Took some ribbing from some at my recent performances, but its not the first time I have I have been the butt of the jokes. Equally friends told me chin up forget recent times and do it. Kev Chubb our Captain did our draw and I ended up at the swing bridge by Crookham village hall. Yet another new stretch for me never before fished.
The section had in effect 4 end pegs with end pegs either side of the swing bridge and obviously at the very end pegs. I was sort of mid section. The recent icy weather had dumped the contents of its icy rigidness into the shallowish canal and I could see the bottom all the way across with just a little tinge of colour in the very middle of the track.
So it was back to basics be as quite as I can on the towpath. Roll the keep net gently in the edge and pin it back to the bank. Two and three elastics, light very very slim floats. creepy around like a midnight poacher with his whippet I got ready very quickly and then walked well away from my peg. In fact to the other side of the bridge to see Mike Bernstien and Brett Cooper . Totally different this side of the swing bridge much more colour in the track and more far side cover.
With 5 minutes to go I slipped back to my peg chopped the worm and prepared. All in was called and I fed a 3/4 bread line a short whip line next to a sunken branch I could see on the bottom. And a choppy line 16 meters left down the track. After an hour the guy to my right had 5 fish for maybe an ounce. Me I had six for the same ounce and the two left of me including the end peg were blanking and had not had a bite.
I alternated between 2 and 4 mill punch and between on the bottom, tripping the bottom and letting the canal pull it through. Gradually I picked out a few tiny fish. The guy to my right also the same but he was pulling away. I pinged a few squat and half a dozen pinkie. But they sat there torpid on the bottom of the canal and I could see em at 14 meters. not good!
Equally I tried all sizes off worm, I jigged it dragged it and laid on with it but no joy. I asked the guy to my left what had happened to the promised skimmers. He said he didn't know they were there mid week when he practised. Both the guys too my left were now going for a walk as neither of had had a bite in 3 hours.
The canal tow path traffic was high for such a cold day with everybody seeming to want to ask if I had caught.
One guy well I am no cactus expert but this guy was a prick of the first degree. I tried to point out to him that the canal was gin clear and his waving arms and general joviality and noisiness was frightening the fish. Oh he said never mind why do you have different coloured baits, oh and why don't you use bread? Or worm.
Look mate said I appreciate your interested but this is a competition I need to concentrate and need to be quite and sneaky beaky so as not to frighten the fish. Oh I agree says he you need to blend in and ambush em. "I remember" he says going up an octave and a few more decibels.
Ok says I turning around. Thank you for stopping and sharing your experiences, but like I say trying to concentrate. You know he says I get the feeling your getting impatient.
My turn. Really Einstein you worked that out!!!! Just trying to be friendly says he, ...... I glared at him and said "reciprocated my friend trying to be friendly also but I would be grateful if you could either step back to the back edge of the towpath or move on".
Well really he said and flounced of like John Inman from "are you being served".
Glad I still had my virginity in tact, I set about feeding a bit of crumb tight against a doogle at the edge of my 16 mtr reach.
The two lads were back from there walk and settled in on my left.with an hour to go they had there first bites. They said the other side was going well the further away from the bridge you were so Brett and Mike were literally swinging in 2 oz fish; and had had skimmers to a pound and a half. Damn it I thought , especially when I saw end peg man catching nice 2 to 3 ounce roach and actually using a "landing net" I was determined this would not get to me, there was nothing I could do about it. Just fish to win my side of the bridge and as high up the section as possible..
By the end and at the weigh in , end peg man now had roach and rudd for 10 ounces - bugger, bloke to my left 4 fish for 3.5 ounces. Me 18 fish for 7.5 ounces
swing bridge man to my right 33 fish for 9 ounces. Other side of the bridge 4 ounces. So I had two beat - that's an improvement. Unlucky really not to get at least one 2 ounce roach - a specimen on the day.
Brett Cooper was next and he heaved out 11 lb + arghh that's where the skimmers were hence the extra colour this side of the bridge. Then 6
Back to the pub to find Marc Kay had blanked no bites Ian was second from last and Kev no better. Not good for the boys but I will take it its nice to be the best placed in the team even if I was nowhere, at least I did the best I could. In fact I was best on the day it seems from our 4.
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Deja vu as up at the crack of dawn and north to Pewsey for a club match at Wilcot rd. A milder night meant it was foggy on the way. But we all got to it and for once I drew well. Peg 2 up by the bridge Mike Bernsten on end peg one to my left.
Both his and mine were out and out bread swims and to be honest I nearly ran to mine I was so pleased. The match started with me getting 4 fish one after the other on the whip to 4 mil punch and Buzzer getting two 10 and 12 ounce hybrids first puts in.
This is gonna be good I thought a real tonic. Another two fish on the whip and then 15 minutes of nothing a change to my far bread line bought 20 mines of silence. So over the choppy line, count to a hundred..... 96, 97, 98 and dip to get a half ounce Perch. Back in again 94,95, 96 and a 3 ounce Perch. The canal stopped towing and with that the bites stopped
Buzzer , was still scratching but we are both very disappointed at are prime swims not producing. It was certainly no fish fest. Buzzer managed to get a few tiny fish and was up to 25 fish. Then he had a 4 ounce Perch. Me I was alternating getting snags catching twigs and leaves and one cabbage leaf and some carrot peelings. No doubt from a boat.
So with 5 minutes to go Buzzer was looking down and was fed up with his 33 fish for around 2 lb he reckoned . Me I had 13 fish including a small skimmer but would be surprised if I had a pound. I was gutted to draw such a good swim but get very little from it. Bad angling? Winter? who knows.
A commotion to my left saw me watch Buzzer slip the net under a Bream just as the all out was called.
I walked under the bridge to meet the oncoming scalesman. Every one had caught but not as well as expected. Even quality anglers like Nic Worters only had 5 ounces Simon our championship leader 11 ounces Leo 9. but the rest had pound plus. With Spanners having two hybrids just behind James Carty who had 2 big Perch. In fact JC was leading with 4lb + with Buzzer and I to weigh in.
Me I had 13 fish for 13 ounces not last by a way so improvement there, but not good enough.
Well done to all for catching large or small. Me I happier this weekend fished reasonably well didn't break anything , maybe could have more fish today if I had gone for it on the 2 foot boat line , but the 2 hybrids buzzer had in the first minute meant I fell for the classic of chasing his lead. Sitting it out for long periods for a big fish.
See you next week.
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