The poker game was started last week when I received a letter from Angling times stating the Angling Times Bait Tech Semi final would be on Saturday 25th July!! Oh shit that gives us no time to practice. With two Club Championship matches between now and then, one on the lake and one on the canal. I know the wife will be loathe to wear me going Saturdays as well as Sundays and time of work is difficult at the mo, slightly down on staff. I will get a match in at viaduct just before gold valley and the fishing is similar just have to hope that's enough unless something crops up.
Anyway the stand off, it was really about ditching the chance of Championship points and practicing. Leo was going to gold and Brian was fishing to see if I was going. I knew both Brian and Simon and many of the others would take advantage to gain points on me if I went to Gold. So do I put team angling first or myself. It was tough but I do lots for the team and on this occasion I decided unusually to put myself first - and fish for points.
Hope it pays off. We will see at the draw. If I don't get a double figure peg I will immediately wish I had gone to Gold. Haven't heard from Brian well see if hes here today. If so I hope he doesn't repeat last week and do this.
So it was apt that the accompanying vibes for this weeks trip were Pink Floyd and "Wish you were here" the question being asked "did they get you to trade your heroes for Ghosts, hot ashes for trees, hot air for a cool breeze, cold comfort for change, did you exchange a walk on part in the war for the lead role in a cage".. Whatever my decision I knew others would say wish you were there and not here.
Brian its seems had gone with Leo and Steve D to Gold. Surprisingly Chris Rushton hadn't joined them and was waiting to draw,. Still plenty of talent to beat, Simon, Nic, Mark Russ, the ever framing Will at Lake matches. It ain't gonna be easy, any one of these guys could win here it just means catching carp.
The all important draw and would I get nine again? Well I hope so, as this week 9 is the golden peg, and knowing where the Carp are now in this peg it would be good to draw it. It would also be good to draw the other end.
Once again neither occurred I got peg 7 and Will got the golden 9. If Will gets even a few Carp its curtains for the Golden Peg.
First mistake that I made was cleaning my kit up yesterday and forgetting to put the cup from my cupping kit in. Damn it. No precise baiting today. Have to throw it or catapult it in , no good trickling its too deep and it would be intercepted on the way down.
So to the match Chris end peg on my left Simon on my right then Will and Martin for our section. The happy people walked on by to the end of the lake and Carp Heaven.
All in saw me ball in two lines and then go across on the wag to fish far edge in the hope of mugging a Carp or Chubb. 30 minutes and 3 roach I came back over the baited lines and started to grind it out. Chris and I were fish for fish for quite a while until he had two big skimmers. Simon on the meantime was bouncing the method feeder of the far bank and getting two smallish Carp. Will in the meantime had lost a huge fish ( possibly the fish that jumped out of my net a month ago) and three others.
I wasn't liking it all, small fish were the staple run of fish. Needed a break and got it a lovely Perch.
About a pound and a bit, need a few more. Simon in the meantime was keeping it simple and banging the method in and it resulted in a gorgeous Common Carp, possibly big enough to threaten the club record Common which is 9 lb 2 oz. Will had landed a couple of pups, and lost a few more.
It seems that the normally low match weights of ounces, or 2 lb to win the section was not gonna be enough today. I wasn't gonna catch Simon and Will was Prime for second in section, so I had to get another decent fish to catch Chris. I couldn't see Martin but he seemed quite.
The float dipped and wiggled then lifted a clear 3 inches out of the water and I lifted into a solid fish, The elastic was tested as a nice Bream kited left and right. Thank fully the hook held and only popped out as the net slid under it.
Huge sigh of relief as I felt I was now tied tied for third in section. Chris redoubled his efforts and Simon had another. Ding dong battle this one. I had run out of ground bait so had returned to my trolley for some micro feed pellet.. The fish were having it so I thought why not. With half an hour to go I pinged the method out and threw in three orange size balls of pellet on the main line.
It started fizz within 15 minutes , but with only 15 mins to go, I was running out of time. I could feel it in my gut the fish were having it and possibly a shoal of skimmers was on the feed. Needed another hours but as the clock ticked down I couldn't get through the roach at mid depth. Even switching to a heaver olivette rig and trying to smash through to the bottom, I still caught roach.
And on the whistle the swim erupted like a jacuzzi , oh how frustrating.
So to the weigh in.
Steve H had a few tiddlers but was Carp free on 15, Roly had a pound of bits topped up with 9 lb of Carp. Well there was no chance for me. Especially when Nic pulled out 17 and half pounds plus his pound of bits. Jimmy Broomham couldn't Match it neither could the inform Mark Russ.
Martin next and the kerfuffle with Will losing Carp had affected his swim.
Now to section 1. Will first and his lost fish costing him leaving him 8 lb 2 oz. Simon next and his common came so close to the 9 lb 2 oz as it weighed in at 8 lb 15 oz. Close but no Cigar , but add to his other Carp and he had an impressive 26 lb 13 oz, and 8 points. Now for Chris and I and its tight but I pip him on silvers and baby Carp. I tie with Will and pick up 7 points - not bad. More good news in that Simon and Roly didn't go in Super pools, so I picked up silvers pay packet and second by default shared with Will in super pools. Result.
To the winning photograph, well done to all see you next week back on the cut.
PS wonder how Gold Valley was???
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