Summer League comes to a close in the wet

Odd start to the day , as I am normally up early and on my way.  Today however was the last round of the Wessex Summer League organised by Darren "Dazzer"Edgell; and what a great job he did "again" this year. Well that's if you can call it a summer, the weathers been particularly bad this year.  We met as normal at Chisenbury Garage and headed north to Horcott Lakes home of Lechlade Angling, adjacent to RAF Fairford.

The Boilie Queens had been asked to pack and clear from the venue by lunchtime, leaving us to fish into the evening before they back in and camping up again.  No pressure on this water then. First order of the day was the free BBQ.

  The vultures gathered and tucked into the the beers, sausages, chicken wings, ribs and Burgers all served up by the handsome (his words not mine) Alistair Foreshaw , the drizzle never dampened the spirits and much banter and abuse was thrown in all directions.

Got to say the cheese was that dubious sliced stuff that comes individually wrapped and without glasses it was bloody difficult to find an edge to peel and I almost whacked it on the burger plastic and all!  As good as the food was I wanted to draw and get going.  The Lake looked different from the practice trips and the gin clear or acid clear water of practice sessions had been replaced by a dirty almost algal bloom which in places looked phosphorescent.

Anglers started to drift from the free food ( a miracle in it self) and put their game faces on for the battle ahead.  Kit was kit and double checked, and as the rain became heavier; the draw was called.  Dazzer pulled us together and re-iterated the rules.  Including anything over 10 lb to be weighed in immediately and returned not retained; and in this lake it was a real possibility.  The Bream were there in numbers and if you hooked one under 8 lb you were unlucky with 12 to 14 lb the norm!!

Carp too were in abundance.  However with the massed weedy areas, you had to have the "knowledge" and find the cleaner gravel bars.  Even if you hooked one you then had to get it and the weed back to the bank.  So the one only decision was do you sit it out for the big Tench, Bream and Carp or do you get something in the net.  Even one 1 oz Rudd is good section points if there are Blankers around you and after all its a team event so team points count.

With Chris in Ireland fishing one of the big comps, Chas Short very kindly filled in for him.  The names and money went in and the draw began.  I ended up with D4 middle of the section and permanent peg 13.  Not my first choice and not an area I could win from.  Good anglers either side me in Brian Jackson(left) and Lee Pollard (right and Lechlade Venue expert) with Paul Rice down the bank as well , gonna be tough.

I waded out and planted the platform, and looked enviously back across the lake at 10 o'clock to see Dazzer and a few others setting up in the favoured Car Park swims.  I thought its only 3 weeks ago I had had 38 lb of Rudd on the waggler next to the white toilet hut.  Still I would continue with the plan of getting team points we had to beat Swindon and Lechlade to win it.  Fish in the net and section points over Big fish and personal glory.

After plumbing around in a 50 square yard grid it was clear it was very shallow (tops was 4 feet) and chocked with Canadian pond weed etc.  Nevertheless I set up a heavy tip rod to fish a bag and pop up sweetcorn.  A second tip rod with a cage feeder and a helicoptored pop up barrel pellet, a 4 meter whip to hand and a 13 foot soft spliced tip waggler.  Half an hour to go, set up ready I went for pre match adrenaline piss.  Walked around to Leo on the point(peg 38) favoured by the Carpers, we had a chat re his options.  Before I knew it I was on my way back gulp of drink and pack of Maltesers and ready for the all in hooter.

The hooter blasted and I thought I would send the bag rig into where the weed was " thinnest" at 30 yards.  Whilst I began to ping caster and bronze maggot 20 yards for the Rudd.  Pulled the catapult back and the elastic snapped sending the maggots everywhere just in front of me.  The wind and rain blew most of the dust and a few of the maggots straight back at me leaving me looking like the proverbial yellow Chinese man.  After getting a new catapult out of the bag, I looked left and right I noticed both left and right to note Lee and Brian already on the whip and catching.

I thought Tiny fish close would be a back up and after 20 minutes and nothing in the net, the bag rig was reeled in and out came the 13 foot Ian Heaps Silstar rod and although 30 years old its beautiful soft tippy action sent the waggler straight into the baited area with the ease of a something that was meant to be.  Before I could sink the tip and turn the handle on the ABU 506 it was away and a 3 oz fish came to hand. Bit small, but hey they can only get bigger.  Wrong!  The fish were if anything smaller.  Feed rate, colour of bait, caster or maggot, sweet corn or flake nothing doing.

Stop think.  As much as I was enjoying the joy of waggler fishing, if the bigger fish are not there then might as well come in on the whip and grind it out.  It would be quicker.

Two and Half hours in Lee launched a bag rig into the next county ( well a good 65 yards).  Why so far I asked?  Its the only clean spot he said and with that struck into a heavy fish.  Bugger, I was just thinking I was catching up and now after a 10 minute fight Lee landed a big fish and called for the bank runners to come and weigh.  After removing the weed it came in at 8 lb 12 oz.

Another bag and pop up to the horizon and conversation began about his knowledge of the lake.  Well he knew every swim and was confident another fish would fall.  The anglers in our section panicked somewhat and out came the big guns and the feeders , bombs and bait bags landed a fire storm on a grid far and wide.

What to do?  Do I join them?  I am catching fish but there so tiny?  It was gamble, could get the section by default and good points, especially as the others were not guaranteed to catch, Carp , Tench or Bream.  The Devil in me lapsed into personal glory territory for a moment and I joined them on the horizon.  After what seemed like an eternity (actually 10 minutes) the argument between the devil saying personal glory, and the angel saying, think of your team - its team points that count you are mad to come off feeding fish even if they are small.

It was no good , I reeled in and got the waggler out again.  The lack of feed meant the Rudd small as they were had gone , so back inside where I had been flicking maggot.  Straight away they were there boiling on the top.  I was just saying to Lee  - "are there any Perch in.........he....re"! and the whip was almost wrenched out of my hand and a double figure pike was airbourne and tail walking in front of me. Kin hell I exclaimed not knowing if I should enjoy the vision of nature so close; or be in dismay at the smashed two sections of whip that lay drooping limply before me.

The Pike continued to plague me all day, I shouldn't be surprised they have plagued my swims all season.  In fact people are surprised if I don't hook one.  The match ground on, you could see people were struggling with the same mind games that I was big fish glory or team points.

The dusk came early courtesy of the rain and dark clouds , Bi-planes from RAF Fairford flew a low sorty over us, trying to convince us the RAF are still well funded by the government; and the clock ticked down to the end of the Summer league.

Lee added a 4 lb plus Carp.  I wont catch him now, not that the tiny fish I was getting would ever get even close.

The fish became finicky and far too many flicked off the barbless tubertini hooks as I tried to get them in faster and faster.  I hit on a rythm of watching the float disappear and counting to one, to be sure the fish had it in their mouth before lifting and swinging in. That seemed to work

The hooter blasted, Leo shouted fish on.  After 5 minutes he called out to ask how long he had to get it in.  Local rules stated 15 minutes but as he was Pewsey I said he could have half an hour!  Five minutes later he slipped his net under it.

Paul Rice to weigh first and 2 lb 1 was his number followed by a DNW.  Lee next and his two Carp + 1 lb of bits gave him 15 lb. As I thought fishing for second in section.  So to me and I weighed in 380 fish for a total of 5 lb 13 and half ounces.

Brian next and just 10 ounces for this good competitor who admitted he had chased the big ones to no avail.  On around to John Williams (ISIS) and after all had weighed John was 7th me second section by default. Good news picked up 5 points on Swindon ISIS, Lechlade were neck and neck with us going in and Lee on his home water had gained a point on me.  Wonder how the others had got on.  Both Chas and Steve Dean had not disgraced themselves in tough sections.  Down to my pairs partner Steve Trevett.  His section had been a disaster.  Leo had won it with his whistle Carp added to a pound and half of bits.  Swindon had blanked "Yes get in" ............. down to Trevett and Doug Foreshaw Lechalde.  Amazingly Steve had also blanked "oh no".................... and Dougy well he got section by default after an argument. Somebody else had an half ounce fish and Dougy was convinced his was a whole ounce!!!!.  He won the day.

It was back to the Bull hotel in Fairford for the prizes and a pint.

First order of the day was take the pound back of Spanners from last week .........told him it wasn't his and I would have it back.

Then for the results.  Controversially (at least I thought so) Pewsey and Swindon were tied for second.  That was until it was announced that on accrued points over the competition.  We thought it was on weight but that was dismissed.  Not to worry it was all taken in the spirit of friendliness that this competition is based on.  What it meant was the worthy winners were the excellent Lechlade and Clanfield A.  Photo below has a shadow bottom right.  Didnt notice it on the night, but now think its Pete Gilberts deathly shadow coming to contest the result ha ha ha.

Well done lads 3 section wins on your water well worthy of the title.  How different it could have been Doug and Steve T were head to head for the individual title before the match.  What a one ounce fish can do in match fishing!!! That one ounce fish was all Steve needed, and come to that the avoidance of a blank could have given us the title as well.  Still no reproach from me, Steve's results up to the last match had put us there.

Still some comfort for him in joining me for picking up the top Pairs Title. Added to that my section by default meant an even more profitable day for me in the cash stakes.

  Well done especially to Dazzer but to everyone it was enjoyable company.

The Final table.

See you next week

Pewsey August Cut match

Tea and toast downed I climbed into the flyer and headed north.  Racing against the black clouds I met the lads  gathering in Wilcot Rd for the draw.

 The rain looked as if it might hold off at least until the draw and may be even giving us time to set up; but it was really black over Wills mothers.

An array of superstars on show today it would be a good contest.  All of the guys were hoping for the favoured swims 1 to 4 up by the bridge.  As there was not enough anglers to get down as far as the Iron bridge, the opposite end was not as attractive. As I had taken a pound of Spanners in the last canal match I was up for doubling my money and went another.

So to the draw, it would be handy if the Championship leaders Simon B and Brian Shutler drew badly for a change ; but would you credit it they drew favoured pegs 1 and 2 respectively.  With Mike Marsden and Kev Chubb getting 3 and 4.  I was demoralised before even starting.

Still never mind , head down suck it up Princess and do the best you can.

Got to my peg number 12 Paul Matrix Giddings on my right and Spanners on my left with Mark Russ taking other end peg.  First thing I did was slide in massive dog turd.  Whatever did that would need to be sewn up afterwards I am sure.

I had a boat to my right and decided to fish bread on the whip against that.  A track swim left with worm and right with maggot / pinkie.  Finally a 2 foot deep swim across.  So got the whip out of the bag and promptly snapped the very thin flick tip.  Its going well - not!

Managed to get set up before the rain started and had my pre-match pee, before the all in was called.  Spanners was in straight away and didn't stop all day.  With two early bonus fish he was already streets ahead.  PG to my right was flashing the net in and out so he was going well, and Mark was catching on the end peg.

The rain was relentless and I had that miserable situation where the rain had driven through my sensas covered side tray.  The bread was sopping, pinkies and maggots crawling everywhere.  I had a couple of "punch" fish against the boat but that was it and it was a case of rotating around the swims catching two or three squat fish bigger baits like caster or worm were tugged around by tiny gudgeon.

Still the rain poured , but there was a little brightness on the horizon and the boats took advantage and started to move...   One particularly large boat chugged through and churned it up. I flicked a rig in the swirling water and picked up a 6 oz roach hybrid.  Then no more from that line.

The sun was out and Spanners was bagging and I was sure he had more than the 2.5 lb he was admitting to.  PG had two skimmers he said as he arrived behind my peg. Allowing the three boats to come through in quick succession.  Mark lost a reasonable Perch at the net and the match moved rapidly to a close.

The sun shone briefly as the match ended with both Spanners and I catching a 3 ouncer on the whistle.  I had 64 fish for I guessed 2 lb, mostly tiny gudgeon and I reckon Spanners had three plus.  It all depended on whether PG was fibbing about his bonus fish. It would be close between Mark and I.  Wonder how the leaders had done on the flying pegs.

Lots of fish for me but no weight.  The 6 ounce hybrid dwarfing the squat fish.

 I was reasonably happy and resigned to the fact that I will have lost ground in the Championship, however a days fishing is better that work and sitting watching telly at home.

The heavens opened again as we packed away, and a wet bunch of reasonably happy anglers slipped back to their vehicles and headed home.  I managed to get a piccy of the score sheet and as expected the lower numbers had done well.  Put good anglers on good pegs and you will have to go some to beat them.

Well done to the top four , Kev the Bread winning, Spanners for his bagging session, in which he took the quid back of me.  Brian and Simon did waste their pegs and Mike gave them a run.

Nic Worters ground out another result and picked a point up on me.  Chas too had a nice Perch by all accounts.

Next week last round of the Wx Summer League at Horcott Lakes.

Hope you all had a good day and see you next week.

Magic Mike or at least his twin

It was an unusual start to my Birthday as I would normally go fishing on my own and to somewhere I had never been before.  Partly true as I had never fished the Bristol Avon at Tithe Barn Bradford on Avon.  It was the inaugural 100 pegger organised by Airsprung Angling and Wests Tackle

Earlyish start and whizzed across the Salisbury Plain.  The straw faggots standing sentry like on the newly Harvested fields were enjoying the drying August sun.

After an hour of blissfully clear roads I was at the Kings Arms some of the lads were already elbow deep in a huge fry up and I booked in with Bill, Hippy and the boys.

Well done to the organisers corralling that amount of anglers was like herding cats but before we knew it we convoy bound for Bradford on Avon over the bridge at Staverton and on we went in a rush to get a limited parking space as close to the river as possible.  Chris the pony Rushton had once again bleeted he never draws end pegs ( Pinnochio nose) and had pulled out peg 1!!!!  Oh to draw like him.

I was peg 26 which was apparently a good peg.  Mike told me the Bream occasionally came this far up as he went on down into the 30's.  Several people said I had a good Bream peg and having never fished the stretch before I had to believe them.

Unfortunately I had a tree in the water right in front of me which would make landing fish interesting.  But in general it was 10 to 12 feet deep and not moving.  I had brought everything with me and a variety of bait; but increasingly it looked like a "ball in " job and feeder over it.

The match began and I tried the "bolo" to start in the hope the 5 gram would pull through but to no avail.  I gave that up as a bad job, by which time most had filled it in and as the ripples settled their feeders , clipped up, landed in synchronised artillery fashion.

I did waste three fruitless hours trying to emulate the guys below me; but my tip remained steadfastly still.  I was panicking a little nothing in the net.  So out came the pole and in went the bait dropper hemp and choppy.  The rigs was placed above the hempy oil slick and several minnows and bleak followed.  21 minnows later I had, had enough of that got out the acolyte 14 footer and pinged a waggler two thirds away across to the only minuscule flow I had.  Bronze maggot hit the water and slid away and a Roach came to hand, followed by two tiny 50 p skimmers and another Roach.  I fired a pouch of mixed caster and bronze , buried a hook in a caster and pinged it out again.  But that was it no more fish.  20 trots through changing depths and shotting patterns saw me settle on near the bottom as two Perch came to hand.  However after a blank 30 minutes I was back on the feeder.  The guys below me had around a pound like me with an hour to go.  So I wasn't the only man struggling. I couldn't see up stream but bank walkers said others were struggling except a few in the higher pegs who had Bream/

I really hoped it was one of our guys.

45 Minutes to go and the guy 2 pegs down had a Bream and a proper one at 8.5 lb.  Followed by another, so with his near pound of bits had 11.5 lb, The Bath angler below me lost an eel of around a pound, but had a couple of bonus roach under his rod tip in the last 10 minutes.

Me I weighed a paltry 1 lb 10 oz as the fabled Bream didn't show.  Put this down to experience and I would fish it differently next time.  Too many Bleak and Minnows its all very well seeing the float dip but there is no weight to tiny fish.

So back down the road to the Kings Arms and everyone is patting Magic Mike on the back, for getting 9 Bream for 40 lb 8 oz and winning the match.  Some say he is not quite Magic Mike (Channing Tatum) but I don't know could be a twin.

Mike wins the Gold medal and poses  (Middle) with the silver and Bronze medal winners.

And thanks to Miles winning weights backed by good weights from others ( not me) in the Team Pewsey win the match.  Mike rightly accepts the trophy and the lads join him for a winning team photo.  Thanks guys a nice Birthday present for me to be part of the winning side.

Big thanks to Andy Fox etc and to all the organisers a long but enjoyable day.

See you next week

Pewsey Lake - The Harvest sun shines on my little Pony.

The Championship chase resumed for a few at Pewsey today and with the weather ahead for the week looking unsettled I too was fidgety partly wanting to practise Barton Farm ahead of next weeks 100 pegger, and also not wanting Simon and Brian to stretch to an unassailable lead in our club Champs.

The August Harvest sun shone on the Pewsey Vale and the musty smell of harvested crops filled the otherwise perfect air of a Wiltshire sky.

The farmers in a rush against the inevitable unstoppable rhythms of nature.  Not quiet making hay as the sun shone but close enough. The juxtaposition of course was the rest of us also willing those same rhythms of nature to slow whilst we completed an exercise in stillness at the lakeside.

Well not quiet stillness but certainly a gentle less hurried pace, as float would dip and we would pull from the volume of water in front of us a fish to gaze in wonder and awe at what we had caught.

Some of you may have read in these pages before my wonderment at fishing.  Still after all this time my joy and expectation at what would be witnessed waterside.  As said before the weightless buoyancy of water can produce extraordinarily large specimens of species.  When the average Roach is 6 to 8 ounces to catch a 4 pound fish is possible.  Equate that to land based animals average elephant 15,000 lb. Same equation imagine an elephant 5 times as big 120,000!!  Just not possible.

Still not a day for wonderment, or maybe it is as the only poem from my English O level I can recall comes to mind.

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare. 

William Henry Davies

Enjoying the slower pace of life other road users let the warm gentle breeze of an August morn ruffle their hair as they ignored the rattle and hum of the internal combustion engine.  I love this, and struggle to absorb moments like this more often. In fact the penultimate lines (italics) of the poem above gave me a longing for my wife as the words of that verse always remind me of her, and I almost turned around and went home to spend the day with her.  

But that would be soft, wouldn't it?

Seeing the Pony, brought me back to life with a bump from poetry romance as I couldn't help but think of our very own "my little pony" Chris Rushton  - oh god take the bad mans image away.   

But sure enough Chris and all the others were there to greet me as I rolled in on time but later than normal. Music drifted from the speakers.  Ram Jam and Black Betty was giving way to Peter Green and Black Magic woman; and it would have been nice to kick back and let the vibes wash over me.

Right , concentrate.  Get your best drawing hand on and see if you can draw a peg at the Carp end of the lake. Hand in , prayer to gods and.................... Peg 4!!! Really, just about as far away as possible from the fish as possible. The Pony , well as normal end peg 3!! 

The handsome and talented Mark Russ on the other side of me drilled home there are no easy draws, so suck it up princess.  The club champ points looked good for Championship leader Simon Burden, flying Peg 12 and the man of the moment Brian Shutler on 11.  Oh dear god I have upset you haven't I.

Mark hiding amongst the purple loosetrife and nettles.

Still give members their due, they recognised a long time ago the unfair nature of the lake in its delivery of fish and dwindling attendance resulted in changing the points system from 15 points for a win to 8 points for a section win.  Something I found hard to come to terms with but as I haven't drawn that end of the lake in 15 months I am glad of it now.

In essence it breaks it down to two matches those after the money and those after a few  champ points in each section.  So lets get to it. First mistake no worm. Second mistake left stots and stot clamp in the rig room at home.  Never mind get to it.

The whistle goes and before I can finish baiting up Mark is in on my right and Chris is being towed around the lake by a large Carp.  Yes Carp. After 10 minutes his rig parted company and I tried to show empathy saying "oh what a shame mate" but to be honest it didn't come out sincerely as I couldn't contain my joy.

Despite the obvious horse jokes like "why the long face" He got the bit between his teeth (another horse gag)  and give the Pony his due though, head down and straight back into Skimmer, Perch and sure enough on a day without worm. Worm was doing the business for him at least.

Funny girly yelp from Mark on my right as the top 4 sections of his pole parted company as he drew his fish in.  Jammy git got his kit and the fish back though. Me I would have said goodbye to my kit and the fish.  

After watching Chris hang a waggler or feeder or two in the bushes and get them back I couldn't help but pile on the abuse.  It did me no good though as I too eventually lost 2 floats chasing those tight to the bank Chubb and Carp.  Mark too, hung up his feeder trying to do the same.  As did Jimmy,Gary and several others in the first section lower pegs.  We were of course chasing those in Carp heaven at the other end who were no bagging regularly.

Chris now also lost his top kit trying to pull in a fish, but my laughter at these Key Stone Cop antics was short lived as he too got it back and he too also got his fish.  These guys must have done a deal with the Devil.

Mark and I went through a very dry period of 1.5 hours as Chris kept them coming. Jimmy, Steve, and Roly were netting small skimmers but at least catching. I scaled down to a 24 and chased squat fish three to an ounce just to keep something going in the net and by the time of the all out I was worried that I had been pummeled and had lost ground in the points war.

My nets looked scant.

Would my little Crucian and little stockies make a difference we will see.

 Packed away and went to witness the heavy weights of the far end.  Neil Pegrum was not weighing in having been battered but Nic Worters was the man to beat for the second Lake match in a row drawing well and weighing in 18 lb +. 

Will Tapper had his inevitable meat fed Carp, and then it was Championship leader Simon on the flying Pipe peg 12. Two of his fish below from several weighs that gave him 54 lb +

Next Brian Shutler and he to hauled out 22 lb + of Carp and some silvers to go with it for second place so far.  

Into our section and Martin starting it off, he had at least hooked and lost 3 Carp and weighed a bag of tiddlers for 14 ounces.

Then Gary P and Jim and the weights creeping up a bit to 1 lb +, and on to Steve Hiscock bucking the trend with 2 lb and 1 and half ounce., Roly also weighed in 1 lb 14.5 oz.  Now Mark and he had a little less than Roly and now me I was a little worried nothing less than 7 points for second would make me happy.

Phew my nets crept up to 2 lb 10.5 ounces. Just leaving Chris.  He weighed in 4 lb +.  He could have doubled that on the whip he had so many in front of him and he admitted to me he had fished it wrong as he took a quid of me.  Its 6 months since he took a quid from me so fair play enjoy your moment and keep it warm I will take it back.

Its a bitter sweet feeling at these matches. Simon, maintains his lead with 8 points for a section win and Brian 7 points second in section.  Chris picks up a point on me with 8 and I match Brian being second in my section with 7.  If you can get over having an ice cubes chance in hell of getting money if you draw in section one, then the points can soften the blow.

As you have probably gathered I have a new camera as the last one went to the bottom of the canal; and on that subject you will imagine I don't think anyone will ever let me forget it.  Even the picture above shows a life bouy on the right.  Chris said it was no good though as I was too fat to fit in it; but as I said his mouth is so big at least he could swallow it!

New Camera but same faces Nic left, Brian middle and Simon right.

As I type Ella Fitzgerald is lulling me into a happy mood with Sam Cookes Summertime . " 

" It's summertime and the living is easy

Fish are jumping and the cotton is high

Your daddy's rich and your mama's good looking....................."

The Sun is setting like molasses in the sky, as it fights the incoming cloud that heralds the changeable weather of tomorrow and Monday morning blues.

See you next week at Barton Farm.................... and Airsprung Angling.

My Pleasure - a Ruddy red letter day

Met Chas at Esso Chisenbury and we headed north to Fairford Gloucestershire and Horcott Lakes.  We have a summer league final round on the August Bank Holiday.  Having never been there before need to scope the place and perhaps give it a few hours.

It turns out it is very similar to avenue we have used before  - the Carp societies lake at Lechlade.  It is a very big gravel pit with very clear water and masses of weed.  The place was crawling with boilie queens washing up after their morning fry up.  Some were friendly enough to pass on info on the venue, and we soon formed an Carpers opinion as to the best swims.

From a Carpers point of view the Tench and the Bream seemed to be a nuisance, but by all accounts if you had a Bream under 10 lb then you were unlucky.  Equally bags of Tench to over a 100 lb were quite possible.  It seemed spodding masses of hemp and corn over known gravel bars was the only real chance of catching anything.

Of course the Boilie queens didn't have much info on anything else.  One very nice chap (turned out to be bailiff) separated us from our day ticket money and realising what we were after explained a match man had caught a lot of Rudd earlier in the week. So Chas and I chose the same area and settled in.  Choosing different methods we set about our research

Before long we were both experiencing similar problems in heavy silk and Canadian pond-weed. So set about finding a way around with different tactics and different baits.  I soon started catching and was pleasantly surprised at the quality and regularity of Rudd and Roach that came my way.  The clear water in front of me was a mass of minnow sized fry.  As Chas said handful of bait wait and scoop with a large net and you could potentially catch a pound of fry every-time.

Not sure that's cohsure so we stuck to normal methods and before long I was one a chuck.  Chas was going well and had also had a lovely big Perch.  A one point I was taking 5 seconds from the float hitting the water to it disappearing and reeling in a lovely Rudd or Roach.  Quite a few of the Summer League lads turned up to practise, and it was clear that local knowledge will be an asset come the match.

They sat and watched as I bagged the fish then the lure of doing the same themselves pulled them away.  And so it was the day was punctuated by flotillas of pristine white swans and golden fish.  We had started at 9.30 and by 12 the fish every 15 seconds had slowed to one every 5 minutes and by one o'clock one every 20 minutes.

A change of tactic was required.  I duly obliged and after half an hour was bagging again this time some real clonkers.  It truly was developing into a red letter day.

I have in my time caught specimens of many fish.  A 26 lb Carp a 10 lb 12 oz Barbel, a 3 lb 3 oz Perch. A 29 lb 10 oz Pike, 5 lb Eel and Three Roach over 2 lb ( 2.1 2.3 2.4)but I have never caught a Rudd of 2 lb or more 1 lb 14 oz being my best.

Although I didn't today there is a real chance this place would produce one.  Typical though I had no phone or camera today to take Piccies, but Dazzer got a pick of me catching Rudd he had missed my best fish of the day which was on my digital scales 1 lb 12 oz. 2 ounces of my PB.  In fact by the end of the session at 2.30 I had had 13 fish well over a pound and at least half of them were pound and half.

All in all 237 fish for around 35 lb. Excluding the only Tench of the day (the only lost fish of the day) which shed its hook at the sight of the landing net.  That 3 to 4 lb fish would have topped the day but I wasn't angry.  Today was red letter day that doesn't happen very often

Thank you God

Back to Pewsey Lake next week for another round in the club Championship.  Thanks to  Google for the image of one of Gods greatest creations.