Old rigs on thicker summer line, bulky not fine wire hooks and a general shoddy approach was to be the undoing of me today.
It was chucking it down as I raised a weary head from the pillow. A twisted ankle late last night out with the dogs (foot down rabbit hole) throbbed and smarted as my foot touched the floor.
Down stairs for a sausage sarnie and cup of tea. Let the dogs out and put down the grub, the ox tripe and goat chunks the foul odour not putting them off as they gleefully gulped it down. Rain was really hammering it down now on the conservatory roof and compounding my lack of interest in fishing today, nearly one the day as I searched for Leos number on my phone.
The thought of Leo out in this pegging ahead of the match, made me put the phone down and get the wet weather kit on for the day. How could I not support him, if he was good enough to peg out I should support him and the club in turning out.
Parked up in Wilcot road and the rain was relentless, really slamming into the ground and all around . To make things worse, the van took a whack. What the bloody hell I shouted as Brian Shutler pulled in behind me. Only he took it to close and bumped my van. He was most apologetic, and to be honest Brian has had a bit on his plate lately so I told him not to worry.
We stood like 12 angry men in the pouring rain for the pay in and draw. 11 were to fish as Leo whilst he had pegged had hurt his back and had stuff to do at home was not fishing. I drew 6 in the middle of the section. Leo came along to pick up the pegs and tried not to laugh too much as he looked at my Peg.
So solid with leaves that I would find it hard to get a rig in.
" It wasn't like that when I pegged honest " he said. See you later and went on his way. The very cold rainwater run off from the 3 cottages opposite poured like a mini Niagara falls into the canal opposite.
With leaves falling faster than my stocks and shares and pension value. I wished I had not come. Still Brian to my right and Spanners and a couple 3 lads to my left might as well suck it up princess and get on with it. Even went a quid with Spanners even though he had drawn a prime peg near the bridge. We are even on quids at the moment.
The lads gathered noisily behind me to chat before the start and after a couple of minutes I said "which part of f**k off don't you understand".
Laughter accompanied them as they went back to their respective pegs and we started. Bumped the first three fish on the whip and should of changed the rig . Clearly the hook was blunt, but in the first of several mistakes I didn't change it. Lazy plain bloody laziness was going to cost me today. Do you ever have those days when you know you doing it wrong ....but carry on regardless. Well that was me today.
Maybe because it was just for me instead of a team, but I couldn't be arsed today. If I was team fishing, I would worry about letting the side down and would have sorted it straight it away.
But today I didn't. Down the track now over the worm swim, and the float dipped and a 5 oz Perch came in. Next another bigger fish tugged on the elastic only to be replaced by a branch and tangled rig. The Canal River Trust have been along pruning and the canal was full of detritus, god knows how many sticks and branches I caught to day and leaves ..............tell me about it so many leaves !!
The match dragged on the sun came out the rain stopped , I was double boated ...again!!!!! And the bites were few and far between . News on the bank was that the end pegs were going well but most were struggling.
The bloke on the boat next to me came out shaking all the leaves and crap of his boat into the mess in front of me and also emptied his tea pot. Morning he said cheerfully. It is I said soon be afternoon. He looked bemused and backed into his long boat.
A combination of gusty wind trying to avoid the leaves and get the rig across resulted in yet more tangles. But eventually I lowered the rig into a bucket size hole on the far side and a fish took my white squat. The overly tight elastic ( could have - should have - loosened it off) sprang back wrapping tightly around the top kit, fish lost.
I sat there and decided not too tackle up again but have a banana and drink and calm down. It was clear it was nobody's fault but my own. I was wasting time fishing parts of the swim that were not going to produce and I knew it, yet kept on fishing them. Only a bloody idiot does that. I should have baited a new area set up properly and made an effort.
The all out came eventually and I just couldn't wait to pack up.
For the first time in a long time I had / have no interest in fishing. Those around me who had put in even a modicum of effort had something to show for it and fair play to them. Pulled out my pitiful net and weighed in 1 lb 1.5 oz.
Walked along and gave Spanners his quid , that puts him one up on me now. The end pegs had done well. And whilst there was not a a lot of fish caught today by most some people had some nice roach.. Everyone had stories of being leafed out and catching too many twigs were relayed by all.
Well Done to Simon on winning and Marc Kay on the ends. 80 + fish for Marc, still that's what fishing blood and tiny baits gets you. Punch did well., shame I tipped my liquidized bread in at the start.
Then again if my Aunty had Bollocks she would be my Uncle.
We can all moan about lost fish being leafed out or twigs, fact is I prepared poorly , fished atrociously and got what I deserved.
Those that turned up ready with the right baits - red maggot instead of bronze left over from last week. Blood worm instead of lob worm. a two mill punch instead of 10 mill meat punch, well they got it right and they took home the money. Well done to them.
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