Queens Birthday Bash at the Pewsey Lake

Had a few hours spare from mid morning today as I enjoyed the privilege day granted to civil servants for the Queens birthday.  Brian Shutler was already at the Pewsey lake and had had two carp and two skimmers. As I tackled up his elastic ripped out again and the winner of the last lake match was in again.

 He sat patiently as the carp tired itself against the hydro elastic, and then switched to stripping the elastic to get the carp closer.

Eventually though the carp snagged under the tree to his right and pulled free. I decided to get on with fishing and stop photographing Brian.  He was on peg 6 and I had already decided to pick peg 4. It would be easy to pick one of the high number flyers but what do you learn from that.

I was trying different things as well today, different bait different approach, bigger hooks thicker line, even a maggot feeder on the tip. I only had aprox two and half hours. So lets get on.  The whole lake was alive.  A lovely clean green colour and fish feeding everywhere.  Massive patches of fizzing bubbles and fish leaping excitedly in a frenzy.

Dropped in the bait and was in straight away.

A lovely Perch the sort that really builds a weight in a match. Except in the matches this stamp of fish is normally at the other end of the lake.  Where these better fish go is a mystery to me but it is good news that they are still there in abundance. And they kept coming not the tiddler Roach proper fish 6 to 8 ounce fish; a delight to see.  Even a small linear mirror not one we have stocked made a show.

Every fish was worth having and it was one a chuck.  Brian was grumbling a little as I was already starting to catch him up.  Still a run of skimmers cheered him up a little.  I was in awe of a huge Common Carp, surely a lake record of around hovering over my whip line. I flicked a worm in front of it and it sucked it in hoover style before it was 8 inches under the surface. So after dobbing unsuccessfully for 10 minutes I left it alone, it seemed to know the difference of a bait with a hook in; I suppose if you get to its age you will learn a few things. Also in view far side was 5 huge Chubb, smallest was I estimate 3 lb and going on that the biggest an incredible 5 and half plus.

Still back to reality and the skimmers are showing in my peg. Showing signs of a vigorous spawning, with scratches and marks as well as being very rough and the obligatory tubercles.

 The sky had turned black and the wind was getting bullish with the trees in the wood behind me. It forced me to take a look at the watch.  Brian was muting on going home, as he had a bag full in about three hours, and said he had a few ideas for the next match - that doesn't bode well for the rest of us.  I decided to stick to a promise to the wife to only fish for a couple of hours and also drew my session to an end.

Even if you don't like match fishing the Pewsey Lake is a lovely place for pleasure anglers full of fish and a great place to enjoy the moment when the float tip dips away and you await with expectation  - how big is this one gonna be. Probably near10 lb in two hours love it. Some lovely Roach a dozen peas in a pod at 8 oz plus some lovely skimmers and Perch, oh and don't forget the little Carp.

Brian also emptied his net(s). His Carp net was smaller of course and there was a lovely long "old" wildie a true throwback to the days of Monks and Monasteries and the start of it all. Bugger should have got a pic, then the silvers net all in all around 15 lb.

Back on the "Cut" Sunday lets hope the float dips as regular as it does at the Lake.

Pewsey Canal match 2 - Aarr! Bristows

Medication didn't really help me sleep and so I listened to the thunder and pouring rain through an open bedroom window.  Dawn came around 4 .14 am and the call of the Tawny owl from the woods across the road, was replaced by the morning chorus. The chattering sparrows and the arghh arghh of the rooks as the rookery burst into life. Decided to go downstairs and have early breakfast of toast and bramble jelly and a cup of PG.

Walked the dogs and fed the chickens and then got under way, a circling Red Kite cried its wistful cry to the morning high above me; and the Granny Bonnets and Poppies in my garden tried hard to shake off the night rain and lift their heads to meet the morning sun. The Ipod played the La's track "There she goes" and the fresh morning sun seemed to fill my veins just as the drug in the song I was listening to did.

Despite being what I thought was early; the limited car parking was already full and kit was being unloaded as anglers went down the slope at the side of Bristows Bridge to the canal.  Leo was already taking money having pegged 1 at the bridge stretching away to Iron bridge for the higher numbers.

I had peg 10. Thanks to the Reid's Tackle team for brilliant service in replacing my number six section in under a week. No savings left though.

 Opposite me and slightly right a half collapsed tree came nearly half way across the canal.  This meant any boat coming would have to come up the inside right by my platform.

Still it gave me a feature on the far side as  could slide the rig under the tree, surely a holding spot for fish. I had drawn in the section with quality local superstar canal anglers.  Nobody likes this stretch though and good as they are, we new it would be tough today.  Chris Rushton on my right is right in form

Coming back into form -Ian Spanners Spanswick - and never of the top Simon Burden were to my left.

Leo had gone off to work so I shouted the all in and lowered my worm over the track. Before the bait was half way to the bottom the float was already ripping right and the 3 elastic bottomed out quickly.  Managed to get the fish back to just the top kit it was either a big hybrid or Perch. Holding the tip in the water the elastic was full out again then the cold splintering sound as the top kit crumbled.

Philosophically I tackled up again.  That's two weeks running.  I hope this trend ends right now! As in the open match on this stretch a few weeks ago the bites were few and far between, hence the nickname of cyanide straight. Still stuck on a tiny red worm and tried again.

Nobody except the inevitable Spanners was catching and rumour has it he had 17 fish already, not big ones but fish.  

His Sensas pole flashed back and forth, he must have a back made of iron to fish so long and shallow and so fast. Still hes only a pup not like some of us.  Si Burden was struggling, still he always says hes struggling and then amazingly at the end he has a net full!

I keep plugging away and get a few fish every now and then when the canal starts to tow.  When the canal stops moving the bites stop coming.  Boats and Kayaks in front of me and walkers and cyclists behind.  Still tempers are being held in check and we are all being very polite with each other.  People are starting to walk the bank and in the shady spots its probably 5 degrees cooler than in the sun.  I take heart that I am still getting a few bites but I am mad with myself for bumping two 6 ounce Perch at the net.  You just cannot afford to miss any fish in a canal match one fish can mean so many championship points.

So the all out is called and I think I have 12 oz, Spanners indicates he has more....bugger the lost fish will make a difference I am sure.

Sure enough Spanners pips me, (33 fish1 lb 6 and half oz) to my 20 fish 14 oz - the lost Perch would have give me a win. The ever reliable Danny Jones is third.  Chris Rushton takes our section by double default and our newest member Lee Knight takes the other section. Almost the maximum 15 points have to settle for 14.

Left to right Spanners, me, Danny, Lee, and Chris.

Chris looking a little down as he realises that the pound coin bet goes Spanners way this week and below he reluctantly hands it over to a happy Spanners.

 Next week return match against Andover on Wilcot road further along look forward to seeing you there.

Annual Team Building day

Not a huge fan of team building, partly because the people I work with are terrific.  That sounds weird I know, but they really are a class act, and team building suggests there is room for improvement. In this case we are already a tight team and there isn't much wriggle room to get better.  We have done different things over the year but this year fly fishing was suggested.

I jumped at it its 16 years since I chucked the fluff, so I dusted of the kit and skills and was gagging for it on a beautiful day. I did feel a little pressure being a regular fisherman, people expected me to catch.

Adam our colleague and all around good bloke took the team through the "Tic Toc" practice session before letting us loose on the beautiful surroundings.  Bev and Sara were first to land fish, and were having a lovely day.

Lucy had hooked and lost fish, and the Boss was bent into a fish (see below) so all was going well.

As for me, I went a wandering. I had had one follow but had no fish and the pressure was on.  Bottom end of the lake was a picture, and the sun breathed its warmth on me. I drank in one of those precious moments in life that when you reach your sunset days you will look back and say "now that was a special moment"

Damsel fly flicked back and forth, a kingfisher "plopped" in the gurgling upper reaches of the Avon just yards away and suddenly the crystalline moment was broken by a movement in the margin of the lake.  I noted the bow wave and plopped the fly luckily on what I thought would be the fishes nose.  The line tightened and I struck into a steam train of a fish.  My 8 foot 6 bent absolutely double and 6 weight line ripped of the screaming reel.  After 15 minutes of deep forging runs I managed to get the fish within 5 yards of the bank; and almost to the net.  You can Imagine my surprise when I was confronted with an ancient looking deep mahogany coloured fully scaled 9 lb  common carp!!!!  Hooked tenuously on the outside of the top lip I was not surprised that we did indeed part company moments later. I was equally annoyed at leaving the fly in the fish. Still I am sure it will fall away in time.

I put the rod down and walked away and spent a wonderful 15 minutes watching the small browns and a grayling frolicking in the crystal clear chalk stream of the upper Avon. The fish appeared to be dancing on the oxygenated bubbles. It reminded me of an advert from years back where a little Bambi Deer would dance on the bubbles of a glass of Babycham.

Just after this I did manage to land a lovely "stockie" which weighed in at 2 lb 12 oz, so half way toward my two fish ticket.

 I wandered back to the other side of the lake to find Bev and Sara had one fish each and Lucy was driving her angling coach mad by hooking and losing at least 3 fish.  So Lucy was delighted when eventually she landed a lovely plump 3 pounder.

I caught up with Adam who was in between coaching, cooking our lunch for the day. He is actually a great Chef.  He was beginning to panic as people were enjoying themselves and "lunch is served" was getting close.

So we washed up and sat for lunch homemade cottage pie and greens, with a lovely light cheese cake to follow, washed down with orange juice etc.

Lunch was beautiful and all of us discussed how the morning had gone. Colonel Paul was disappointed to be fishless at this stage and along with Bev suggested we get back to it. So it was with full stomach and fresh ideas on what fly to use we stepped forth again.  I left Col Paul and Lucy at the clubhouse end and strolled toward the outflow of the lake.

The light had changed from the morning and the new sunlight direction meant I could see deeper into the water.  Flashes of swirling fish abounded under a near by tree. So I knelt down side on to the margin so I was off the horizon and flicked a few short casts in tight.  I was enjoying this the mornings flailing around had been replaced with smooth delivery of the fly.  I was even starting to target bigger fish. Bugger that will teach me to get cocky I hooked the tree. 

Funny angling of all styles has the levelling thing when you think you've got it sussed it bites you back. Quick change of a fly to one which would sink quicker and flash with a silvery tail; led to a follow from a big fish; at the point of take a little "brownie" nipped in and took it.  We had been asked to return anything under 2 lb so this being about a pound and half, I slipped it back.

Straight back in and although I had another follow from the near "double" I wasn't disappointed by the fish which nipped in this time, what a cracking fight leaping clear and tail walking all very exciting stuff. My priest read the fish its last rights and I headed back to the club house my two fish ticket fulfilled.

It was a lovely fish:

Which weighed in at 5lb 4 oz:

So home for a light tea with the wife.  I gutted and cleaned the fish. Then poached a fillet each in butter and cream, Dill and Tarragon then dished it up with Jersey new potatoes and salad. Blast froze the rest for future BBQs

A lovely day, and to top it off the tackle shop rang to say my replacement pole section was in.  Does life get better.  I really must win the lottery so I have time for all types of fishing.

Pewsey - Summertime a long and expensive day

The fog was determined to try and dampen the day. Yet the warming summer sun is stronger than its spring brother and by the time I was on Everleigh ridge it was burning it back. God what a beautiful day, and so much wildlife everywhere.

We had been told to meet at the Golden Swan for the draw but typical of the draw on match one of the North Wessex Summer League it was chaos in the pub.  People arriving late, wanting the bacon rolls, before their admin.  

Glad to say Pewsey was squared away I had handed in typed sheets on arrival with only two changes, Si Irwin on duty and absent and poor Kirsty unwell and taken to hospital during the night. I stepped up from three to two, and Neil stepped up from 4 to 3 to fill my gap.

Also running concurrently was a pairs comp, Chris had asked me to fish with him, so that sorted  we set off running late we finally left the pub. I followed Brian Shutler to Wolfhall (Burbage).  The match was now not going to start till 11 to account for the latecomers.  So those of us on the ball had loads of time.  Good job I got to my peg to find the bank collapsed and in front of  a very narrow (18 inch wide) towpath and an even steeper stinging nettle bank behind that. The canal itself , I had 15 meters to far side , the water was full of leaping pike and shoals of fish crashing and wriggling through the sedge grass opposite as a spawning frenzy was under way.

A relative shoal of pike was "herding" the fish into tight balls of fish then crashing headlong into them. Panic in the next section as some deranged wicked witch of the south kicked of at the lads.  It seemed she had accused them of spying on her in her boat, which by the way had no curtains.  

She then left her boat and started up and down the bank with her bike cursing and swearing and questioning the parentage of every angler on the bank.  Pleasantries were exchanged and one of the lads explained that he pitied her husband if her private parts were as big as her mouth!   It was all getting out of hand and eventually the police had to be called.  It turns out the lady in question has some mental issues and is a known problem on the canal.  All very ugly , and apparently it is not unusual for the woman to break or throw fishing tackle in!!  Great just want you want.

Eventually the all in was called and bushes either side of my the only thing I could do was stand up and ship back the pole at an acute 35 degree angle.  Christ If I gotta do this for 5 hours I m going to be knackered. So shipped out a small ball of groundbait, some sqaut and a few grains of hemp and caster to far side, almost to the far side and the awkward task took its first victim of the day as my number six section inexplicably snapped almost clean in half and the potted bait fell short.  Bugger it thats gonna be expensive.  I gingerly retrieved the pole which was hanging by thin slivers of carbon.  Just as I got it to the bank, it gave way and in reaching forward for it I knocked my pinkie and catapult in.

What a day I'm having.  Kev Chubb on the next peg had already had a 2+ skimmer and 2 1lb + skimmers in the net and I had not started.  Quick call to the tackle shop to order a new no 6 section on super fast postage, and eventually 20 minutes in I get a bait in the water.  Float dips and in struggling to manoeuvre pole the first of 8 pike grab the fish and rip off.  

30 minutes later I have a couple of roach 1 gudgeon and two tiny Perch. Oh and 2 more Pike, one of which was an easy double and had tail walked up and down the swim for fun.  Kev by now was up to 6lb at least.  He was lucky he had a feature across and it was in the shade.  

Me I had bugger all except the sedge grass , which was literally dripping in fish eggs and milt in the full on blazing hot sun.  I couldn't buy a bite but Kev was steadily bagging.  So 3 hours in I was gasping for a drink and I realised that in the kerfuffle with the pole earlier I had knocked my drink over and it had leaked away. What A day. Unbelievable.  So I scrounged some squash from Kev who's peg was now coming into the sun and mine was going into the shade.

So as Kevs bites slowed to a stop mine came on and in the shade in the last hour I managed (in between the onslaught of Pike) managed to catch about 8 lb.  Not enough to catch Kev he thought he 20 lb.  Fish on at the whistle which again was Piked, but I got it in.  What a day trashed at least a dozen rigs, broken 6 section, lost catty , lost pinkie container broken drink bottle. Thank christ its over and I can pack up. Least no boards or scales for me to do.

Wrong - -  bloke turns up at my peg and says I was told to give the scales to a Gary Williams, do you know him!!! Yes mate its me, I say.  Have you had a good day, he says.  I think my black face frightened him away.He scuttled away quickly.

So to the weigh in. PMG 1 Chris Rushton had won the section, Bri had blown out on the next peg and Steve Dean got 3rd. PMG 4 didnt have an angler here.

B Section (My section) Kev wins it, Clanfield angler second and me 3rd

C Section, the ever relaible Danny Jones wins it, with Spanners third

D Section

Beer and Crisps are consumed and stories of monster fish lost are exchanged as the scores on the doors are totalled.  Pewsey take individual honours with Kev Chubb winning, well done Kev, Steve Trevett, myself get sections by default and Chris is second in the match. Stonking start.

Low numbers are whats wanted here so first place to PMG with 6 points not 7. Clanfield in second place and PMG 2 third. PMG 3 in sixth and PMG 4 who only had two in their team bring up the rear.

Great but long and expensive day see you soon going off to explain to the wife how much a number six section costs!  If you hear screaming you know she didn't take it well.

By the way £40 for section default.  Chris and I have the best combined weight in the pairs and so we lead Kev Chubb and and Steve Trevett in the pairs.

Army Viaduct Match 6 or is it 7?

Viaduct with Army today.

Unwell, had a shocker nuff said

Pewsey Lake match 2. A day to forget

Continuing health problems meant I was really not up for it today; but as Lake Match organiser I was obliged to show.  If I was going to show then I was going to fish for sure.  They rain belted down as I headed for the lake.  Draw was a little behind as people drifted in a little late, but eventually the Golden peg was drawn as 15, put back in and after non showing from some the 15 of us got under way.  Just like to say thank you to Brian Shutler for giving me a hand to the bank and back afterwards with my tackle. I was absolutely exhausted, and not well at all.

Still that's not an excuse for the way I fished. I committed cardinal sin after cardinal sin.  First catching fish well on the whip I stopped as Chris on the next peg caught a skimmer.  I stopped fishing my own match and started to play catch up.  Should have stayed on the whip the fish were coming fast and furious, what an idiot.  Then instead of doing one thing properly I was all over the place trying this and that with no real joy.

 Steve Hiscock to the left of Chris had a daddy chub 3 lb+. So he was leading our section. Brian on my right (next section) was struggling for bites, but trying all sorts and Spanners to his right was bashing the small stuff and had caught one of the recently stocked Crucians.

Simon to his right was 4 Carp up and Will T had, had Carp and Chubb.  That's how it went for the rest of the match . Chris had another skimmer I had one and there was a pound between us I reckoned. With an hour to go Brian had hit on a method of fishing shallow at 17 meters + on the pole.  It resulted in several 3 lb+ Chubb and two Carp.

Again I stopped and moved of feeding fish to chase Brian's bigger fish. Just not thinking straight. Still I was 2nd or third in my section so good points.  But wait Steve had a perch to go with his Chubb and few silvers and with 5 minutes to go Neil who was on 3 oz had a near 4 lb Chubb.  Oh woe is me. So I had just enough breath to blow the whistle and Chris shouted fish on with a small roach.  Dived behind my peg for a burning bloodstained piss, what a relief.

So to the weigh in.

Brian is the winner with Will T second. Wills weight was 2 Daddy Chubb for 8lb 12 and 4 Carp for 10 lb +.  Then third was Simon Burden  bar 8 oz all Carp for 17 lb +

Chris had pipped me by a pound as expected, but Neil's last minute 4 lb Chubb had pushed me down further  and so had Steve's last gasp Perch to go with his 3 lb + Chubb. I would have settled for 6 points so 5 was a disappointment no more top of the league me thinks. Chris 's shout of fish on with a little roach had been enough for him to pip Steve and gain an extra point.

Chris was also sad to see his run of pound coins from Spanners end; as he had to hand one back.

Well done to the top three (Will left and Simon in the middle)

Viaduct mid week if I am up to it.  Then next weekend Wolfhall Marlborough Canal and the first round of teams of four Summer League.

Si Irwins Canal May Day Open match

Fishing again two days running. Love it.  The excellent Si Irwin is now the Open Match Secretary for Pewsey and boy is he doing a good job.  Feeling good after Pewseys win at Andover yesterday.  Nice to put a marker down with local clubs and let them know Pewsey is back on the Match scene.  Having scratched 17 small fish yesterday I was hoping for more regular bites on the Canal.  There were some raised eyebrows though as Si had put in stretches of the canal that are not popular on match days. They are OK for pleasure fishing but put 20+ on the bank and you can struggle. Still the IPOD pumped and U2 sang its a "Beautiful day" which summed up my feelings as I arrived at the bank side.

Fair play to Si though, as its not so long ago, "Opens" were not even happening.  Sign of the success Pewsey is having and the hard work of all members that the popularity of the club continues to rise.  The sun is shining and another warm spring day brings promise of a warm summer ahead.  Sad point in that Spanners is absent.  Unfortunately the loss of his Nan yesterday demanded quite rightly that he remain with family today. Condolences mate.

Its all in the draw they say and just lately I have been waiting to see whats left in the bucket and taking it with some success. We gathered at Wilcot Rd below

The 20 + anglers dived in after the match brief and I let the superstars who had come from far and wide fill their boots.  Two tickets left and Si picked em both out. Up to you mate I said and he gave me an end peg and growled with despair.  That's as good as it got though we all struggled.  Just like last year the canal seems to be going through spring time blues and struggling to recover from the hammering its had as a result of the huge Kayaking competition recently.  Still a little warm weather and get spawning out of the way and it will be fine.

So the match, tried my heart out but had two bites two fish for two ounces.  The pleasing thing for me(every cloud...) was so did everyone else and some of the best canal anglers around and certainly some that had travelled from far and wide also struggled.

A section Bowdens bridge toward iron bridge.  Mixture of dry nets and the top three in the match.

B Section Iron bridge.  Including me on end peg. Midsection blues with 7th from 13. never mind.

As I said its all in the draw  - remember Si growling at giving on giving me an end peg. Yet fate gave him the winner.  Justice I say, nice when you put the effort into organise its nice to get something out of it. Well done mate.