Pewsey .......and Leo gets the Lions share

My mate Attila was outside early today ready to follow me to Lady's Bridge for the last canal match of the 2014/15 Championship only one more on the lake and then that's it. Before all that there was the small matter of the ice inside and outside of my windscreen that needed removing. That done Atilla asked I take it easy as the roads had already proven very Icy.

A steady pace through the villages saw us through Tidworth and out onto a bright frosty Salisbury Plain.  The pigeons pecked lazily at the road, silage steamed at the edge of the fields and a translucent Barn Owl ghosted in front me. Quite a sight against the Shepherds warning blood red dawn sky.  No Ipod this week as its busted, so a CD Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band thumped through the speakers as I dodged the black ice bits.

Unloaded and the banter flowed.  Bit of a scalp for my mate Spanners as beat Callum Dicks of the next peg on the Basingstoke canal yesterday.  I asked him for his autograph, you can imagine the response.  I know it was a very cold night but it was a huge surprise to see the canal frozen and reasonably thickly after one night. That's a blow no ice breaker.

Draw done I was first hand in the bag in the hope of drawing the bay  - just once it would be so nice to draw in the bay with those famous slabs and hybrids.  Not to be the out of the bay and just up the narrows.  If not for the ice I would have been pleased. Can't have it all.  So whose in my section, because out of the bay you can forget framing.

Tough section, Alan Brown and Spanners recent blind pairs winners, and spanners still in the afterglow of taking a scalp yesterday. Chris Rushton always there or there about's, Dave Johnston on my left, James the legend Carty just past Spanners and one of the most improved recently Chas Short. With Neil Pegrum on the end peg. I needed Brian Shutler (1st) and Si Burden (2nd in Championship) to be up the narrows and me in the bay to have chance of overhauling them. But know they were on prime pegs in the bay. God hates me.

A slightly later start as landing nets and pole cops were used in synchronicity to forge a gap in the ice to fish through.

Memories of the lake a couple of weeks ago where ice was a pain.  So I was particularly meticulous in cutting out a 8 foot wide band out 12 meters out and scooped out all the mini ice flows out.  It was quite therapeutic tapping away and gradually exposing clear water. Should be able to get something out of there me thinks and started doing rigs and plumbing up.  A worm line at 12 mtrs and bread line on the near drop off.  Small ground bait line to the far right.

All in and almost immediately a boat comes through.  On my three quarter line he neatly linked all our swims.  Problem was now we had large moving sheets of ice at the whim of the breeze. You've guessed it the ice is moving.  Sneakily Chris and Alan to my right are sliding the sheet toward me and blaming the wind.  I have a little grumble and try to redress the balance by widening my gap again. A 30 minute spell of ice nibbling and scooping sees a wider and wider are so I can slide a rig out the inside bread line gives me a tiny pair of eyes that was born yesterday.

Back over the worm line and I cant hit the bites until I realise the culprit are crayfish.  A shock as I thought they hibernated.  Still 3 dispatched into the field behind, the frustration gets the better of me and I come 3 inches of bottom out of claw distance.

The float dips and shakes and I miss another bite.The ice is closing in around me again but I really feel if I leave the float it will go under properly.  So after several taps it confidently slides away and I'm IN .  Yes a proper fish and the 3 elastic rips away toward Chris on my right.  DJ to my left says eh up Gazzer is in.  Chris mutters about needing me to blank or be last today so he can jump over me in the Championship.  Steady progress by the fish had bottomed out the elastic and I decide to pull a little and it turns the fish.  I ship in a couple of sections and I am caught up in the brambles behind.  So after de-tangling that the fish is away again.  Now the elastic as adhered to itself to the ice sheet and fish roles under the ice causing to ripple and buckle.  Patience , you got the Chubb in through the ice a fortnight ago.  At which point the ice sliced through the elastic and it was over.

Delight from Dave Johnston on my left and Chris to my right.  I look right and the magnitude of fishing Ladies Bridge and not being in the bay dawns on me. Alan Brown, Nic Worters, Leo, and Mike are all in and elastics are under pressure.  The wind has blown their ice toward Chris and I and they all have plenty of open water to play fish.  It makes losing that big un a bit of a blow.  Needless to say spirits dropped further as two more reasonable fish are lost to the ice.

Dave, asks politely how long I have been doing catch and release mid canal!!! I muttered bad language in his direction, and tried not to let the red mist descend.  The weather turns and the cold wind brings a sleety rain but takes most of the cold ice sheet to the bottom of the canal.

LEO IS BAGGING . One a chuck slab after, hybrid and hes zooming away. Mike Marsden is doing his best keep up, and everyone in section one it seems has a big slab. Shutler and Burden are ping on my misery, fair play to them they have the skills and both can draw well.  In this match the latter is the most important, they have drawn well.

I am consistent at least  fish about every 30 minutes but all small ones. The first of the "can't stand it any longer crew" are packing in and going home the rain and lack of bites in second two taking its toll. Dave J, to my left Chris and Alan to my right and Chas have all had enough.

Chris is going to hang on a bit longer.  That is until a boater who I can only describe politely as a ...kin idiot decides hes going to reverse from peg 2 past all of us toward Wilcott.  His boat was called "Switched Off!" no kidding.  As he got in line with Chris and I this Captain of the local Keystone cops full throttles forward and tries to turn the boat around.

What a pratt.  He completely destroyed any chance we had of any further fish as he partly beached himself across the canal nose and stern touching both banks, what a mess.

I had to get up and walk away, afraid my rising abuse for the man would damage the reputation of Pewsey Anglers.  After 20 minutes of pure bliss, at watching my swim destroyed, he chugged by saying its ok I am alright now.

Glad you are alright mate, I said, just to let you know your a bad advert for the normally considerate boaters around here.  At which point his wife chipped in with anglers are so rude and shouldn't organize matches near boats! We boaters pay a lot of money to be on the water you know.

She looked a little shocked when I stated neither of them had a brain.

I suggested if they had money they should pay for some canal boat driving lessons.  Or sell up and donate to a brain charity.  "Well really" she sniffed.

I looked at the pea souper in front of me and although I have the minerals for a scrap, the fight flowed out my wellies.

No more bites except from a condom, a newspaper, a carrier bag and other boater detritus stirred up by Mr and Mrs money bags. I look left to see Spanners well in and elastic out. Turns out he was about to swing in 3 oz Perch only for a big to snaffle it.  Struggling manfully to get Esox into his way to small net, the Pike ejects the fish and it flies ten feet above him and drops in his lap!!!!!  Thank you kindly he says I'll take that.

Chris has gone and so as Atilla, and the match comes to an end.  As James had predicted Neil on end peg posts the weight to beat in our section (1 lb 5 oz) Only James , Spanners and me to wheigh in as the rest in our section have gone home. James 12 oz, Spanners 12 oz Me 12 oz, no wait a minute thats 11 oz.  Really yes the scales give me the bad news again

The score sheet is sopping wet, so its a typed result this week. Top 5 in bay and all lost multiple slabs and hybrids

1. Leo Pocock 21 lb 2 oz = 15 Points
2. Mike Marsden 15 lb 5 oz = 14 points
3. Brian Shutler 6 lb 15 oz = 13 Points
4. Nic Worters 4 lb 11 oz = 12 points
5. Simon Burden 2 lb 11 oz = 11 Points
6. Neil Pegrum 1 lb 5 oz = 10 points
7. James Carty and Ian Spanswick ( including gift from pike) 12 oz = 9 points
8. Gary Williams 11 oz =7 points
9.Martin Aris 10 .5 oz = 6 points

Note for Spanners may have beaten Callum Dicks yesterday, but needed a jammy Perch to beat a fat bloke from Wiltshire today.

Martin hands over his quid side bet with Leo.

Leo shows off some of the 21 lb + of Bream and Hybrids

And looking ahead to next weeks Salisbury Open pairs on the River Nadder and River Avon the lads dry off take the money and Mike has his obligatory fag.

Finally, well done to Spanners secures the canal champs and the magnificent Mr Brian Shutler uncatchable now in the Lake and Canal combined Champs.