2 bread punch.  Tried the boat swim first with choppy worm for a Perch.

Float never moved.  So out in front on the punch and started catching.  Fish went maybe three to the ounce.  Simon on my left between two boats was bagging on the punch. Brian was doing ok' on peg one but Leo, Chris and myself were struggling to make something happen.  God it was slow so I cupped in some squat a couple of pinky and a ball of dryish ground bait on the up slope swim. And so it went two on the punch, a couple on the squat. Back and forth I went trying to build a weight, but it was painfully slow. Every time I looked left or right both Chris and Simon seemed to be either swinging in or netting a fish.  Leo was pacing the bank trying to ease the pain in his still injured back. Hour an 50 minutes gone and I am falling well behind Simon, not sure about Chris it might be tight.  Chris had tried to apply a little pressure by challenging both me and Leo to a quid.

Focus, I am not going catch Simon in the match or in the Championship, but I might catch Chris.  So I decided to act it was s**t or bust. So a big ball of bait, a cup of hemp and mix in some pinky and squat on the up slope.  While it settled I went across shallow but after ten minutes not a flicker. So back in swap top kits and go over the heavily baited area.  Two quick 1 ounce roach and then at midday, the float dipped.  Although I was dotted down the float never moved much barely breaking the meniscus. I thought the bait  had dragged into a snag so I lifted and was surprised to see the 3 elastic stretch out and pulse.  Not many snags pulse, so it must be a fish.

The elastic stretched away with some force.  Oh no it was a Pike. The fish hugged the bottom and churned its way up and down 15 metres each way left and right. This is no good I thought the elastic had bottomed out and I decided to pull for a break before the Pike completely destroyed my swim. 

I put on a couple of extra pole sections and lifted it skyward, in an attempt to bring the fish to the surface.  At least I could see the Pike before she broke me.

Oh my god - its a hybrid not a Pike!  Now be calm, ease it in toward the net.  Try and get it to gulp some air.  I leaned back to pull the fish over the net; but with six sections of pole straight up I got tangled in the tree above me.  Keystone kops ensued as I tried to extricate myself from the tangle and still land the fish.  Chris and Simon were openly praying I would lose it, but I didn't I netted it.

After unhooking the fish and carefully keep netting it; I set about sorting my peg out.  Whilst playing the fish a gust of wind had thrown my top kits into the air and dumped them on the tow path.  If you played sticks when you were a kid you will now what faced me.  Not only did it look like a pile of sticks.  The kits themselves had entwined in impossible knots.  The only thing to do was set up all over again plumb up and carry on.  So 30 minutes later I was fishing again.  Having got a tiny Perch, the kayaks started come through and by one o'clock the bites had stopped completely.

The only one still catching was Simon to my left.  So it was with relief when the 3pm all out was called.  The weigh in was tense. Brian had done well on peg one but his swim had died at one o'clock as well. He weighed in 2 lb 11 oz.  I thought my hybrid might be just over 2lb, did I have enough bits? Leo had taken his quid back from Chris having had 1 lb 6 oz over Chris's 1 lb 1 oz.  Poor Chris he owed me a quid to, as I had  2 lb 12 and half ounces.  Enough bits to pip Brian.

My net.

Simon had destroyed me. A brilliant display to keep the punch going all day and weigh in 4 lb 5 oz.  And so it was all along the bank.  Danny had done well, back on track after some poor luck recently.  Ian and Paul had tied with 2 lb 6 oz a piece (maths to be done but it looks like congrats to Ian on the Canal Championship).  That other Canal Titan "Kev the Bread" Chubb had drawn the other end peg 14; and had bagged in the last hour of the match.  Close to Simon with another brilliant "punch " only bag of 4 lb 3 oz.  How do Kev and Simon make bread work for a whole match???? I will have to sit behind them one day and see how its done.

So the scores are totted up and I have pinched 3rd place and a very useful 13 points toward my quest to overcome Chris in the combined Championships. If I have done my Maths right, I have picked up 7 points on Chris - good news.

So to the pay out. Nice to get 3rd and pick up super pools as Simon did not go in super pools.

Chris give him his due promptly paid up on his quid bets with Leo and Myself.

 And for once I managed to get in a top three photo in a Canal match.  It makes a change to see different people in the top three.  Its going to be competitive next year, there are new kids on the block and some of the established superstars will have to up their game.  It bodes well for Pewsey and District to have such competition for places in any Pewsey Match team.  Good times ahead I hope.  We look forward to new and possibly previous club members joining us again.

Left to right, me (Third) Simon (winner) and Kev "the bread" Chubb second place.  Only three matches to go this season, next week away leg against Calne AC on the River Marden, followed by last of the Lake Championship and then finally the inaugural Club Pairs match.

Bring it on.

Sunshine, Warmth and Skimmers on the Zoomer

Signed of last week by saying see you all mid week on the Canal. What a WALLY. Completely got my dates wrong.  Despite my joy at winning last week, those present will attest to the hacking cough breathlessness and general flu like symptoms.  Went to work monday only to be sent home ill, and by Tuesday night I was in fairyland hallucinating having overdosed on shop bought drugs.  Docs on Wednesday settled things down a bit as the shop bought drugs were dropped and proper anti-biotics were being force fed.  So it was with sadness that I knew fishing wasn't to be this week- or was it?

I should have been fishing the Toyota Super league; but I had returned my invite and gave up a hard won place in the syndicate, so that I may concentrate my efforts on supporting Pewsey Club for the coming season.  Sad though, I could have been bagging at the "Orchard  Lakes" Venue in New Milton New Forest famed for its massive bulging keep net weights.

Friday saw a slight improvement, but more horrendous weather saw trees down near my house, flood water in the local pub and village hall as the river kept rising and now a power cut.

Power back on 36 hours later in the early hours of Sunday.  Well done and thanks to the Southern Electric guys working round the clock. Felt a little better still today and decided to make the most of the nice sunshine, no wind!!! and springlike conditions to repair the garden fence find my dispersed chickens. Opened the garage to let the beautiful day in, and dry out my kit. God what a mess it had become over the past three weeks or so.  By noon I had most jobs done and tentatively broached permission from her indoors to go fishing.  After stating the bleeding obvious about my still poorly health etc etc etc she started to say Yes, before she could complete the word I was on the way watching her shrink in the rear view mirror.

The deal was home by 4?!  (4 hours) So 50 minutes travel time (thats both ways) tackle up a waggler and basics and tackle down again 25, should give me a 2.5 hours fishing. I can live with that.  So belted over Everleigh and into Pewsey Vale.  Thumping bass line from Billy Ocean singing "Love Zone" and I was grooving in the drivers seat.  Still a bit of a mover even at my age.  In fact as my Lady readers know already, at 18 Stone I am one big hunk of burning "LUV" lol.

Arrived at the Lake to find Chris Rushton in my winning swim from last week.  In fact he fished it yesterday as well; and why not?  With many parts of the country unfishable Pewsey offers some good winter fishing at the Lake and Canal.

Set up an ancient 5AAA Ivan Marks "Zoomer" float on 4 lb Maxima, to 2lb hook link and Kamasan  size 20 b520. Single maggot over bait in nearly 8 feet of water. What a day birds singing sun shining, not a breath of wind, and a real hint of the spring to come. Simple old fashioned fishing.  Decided to photograph the float and as I did it rose / lifted beautifully to indicate my first bite of the day.

I had time to put the camera down, before the float tilted slightly right, swirled a little and dip under just as I lifted the rod into it.  A pleasing arc in the rod and dogging head shaking feel from one of the new skimmers was my reward.

 And so came the next few precious hours drifted by pinging maggot over a baited area.  Occasionally casting a little longer past the baited area as the fish backed off.  Spooked by thrashing yes thrashing skimmers.  These don't come in like the traditional wet paper bag.  Interspersed with the occasional really fat Perch or nice roach, and some pleasant conversation from Chris on my right. The afternoon was nice, yes nice, not a word I use much.

 Chris was still catching on the Pole, some nice pristine Roach and fat Perch also.

Before I knew it the sun had dipped low and was reminding my hacking cough that winter temperatures are lower than the spring day that I thought it was.  So after 7 "peas in a pod" skimmers; and bits and bobs to make maybe 8 lb to please anyones day,it was time for home.  Chris decided to relinquish his grip on peg 12 as well and we packed up.

Another bag of fish for the excellent Pewsey Angler and all round nice bloke.

See you Wednesday "if" I have my dates right!!

Pewsey Lake Championship Its the final Countdown de de de !

"Its the final countdown de de de"; the I-Pod blasted the tunes as I headed toward the last Lake match of this seasons Lake Championship.  Needing a miracle (60) to catch and pass Spanners (66), probably the best I could hope for was try and stay ahead of Chris Rushton (56) and perhaps gain a point on Chris in the combined Canal / Lake Champs (Chris 123 me 116). I was now regretting missing three matches and blanking in another canal match. Could have been up there but then we can all say similar I am sure.

So on through my village where the river has burst its banks into the road.  Just as the Ipod shuffled to Led Zeppelin "when the levee breaks" apt I thought.

The trip to the lake was speckled with floods and horrendous road conditions.  Some of the pot holes are impossible to see under the water and were very deep.  When this water subsides the roads will need serious work I am sure.  There was mixed feelings, some didn't want to be there and others were looking for a change in fortune.  It was possible today to do something different from normal.  The normal approach of fishing for two or three pounds of silvers and the hope of a bonus Carp.  Has really been thrown into the air.  Recent double stockings of fish (Carp and Silvers ) by the club has seen a welcome upturn in catches and bodes well for the year ahead.  Maybe the season ahead will prove to need a rethink.  Not a bad thing as we are all guilty of a "blinkered robotic" approach.  If the new 1 lb + skimmers show today who knows what can happen.

Good turn out today; and although we looked like the cast of "One flew over the cuckoos nest"  the banter was good and lighthearted a real friendly feeling of mates together.  I had a little sadness thinking I was just to far behind Ian to catch him.  The words of my pop favorite "Pink!"were whizzing around my head;

"Where there is desire, there's gonna be a flame.  Where there is flame someones bound to get burned. Just cause it burns doesn't mean your gonna die, you've got to get up and Try, Try, Try.

Bugger it lets go for it and spice it up by going the quid.  He wanted his back - remember - the shiny one that had its own box now!

  Then a bit of good news. It appears that this wasn't the last match in the Lake series after all! I mis print meant there was one more to come on the second weekend in March.  Could this be enough?  I needed to win today and Ian to do badly to have a realistic chance ....... but it was chance.  So to the draw and just for a change I drew well.  Eat your heart out Frank "Gummy" Gumbledon he was only saying yesterday that I was like him and couldn't draw for Toffee.  So it was peg 12 the Pipe swim.  Concentrate, get to the peg prepare meticulously and do the best you can.  Least then you have no excuses.

Set up a small cage feeder and light waggler for the choice of the long swim. and decided to fish dead depth in 7.5 feet of water at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock at about 8 to 9 meters. Ground bait and pinkie to the right and something different like pellet maybe to the left.  In addition to those I set up a mid water and shallow rig to fish on the drop.

The match was a slow start.  Chris to my right and PG to the right of him.  As at the last lake match I had Jim Broomham on the  next peg this time to the left instead of right he had Will Tapper the Carp Kid to his left.

Had to hope Brian Shutler, Leo, Simon Burden and Robin Pearce would put the mockers on Ian and knock him down the points. Couldn't think about that (Yoda - John Dewberry , sat on my shoulder saying -  blinkers on fish your own match).  Small stuff came to the pinkie, and Chris was starting to pull away, he had a lovely little home grown Carp which was good news shows the original stock is breeding to top up our stocking efforts.

He was pinging loose maggot and now had a skimmer.  Came of the pinkie line and emulated the loose maggot approach.  It took a while but I managed a small skimmer.  Followed by two of the newly stocked Mirror Carp.

About two pound a piece this gave me a feeling of relief and I relaxed a little and started to enjoy it more.  Jimmy the old sly fox was bagging it seemed the landing net going out every couple of minutes. To bag a couple of nice Perch and a couple of skimmers.

As if to re-enforce my concentration and give me a kick up the bum not to relax too much; PG bagged a 5 lb Carp! That's torn it not home free yet.  Head down and get on with it.  Now Chris was into a Carp and the elastic was stretching away.  The look of concentration on his face was a picture.  Squeaky bum time.

The Carp turned out to be a clonking Perch.  So add this to his skimmer and small Carp plus a load of bits.  Things were hotting up in our section.

Panic was beginning to settle in as I lost two good fish, in a row.  I was sweating like OJ Simpsons defence lawyer!

 Never saw them but based on how they went they were not skimmers!  Then as the squally showers hammered down and the turbulent wind swirled around it all went quite on the fish front.  Thank fully for all of us.  PG and Chris were slinging the "method" with no joy and only Jimmy was still catching small stuff on the worm.  I decided to switch to worm on the tip. A to be able to put my hands in my pockets to warm them through, and B holding the pole in the swirling wind was not helping presentation. Looked in the bag. Dammit no worm! Never mind stick a caster pinkie cocktail on and flip it out. Like to say thanks to Ben Bentley at this stage.  The new feeder line is magic, every plink is picked up.  Not that they were plinks. 30 seconds in and the tip confidently pulled round and I lifted into a 10 oz skimmer. Then another and another.  This is a pain, I' m trying to warm my hands!!

The hands did get warm as the next hour was bite-less. An hour to go and I decided to go for it and up the loose feed rate.  The darker light conditions and reflecting trees meant it was hard to see the bristle.  The bites were the tinniest of lifts, but the Dino long Bream (0.75) floats were sensitive to every movement.  Gradually the skimmers came, and despite bumping a few I gradually built a weight.  The new Vespe 1.5 hollo is a terrific elastic for skimmers and it had handled two pound Carp as well.  I think if I had upped my hook size from a 20 I could have been sure to have landed more; but maybe it would have put the bites off.

Jimmy called the all out and Chis congratulated me on winning.  Bit premature I thought, but news was coming down the bank the other section had struggled.  So how big was PGs Carp?  How much did Jimmy have ? Despite Chris's depression he hadn't done too bad either.

Brian Shutler started with his weight which had beaten Spanners on the next peg.  Good news.  Just needed the others to knock him down the points rankings.  However it was close with a few but no cigar. Leo and Robin Pearce pushed him close but in the end Spanners the machine only dropped one point.

Jimmy weighed in a surprisingly low 7 lb 4 oz, would he rue the Carp he lost or the 1 lb skimmer dropped at the net?  My two carp amounted to the expected 4 lb 14 oz, and add in the 14 lb 14 oz of  skimmers and small stuff (no Perch today) a lovely 19 lb 14 oz.  Looks like I have it.

 Chris and PG weighed in and Steve Hiscock finally finished it off.  Yes I had done it I had Won!!!!!

Jimmy did rue the lost fish as he came third to Paul Giddings. PGs Carp was 4.5 lb and had helped him to those extra 7 oz to pip Jim.

Must say thanks to all the lads, they did seem genuinely pleased for my win; with lots of pats on the back and well dones all around.  A moment in the sun at last!  Proof positive of how friendly a club Pewsey is.

Pay out time and I pick up match , my section and the silvers pool the wife will be happy.  Would have given up all the money in exchange for Ian blanking but can't have it all.

Leo struggled to hand a quid to Chris as does Ian parting with a second pound in a row to me.  Could have been three if I had gone a quid at the Devizes match couple of weeks ago.

Top three below. Jim (left) PG (right) and me.  Guess who won the match.

  

Canal mid week, see you there.

Pewsey Vs Kintbury away leg

Early,ish start to be in Hungerford High St to meet the lads at 07.30.  Whizzed along the A 4 and ten minutes later we were in Kintbury.  Leo had cried off still in too much pain with his bad back, and Spanners was under the thumb this weekend on family duty.

We still had a good turn out of club members and hoped to do the double over Kintbury having beaten them at Ladies Bridge back in October. The stretch were fishing had a calm few pegs with no movement though a bit boily below the lock. Then after about peg 5 the Kennet side stream came in and after all the rain we have had was bombing through right to left.

We did the draw and the rules were re-iterated trout and Pike don't count if you caught trout put them behind you into river not back in Canal.

I drew and faced a long walk to peg 25.  When I got to my peg I sat down disappointed at the lack of options.  I wished I could turn around and fish the river which was only 5 yards  behind me.

It looked fantastic stacks of features a lovely crease off a large slack beautiful clean green colour and a dreamy stick float pace, with Dace topping etc.  Still no use dreaming I suddenly realised that it was a 9 o'clock start and after the long walk  I was not ready again.  The all in was called as I tightened my landing net on and sat down to fish.  Cupped in some ground bait and Leam laced with some lovely squat from Reids Tackle (thanks Christine).

Had Kintburys Pete Whale to my right and Steve Dean to his right. To my left Steve Hiscock and to his left Kev Chubb. Fancied getting one over on Kev the "Bread" as he did me by half an ounce last week; but what mattered was beating Kintbury.  So head down and get on with it.

After fishing a 4 gram flat float to trying hold in the very fast flow. I packed it away and swapped to 8 gram to hold , the fish didn't want it moving so waggler and stick was not productive; and the cage feeder faced a lot of rubbish on the bottom.

Nevertheless I hooked a 2 oz 'er and as I shipped in the elastic went solid and pulled away, damn it PIKE! Coaxed it closer and closer and as I placed the net in he bolted and spat the fish straight into the landing net.

 The match was slow along our straight bit couldn't really tell if Steve Hiscock or Kev the Bread , were catching Pete Whale on my right was having a few and Steve had just lost a trout around 5 lb +.  The ground bait was working slowly but I noted that Pete was catching faster and putting his bait in with a dropper and I noted it was Hemp.

So dug around in the bag and found a tin of hemp and started baiting up.  Using my lovely turned caster (thanks Dave) and hemp. I placed quite a bed of bait down, had I over done it? First put in a the float ripped under, Trout!! 

Then another and another and another. Pete to my right was up and down like a yo yo as well as we put the Trout in the stream behind us. Eight (4 each) in the end.  Perhaps now they were gone the silvers would feed.

However they didn't and I ground out what I could small fish after small fish.  With 45 minutes to go I figured Pete to my right and I were fish for fish.  His bites had dried up as well and I was scratching my head to find a way to get the fish that would put me in front of him.  In the end I added my 16 mtr section to my pole which enabled me to fish at full 16 meters to a over hanging bush. I was at full stretch and suddenly had an attack of cramp!  Agony ensued as I tried every position to get rid of the cramps.  In the end I had to stand and hold the pole in front of me. It paid off though as I scraped a small perch 3 oz and another blade 2 oz.

The all out was shouted and it was clear that the low numbers had fished better particularly the first 4 or 5 in the "canal stretch".  Good Anglers on good pegs not much of a chance for the rest of us.

Pete next to me weighed in for Kintbury and had 1 lb 4 oz 8 dram.  It was going to be tight, and the last two fish in the last half an hour on long pole had done it for me as I pipped him with 1 lb 9 oz.

In fact managed to beat the three to my right and the three to my left including Kev the Bread 1 lb 6 oz 8 dram.

All the best weights came early pegs particularly 1 - 5. The water was calmer there a bit boily in places but fair play to James Carty Mike Marsden and Dave Johnson you still gotta catch them.

Paul Giddings at the other end of my section won our section.  With Kintbury taking the other two sections; but the top Three weights going to Dave Johnson 12.0.0 , James Carty close with 11 - 12 oz, and Mike Marsden next with 9 lb - 10 oz.

Well done Pewsey winning by 61 lb and 1 oz to Kintburys 29 lb and 12 oz 

See you next week for the Pewsey Lake Championship.