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.
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