Wessex Summer League R2. Snake your way south

End of a busy week of fishing with mixed results. Saturday winning against Haines, Sunday third on the canal , and Wednesday another blow out at Todber, no idea where I came.

So it was South today which is unusual in the summer league most of it is north of me.  Round 2 is at Witherington Farm, so it was an early arrival and a nice breakfast down before Reids Tackle the on site shop opened its doors.

An interesting conversation about  toiletry habits; and the science of a adrenalin fuelled poo or pee.  It seems that the excitement of competition can cause a release of adrenalin and the need to pass pee, or poo or both.  Just shows exciting my life is, as I haven't been for three days!!!!!

Brian and I talked the others ( with the exception of Steve T, who doesn't need help) through the vagaries of commercials as most of the lads could count on one hand the times they have fished a commercial venue.  They prefer running water or canals.

The draw did not favour Pewsey 1 but it did throw up some good pegs for P2.  I drew peg 2 for our P1 boys not good and we had the boards.  Personally I was on the inner on C section with the inevitable Brian Shutler in my section.  Where as my partner (Steve Trevett) in the pairs was on permanent peg 10 on cyanide straight in A section outer. So it was around to the back car park and unload.

It was over the bridge to the inner snake for me past the flier 56 which Paul Rice had snagged and miss 57 and settle on 58.  If I drew this section I wanted 56 or 69. But he ho.

The match got under way and unexpected rain started in earnest.  Bugger I had no coat it was supposed to be the start of a heat wave today.  So I sat there miserable for the first two hours of this 5 hour match getting soaked and catching very little.

In fact Rudd and Roach , Perch and skimmers - tiny skimmers .  The line across was bubbling with small carp sucking at the surface, but I couldn't connect and floating baits were not allowed.  Couple of Caster skimmers and a 4 oz roach from the track but mostly the float moved left and right as fish picked up the bait and dropped it again.

With two hours to go, I came in to the edge, hooked and lost 3 big Carp in Paul Rice's peg to my right. He too returned the favour by losing an equal amount of large Carp in my swim.

The rain stopped, the cloud stayed and the fishing was slow.  In fact only a few pegs around the lake were producing anything.  Thank fully my doubles partner Steve was one of the them.

The first of my Carp came to the net at 2 o'clock.  I piled the chop worm and caster down the edge and then another and another carp.  In fact I had 6 by the end , and the peg was coming into its own.  The wily old Carp were fizzing everywhere now. Typical the match ended just as the Carp came on the feed in every peg it seemed.  Perhaps an evening match would have suited better weights.

So to the weigh in, and I had managed to keep the board dry. Happily Paul on the flier 56 had very little but did get in one carp and an eel, and weighed in 7 lb 5 oz.  My silvers first

One pound 10 of bugger all.  Thankfully the worm fed Carp in the other net made for a more respectable weight and brought me up to a nice 30 lb 14 oz. 

The sections went like this A section first and my partner Steve T wins with Dazzer the organiser section by default.  Ignore the C top left it is A section. Permanent pegs 8 around to 24 outer snake.

B section and still on the outer we have pegs 34 around to 48.  Fellow team mate Steve Dean on peg 34 not a good peg.  With Nigel Russell drawing his fish.  P2 team Martin Aris managed to pip Steve by about a pound.  But other end peg Doug Foresaw slipped to third as Mick Rosier Swindon ISIS takes a section win.

C section next and a win for me and the biggest fish of the day to Fred Parker ISIS with a 10 lb 11 oz Carp.

So that's 2 section wins for us and ISIS have 1 and a 2nd.  So what will D section bring?

Chris Rushton for team 1 and Leo for P2.  Hoping for good news I asked Chris how he got on?  He didn't say much but the pic says it all.

It seems this canal boy was not expecting the power of the big Carp and his black hydro rig crumpled. 4th place.

A creditable performance from natural water Leo in P2 with a third and 20 lb.  So with ISIS now on 2 section wins a second and a 5th.  Against our 2 section wins a fourth and a 5th means ISIS keep the lead ahead of us.

 Back to the Green Dragon pub and the totting up begins.

Steve T wins the day with his 56+ and I pick up second ( one up on the third from last week) just ahead of Brian Jackson from Swindon ISIS.

Alistair diligently added up the pairs points and more good news as Trevett and I move up from 4th to 1st

Next round end of July, on the river Severn at Tewkesbury!!  We get about don't we? See you next week.

Army 9 Todber Double Bogey

Joined the surprisingly heavy traffic westward early.  Surprising as it was 06.30.  Penny dropped as the bleariness left my eyes and I realised it was Glastonbury traffic.  So I popped in a Euphoric Trance CD and busted some moves , or threw shapes or what ever it is.

You know big fish little fish.

Sue and the team at Skevy's Cafe did their normal superlative job of turning out the breakfasts. Friendly , professional and superbly cooked grub at very reasonable prices.  I must admit I had not read properly the instructions for the day and not clicked the AGM had been moved to this penultimate match of the season.  In addition the match was starting late (noon mid-day) and there was a BBQ after wards etc etc.

That was going to make it a long day. Don't know where my head is these days concentration is shot.

The AGM got under way and the normal issues were discussed and people nominated.  Got to say a big thank you to Kev Est , Craig Bate, Ben Bentley for all their leg work admin and pegging this past year. No gripes from me a thankless task completed with minimum of fuss.

Back to big fish little fish. Todber is my bogey venue.  I have a love hate relationship., when i practice it or indeed fish in opens etc I have always done reasonably well.  However, in Army matches I picked up 3 rd in 2013 but since have bombed out every time.

I drew again and managed white posts B 3. I was pleased as I drove further west to the lake..  The smile was wiped from my face though when i realised I was center of top lake widest part and it looked devoid of fish.

Even worse Yoda (John Dewberry) and Dave "Docs" Docherty this years front runner, were discussing how they would divide up the winnings.

There was strong wind right to left and the pegs in that corner were black with jumping and active fish.  Docs had the favoured pipe swim and there as a load of fish slamming themselves against the pipe. and rolling on top.

The match finally got started and I fired the method across 30 mtrs to the far bank.  I had three belting runs in the first 5 minutes all of which ploughed immediately into a big lily pad in front of me.  That was it for nearly four hours.

Docs in the meantime was having my sort of day, he had lost best part of 10 decent Crap , trashed rigs, broke elastics  and lost multiple hook links.  Ultimately it led to him jigging a 6 mill pellet and getting one fish after another , he pummeled me badly.

There was nothing I could do.  I set up a silvers rig and had 4 skimmers 5 gudgeon and two tiny Perch amounting to about a pound in total.  If it wasn't a team match I would have gone home.

5 O'clock and an hour to go and there is a ripple of movement in the lilies again.  Tried the wag but no joy so back on the method. Fifteen F1s one after another in the last hour. As finally the fish turned up.  Shame they were not big only amounting to 12 kilo 750.

Yoda said I had beat him but frankly I think he was being kind and I didn't quite believe him.

Sorry I didn't stay for the results and to photo the results but time was getting on and lots to do as I am going out this evening.

Pewsey Ladies Bridge and an exhibition from a master.

Jumped into the flyer after oversleeping a little I opened the window to ventilate the horrible smell from the wet nets left in van overnight - lovely.  I have mixed feelings about the Ladies Bridge match.

Rarely do I draw in the bay, and you have to, to stand a reasonable chance of points.  In fact last year it cost me valuable championship points because in both matches my rivals last year Brian and Simon stretched away from me.  After last weeks disaster the weekend was going well; with a win for our side in the Bait tech, yesterday.  So could I keep it going.

Martin was delighted to see me and couldn't wait to show me his new tackle trolley.

The banter was high as we all reflected on yesterday and who would draw well today, hopefully in the bay.

Being effectively the first match of the season , Leo wouldn't take any money till we had all shown our new club books and in some cases rod licence.

So after a few parish notices and a shout from Leo (miserable git lol) it was his birthday yesterday another year older may have had an effect on his mood.



At last a smile from Leo and the draw got underway.  Dived in early for a change rather than wait.  Oh my god I don't believe it I have drawn in the Bay.  Admittingly the far end but at last I was in the bay, that was the good news.

The bad news was I had venue experts either side of
me , Paul Giddings on 10 and Chris Rushton peg 8 a peg he regularly pleasure fishes.  On top of that dead center of the bay on peg 7 the man in form and yesterdays winner Brian Shutler.

To be honest it was bit of a shock I had mentally and physically prepared myself and kit for fishing up the narrows.  But the peg looked good and although there was boat moored between Paul and I he had convinced the guy to (as he was going to move) to do it before we started rather than in the middle of the match.

Leo was getting stick for the pegging ( who would be a match organiser, you can't please em all)

Martin in particular was concerned as he needed to do some serious cutting back to access his swim (only kidding) he was just playing silly buggers.

The match got underway and straight away I had three roach close in on punch.  Chris and Brian however had gone long.  So I pushed out to 11 meters but could only get crayfish on the worm.  Chris was opening a tin of corn.  Unusual, but some of the juniors had been catching on corn.  I gave it a go, and 30 minutes was wasted.  In fact despite the 3 quick roach and the 4 crayfish there was nothing doing for 1.5 hours.  

I was starting to get irritated the normal wasn't doing it and Chris

(smug git above) and Brian were on 10 Bream each.  I had to go long , so a change to 16 meters , and a shallow of saw my first bite and Bream.  Then the bait I had put in started to draw some of Chris's fish .  He slowed up, Brian speeded up and I started into the smaller hybrids.  

The match flew by as I hooked and lost three unstoppable fish; and almost lost a 4 lb Bream to a  submarine of a Pike.  Did manage to net it in, minus part of its tail fin!

Size 20 hooks were costing me fish and after a trashed rig, I changed (should have done it and hour ago) to a size 16.  The pole bent in the very strong June wind as a Carp picked up the bait and ripped through Chris swim and into Brian's, before parting ways with me.

Quick bait up and back in.  Before the float could cock it was away and another Carp zoomed straight away toward the back of the bay.  Bugger boat coming from left and my elastic although submerged stretched across the canal.

Managed to get it to the edge (feeding in under boat) before a beautiful mirror Carp (approx 7 lb) showed its dominance. It saw the net and turned, flipping me two fingers ( well it's tail fin) dived away trashing another rig.

And so it was the match was ending way to quickly and although I had em going Chris had slowed , but I wasn't never gone catch his 10 Bream start.  

Brian on the other hand was one a chuck literally.  He couldn't fail, ditching the pole for the waggler only increased the speed in which he could get fish in.  His waggler would hit the water, cock and slide away. It was metronomic brilliance.

All "out" called; and I packed away as the scales and boards were well away to my left on 17.  Brian looked happy and why not he had a blinding match and looked favourite for 2 wins in 2 days.

Chris too was pleased, I wasn't sure Paul on my left had a had a late run and I wondered where I might be points wise. My net below:

The lads came down from the narrows some smiling (those that had caught Tench) and others grim faced bemoaning a bad draw.  Paul last in his section to weigh in had done enough to win his section.  Then it was me.  27lb 2 oz was enough to pip Paul's 17 lb.  But had Chris's early Bream been enough to keep him in front?

It certainly had in fact those Ten were the difference between us.  A 40 lb bag.

On to Brian next,

A huge canal net from the man of the moment.  He had clearly smashed us all.  We would have to weigh in several batches as our quarter ounce fine canal scales would bottom time and again.  

The towpath was packed with people wanting to see this monster catch.  Older anglers often hark back to the halcyon days of days gone by and massive pleasure session catches of Bream in the bay 100 lb +. 

However, bear in mind times have changed. These are modern days, and this was a match where a lot of anglers on the bank lots of tow path users, walkers, cyclists etc.

It wasn't lost on any of us this was great days fishing.  The several weigh ins were however, holding up those who waited patiently

One look in Brian's keep net was enough to know he had bagged, big style.

A massive weight of 75 lb 11 oz!!!!!!!!  Outstanding.

The weigh continued and we all piled back to the car park although a few decided to stay on and fish the bay, as clearly the fish still wanted more.  Another hour I may have caught Chris and Brian may have broken the ton.

As it was the top three were.  Brian, then Chris and I came in third.

Well done to boys up the narrows, nice to see the Tench showing.  Next week a change of scene as we swap to a commercial and fish Witherington Farm in the second round of the summer league.

I will up the font as it needs shouting.  Although he drew slap bang middle of the bay.  He is not lucky Bri.  He is Brian Shutler - quality angler on a quality peg, superb, exhibition of angling from a terrifically nice man. 

Angling Times Bait Tech - Tight Frightner

Well prepared I set off early to walk and peg the stretch at Milk house as we were hosting the quality anglers from Haines Angling. The nettles and other plant life seemed to have put on 18 inches of growth overnight!  Good thing was all the moored boats had moved on.  Despite Haines Angling indicating they were short of canal anglers you cannot deny that good anglers can catch on any water.
We flipped a coin for choice of odd or even pegs and Haines won choosing even pegs. The rules were explained and the points system agreed. Draw done we headed to our pegs and set up.

As I said this was not going to be easy even though we are on home water.  I had to remember to focus and just concentrate on the guy to my right. Nick Veale.  It was clear he was no mug as he set about tackling up.

I was glad to call the all in and get under way this match seems to have taken an age to arrive.  It was clear straight away it was going to be a busier than normal Saturday as the first of the boats motored through.  In pegging I had given each team an equal amounts of blank looking pegs and those with a feature to fish too.  Each team also had an end peg each. So I don't believe I could have made it fairer.  I have to say my peg had a minor feature of some brambles hanging in the water; but actually it turned out to be a hindrance.  

The sub surface brambles were much thicker and numerous that I needed.  Problem was it seemed to be the only place I could get a bite in my swim.  I did catch a small hybrid down the track, but after the 3rd boat and second set of Kayakers that killed that line.

So the match crawled forward and I watched the Nick to my right catching steadily, much more steadily than I.  It wasn't long before I knew he had cancelled my hybrid.  I plugged away picking out tiny Gudgeon and Roach but knew I was falling behind.  

Whilst I would imagine Nick had not fished Milk house for a while or even ever , he seemed to be doing all the right things.  I would imagine somebody who knows our water had briefed them well, he and the others were making few mistakes.

Another Hybrid settled the nerves for me but then Nick had one so it was nip and tuck. Bloody hell it was going to be tight.  Not much in the way of bank walking from our crowd so it was unknown how the others were doing.  I did know from their bank runner Brian was bagging on the end so that was good news .

The match progressed and it was to and fro between Nick and I. Until the last hour I was probably in front.  The a bite less last hour killed me. As Nick ground away the small stuff and with minutes to go what looked like a net able 6 oz fish.  This was going to be tight.

Nick sucked in a hard concerned breath when I weighed in my net at just over three pound.  I was disappointed 3 trashed rigs were fish had pulled me into sub surface brambles could cost me at least another pound and a half. 

Nick had indeed done me by two and half ounces. Bugger. That's 1 point each after Brian won his personal end peg match.  

Tension rose as we made our way down the tow path exchanging points as we went.  Lots of eyes looking in on the scales each team willing their weights to push the needle around that bit further than the opposition.

It was down to the last match, had Spanners managed to take away that end peg advantage and draw us level on points.  Yes!!! We were all tied up. It would be down to overall team weight, and thank god we had done it we had won the day by a heavier weight.

Thank you and Well done to Haines Angling they were friendly and competitive in equal measures and made it an excellent friendly day; but as you would imagine we are well chuffed to go through to the next round.

Team Below left to right. 

Chas Short, Brian Shutler, Me, Ian Spanswick, Paul Giddings and Kev the Bread Chubb

Club match at Ladies bridge tomorrow, better replace those trashed rigs

Double Century Double Bog

As this is my blog number 200, I thought I would combine two into one.  A sort of BOGOF buy one get one free. and to be honest that's what life can do at the moment , it too can bogof.

Your probably sensing I have had a bad week.  My old mate Frank Gumbledon looks forward to reading my blog on a Sunday night as if he feels if hes down , he is absolutely sure I would have had it worse.  Well Frank sink your peepers into this blog and be sure your sat on a towel because you could well leak you will laugh so much.

The week first if I tell you I am a health and safety officer, you will understand that I am universally hated; and some people look at me as if I am something they have stood in. So what every one has it bad, but trust me when I say I have worked my nuts of this week and got nowhere if anything its gone backwards.

Loud bang on Kate my Volvo as the shock absorber spring exploded. Kiss good bye to £168.00.  Next day double puncture on the front of the flyer, trying to jack the van on soft ground not good. Resulting in further expense.....  my trustee laptop (even as I type) is insistent it wants to go to the laptop graveyard.  My little camera I take fishing is dropped and is broken..  The list goes on but culminates in Friday night catching my private parts in my trouser zip.  To top it all the wife is mad, even though I took last weekend off  - the next two are fishing sat and Sunday.

So to match one an open on Milk house. different pegs to the previous one 10 days ago in which I came fourth behind some local legends.  This time around I was better prepared and drew peg 2.  Approached the match totally different and in a much more positive way.  The 2 and 3 quarter hour match was underway before I knew it and Alan Brown on peg 1 was quickly into fish.  Cloudier weather meant the gloom settled in quickly and I found it a little difficult to see the bristle float.

 Marc Kay on the next peg tried to talk me into going a quid, but after an expensive week and the luck I have had I declined.  Brian the shuttle bus Shutler was next along and struggling.  Frankly I didn't believe him as like a shuttle bus, Brian is sure to have another fish along in a minute.  Also like a bus, his fish do seem to come along in threes.

The evening whizzed by and before we knew it it was the all out. I knew Alan on the end peg on my right had done me but how about the others.  Well it seemed that lots were not going to weigh in as they all had a round 12 oz to a pound.  I thought I would weigh in as I had caught a few.

Gary the fish Etheridge had won by a mile as he found himself on bagful of hybrids, and with most other quality anglers DNW was I in the money?  The answer was no Kev the bread Chubb on the other end peg had done well again.  So for the second open match in a row I was 4th . Sod it.  Never mind don't sink any lower into depression.

A new day Dawns

So to Sunday.  It didn't seem as I had been asleep for 30 seconds when I was rudely awaken by British forces radio alarm.  Blearily eyed I stumbled down the stairs and with a pile of clothes under my arm. Into the kitchen where my bare foot was greeted by dog diarrhoea squeezing through my toes.

Wonderful, holding down the vomit I hobbled to the bathroom to shower my foot off.  My excitable but old dogs thought it was all great fun as they leapt around my ankles .  I grabbed them both by the scruff and deposited them outside whilst I cleaned up.  This put me a little behind but I got under way and was glad to get a space at the lake.

Would I draw up the CARP END, would I draw the golden peg  no to both.  Peg 8 was the GP and I drew 9 again!!!!!!! How many times have I drawn 9.  So many times I think I will get my mail redirected. Set up quickly and efficiently and was keen to get going.

The match plodded on and I didn't get a great deal. Mark Russ to my left was going ok and the GP looked under threat.  Simon too, to his left was doing well and the Shuttle Bus had lost two Carp in the first 30 minutes.

I was starting to drift into a black dog mood because I was still not getting any decent fish. The small stuff was coming and I had had four little yearling Carp which probably weighed a pound together. So hanging in there but my unlucky week continued.

The float dipped and I lifted but he elastic kept going , deep and strong. I gently guided the fish to the right of the Lillie's in front of me as I gently assuredly fed my pole behind me. In a flash the fish darted left and into the thicket of the Lillie's and no matter what I tried it wasn't coming out. Big fish 1 Gary nil.

What to do?

 Nothing was happening and banging tiny silvers was not cutting it.  So out came the sweetcorn and the method feeder. An arm wrenching wanger of bite saw me connected to the lakes only sub surface locomotive. Ten minutes later after the fish had visited the four points of the compass; been through swims both side of me under my keep nets under my platform, I slipped the net under it.  Bugger its to big.  Little bit of jiggory pokery saw me get two thirds of it in.  It was going to be squeaky bum time, but I had one chance to get this up and into my lap in one quick swoop.

I had one, a big fish and the joy was without measure.  I looked down on a fish that was going win me the match but also a cert new lake record mirror Carp. Somewhere between 18 and 20 lb. At last good luck.

Simon was starting to catch Carp and had three quick Carp in a row; and Mark was continuing to catch as was Chris Rushton a few to my right. Dependent on Simon's carp size I knew I had this in the bag.  At last!!!

I had the 4 little Carp and about 2.5 lb of silvers. So must be close to a twenty pound winning weight. So I decided with 20 minutes to go to flick out the method feeder and packed away my other kit.  Preparing the ground for a Carptastic photo and a bit of glory.

 2 minutes to go and the keep net bulged as the big fella was keen to get out and be photographed.

 Then the inexplicable happened the Carp leaped clear of the net and crashed down on the top ring just by where the quick release connector affixed the net to the tackle box.  The connector pinged and the net with Carp still in it dropped into the lake!!!!!!!!!!

Noooooooooooooooo

I was off my box in a flash ( so much so I stood on two top kits and crushed them) scrabbling frantically to grab the net before it sunk out of sight. I managed to get a finger tip grip on the second ring and slowly pulled up.

I have never lost my wallet but I would imagine its a similar feeling as you look into the net and all 5 carp had gone.

That was it.............. I flung the keep net up the bank along with the two broken kits and the worst case of foul mouthed touretts the world has ever witnessed spilt venomously from my mouth.
I was even angry that there wasn't more filthy foul mouthed expletives I could use.

Hell has no fury they say, but in that moment I would have frightened the devil himself.  Seconds later the all out was called and I was inconsolable.

My mood was thunder itself and everybody was giving me a very, very wide berth.  I packed away in black silence finding it hard to control my fury. To be honest I must be close to breaking because I just wanted to dive in the lake and not come up.

I know there are millions in the world who are suffering immeasurable pain and suffering and my worries cannot compare - but right now I would love to now where and when I have pissed God off?

Probably due to me and my temper the post match mood was subdued and the few juniors that had been watching circled nervously as I weighed in my silvers less the catty in the pic.

I must apologise now to my friends and in particular the juniors, I set a terrible example and for that I   am truly sorry.  That level of language and aggressive behavior is completely unacceptable.

I took a quick pic of the score sheet rammed my kit in the van and floored it in first and a second gear, so much so the van squealed in protest.  To top the day as I turned right into Shalcott blood flowed freely from my nostrils all over one of my favourite shirts.  May well have burst a blood vessel as well as my left eye was decidedly blood shot.

Thought I better calm down so I pulled over at the top of Pewsey Vale by the White Horse and got out of the van.  A concerned kissing cuddling couple, enquired into my health and offered a first aid box from their car for my still bleeding nose. 

I declined but thanked them.  I leaned on a galvanized 5 bar gate and looked over my beloved Wiltshire landscape.

" Do you know what" I said to myself if there is a hang mans rope up to the job of hanging an obese 50 year old there probably wouldn't be a tree calibrated for the task!!

The dark humour was to close for comfort, so I climbed back in the flyer and drove slowly home, contemplating next weekend , the Angling Times supercup and a club match at Ladies Bridge.

PS. Hope you enjoyed the read Frank, and and by the way the Lake Mirror record is 14 lb 12 oz and my fish was at least 18 lb.

Army 8 Spawny Withy

Last years AGM and group leader Kev East saw this fixture moved as previous years had seen the April match be held back by spawning fish.  So it was hoped this year would be better.  However nature conspired against and spawning was late this year and we managed by accident not design managed to match the hatch.

The lads looked delighted to be doing the draw.

Or perhaps its that embarrassing moment when they realised the guy in the middle is doing something with his left hand.

I drew the golden peg for Dave and an end peg for Mike.  A4 (Perm peg 7) for me.  Commonly known as cyanide straight the low numbers have an undeserved reputation as they can fish well.  I would have liked to be further on round.

 A featureless peg I hoped for a good day.  Needed to get through the next round of the commercial cup.  The good thing about the Army matches is the friendly banter; but that aside I wanted to catch a few today.

Set up and ready to go. I was into a munter first drop.  Pole at full length and 13 hollo elastic full out, the hook length parted about 3 pegs right by the tree in the pic you see above.  No bites for the next hour despite rotating through the options.  Then had three roach on the middle line how they got such big baits in their mouth was a mystery to me. Ten I had my first sandpaper rough skimmer.

Today was a long slog though and the guys either side of me (Daz and Tony) agreed we would rather be at work it really was that slow.

It seemed the Carp had followed the wind and it wasn't till you got up by peg 11, 13, 15 etc that the fish started to show.

I gave up on chasing the carp and tried for the silvers to at least get some team points. Although I did have two pups. The skimmers made up my weight.  I say weight lot of graft for some very skinny skimmers that were all spawned out.

So to the results.

A section Mid section blues for me despite the graft for the skimmers

B Section H Harris does me by 2 kilo and knocks me out of the cup

C Section inner snake

and the totals

Well done Arty B and well done to Dave Docs Docherty Sundays practise paid off with a win today.

Pewsey Open .........Evening all

A manic rush saw me race like hell to get out to Pewsey for a Open Match 5.30 pm.  Our Open match secretary doing a great job on the advertising and running of these events.  Unbeknown to him several of the lads that would have supported didn't attend as they were preparing for a jollee boys week in Ireland with the gambling, drinking and oh the the fishing that that incurs. So it left the numbers a little low on last time.  Nevertheless quality anglers were here to contest.

I hate rushing but it was a long walk to the end peg.  Yes you heard it right end peg me !!!!! wonders will never cease.

And what a swim.  You would find it hard to understand the joy in my heart when i tell what it looked like. A beautiful warm balmy summers evening a fly hatch hovering, features everywhere , reeds, dougals, shade, shallows and deep water. Fish actually rolling in the swim, a blissful wonderful fishing heaven.  

With Spanners on the other end peg and the Legend (James Carty) inside right. It was going to be tough. Especially right of James , Mike Marsden (on a run)Gary Williamson and the consistent Kev the Bread. Wasn't ready and still rushing when the all in was called. swung out the whip and caught my keep net. Trashed the rig so flicked out the reserve stand by whip .  Float cocked and slipped away immediately. Hybrid (2 lb ) crashed on surface and trashed rig as it ripped of the end of the flick tip.

Talk about unexpected but to normally its a couple of small roach in the net and the bigger stuff later further out.  James had gone across straight away in fact as far as I could see everyone had.

Its surprising when you are in a rush how you don't think logically.  I was approaching the match in team or championship frame of mind, points for the team or points for me.  Wrong everyone else was going for it big stuff not a small fish race.

The mind started to play tricks, James had had three (i think) bonus fish and was racing away from me.  Classic mistake started to chase instead of fish my own match.  Combination of rushing , chasing and falling between the two stools of big fish or getting small stuff, I was doing both badly.

John Dewberry came into my mind " oi do one thing right instead of 3 things badly" 

So I pinched a couple of nice roach across and settled down into a rhythm of small fish.  Hoping bonus fish would arrive.  As joyous as my swim looked. It was surprisingly devoid of fish; and the rhythm was couple of small fish gap of ten minutes before the next bite.  I was unable to see the others but felt I was fishing for second behind James.

Several friends came along and chatted in the pleasant evening sun. Eventually darkness began to fall and the 9 pm all out was called.  My net.

I hadn't done the end peg justice and a couple of lost bonus fish had cost me but we can all say that.  

Lessons learnt.  Well tonight it appeared the winners had fished heavier than me and gone for it, perhaps I should have used more robust kit.  Other thoughts if the biguns ain't there even the best like Mike for example cant catch enough small fish to compete.  

Therefore you have to take it on the chin or chins in my case; if you sit it out for the bigger ones and gamble it may not come off but in a short match you will not catch enough blades to compete.

So I am not gonna beat myself up.  I did ok , it was a lovely evening - bit rushed - but lovely.  Pewsey and the anglers that fish is and are great.

Well done to Kev the bread, bullied in the big stuff to win. James second. My mate Spanners takes a quid (actually its a pound from the Chris Rushton pile a carry with me) from me doing me by 8 ounces.

Me left 4th, looking perplexed as to why I am in the pic. James Carty, Kev the Bread and Spanners

Sorry Chris had to give one of your quids you'll have to win it back from him not me.