Pewsey and Summers here .... the laughter begins

Round one of the summer league.  Picked up Steve Dean and headed to the Golden Swan for the draw.  Change of fishing venue at the last minute saw Pewsey helping out and offering Milk house as All Cannings  had a last minute.com pop festival on its banks leaving no room.

It was great to meet up with all the guys again the laughter was immediate as the banter began in earnest.  So good to laugh again a completely different atmosphere to some serious professional matches.

Keith Taylor can fill in as a 4th today as we could only muster 3 for round one. We paid our dues and pools and did the draw. The best pegs were quick to go leaving our team peg 2 and the scales.  Effectively I was in the middle as far away from end pegs as possible.

I was roughly in front of perm peg 17.  Recent matches have thrown up low weights in this area with bonus fish helping the fortunate.

It was a good 1.5 hours before I had my first bite.  I wasn't unduly worried as in my section it seemed to be the same for all.  Martin and Chas came along for a chat and said that others were struggling but Steve Dean (PMG) had a round a pound which seemed to put him in the driving seat.

As Martin and Chas were there I had my second third and up to seventh bite. All small fish but it seemed they had arrived.  I then bumped a small hoped I wouldn't regret that.

Chas and Martin left and took the fish with them I didn't have another fish until the last 15 minutes where I had three more. Then with 5 minutes to go the float moved sideways and I lifted into what i thought was a snag only to find I had foul hooked a huge slab in the tail.  Number 2 elastic bottomed out as I had six sections of pole up in the air trying and failing to pull it in backwards.  Even as I tried manfully I couldn't really do it, and as it came within 4 feet of my net I realised it was too big for my tiny speed canal pan landing net.

The inevitable happened as I pulled I don't think it even knew it was hooked and the 8 oz bottom hook link snapped.  I may not have won the match with it but I am sure I would have won the days golden fish comp for biggest fish.

So the all out was called and we set about the weigh in.. It was tight in our section; and some normally good pegs even with good anglers on them had struggled.

A section down by the bridge. 2.5 ounces of the end peg with Lee Pollard on it , Our boy Steve a solid third with 1 lb 6 oz. Tied for first Brian Webb and Bob Ballard with 2 2.

Steve Deans section next and the people with one Bream each make the difference here.

My section ( c ) next and 5 oz separate the top 4.

A confusing mess of a board but D section next and first and section from this section.  A well known fishy area first was Lee on D4 with 9 Bream for 20 lb a lovely weight.  Thanks to Keith getting a creditable 3rd . Lee also takes the golden fish.  If I did get mine in it would have smashed that 2 lb 8 oz.  But I didn't so no use moaning.

Overall scores and double comp next

A slow start for Pewsey with ISIS gaining a 6 point lead on us.

Pairs next.

Steve picked up his summer league winners shirt from last year

Well done to Lee 9 Bream a lovely day on the canal and he lost a couple of big ones !!!

Me A and E and Patney

Well what an interesting few days.  Supposed to be 3 days of solid fishing. Shearwater, Hungerford Canal, Shearwater again and an evening match at Patney lakes. Shearwater was shear bliss and I enjoyed the drive to Hungerford across the rolling grass chalk land of gods county Wiltshire.

Met the lads at the Hungerford draw, a smorgasbord of sponsored and non sponsored talent paying their pools for the day ahead. I was looking forward to another venue I have never fished.  I must say thanks to Paul Giddings for putting me right on set up.  I set up for tiny fish race, but was soon upping the rigs and elastic strength.

The sun beat down on my back and the bees buzzed and the kingfishers screeched by.  I wasn't sure if it was the pollen or the various other sweet smells but I was decidedly light headed to the point of being dizzy.  We were all ready well before the 10 o'clock expected start so the all in was called at 930 instead.

Initially I thought Paul had given me a bum steer as I bumped 5 fish in a row.  Checked the hook point, almost pristine sharp.  So a quick change to lighter elastic saw me catch a skimmer followed by a tiny roach.

I put him back I didn't think it would be that desperate today. It went quite for ten, so a change to the worm line down the track saw the elastic pulling well and a 2.5 lb Perch slide gratefully over the net.  

A celebratory gulp of vimto and back in.  I looked very closely at the vimto as it was having the effect of a "cheeky" vimto and my head was beginning to spin as if I was drunk.    Boats came through and Mike Marsden was lucky not to have a very expensive accident as one particular boat scraped the front of his platform nearly dragging him his net and everything else in.  He left the bewildered looking pilot in no doubt of his feelings; as a normally boat loving Mike let the expletives fly.

As the boat had tacked his way up the canal scratching both shelves the silt took a while to settle . So no choice but to fish across under the bushes.  Two more skimmers and two more Perch around 9 to 10 ounces a piece and things are going well.

That's where it changed my bites stopped and Alan Brown on the next peg landed a big skimmer and the guy on my left from Sensas A4 landed several skimmers in a row.  Alan continued to catch netable fish but I was struggling with several 4 oz roach.  Struggling as well with my vision which was increasingly blurry.  Adding to it was a pain in my left arm and pins and needles in my feet and hands.  

Couple more 10 oz Perch but now I was feeling distinctly poorly.  My mate Chas came along and watched me catch a couple of 6 oz fish on the whip, but I was feeling unwell. Hot clammy and sweaty and the pain in my arm getting worse.  To be honest a bit wimpish I know; but I was beginning to panic and think what would happen if I was to have a heart attack on the bank?

That was it I had to go.  Tipped back around 5 lb and shakily made my back to the van.  A very dodgy drive home as I drifted toward a state of panic and almost lost conscience.  Got home to a panicky looking wife.  Who immediately asked a neighbor for help in getting me to A and E. 

Home at 8 complete with shaved nipples (for the ecg machine) nothing kinky.  It appears I had, had a heart flutter.  Statins prescribed, along with strict rest and the obligatory lose three stone or your gonna die.  I was glad to get to bed.  First things first ring Spanners and apologies.  I didn't think I would make the expected trip to Shearwater.

Following morning and feeling a whole lot better.  Surprising what 13 hours sleep will do.  I rang Spanners and said I would be well enough to fish the evening at Patneys.  A furious wife left my ears bleeding as she vented as to why fishing comes first even over health.

As I explained it was an expected small fish race so no real effort not far to walk etc.  She retorted with who do I speak to when your dead to get the best price for your fishing gear.  

I didn't want to die I said there is still so much to do. This seemed to soften her as she asked what were my plans and what are we doing.  Jokingly I said it doesn't involve you unless you are going to help me in my quest for a 2 lb Rudd.  

Bad move!!!  A tearful wife made me realise she really was worried. I can be a twat at times. A shrieked " you didn't see yourself, bravado aside you were Ff...in unwell"  

Seriously, when things calmed down I asked her if anything ever happens who would you contact.  Her reply John Dewberry or Dave Moody they seemed trustworthy, sensible reliable chaps.  I agreed they would help with getting a good price for the main expensive kit; and whats left over could be donated to Pewsey Juniors.

To Patney then.  A glorious newish venue in the middle of Salisbury Plain.  If I won the lottery it would be my idea of what I would build or buy to have my own fishery. 

A large match style and pleasure lake, and an additional pleasure / specimen type lake.  Real thought and effort has gone into this venue, large car park in place and one would assume toilets and facilities to come in this long term project.  The strictly enforced rules were observed as we first dried the nets and then dipped them for the match.  

As it was a three hour match it didn't take long to set up.  As I say a fish race to catch the billions of small fish that had been stocked.  There were some fish up to 3 lb, but it was mostly F1s Mirrors Commons and Ghosties.  Sprinkling of Tench and predatory Perch to keep the fry down.  Topped of with some recently stocked roach and skimmers.  You would have to be lucky to get one of them.

The draw saw Spanners draw an end peg (1) for the second time in 3 days, me on peg two and my friend Derrick Hillier on the other end peg.  So the fish race began with us all enjoying a pleasant evening.  

A May fly hatch ( little late) added to the glory of the venue and a gentle warm summer breeze, tickled my fancy as I sat and thought of my wife annoyed that I had upset her.  If only she could be here she would see this was the best possible way to get better after yesterdays fright.  Relaxing, with the lazy pollen laden bees, I flashed the whip out and watched the float slide away with metronomic efficiency.

The dulcid tones of Spanners drifted from the bay to my right as he made the point of getting my attention.  His whip bent double as he struggled to control and 2 lb Carp.  Bugger hes landed it.  Going to need to catch a few tiddlers to catch him now.  Me I was catching some absolutely gloriously marked golden Rudd; but at an ounce a time as I said a way to go to catch Spanners.

Steve (Team Leader) was going some down the edge catching small bars of soap (Tench).  Spanners decided to catch a reasonable roach and a small tench as well.  The rest of us could not buy a big fish but couldn't complain it was manic action. The fish were mad for it know and I started to pile in the bait to try and feed off the small stuff and get a bigger one.  No joy though they were eating everything it was a boiling frothing mass of piranha like voraciousness.  A snag cost me a hook length and in the very quick time it to took me to tie another every angler around me had another 4 to 6 fish.

The setting sun and calming water welcomed the hand of night as it settled on the shoulder of the day; and the match came to a close. 

Tom Ince on my left had 319 fish, I had 301 and Spanners had 329(including some bigger ones).  Steve had not counted but had a better stamp than Tom and I.

So the weigh in began.

A delighted Derrick the first to weigh.  He had, had a great evening watching the float dip time and again. The weights got better as we came down the bank as Kristian and Kevin Robbins added their bag fulls of fish.  The Steve weighed in and his tench pushed his weight onto 18 lb +.  I was starting to worry I was going to be badly embarrassed and perhaps not invited again. 

Tom Ince next and a fantastic 21 pound several 5 to 6 ounce fish clearly helping his weight.  

Me next.

A small fish race indeed a hundred fish per hour had left me with a respectable 14 lb 7 oz but out of the money.  On round to my boy Spanners; who had been pleasure fishing on his own end peg bay. The Carp made the difference as he pipped Tom to first place.  

Well done him.  And thanks to all of the lads for a really pleasant evening, fun and friendly.  Several anglers had 300+ fish in the 3 hours.  When you consider (apart from the specimen fish) the fish generally were 2 oz. With the occasional 4 or 5 ounce, it was a tremendous effort for the lads to land 103 lb 15 oz in three hours.  Fish race confirmed.

Bream Bashing with the lads

My little pony (Chris Rushton) and the the rest of us who couldn't get tickets for the Angling trust Canal Pairs Championship; had decided to ease the pain by a session at Shearwater.  The first of three fishing days in a row for me.

 Full bloom Rhododendrons greeted us at the picturesque 37 acre water venue.  Also greeting us was a green Glastonbury of Carp tents and bivvies. Typical bank holiday, and despite the massive venue it was difficult to get  a line of pegs for match men, in between the spod launchers and the lines of rod pods and bite alarms. But we squeezed in. Tackle up time.

Being first there I was ready to go quickly and launched the first of 15 orange sized ground bait laced with caster 2 mill halibut feed pellets and some choppy worm. After the last time I had visited I had been practising with the whopper dropper and got the bait in a tight circle using a lake buoy as a marker.  There was a few unnecessary comments about me getting tight to the buoy.  The double' entendre comments flowed eventually My little pony couldn't resist in telling us all (again) of his prowess with the ladies and how they will do anything for him.

But like Steve said if he would expect a woman to do anything if he was paying £80 and hour!!!!!!  That was it I had to go a find a tree and have a wee.  

The happiness died down as the fish started to flow, and inevitably the competition element shoved aside all thoughts of a day free of pound side bets.  Out come the fish counters.  Leo thought he would have one for him and one for me because allegedly I cheat and go up in odd numbers.  Bloody cheek.  Admittedly Leo started well but he was on the end peg.  Brian "catch fish in a puddle" was hot on his heels.  

It was Martins first real attempt at feeder fishing on a big lake, so he had a few tips from me; and even Brian put down his Ginsters to give a hand.  See below, Martin " net the fish my good man" Brian " certainly sir, would you like me to kiss you're ass as well!"  

A pleasant bream smashing session flowed interspersed with the occasional unstoppable Carp.  I even hooked what I though was a snag, and slowly dragged it in till it surfaced.  A carp clothed in thick fishing line and bombs, cage feeders and method feeders.  A disgusting sight to see a clearly big fish almost skeleton like and a look of desperation in its eyes as if it had been dragging the line etc for ever.

I don't think I will ever get the final despairing look from the fish out of my mind as my 3 lb hook length parted and the rubbish dragged the fish back to the bottom. Truly sickening, as I realised I had added to its burden, what had such a lovely creature done to deserve what would surely be a painful death.

The day was further interrupted by a team of EA licence checkers.  They clearly had a successful outing catching those who had no licence.

I swapped to waggler as the fish were hitting the feeder on the drop.  Although I did catch more skimmers the super fit superb Roach were quicker to the bait.  In between 4 nice Perch I had several small roach but 9 over 10 ounces with the biggest about 1 lb 2 ish.

Martin on my left and Chris on my right were squeezing my swim into a narrow 3 foot wide strip as they cast time and again into my fish catching zone.  Despite my complaints and their dubious explanations about the wind affecting their casts, I still was catching faster.  Chris was gutted that he could get so close in a fish feeding area and not catch.  Besides said I - how does the wind blow right for Martin and left for Chris?  But they explained the cyclonic affect of surface winds made their casting unique.  "Unique" !!! It was positively dangerous at times as the 30 gram feeders crashed around and dispersed their ground bait far and wide.  I called for the PPE and hunkered down.

Suddenly there was a talk that smaller fish didn't count in the fish race and it was bream only.  Back on the cage then and I caught and pulled ahead of Chris.  The Ginsters shuttle bus was bagging one a chuck and Leo was no slouch staying ahead of him.  The day ended as the misty rain and a lack of ground bait made it clear that the Sunday roast was calling.

Leo called it a day at 54 Bream and bits.  Brian won the day with 57 Bream and 6 lb of roach.  Me I had 48 Bream (between 2 and 6 lb) 9 decent Roach and bits and 4 Perch. I do wish keep-nets were allowed.

Another cracking day for the lads and much laughter and banter.  Time to race home put the lake stuff away and load up the canal stuff for an Open at Hungerford tomorrow.  Got to go bread to blitz pinkie and squat to riddle.

Spring League and its Cadley Lock Down

Sometimes the blog brain dies a death and I struggle to explain the latest trip. Equally some matches defy even the most skillful anglers.  I fill in to day for Paul Giddings and its only fair that he explains his absence not me.  I was keen to get get going as I am fishing well at the moment; and indeed I was first to  arrive. Two sausage buns and a large sweet tea was drunk calmly and in peace before the others arrived

Draw done I followed Kev as we headed back though Savernake and toward Brimslade. C21 for me not an end peg that fell to the Legend James Carty and the rest of this quality field stomped their way past us down to peg 1.

I did like the look of James peg an area back of the main drag that would probably not be affected by boats.  Me I had a boat opposite and there were bubbles everywhere and little fish leaping clear of the water.  I was pleased and look forward to the start.

James called the all in. I baited a worm line well left and in doing so the two boats coming through the lock.  Would they park up or come on through. After waiting a few minutes I decided to put a little in.

Found a fat dendrobena and lowered it over the worm hoping to mug a "Billy Perch", the float dipped and slid away and the first of 4 on the trot crayfish came to the net. Dispatched behind me it was back to the fishing. 30 minutes before my first bite and a small 3 to 4 ounce skimmer.  I knew something was wrong though. I expected to see landing nets flashing out as quality anglers set about emptying the canal.  But no one was catching in fact, no one was getting a bite.

James bucked the trend on the end peg by snagging a few blades and a lovely 1.5 lb hybrid.  It was another hour before I had the next bite and it was a 1 oz Perch.  Fishing longish to the back end of the boat was killing my already aching back so I pulled the pole in and stuck a little 2 bb stillwater blue across on the waggler rod.

No luck and the guy next to me is also struggling for bites.  He did lose a Carp early on and asked how I was doing we both agreed we had around 4 to 5 ounces.  James was still sneaking them in but he to was having to wait a long time in between bites and fish.  In fact as bank walkers relayed the information it seemed that James was leading pegs 22 down to around peg 12 before anyone else was catching let alone getting bites.  I explained to one guy what I had and he said you aint doing to bad some people have only had one bite.

After 3 hours without a bite there was an hour to go so I decided to ditch the pole lines.  The canal was constantly towing back and forth.  Boats were not helping, but it was the same for all.  I dug out my last 4 "lobbies" put a tiny bomb on the wand and flicked it over the baited areas hoping to snag a hybrid and get me back in it.

The result was so violent after the inactivity as the rod was nearly ripped out of my hand.  It was a Carp and a big un too. It was pulling hard right and the clutch was slipping badly. When it got down to Stan on my right the hook gave and I reeled in a straightened hook.

Relief and commiserations from the guys either side of me as the bow waves settled.  The commotion had disturbed the normally crepuscular water vole and he swam disgruntled across to the far bank. Didn't see the next fish either as it quickly snapped the hook length. Did see the third as it took the lobby before it hit the bottom and  it put up a fight before its Pikey teeth also sawed through the hooklength.

The final nail in the coffin came as I put the rod down after 20 minutes inactivity.  Last 10 minutes on the pole.  Worm rig down the middle with the last of my lobs.  The canal towed hard right to left as the locks opened again. My rig pulled with it but as I lifted to re-lay it, it was away again as another large powerful fish bottomed out the 8 dura - hollow elastic.

Using the pulla bung I got it back half way before it too was gone.  The red mist descended and I slapped the canal with my top kit and threw it over my should like a petulant child.  James called the all out.

I packed away furious with myself.  Despite James and everyone else being nice and saying don't worry it fished shit.  I had let the boys down.  James put it in perspective if I had landed all I had hooked I would have smashed our section.  As it was my two fish went a dismal 4.5 ounces.

Stories of ounces or 1 bite made up our end of the section James had 3 lb +, the guy two to my right had a run of skimmers for around 5 lb Danny had a few for 13 ounces.  Guy to his left had 1 bite and 1 fish for a pound and half hybrid.  Other stories of lost Carp.  I got as far as Dave George who had a bag of tiny fish ruffe, gudgeon etc - but with stories of peg 1 and 2 having over 50 lb between them I didn't have the heart to go on and made my way home.

I know James struggled and was disappointed with his small weight of the end peg, but it was nice to sit and watch the legend at work - brain never stops.  Well done to all.

Army Viaduct - It brings you luck don't it?

Touch and go today for round 7 Army at Viaduct in Somerset.  A recently acquired back injury leaving we having to swing legs out of bed and pivot on an angle to get out of bed.  Pins and needles in the feet and numb bum cheeks meant it was going to be difficult today.  Certainly I wouldn't be able to fish the pole long.  The flyer too was poorly so I had to unload into Kate my volvo estate and get underway late.  Arrived just in time to book in for the draw.

As I have drawn well for the team this year, I was pushed forward again.  In went the hand and I drew 66 for mike after a redraw on 111 as an angler had not shown.  Mike was happy 66 won the match on Sunday.  I then drew 78 for me that was second on Sunday then 116 for Dave which was one off the 3rd place on Sunday.

Happy boys headed for their pegs.

I tackled up slowly as I was a stiff as a board, the pins and needles had gone but the numb arse was well in evidence. Sun was head on and the carp on the top looked listless and disinterested.  Hundreds of roach fry topped and flipped in front of me.  I decided to make it easy by fishing straight lead as fishing the pole long was not on.  A tree meant I had room for atop kit maybe short 4 and top kit.  To the right I had an edge swim to the left.

Twenty minutes in saw the first bite an unstoppable run which once it circled around and whacked against the line clip, meant the 0.17 hook link was gone.  Immediately had a stomach cramp as the fisherman's breakfast of vimto and a whole packet of Haribo Tangtastic sours hit my gut like a hammer.  Hobbled round to the clubhouse loos, and was a bag of sweaty snot as I just made it.

Back to the swim and the workaholic coot was still frantically back and forth , back and forth nest building.

Carl on the golden peg to my left was bagging skimmer after skimmer on paste against the edge of the spit to his left.  The bloody fish were crawling up the bank and his pole.  Every now and then the skimmer would step aside and a carp took up the challenge to drag his silvers rig through my swim and around in an arc. Fish after fish and I was starting to get nervous. Apart from the first run,. I hadn't had a bite in 3 hours.  Craig Bate to my right was no better struggling after a monster carp had snapped his elastic.  I stood for a bit to ease the backache and give me a different angle to watch Carl land another carp.

The water in front of me was deathly still apart from the bow waves from Carl's swim. So I reeled in and tried the pole lines.a 2 oz roach and a 2 oz skimmer took a 6 mill pumped pellet; and a Perch around 6 ounces took a worm.  No Carp though and in fact no more bites.

Back on the tip and the line ripped out and snapped again on the hook-length above the hook.  Time for a rethink.  Took my cap off and just as I did a obese pigeon in the branches above me crapped a great big sloppy black and white shit on my head!!!!!!

It could have waited for me to put my hat back on. Washed it out with my drinking water which was surprisingly refreshing.

Still it brings you luck according to Carl who was pissing himself on the next peg.

So a dig around in the tackle found my hook-length box but unfortunately that was the biggest I had.  So I decided to slacken of the clutch and take it of the line clip.  That way if I let em run on a slipping clutch I would have more chances of turning them before a snap.

Wham the line was ripping off and it worked a twenty pounder graced the net.  Well I say graced the net.  It nearly broke the net and i had a right job trying to get it in the net.  This was swiftly followed by another very long fish and another with a huge tail.   Both of which were so long they too struggled to fit.

Carl in the meantime continued with Carp and skimmers crawling up his pole. Mind you he was fishing like the keystone cops, knocking his landing net in , dropping his pole in the lake hooking bushes and trees the whole gambit but still he caught.

Another one for me and I lost three others one right on the whistle , all of which wrapped themselves around the airiator across to my right.

The all out was called we had struggled along our bank except Carl Craig to my right had about 16 lb he thought.  I had 4 carp for 48 lb 15 oz; and Tommy the other side of the spit had mostly skimmers. 

Back to the car to find the Pigeons family had decorated my car as well, the complete left side was covered in bird crap. Tackle packed away it was the clubhouse for the result.

Viaduct regular Vinny Payne kicks of this section but he had struggled today as had many others.  The Sunday peg of 66 for Mike had seen the fish move next door and Kev East and H Harris making the most of the migration. Even the great Ben Bentley had struggled.

My section next mid section blues.  Next time if I am n Carey I will up the hook lengths from 0.17 to 0.21 and have a bigger landing net.  I would feed more as well as today the more I built the swim the better.  Well done to fellow Nomad for taking this section.

Viaduct regular Neil Gaff just being pipped in the corner by Dave Hydes. So to the top three Dave, Neil and Ivan with Ivan taking the silvers pool by 5th default!!!! Bet the 4 above him will go in the silvers pool next time!

Happy with my personal and team result as we pipped the A team.  1 RHA suffered from their missing angler, even a half decent sect position from that angler would have given them the win.  As it was well done to Arty B for winning, second to Baggers A.  Upavon ably assisted by Carl's bagging day helped themselves to Third.

Back on the Canal this weekend, and normal sized fish!!

Pewsey Lake -- Chagrin leaves number 2 blues

Full house waited for Steve Hiscock to arrive to do the draw.

All the pegs would be used  1 through 16. Which would put a lot of pressure on the lake.  Still I had a plan I had had a couple of evening sessions and felt I had a plan that would help today.  Trouble was with a crowded lake I was gonna need some magic.  Thank god Gandalf  came by to spread the magic.

I drew peg 2, not bad thinks I as I had a had a good evening there in the week bagging 6 Carp against the tree stump on the far bank.  The peg was fizzing and the burgeoning lily pad was being rattled by the local population.  14 extremely heavy booted noisy and raucous anglers stomped their way past my peg as they headed for the Carpy end of the Lake.  When oh when will I draw down there?

That sounds like a contradiction after having 6 Carp in the  week from 2; but there is no doubt the fish get walked down on match days.  In addition the lake fishes way better in pleasure sessions.

9.30 and on the whistle I repeated the tactics of midweek and sat confidently waiting the float to slide away; but it never moved in fact it was 2 hours before the elastic dribbled out the end of the pole and an ounce roach came to hand.  All the lily shaking and fizzing had long stopped to be replaced with a milky scum and a great deal of flotsam which was inhibiting the presentation.  In fact unless I slapped the rig it would lay on the top.  

I had a run (6) of small fish and breathed a sigh of relief.  Even though they were really small.  Chris was backing up his "open" win yesterday by leading our section.  Leo and I were about even and Steve Dean had had a bonus fish. Steve H to my left was blanking and Gary Perryman blanking on my right. In fact the first 5 pegs were struggling for any bites at all.

Roly was shipping out and on the way miraculously caught a cracking roach and I realised to day was going to be another blue day.  When you ant buy a bite and people are catching without trying it grates a little bit but I suppose we are all entitled to a bit of luck. News from the planet Carp end of Lake also meant I was nowhere.  good job you get points for section position on the Lake.  So knuckle down and grind it out.

Trouble is if they aint there you cant grind it out.  Steve to my left hooked a big un, and I was utterly deflated then equally joyous as he lost it.  I commiserated but inside was relieved. Steve called the all out and a blue cloud of annoyance settled over me, could have done better --no. No I couldn't.  I was willing the float to dip but it wouldn't. Still it left me chagrin.

I ended up with 17 fish amazingly Roly tipped back his Roach and didn't weigh as did Neil.  So the weigh in began and as usual Will had a 9lb Carp from the Carp end of the Lake.  Surprise , surprise even though Brian Shutler had drawn a flyer (Peg 12 and it was the Golden peg) the normally reliable lad had not won the day.  That honour went to the excellent Nic Worters who framed for the second Lake match in a row.

Chris takes a dismal section 1 with Steve D second in sec 1. Leo pipped me for third, but still got to be happy with 5 points from a very bad day.  Well done to the top three Will (left) Nic middle and Brian right.

Pewsey Canal 2 - " When the Man comes around a lesson from Mike"

Back on club trail today for the second canal match of this season.  Milk house the venue and a good turn out of 18 including some new faces.  I always take the Ivan Marks theory when you look around at draw time.

mentally you look at the opposition and you think might struggle to beat him, but think I can beat him today etc.  Ultimately the idea being that you narrow the odds.  You condition your mind to a point of instead of having to beat 17 others ( in the case of today) ; you find yourself with a smaller more manageable number.

Problem is with Pewsey matches its hard to discount anybody.  All can do well on their day so its hard to make the number smaller.  However I set my target which involved giving the normal advantage to the end pegs, traditionally pegs that produce.  Its not a given on the end pegs you still gotta catch em but nobody is ever sad to draw an end peg.

Today Steve Hiscock had 1 and Mike Marsden 18.  I drew unlucky for some 13.  So again as I walked the tow path to my peg I eyed the opposition and applied the same rules of discounting some and finding I couldn't do that with ease.  There was talent in the section some of whom can catch in a puddle and some that even when they have a bad day still frame.

My peg was next to a moored boat.  Milk house has recently been worked on by EA so the banks are soft and not really firmer enough for mooring in fact the boat next too me was moving badly as the mooring pegs were pulling free from the soft mud.  Still apart from the slightly brown uninviting water the peg didn't look to bad.  Just wish the rain would stop and give us a break.

Set up a worm rig, pinkie rig on the bottom one for on the drop and one for across .  The across line was very snaggy and brambly, with black thorn and berry bushes hanging in the water. So not a lot of options there but might get a few tiddlers.

The all in called we were away and faced the those vital early minutes that give you the gut feeling that its going to go or not very.  In fact I am finding more and more you need to make decisions very quickly; find the fish quickly and capatilise.  Don't sit there doggily trying to make a bait work just because it worked last time.

So after counting to one hundred over the Perch choppy line, I left it and went over the ground bait line. Again not a flicker.  Inside whip line off the end of the boat to my right., the float slid away and a quarter ounce Perch came to hand. Great we are away found them, but no another 5 minutes and not a flicker. So rotated trying different things but no joy.  Steve Dean just to my right, has just had a 4 ounce skimmer and Mark Russ had 2 or 3 little fish. 

Flicked the whip out again and the float didn't cock so I hit to hook a 3 ounce skimmer.  Ground bait line produced 4 gudgeon one after another, and I felt I was away but it went dead again. Save a few swirls and fish leaping clear of water.

Midday saw me double boated and I was getting increasingly frustrated with the mass of crap floating on the surface including a massive volume of spring blossom making presentation difficult.  In addition a wicked surface tow left to right and and just as strong undertow right to left.  Mark and Steve looked on with caution as my elastic was pushed to the limit.  They needn't have worried it was the obligatory Pike good one too. Three or four minutes passed and gradually I got it to the edge.  It was around 6 lb and way to big for my tiny speed fish landing net.  I am used to handing Pike out and it wasn't going to let go of the gudgeon in his jaws. So a in a flash fingers behind the gills and lift, at the same time the hook ling pinged the gudgeon flew upwards and back in.  Bugger.

Drama over, set up again and back in.  The normal mass of small fish were not showing so I found the deepest part of the canal put in three big balls of ground bait in a row laced with caster and red maggot.  If the small fish weren't having it might as well go for the big stuff shit or bust.

Rewarded straight away with a hybrid and followed by a roach and another tiny Perch. Then nothing. Alternating between half depth and bottom I tried.  As the boats came and went I dropped in behind them and found another roach on the drop.  The heavens opened and it really belted down, the rain smashed into the canal the wind swirled.  We huddled in our goretex and hoped it would invigorate and turn the fish on the feed.

The all out was eventually called and I new I had probably pipped guys either side of me, but what of Mike on the end, Brian Shutler two to my right, Chris Rushton and all the other good anglers in my section.

So to the weigh in. A miserable experience in the pouring rain trying to keep paper dry and the pen working.  Devizes MG Mike Marsden had given us all a lesson and bloody good hiding catching quality Roach etc for 8 lb 10 and half ounces .  Miles ahead of me and others in the section.

As we worked our way down I realised I was second in the section and second in the match , so at least section by default. With my 2 lb and half an ounce. As we got into the lower numbers hope rose. Well done to young Morgan Plank good weight on the day including a club record equalling 2 oz Ruffe. 

8 Pegs to go and it was Kev the Breads turn to weigh in. Bang went second place as he pulled out three skimmers and a load of small stuff.  Counting down to peg 4 and my mate Ian Spanners Spanswick. Sod it he had pipped me too and I was down to 4th. A good show from Chas Short and Simon Burden was it as, Steve Hiscock had gone home from peg one.  Apparently double boating the down pour and sticking is float in the tree was all too much.

So to the money grabbers ( more interested in championship points me 12 good ones today). left to right section 1 Simon Burden second place Kev Chubb, winner and all round good bloke Mike Marsden, me section 2 winner and finally Spanners third in match.

Had a song going round my head all day. Think they call it an ear worm in modern slang. It fitted  nicely with Mike today. Hes the man.

Johnny Cash

Hear the trumpets , hear the pipers

100 million angels singing

Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum

Its Alpha and Omegas kingdom come 

the wise men will bow down before his thrown 

and at his feet they will lay a golden crown

"When the man comes around"