mid section blues: Pewsey - Final round of the summer and its tight at Dodford

After a week of very cold nights the night sky produced another pathetic attempt at a frost. I barely had to scrape the windscreen, too much for the wipers, but not enough for de-icer. Had to take my car "Kate" as the brake lights on the flyer had packed up. Whizzed up in comfort and style to Lynham and breakfast at the White Hart. Passing Sabre lake in Calne, I looked right to see the ethereal wisps of moisture curling heavenwards off the lake surface. I imagine them to be the ghosts of anglers passed, leaving us for that canal in the sky.

We are back to full strength today, at least we thought so, till I got a message from Si Irwin "broken down in Devizes, waiting on the AA. Did try to ring him back as we would have gone and collected him and his kit, and let the AA take his car home. Sadly his phone was off.

So the boys in PMG 4 struggled on again one man down. You have to admire them - reliable and regular they plod on - on a beating to nothing but still they are glad to support the club. Breakfast and draw done. I had drawn peg 1 and the scales for the lads in my team so I was popular. Still the laugh was on me as A1 was next to (and I mean very close) to the lake Chemical loo. Being so close, down SMELLY wind, and surrounded in flies. It was all I could do, to stop the gagging developing into full blown vomiting.

My Peg was wade-able so I went out as far as I could to be comfortable. Wanted to go that little bit further but for a little drop of which would have taken me over my waders. Odd thing was this drop of was like a little trench - 3 feet wide it then shallowed up again. Still at least I could get the nets under water.

After a week of cold nights I figured against meat and corn in favour of maggot. Practice had suggested you didn't need to go to far out which was good.

Dodford is too small to take all the anglers we had, and we were packed in. In fact Daz the organsiser had made it a float only match so we could see where we were and not cross lines.

Tight also in the league. We needed PMG 1 to win and Clanfield to come fourth or worse to take the league. PMG (my team) was also in with a chance.

The plan fish top six with maggot and a little ground bait. Feed 6 mill hard pellet long on the "Wag" banded 6 mill. Worm down the edge. The inform Clanfield anglers on peg 2 added a little spice. The all in was shouted or at least we thought so. shout from other end of lake had actually said 5 mins till start and not all in, after one more false start the hooter left us in no doubt. By that time, some had cupped in and were actually fishing anyhow. Hey Ho.

In practice it had been small fish after small fish with a sprinkling of two and three pounders in between. Today though there was no bigger fish. I actually had a plateau in front of me that was a couple of inches over two feet, and flat. There were carp on the surface but despite dobbing for them they weren't having it.

Instead I alternated between pellet wag and pole trying to scratch out a bag. I did have a couple of sharp tugs on the wag, but they were clearly liners as the fish milled around the free bait offerings in the shallow water. They just weren't having it. So trying not think about the vomit inducing smell from the 100 year old latrine behind me; I concentrated on the small stuff.

One bright light was my fellow team 2 mate Leo had hooked into a lump with five minutes to go on his silvers rig, which he successfully landed after the whistle. I could here the Clanfield guy the other side of me fighting with clearly big Carp and I new I was being hammered. So it was with some frustration that I weighed in exactly 50 beautiful Rudd. Started the weigh in.

Amazingly the Clanfield guy had lost all for of the carp he had hooked and DNW. Even better, I had won the section and Kev C and Lee Knight (1 and 4 respectively) had taken second and third. Good start to overhauling Clanfield.

A crowd gathered to see that Leos last gasp fish meant he had taken first in his section (2 for 2) ahead of Clanfield.

With Spanners taking third and Chas Short taking 4th it was incredibly tight but definitely do-able. That's two sections in a row where Pewsey have taken 3 of the top four places. On then to 'C' section.

Brian Shutler and Steve Dean take third and fourth. With my pairs partner Chris having a bit of a blow out. Shame PMG 4 had no angler in this section they were on for their best result of the season. Final Crunch section 'D' section.

Team 2's Danny Jones on holiday so super sub Paul Giddings slots in and he to has a mare. PMG 2 hopes die with his net.

Its just down to Steve Trevett in PMG1 and how much distance he can put between him and the consistent Lee Pollard. Steve wins it with Lee third. Bloody hell its tight. Well done to Steve Hiscock another PMG 4 4th in section! I am sure Derick Hillier would have done better if he had landed the two carp I saw him lose.

So back to the pub for the results an end of competition buffet and a pint. Few photos for the record books.

The Pewsey Boys

The results get under way with section wins for Leo and I.

Individual Angler and Summer league individual Champ for 2013 Steve Trevett.(middle)

Pairs competition next with Steve and Kev Chubb first and Chris and myself second.

The tension builds and the banter gets raucous as its announced in reverse order. Culminating in my team 3rd, couldn't hear the points but will publish it all when it comes through from the organiser. It must have been tight but PMG 1 picked up second place and their Trophies.