Army 3 Silver Lining maybe.

After Sundays lowest weight in the match and getting cold to the bone. The thought of turning out again on a cold dark winters morning was not appealing. Couple with promises of icy roads and the need for ice breakers at the venue was making it worse.  However the day dawned wet but milder and the drive was not as hairy as I expected.

Breakfast was great and it was good to see Christine Moody and the clan of Reids tackle. As per normal the the match was well organised by Kev East and the pegging by him and John Dewberry was fair.  Not their fault that 4 didn't show but it did cause a few blank pegs.

There were more anglers than the three smaller lakes could take if people were to have room and a fair chance.  It was decided there would four sections, and the team s would draw a golf ball to see which three of the four sections they would fish.  I wanted Barnmoor first Snake second Selwood 3rd but not cottage.  Only because cottage is very Carpy and not many bigger skimmers.

I drew Barnmoor for Mike, Snake for Dave and  Cottage for me  - bugger. Had Rocky and Ben Bentley behind me. But I did look back across the other lakes with envy.

It was a slow start to the match in fact 45 minutes on the tip with finicky bites that revealed nothing but sucked maggot and crushed pinkie. Another half an hour against the island with the waggler again brought zippo.  By 11.45 I was bite less. Dave Docs Docherty was in tears to my left having had to return two Carp one of which was easily double figures.

Chris Glover was catching slowly but the rest of the lake was quiet.  My ground bait line was fizzing so I dropped in and the float was away.  Three goldfish in a row went in the keep net that wouldn't count and I started to worry I might not catch any silvers. That line went quiet so I went of the bread punch line and had two quick Rudd about an ounce a piece. Six quick ounce roach followed before that line died.  Back over the ground bait and the first of the Crucians stretched the elastic. Lovely fish but didn't count in this silvers only game.

Quiet for an hour before the re baited ground bait and bread line started to fizz again. This heralded a sense of humour failure as I lost three skimmers about 8 oz a piece at the net as the kicked back against the size 8 elastic and the hook pulled from their soft mouths. Jumped of the box in a mini rage. Those lost fish would cost me later I am sure. Changed the top kit from 8 elastic to a 3 elastic and sulkily hunkered down to try and catch Chris Glover who was methodically building a weight.

More Goldfish and two more Crucians.  Tried my short whip line and was rewarded with an unstoppable carp.  I was desperate for a skimmer as Docs had just had one that would bring him close to me.  So from what I could see it was a three way race between Chris, me and Docs.

I was banging out the tiny fish one a chuck, but with Docs into another quality skimmer he was passing me and catching Chris.  Chris was getting a little stroppy as all he could catch was Crucians. Docs had another skimmer virtually on the whistle, so the weigh in would be interesting.

I had 48 fish for 1 kilo 400 ( 3 lb 2 oz) more than anyone else on the lake but they had the size; and as the ladies say size matters.

Pleasing to see the float dip so many times.  In fact that's a lie.  I was fishing 4 inches over depth and 95% of the bites were lift bites.  A silver lining really after Sunday, but Docs had won the section overhauling Chris and I in the last 45 minutes with quality skimmers.

Tipped back Crucians and Gold fish totalling around 8 lb. Still 3 points for the team that's what matters.

B Section and Brian Shutler on perm peg 11 had smashed it with an 8 kilo load of skimmers. Rocky, Ben Ivan and Pete fighting out the runner up slots.

C Section and Barnmoor my first choice. Griff was the man here, with my fellow Nomad Mike Poolman making the most of his good draw.  4 x DNW was a big surprise to me on this renowned silvers lake.  Must have been the ice of the past few days.

D Section and the Snake. Shame for Eddy he and Phil DNW. Pleased with Dave Burns Nomads B result, good show for us today.  The unstoppable skills of Kev East claiming the section win.

With Si Irwin on duty the remaining Pewsey Boys had done well, with Brian Shutler winning the match, Chris getting a section second and Danny and I section thirds. Think I sneaked through into the next round of the silvers cup as well.

To the team totals:

Well done to Arty B 2 section wins taking them to the top. Delighted with our Nomads B second place pipping our A team back to the third.  Unlucky Rocky and the REMEs , always going to be tough fishing man down. Still we (Mike and I) were a man down in the last match no how you feel.

Back on the canal Sunday to renew my Championship battle with the very amiable and skillful Brian Shutler.  Hope he left his skill at Selwood today.