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.
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