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.
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.
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