mid section blues: 2015 Blogscars aka Fishing Oscars

First sorry to those avid readers for not posting a blog last weekend. I have taken on board complaints and well all I can only say is the black dog had a grip and I couldn’t be arsed. To note, I did fish Sunday and ended a run of poor results by framing – and miracle upon miracle caught a Carp. No match this weekend so I shall be piking on my lonesome, just as well the black mood I’m in at the moment. This blog however is a big end of year traditional award and comment type.

So grab your glass of Port snuggle down in front of the log fire with a bowl of Phileous Fogg American style Cheese bubble chips or mince pies; and be prepared to laugh or go to sleep. Odds on the sleep will win lol.

Well, has it really been another year since the last round of deserved and some would say un-deserved blogscars? I thought I would go back to the very beginning and note the changes to my original reasoning for doing a blog and how it has developed to over 51 thousand views to date. Thank you to my family for not reading but clicking on the view tab for 95% of that 50 Grand.

In the beginning the intention was to provide myself with a sort of electronic diary as issues with memory had meant, I was forgetting where and how I had fished. To that end it’s proved most useful, in that memory has only become worse and recent neurological events have only compounded the issue. It was also meant not to be too technical (not a problem I hear you say – Gary, you know rock all anyhow) ; concentrating more on the ups and downs, the funny stories, the funny people and the banter that surrounds this sport we do.

I quickly realised though if I was not to cause discord or bad feeling you have to strike a balance between being an orator of personal feelings (telling the truth as I see it) and being gracious to those who far too often make specious comment about me. Needless to say there are always to sides to any story.

I take comfort in the fact that there is some scientific evidence that we all respond naturally to what I call a gut feeling of who means us well and who is out to make our lives a misery.

Bear with me whilst I expand on the science. The gut feeling I refer to manifests itself as something akin to a radio frequency. If you share a similar frequency and generally we interpret this on meeting someone new, pretty quickly, as a feeling that – yes I will get along with this bloke/ woman. If the frequency is wildly different then the likelihood is you will naturally distance yourself from the person. Coincidentally top sportsmen have been found to have almost identical frequencies at the point of “single mindedness” that takes them over that winning line.

As always there is other base line data you have to include for consideration - that of the love hate relationship and the relationship that builds over time based on a balancing of frequencies. The biggest problem of all is the sharpness of the brain. In the case of a thick Wiltshire bloke like me, I take a while to recognise the signs (frequency) couple this with an inbuilt need to see the best in others it takes a while to sink in.

Politeness too is an issue. How many of us actually say what we think – with no fear or care for upsetting the recipient? Or do we say out of politeness “life is too short” or “let sleeping dogs alone” for want of an easier life?

Where is this bullshit going I hear you say? Well it is the basis for what can be a good past year or indeed one you wish to forget!

On the year to forget front, it’s been an absolute mare of a year at the draw bag. I am absolutely convinced that my triumphant of Angling Gods (the deceased I Marks / K Ashurst / Kim Milson) are testing me as only Job (old testament James 5:11) was tested.

I was disappointed to see a lot of hard work not come to fruition with the PMG Match group; where despite some notable success as a team and some great individual performances. The lure of being sponsored and fishing with the Gods proved too much of a draw. I hope that one day the camaraderie and friendship at the core of Pewsey club will bring you home where you will always be welcome. If not, then please be true to your new sponsored outfit give it your all in good times and bad, turn out , grind it out, support your mates on the bank, and I am sure after more losses than expected one day the winning sun will shine on the podium you mount.

On the year to remember front it has been mostly good for me. Despite a poor run in the autumn where I have felt very sorry for myself. My fishing has improved. I have had more “pick-ups” than ever before. I have consolidated second and third places in various comps and leagues but couldn’t quite win em. I have caught some lovely bags of fish.

I have enjoyed my never ending tussle to beat my friends, and behind the scenes; I have received more genuine and generous comments about my improved angling / consistency than ever before.

It’s always nice to receive those comments’. Especially from those who, I respect and admire – proper fishermen not wannebes. Those who have been there and done it. In some cases still adding to massive well respected Angling CV’s.

………………………………………………………………………

So then to the awards. Here is where I will be accused again of being a sycophant. Not true it’s genuine, perhaps a bit gushy at times; but let’s lay that other ghost to rest. It may be Wiltshire (Marc Kay, Si Irwin, and Chris Glover) but this is no inbred “bromance”. It is my personal recognition of the blokes who I admire make me smile and laugh out loud and who are generous to a fault with their advice.

Canal Angler of the Year. An odd one this as some would say where is he in the league? But you have to look farther than that. It’s consistency. It’s the ability to regularly beat the best and the gods of the towpath week in and week out. He is the back bone of the teams that do well. It’s his points that win teams leagues.Ian Spanners Spanswick

Draw bag of the Year. This one is a tie. I know I hear you all say you still got to catch em, but I maintain if you draw well and on fish you are more than halfway there. Luck or not good angler on good peg means game over. Simon Burden and Brian Shutler. Left and Center

Match Organiser of the Year. Another tie. Can’t get a fag paper between them. Firstly Kev “the Bread” Chubb. Chubby as you all know is the Pewsey Open Match Secretary and his organisational skills and enthusiasm have spawned some lovely matches this past year especially the evening series. Little moan here though. It does break my heart to see Kev and other match organisers of the past such as James Carty doing all the hard work and being rewarded with small turn outs. Don’t come moaning in the future when you have no match to turn out to. Tied with Kev is the wonderful Daz “Dazzer” Edgell. Daz has again this year taken the Wx Summer league and smashed it. Wildly different venues testing all styles of angling merged with fun and frivolity, BBQs and banter. Well done both. KC forefront on left Daz on right

Team of the Year. Sorry Pewsey boys especially Pewsey Red who in both summer and winter. Put up spirited no moans angling being short of a full team for nearly all the matches. You come a close second to the wonderful Clanfield Lads.

Pair of the year. Okay steady on with the scrotum comments. Because it’s my friend Steve Trevett and I. Consistency in the summer league saw us take the prize.

Bag of the year. Trevetts 10lb of Bleak from a summer River Avon in Chippenham, Graham Godwin’s 39lb from Radcot River Thames. Mike Marsden 40 lb. at Bradford on Avon all very worthy contenders. However, selfishly I award myself and award for 353 of whip fish in the summer league Horcott lakes;

and the top award goers to Brian Shutler for his stunning 74 lb. 11 oz. of Bream during a club match on the canal at Ladies Bridge.

Lowest moment of the year. Despite falling in at Bowden’s and almost drowning (kid you not drama queen) it has to be catching a Lake record Carp and with two minutes to go before the end of the match ( which I would have won) the Carp leapt free of the keep net which was at water level. Landed on the quick release and descended into the depths losing all the fish in that net. There are not enough swear words in all the worlds vocabulary to sum up the moment!!!

Warm Cuddly feeling of the year. I had arranged a silver fish open match for friends and my angling heroes past present and future. Despite the atrocious conditions and drawing a peg between two angling gods, James Carty and Brian Shutler. I fished well and framed. Beating the blokes either side of you is always the first target in any match and when they are of such caliber it does give you a warm cuddly feeling.

Tackle item of the year. You are aware I am a tackle tart and avid hoarder of must have but not needed tackle. In some cases though you buy something that just makes you wonder why it’s taken you so long to get around to owning it, or indeed not replacing a broken item. In the case of replacing a broken item I would like to thank Brian Shutler for selling me one of his Normark Microllites to replace my crushed one. As for items bought at the best tackle shop in the south _ Reid’s Tackle Witherington Farm it my Fox “Chunk” base layer and my Preston Dri Boots.

Facebook friend of the year. Two guys here, one I have met and one I haven’t. First to Cliff Dutton never actually met and shook his hand but boy does he make me laugh; we must be on a similar frequency. Thanks for convincing me to keep the blog going. Second that giant of a man Shaun Bryan top bloke nuff said.