Van loaded Attila doesn't arrive so after waiting as long as I could I left without him. Pink Floyd and the " The Division Bell" album blasted in my ears and we trundled the back roads. Ladies Bridge is always a popular match and everybody wants to draw the legendary turning bay. Scene of 100 lb bags of Bream in pleasure sessions in times gone by its still capable of a lovely net full. The roads were reasonably clear of the recent Druids and other assorted Stonehenge Rastafarian, traveller's, and other friendly Aquarius love children as they had gone west to Glastonbury. As festivals come and go you realise how the year is flying by, longest day has already gone!
Its gonna be hard today plenty of Egos on show and Ladies Bridge is not a happy hunting ground for me. Three matches last year, fell in destroyed my swim, had an impossible swim covered in leaves to the point where I couldn't get a rig in and blanked the other with 13 Crayfish!!
Being the first Canal match of the new season Leo wanted us to show our new season club books. Fair enough need level playing field for Championship points. Dave George is back on the bank after his recent heart troubles and I offer to get his tackle to his peg. Its not far but up and over the bridge to and from is a bit steep.
Attila some how makes it to the match and it turns out his Tom Tom took him to the wrong end of my road never mind hes made it.
I pass Brian Shutler and Spanners Brian again for the third Ladies bridge match in a row on the other end bay peg. Boy he can draw. Me I draw Peg 11 well down the narrows. Between Derek and my mate Chris Rushton fresh back from bagging in Ireland.
Danny is on the rushes peg known for tench; and left of Chris is a smorgasbord of talent including Si Burden, Mike Marsden, Kev Chubb, and Nic Worters to name but a few. Match starts and I catch a few on the bread whip in front of me but that quickly dies and I go across to the tree opposite. Straight away I hook and lose a decent 4 lb + Bream. That's gonna hurt later I am sure. It quickly becomes clear that the fish are in the shade to the right of the tree.
I enjoy a run of smallish fish from the shade but as mid day comes and the sun gets high I lose the shade and the fish this is coupled with two minor disasters boat after boat comes through and I am double boated.
Follow that with an impatient Cyclist "dinking" my number 8 section and damaging it; and follow that with the 6th boat in 30 minutes coming through dragging 3 boats behind it. Can it get worse.
Well yes it can because I cant get my camera out quick enough to photograph the woman who was brazenly sunbathing topless on top of the boat. All the lads appreciate the distraction as bites take a long time to come back after heavy boat traffic.
The shade is now the other side of the tree and Chris is stretching the boundaries of his peg by fishing the shady patch. Banter is high between us as I ask him if he would like me to feed my swim for him as hes fishing in it!!! He denies hes overstretched and genuinely believes hes in his own swim. Some people are delusional.
Give him his due he makes the most of it and its is marginal I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He continues to the match draws to an end and I manage three tiny Rudd that might go an ounce for all three. I reckon I have a pound and think Chris has 2 lb. Rumour's abound the bay has won it as expected every angler has at least one Bream.
My net
The weigh in begins, Mike M has already trundled by not wishing to weigh in his about 2 lb. Photos for the weigh in don't all come out though I am sorry that and individual one of Atilla with his final net and the sheet itself are not there.
So here we go :
1. Atilla Adam 13 lb 8oz 15 points
2. Chas Short 3 lb 5 oz 11.5 points
3. Martin Aris 3lb 5 oz 11.5 points
4. Steve Dean 2 lb 2 oz 7 points
5. Ian Spanswick 4 lb 2 oz 13 Points
6. Brian Shutler 9 lb 2 oz 14 Points
7. Danny Jones 1 lb 11 oz 6 points
8. Dave George 2 lb 14 oz 10 points
9. Leo Pocock 1 lb 10 oz 5 points
10. Derek Hillier 13 oz
11 Gary Williams 1 lb 6 and half oz 4 points
12. Chris Rushton 2 lb 6 oz 8 points
13. Si Burden 1 lb 3 oz 2 points
14. Steve Hiscock 1 lb 1 oz 1 point
15. Mike Marsden DNW
16. Kev Chubb 1 lb 6 oz 3 points
17. Nic Worters 2lb 10 and half oz 9 points
Attila ways in his winning catch, he had a lovely big Crucian several Bream and also had lost several slabs, could have been so much better but apart from Brian it didn't matter as he had won the match. BS had once again drawn on the bream and tench as his run continues. Spanners back on form pipping Chas and Martin, but for all three 1 and half big slabs was not enough for the section. SD had one slab and a couple of sprats to finish that section.
Next section was taken by Dave George by default from Brian. Danny Jones had lost upwards of 5 big Tench and was kicking himself as he had his elastic stretched beyond its capabilities all day. Me well done by an end peg (Nic) and the guy who shared my swim Chris Rushton. Lol So Chris gives me the Loser sign as he picks up his brown envelope, by default.
But the laugh was on him as Nic pointed out to Leo he had made a mistake and his 2 lb 10 and half ounces was indeed the section winner. Could I STOP laughing - no I could not.
So to Chas Short and Martin Aris who shared default section.
Finally top three, nice to see a new face among the big winners. Should make the Championship points situation tighter. See you mid week as I join my work colleagues.
Attila in the middle you know the other two.
No comments:
Post a Comment