Pewsey and Ladies Bridge in the June Sunshine

Its been a funny week of ups and downs. New family member Flint arrived on Sunday a beauty black with a little white round the edges hence his name . 8 Weeks old and into everything

That was the up and then came the downs of a family funeral mid week. Followed by the shocking news my brother in law Gordon had a heart attack on Friday. Gordon has been more of a brother to me than either of my actual brothers , it was he who took me fishing for the first time and installed in me a love of the game , the wildlife that surrounds the water the competition element etc.

In his day he was one of the best and considered by many a top angler.  I was and am still proud of him and his achievements. In a time before poles he would be the one catching on the waggler on the canal, on the stick on the river and on the feeder in the big matches at Longleat. Some of which you can read at:

http://grfishingmemories.blogspot.co.uk/

Memories of Honey street and Ladies bridge balling in and catching over 100 lb on bread flake.  So it was with some what of a lump in my throat I drove to the very place he first took me on the canal Ladies Bridge.  I was going to cancel and drive to Devon to visit him in hospital , but my sister said it wouldn't help.  So I went fishing knowing in my heart Gordon wouldn't want me to miss such a beautiful day in the sun and you never know I might even draw in the bay.

Attila met me at my house and followed me there, and we parked up and unloaded.

So to the draw , showed Leo the new membership book paid my pools and drew peg 4 - in the bay not quite prime but close enough. Your man Brian Shuttler drew dead centre of the bay again!!!

I felt like the filling in a sandwich of good anglers , to my right Simon B, Spanners and left Brian and Kev Chubb.  I was going to get spit roasted here.  Spanners offered a quid on. Grudgingly I accepted he is 2 quid up on me after taking one of me at Kintbury.

The all in was called and the expected rush of stacks of Bream one after the other never happened.  In fact it was 2 hours plus before any of us caught.  James was walking the bank with news that those up the narrows were struggling also , but Nic on the end peg had a couple of skimmers from a shady spot under the bush.

I was beginning to get a few small roach and perch and a little Tommy Ruffe, and was level with Brian who had a small skimmer.  Maybe on 12 oz.

3 Hours in and a few boats were coming though kayaks and double boating was not helping. Suddenly Brian had three Bream in ten minutes.  I put away the track rig and went across to the no turning poles.

I had one straight away a nice Bream.  Then a rip roaring run as what must have been a Carp ripped away straightening the hook.  This was followed by two more trashed rigs, and a change to 0.12 straight through to a size 16.  Two more Bream came in before I was snapped up again.  The long pole was killing my back anyhow so I swapped to the waggler on the same line.

Several small roach one Rudd and a two tiny skimmers but no more Bream.  Brian on the other hand was still bringing them in in between being snapped up himself. After 35 frantic minutes it went very quite again.  I tried the whip line.  A ripping bite and the whip was bent double, I just waited for the snap.  Then from the depths it surfaced , was it a pike, a tench, no it was my first ever pair of Boxers caught on line and hook.

Brian asked if I was going to keep em, and I replied they belonged to Ralph Lauren.  Simon was sure he had never seen Ralph at Ladies bridge and was fairly certain he wasn't a member!

Back to and no more bites as the clock ticked down, the sun beat down on a  very hot and dehydrated angler.

So to the weigh in and the lads came down the bank and Brian in his lovely cool peg. Fair play to him he made the most of his flier. A worthy winner his six Bream giving him 20 lb +

I took a pound of Spanners, leaves him one up in the battle of the quids.  I was second on the day but knowing my luck Leo would be paying top 1 only.

The scores on the doors were as follows. Well done to those who stuck it out scratching for bits on a very hot and sultry day. Nic got third from end peg and that meant Mark had the section. With Leo taking our section from the other end peg.

 So to the winners photograph and it was nice to pick up second and second in the super pools.

Not quite a winner , but as Gordon used to say, just do your best and most of all enjoy it.  You don't want to look back and wish you had done this or that. Go when you want to go and make the most of it whilst you are there.

Sorry for the rude gesture it was in response to some unfair comment, and my Phil Lynott T shirt , Brian in the middle and Nic left.

See you next week private life allowing.