Pewsey ...December and Cold Milk

Icy roads under the wheels and slow traffic meant I took my time getting to Milk house and the December club match at Milk house.  Greeted by a reasonable turnout including some quality anglers we don't always see.  Still good to have them on the bank and the banter was ok.  The normal abuse saved for me and my late arrival.

The canal didn't look inviting as the cat ice had thickened in places.  So we delayed the start for 10.00 hrs instead of 9.30 to allow the ice breaking to occur.  My swim turned out to be peg 6 and the end peg and although quite a bit of ice not as bad as others.

I was glad of the extra time my numb fingers not working too well in the bitter cold.  Also gave time for a hot drink before we started .  Which of course meant stripping of the layers and having a bladder bursting pee as well.

The match was slow and the bites difficult for all. as we struggled to stay warm.  The bread punch line produced 1 roach in the first hour and the worm line 2 bumble bee Perch.  The squat line was inaccessible as the sheet ice had drifted over it.  Shame really as it was the only square 12 inches in the sunshine.

I passed the time looking at my float and pinking maggots on to the ice and the towpath.  The ice sheet mid canal had johnny wagtails landing and picking the maggots of the ice.  The Robins clearing up the towpath.

Pike slammed at the underside of the ice trying to get the wagtails.  A sight I have never seen before.  Mid match a barge pushed through and destroyed most of the ice in my swim or pushed it to my left.  At which point the bites became incrementally faster.  It took a bit of working out when to hit the bite.  I had the complete needle out of the water - no dotting down here.  I worked out that I should wait for the needle to be under count to 2 and then lift.  Any earlier and you would miss the bite.

I took some abuse from Marc Kay and Chas Short.  As they said my float was so far out of the water NASA could see it with their satellites. Admitted there was and inch of needle sticking out , but that was , what was required.  Besides, taking the piss but going home half way through a match that's a bit rich.

Spanners was the next to walk by , cold and disheartened by the ice.  Mike Marsden was walking the bank to get warm and he assured me come 2 pm I would be very cold as well.  Mike knows how to play the mind games , because that niggling thought actively made me cold and it wasn't long before a walk with the flask to get the blood around the body was required.

I spoke to most all of whom were struggling even Colin Weston who is on a good run.  He was struggling today.

I hoped the tales of woe from my section were true, some have the habit of not telling you what they have caught preferring to underplay.  But it seemed 8 oz was the target although Paul Giddings thought he might have a pound.  As always Simon was giving nothing away.

It was now 2 pm and as I got back to my peg, I thought I better get my head down, as I had around 9 or 10 oz - so marginally in front. The ice had gone from the squat line but it only produced two small fish.  Panic stations as I was about to swing in a gudgeon and a pike took it.  Six sections of pole in the air didn't stop the 8 pounder bottoming out the no 4 elastic and trashing the rig.

It was a turning point though , clearly the Pike had made the fish in my swim nervous.  Now they got their heads down and the bites came quicker in the last hour.

I was glad too pack away and looked forward to going home for stew and dumplings.  I didn't think I had won the match but I might sneak the section I reckoned I might have over a pound.  So it was nervous time as the weights and the scales came down the bank.

Mike had the section and probably the match from peg 16.  The author of the boards had marked Marc Kay instead of Mark Russ , so it looks like Russy has blanked this week lol.  Just kidding mate.

My section next and finally down to me and when I pulled my net...perhaps more than I expected.

So it was nice to pick up 2 nd place pipped by an ounce by Mike Marsden well done Mike. Dragged a few points back of Mark Russ - much needed but not enough to make too much difference.  Simon is quietly catching up.

See you next week at the Lake. Hats of to Mike the winner, don't think Simon agreed.