Even though I have been nesh lately; the frosty start had left me wanting to keep walking. Indeed I was neither mickling or muckling today as my mum used to say, about going fishing. I have enjoyed having a few weekends off fishing and one more wouldn't go a miss.
However the fact I had put my name forward to Leo. I couldn't back out now; and Kintbury lads are a good bunch of fellas and there stretch of canal offers something different.
So I arrived last to the draw. With old friends all the lads shaking hands and welcomes abound, as we dressed against the northerly and loaded the trustee barrows all of us hoping for a good draw.
All of us wished for a low number draw top 6 would be nice although Kintbury secretary explained peg 27 won it last week with 18 lb. Although someone else shouted that was 3 pike! On that Pike don't count neither did trout. Trout? you might say but as I said earlier this stretch of the Kennet and Avon offers a little more in that the River Kennet runs in, and then out of the stretch in a diagonal way.
This leads to Bream, Chubb, Trout and a whole range of other fish as well of all sizes. Last year I had won my section with a 3 lb Chubb from peg 26. It would however be good to draw single figures that's where the weights normally come from.
Short walk draw first for the old infirm and disabled. I tried to get in on this saying I was mentally handicapped but it didn't wash. The first 4 pegs taken the rest of us drew and Nic drew 6 Chris drew 7, spanners 8 me 9 and then the others had the long walk with Brian on 12 to my left. Leo the long walk to the other end.
The good thing about the first pegs (see photo below) is they are in a calm non moving flat water. A canal boat permanently moored of the end of the spit that separates the River / Canal offers an all year round holding spot. Nic and Chris had the advantage of the crease as the river comes in from the left.
By the time it gets to Spanners (fore-ground) there is no slack just flowing water so for me the first choice was a John Allerton stick float and Drake waggler. Both of them set I went for a 4 gram flat float and a couple of variants on shouldered body up garbolino floats.
I ran the stick through but it seemed a bit light, so being of capricious nature I snipped it off and made quick change to a heavier John Dean this "sat" better and ran through lovely. Match under way I baited the main line and ran the float through for 40 trots without a sniff. Fiddled with shotting moving away from shirt button style to a bulk dropper, dropper. Through again getting longer and longer until the guy to my left frowned as I encroached on his swim.. I haven't had a bite yet he says. I took it as a " oi fish your own swim" and backed off considerably.
No joy on the waggler either, so with the first bite less hour out of the way I stopped for a change in tactic. Flat float and hold was the tactic but twenty minutes with no bites made me give up on that. Spanners was doing no better to my right , his pole feeder tactics producing nothing. Chris however to his right had been catching from the start and some of them were net-able fish.
Spanners made a change and went long were the main track shelved up into slower moving slightly shallower water. Brian Shutler the guy to my right and James Carty were all walking the bank now. With tales of woe , no bites as you went further left of me. Except one of the Kintbury guys who had a bush feature opposite and had , had, three Perch for 4.5 lb plus.
Bugger.
I flicked out the feeder whist I sat up a shallower rig for across, as Spanners was now one a chuck and Chris was going even better. As I finished setting up the tip belted around and the first of 2 trout came to the net.
I dispatched the Trout into a small Kennet tributary behind me so it could live to fight another day. Then went across. Straight away the float dipped and a Roach came to hand followed by 5 Dace. 9 oz in the net was not going to win but at least I wasn't blanking and there was a number of very good quality anglers wandering the towpath with bemused looks. Brian and JC were asking a few questions. It appeared they were doing no different to those catching, so the fish were not in their swim - bugger all you can do about that.
Me I was now catching one a chuck but they were 2 to an ounce.. The Pike were playing havoc with Spanners and me. We both had pike on for three times only for the Pike to eject shredded tiny fish at the landing net stage. Chris too had Pike trouble and the more he slowed down the more I started to catch. Just couldn't get the nice size Dace and Roach going. In fact the fish were getting smaller and I was now onto minnows and Bleak. So I came of feeding fish and tried the stick again. Thirty trots through saw nothing so a little ground bait some hemp and dead pinkie and I was back into the Dace and roach. Small that they were , at least it was fish in the net and you never know a bonus fish could grab the bait.
Chris got his nose in front with a big Perch and it looked as if he had us beat... But on the whistle Spanners had a 3 lb Bream. Me I ended up with 45 fish for 2 lb 2 oz. Spanners second in match with 6 lb 14 oz Kintbury bloke on peg 1 won it with 8 and half pound of whip caught Roach.
In fact, the first 8 pegs all had over 3.5 lb . Shame my trout didn't count. Still at least 7 anglers including Bria, Kev Chubb, Steve Dean and JC, had walked by me early doors going home and with all the dry nets to my left I couldn't complain. Even Paul Giddings and Leo only had an ounce. John the Kintbury guy ended up with 5 bites 5 fish for 6 and half pound all Perch.
So with that and Peg 1 it was going to be close for which club had won it.
Scores checked and double checked saw Kintbury with a total of 23 lb 9 oz. Pewsey though had pipped them with 24 lb 10 oz. Great for the 3rd year in a row we had done the double over our Kintbury friends - can we keep it going??
Finally the journey home offered some action too. A complete knob head in front of me was all over the road - slowing too 20 mph and then up to 50 mph, and back again. I got quite frustrated trying to overtake, but not having the guts in the vans engine. First long straight I came too I built up momentum and went for it. Only for him to pull across the middle of the road to stop me.. He then stuck the 'v's up' out of the window!!!!!!
By the time I got near Bedwyn I was fuming but hanging back a little to avoid and accident . He turned Salisbury way and so did I. Then right on the junction inexplicably he did an Emergency stop and with a mighty slice of luck. I don't know how I avoided ploughing into him. My stop left 2 inches of rubber on the road and all my fishing kit slammed into my back through my drivers seat.
I looked up amazed that I had stopped within a fag papers gap of his bumper. Gobsmakingly he was getting out of his car and heading toward me. I don't know what possessed me but I was fuming and I too got out and stridded toward him. My blood red rage must have spooked him as he jumped back in his car, and lowered the window a bit. He then said
" I am out for a Sunday drive and I don't expect to be bothered by White Van Man!!" Well says I you listen to me you F'in Knob Head you could have killed me , you and your mum here with that stunt " Other drivers were now getting out and joining in the abuse of Capt Slow.
Meanwhile his passenger was having a go at him and me. Me because I had called her his mum and she was his wife and younger than him!!!! And at her husband for not sorting me " the ruffian" out. I told her to get some wrinkle cream and him some driving lessons from age concern and went back to the van.
I left other driver s given him the bird and various other hand and knob head gestures and drove home.
Don't know why I was so angry its not like me - blood must be up.
Double header next week last round of both Basingstoke canal and Pewsey Lake Championship.
PS any Pewsey members or potential members its the AGM next Monday 14th March at Royal Oak 8 pm all welcome.
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