Summer downer kicks off

A short blog today as there is not much to say.

 We are all keen to get going and its thanks to Alistair Foreshaw who has taken over from the Dazzler in doing the grunt work.  Patney and Woodside lakes was a popular venue at last years comp late in the year we all did well.  However in effort to avoid fixture clash and the river close season, rotation and fixture shake up meant we started there this year.

Its not been fishing well a cold winter still has its talons well and truly sunk into the venue and another cold night and a cold north easterly wind was whipping the lake surface.

I was delighted with my draw and end peg and an island chuck ; but strangely my gut feeling was it was not going to be easy. I felt the wind would lead any feeding fish to the south west corner , which wasn't bad as that corner was flanked by two Pewsey anglers Bryan Jackson (reigning summer league individual champ) and fellow team mate Neil Pegrum.

It was an hour before my first bite , a Perch of an ounce on the waggler of the end of the Island. I had 4 feet in front of me at 6 mtrs and 6 feet at 10 o'clock at the same distance.  Our plan was to emulate Brian Shutlers win last week on the venue (58 lbs).

As such a fish meal ground bait mix with hard 4 mill pellet and a bit of dead maggot as filling.  I set up a straight lead, a method, a waggler and 3 pole lines; and rotated through them trying to buy a bite.

But it was areal grind Simon Burden and Steve Trevett opposite and Brian Curtis and Steve Dean to my right were blanking too. In fact phone messages and were to the fact that whole sections of anglers were blanking.

News came through that Leo had broken his duck without knowing. When he reeled in his method feeder to find a half ounce Perch attached.

And so the day went.  I tried it all hard and soft pellet, corn, worm, and maggot and caster.  None of which had any effect on my tiny Perch.  I decided to set up a canal rig and resort to pinkie, which resulted in a further 8 fish .  None of them big.

Both Simon and Steve T had a carp in the last 20 minutes, which would mean they had beaten me glad they were in section D.

So to the weigh in.  Doing two sections I decided to start at the winward end with my mate Brian Shutler, on D7.  Odd to see his nets out and drying and to find he had blanked as had Dazzler next to him. Doug had 1 Carp as did Colin Weston, Len Baldwin Esq had two skimmers and Neil Pegrum won the section with one 2 oz Carp and one 7 lb 14 oz for 8 pound.

 Confirming my earlier theory on the wind pushing the fish into the corner flanked by Neil and Bryan ; Bryan weighed in three carp for 13 lb 10 oz and a section win. Paul Rice 3 pups for 7 lb 15 oz. Steve had three fish for 5.5 oz 9.5 oz from  Brian Curtis.  Mick Rosier blanked.  Me I had the 9 fish for 3rd in section 1 lb 8 oz.

A proper grind.  Not sure what the team placings are (Team 2 I think 16 points, Team 3 11 points? Team 1 16 points) but the other 2 sections had lots of blanks and one Carp type pegs.  Well done to Craig Curtis for his 5 Carp for 20 lb.  Leo ended up with 2 Perch for a wind assisted 1 oz and Chris 3 oz..

 At least the dogs were pleased to see me when I got home.