What a pleasant day to go fishing , a real Crabtree morning
the promised warm sun making the mist curl upwards to the deepening azure
sky. Not sure though if Crabtree would
have had to make his way through country lanes strewn with KFC , MacDonald’s
and Pizza land waste. A “benefit” of
living near the Solstice park takeaway food outlets.
I do think the cock wombles that use those facilities should
have explained to them, that as they transit through Wiltshire (Gods) county
that they can actually retain their rubbish in their car and put in a bin when
they get home. Now there’s blue sky
thinking in action.
The drive was a pleasant one, birds and wildlife picking
through the detritus thrown from vehicles for a chicken bone or two; and
eventually arriving at the Spencer club in Melksham for the first round of the
SSS or the Sensas Spring series.
Organised by Ditcher the contest is a big one by modern standards with
over a hundred anglers.
I was turning out as a newby for the Browning family, and
was a little nervous that I might not be well received or know many
people. Those thoughts were quickly
dispelled as I received a huge cheery smile and how do you do from my friend
Mike Marsden and a big hug and hand shake from one of the best the “big” man
Shaun Bryan. To be honest I needn’t have
worried as there were a lot of faces I knew.
Even some from Pewsey who I have to admit I was surprised to see. I saw Marc Kay who knew I was fishing (tackle shop yesterday)and had already confidently informed me he was happy because that guaranteed him at least one point.
In the main everyone was pleasant and
friendly and the Browning family settled me quickly. I was asked if I was happy by a third party
outside of my team mates, to which I said yes; and the quick retort did make me
smile …… “Well good, but you might want to tell your face then”. Sorry I said
I was given a good slapping for smiling when I was a kid and have never forgot
it.
The first downer was a delayed start to the match, normal
for a big show admin who have to take the money etc and deal with those who
don’t see well or hear well. However, on
a tight time line for an evening out not starting till 11.00hrs was a
pain. Plus it would inevitably give more
time to those on the water or towpath to populate the area.
Couldn’t be helped and after drawing section C and peg 23 ,
I was delighted to be on my way, wind in the heavily receding hair line on my
way to the water board car park at Bowerhill.
Parking up I unloaded and bounded along to where I thought my peg would
be but there was nothing in sight and it needed a much longer walk past some
good pegs than I expected. Hey ho same
for everyone. Sections were 25 plus so C section was split with the low numbers
to the right of the swing bridge at bottom of Bowerhill lane and higher numbers
left.
I settled in at my peg which looked rough and was tight on
the width of towpath plus dense hawthorn behind. No shipping back then. First thing I find is a 35 gram method feeder. Clearly the boilie queens fish here.
First cock up of the day was next. I had forgotten my wellies, so had to get in
the canal in tacky bottoms and trainers to set up piper alpha platform. That’s ok I thought will dry out today. With such big sections there was no way you
were going to avoid the talent and instead of the normal one or two towpath
heroes to beat there was a least half a dozen quality guys to beat. I put this out of my head and instead just
did as the Browning boys had instructed enjoy the day. In fact it was refreshing to be told this is
the basic plan, go fish and enjoy yourself.
Having levelled the platform perfectly, with the water
surface, key at this venue, as water levels change by inches several times in
the match and original plumbing depths are constantly altered. I then stood on the platform and my lithe
frame made it sink 8 inches into the blue clinging clay of the canal. Bugger
water half way up me shins.
Never mind I
am not moving it now. In fact it would
be nice, cooler for the day and stop me from overheating. So I black marker penned the depth on the
platform rig legs and watched that mark throughout the day.
Kit laid parallel to the tow path I started the match. Browning match plan engaged I was delighted
to get a nice little skimmer after a few minutes. The canal itself was an absolute nightmare
strewn with floating debris, no doubt some of it was canal trust stuff, but
inexperienced boaters too had cut and left many a twig. I built my own compost heap very
quickly.
Boat traffic was high and the
canal pulled strongly left and right coupled with an arm straining right to
left wind. Swapping between rigs (set at
different depths) I tried hard to keep up with the fluctuating water depth which
changed as much as 2 inches at times.
Then it was just a case of chasing the fish up the slope as the
increased boat traffic pushed them to safety.
There is a marked difference between the skill and attitude of regular
boaters to the inexperienced holiday maker; and at times I feared for my life as boats came close. So glad I pin my keep
net to the bank.
To my right Lee T is doing well for Thatchers, not racing
away but steady, as always Gary Etheridge is doing well with a good hybrid and
several smaller ones.
To my left two pegs a long a young lad master Kirk has had a
dog Perch around 2lb and end peg Mr Scott is doing well in between his battles
with boaters. Behind me the towpath is
manic. Dogs trying to eat my sandwiches,
or ground bait, knocking over my worm bag etc.
Funny how it’s always the fisherman’s fault for being there!!!
Despite laying kit parallel to the bank in in most cases
above water, still I did lose my cupping kit to an over enthusiastic fat
Spaniel who had interpreted it as a hurdle to jump over into the canal, which
he made, but then crushed as he clambered out of the canal again back to an
owner who grunted “sorry mate” but you shouldn’t block a public path!! I got off my platform to explain the
difference between stuff across the patch and kit parallel to the waters edge,
but he didn’t understand English or at least my blue version of it.
The day continued, I started to acquire an Englishman’s
shirt sleeve tan or at least cooked Lobster colour and all in all it wasn’t too bad. Tow path chatter was the majority
were no different to me and half a dozen blokes were stretching away. So head down concentrate keep rotating the
swim and work at it. I did consider, in
fact did change my lighter rigs as the power of the tow was such. However it made not a jot of difference with
the more steady rigs were still being pulled all over the place by surface and
sub surface detritus.
Even in the shallows where some big fish were bulging the
surface the rigs were constantly tangled on brambles and ripped up weed and
rushes. Someone had been fishing for
Carp I assume as I found this on the towpath on arrival. A 35 gram method
feeder.
I did hook what I
thought was a carrier bag at one point as it pulled in with that corkscrewing
acting of an inflated or water filled bag.
Imagine my surprise when my rig surfaced and the 18 hook was nicked
through the very fleshy tip of the dorsal fin.
A bream of between 4 and 5 lbs. I didn’t really have any control as it dived
again and lumbered around the track like a cave troll. I did it least get it down to the top kit and
as I was unshipping the hook pulled and the rig flew past my face. Argh the beauty of foul hooked fish swimming
through your shallow rigs. With hindsight it would have given the team some
amazing points, but I defy any of my team to have done it better, and got it in
on 3 elastic.
Some of the tow path scenery was nice but distracting ...
And I will say that as much as I admire those out exercising and
getting fresh air, ladies some of you (not the lady above) just should not wear Lycra! Still at my age I am glad of a peak at
untanned flesh and the promise of boobs that will stay in place after the bra
comes off.
The match came to an end after yet another double boating
and I will say to my fellow competitors’ , please shout it loud , years of Marillion,
Genesis and Pink Floyd concerts, playing my Walkman and IPOD too loud have
seriously affected my hearing.
So to the scores, and back to the club for a welcome drink /
cheese and onion rolls.
So it was mid section blue for me 13 points and a steady start and not a bad 4 lb 1 oz net of smallish fish. Hard luck Marc Kay (peg 15) didn't get that guaranteed point!
D section the place to be Kings Arms at Hilperton to the Pile by 25 teams of four and the latter section was the place to draw providing 5 out of the top 6.Well done to my fellow squad members in particular Nick King for winning the match and Browning Andover Match Group Red
Nick front and center
Well done Garbolino Blackmore Vale for winning the team event and my fellow BAMG Red team as runners up
Journey home was nice and the promised drop in temperatures
already kicking in. Arrived home to a
disgruntled wife, who told me your dinners in the dogs, it was ruined anyway by
the lateness of arrival and she flounced off to have a candle decorated bubble
bath.
Hate to tell time has nothing to do with the crap meal, she
just can’t cook; and I am too much of a coward to tell her.
See you next week, should be good Jolly boys day out to
Shearwater on Thursday and filling in for Pewsey on the Wx Summer League Sunday.
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