Summer sun for the super sub R2 Wx Summer league

 

Dazzer

Maybe it is my Sunday school upbringing that embedded in me the egalitarian seed.  Indeed in many areas of life I have striven to ensure that equal stature, whether it is religious, economic or social. I do genuinely believe we should all share equally the opportunities available to us; and it should be a level playing field.  One area though where the level equal playing field of life has continued to slope away from me is LUCK.  It is well documented now that I do believe I have a curse in this regard.

Listening to a bit of Marillions Misplaced Childhood “Lavenders Blue dilly dilly, Lavenders Green, when I am King Dilly dilly you will be Queen, a penny for your thoughts my dear a penny for your thoughts"

Well my thoughts were that  I strive not to encourage bad luck by putting shoes on a table, spill salt, let black cats cross my path, hang horseshoes points down, step on a grave or give a pocket knife as a gift. But still the dice it seems are loaded against me.  These past weeks have proven again that I get the occasional luck, but this is often imbalanced by a multitude of small issues that tip the scales back toward bad luck.  Surely life is not a constant uphill struggle and I am not a direct descendant of King Sisyphus.

For sure these past weeks have been an example of ups and downs.  I digress slightly but a few weeks ago I went to the docs, as you do.  Doc, say I, I have been feeling my testicles.  Purely in a health oriented way you understand, (picture Pinocchio’s nose getting longer) and I have found a “lump”.  Okay says the doc let’s have a look.  So boxers around my ankles he drops to his knees and has a look.  Good news he says nothing to worry about that’s your penis! 

No not that says I the other bigger bump underneath. (ps reader don’t laugh, nothing grows in the shade of my six pack and by the way it was cold in the Docs surgery)

Oh he says I see what you mean.  After a few uncomfortable moments of fumbling he pulls of the latex glove with the twang achieved only by a dominatrix and announces that I should have a small biopsy.  Fast forward to today and its good news, yes good luck good news they come in equal measure to me.  No issues carry on watching and “feeling” brief.  The feeling I can do, and now with the approval of the establishment.  Watching, well, might need a mirror for that one. Lol

So to today’s bad luck, oops I mean fishing trip.  Round 2 of the Wx Summer League, where I am guesting in a sort of super sub role.  The organisers had arranged this round to be the Pewsey home leg, and it was to be on the canal.  This was slightly worrying as recent destruction of the canal by the Devizes to Westminster canoe and boat race, coupled with a large proportion of fish indicating they only had sex and spawning on their mind.

I didn’t hold out much hope of bumper weights.  

Some may say don’t whinge Gary it’s the same for all.  True, but sometimes it’s not just about the egalitarian struggle. Sometimes you just need it to be a good days fishing when everyone catches enough to go home happy.  Breakfast first at the fantastic Golden Swan in Wilcott. The to the dreaded draw.  Unfortunately not being an open I couldn’t employ my new positive approach of getting in early and letting the gods of the draw give me a fighting chance.  Here its in the hands of whoever is my Caption for the day.  That turned out to be Steve Dean as I was filling in for a different team (3).  A sections Bowdens, B Wilcot C Crab Apple and D Milkhouse.

I was handed c6 Crab apple.  I was happy with the swim although the bank was crumbling and a bit dodgy.  Next to me I had the fantastic Bob Garrett, really nice guy he was sat in front of the Crab apple.

Next on from him the ebullient Dancing Doug Foreshaw a long way from his favourite River Wye and fellow (along with his name sake (Alistair) organiser of the comp this year.

Next on from Doug, Dazzer - top pic - and then Team Russ and then on the end peg Simon Burden.  The match didn't start till ten but I did have a nice Roach which doubled my last weeks weight in one fell swoop, 4 more Roach on the whip punch doing well. 

Two boats one after the other stirred up my silty shallow swim. Indeed the first 8 feet out from the bank was around 20 inches deep and then sloped away to 3.5 feet.  Far side was 2 feet deep but no real cover from the sun , which was yet to shine today.  In fact I needed to put the hoody back on.

10 minutes passed before the swirling silt settled, and I had a Perch over the choppy line , maybe 4 ounces not great but acceptable after recent weeks.  The boats came through with boring regularity, forcing me across a steady supply of fish was welcome - all small - and then my first bad luck of the day hooking a big Bream and losing on the under keel of a passing boat why did the boat have to come through then!! Bad luck it seems.

After an hour and 20 minutes, the sun pushed through to establish itself as bright and warm as could be. It was like an off switch.  From that moment I never had another 45 minutes to go where I had two tiny roach.

Bob, Doug and Dazzer were all struggling till Doug hooked a flying 3 and half pound Bream.  Which left feeling hale and hearty for the rest of the match.

So the end came around the Boats kept up a steady pace , in fact, one moored in front of me and I had to move my net.  Which I was disappointed in.  I thought I had more than I actually did.  Funny how the mind plays tricks, I suppose it was the many bites I had compared to recent times.

Dougy was looking good for the section, his 3.5 pound Bream and a few snotty Roach enough for the section win.

If not for Doug, the section would have been Pewsey 1,2 and 3. Bob had struggled and Dazzer a blank poor sod.

The other sections A. Bowdens. Well done Leo

B Section.  Another Pewsey section win well done Alan Gibbs.

C Section we've done so its to the final section at Milkhouse.  Spanners takes it and by virtue of weight goes 2 nil up on me for side pound bets.

 So Doug wins,Spanners second and Simon Burden 3rd. My 1 lb 11.5 oz giving me 5th in the match but no money hard luck Gary.

I suppose the luck today was with (as it always is) the Winner.  Well done Doug.

See you next week as I join up with the Browning Family and we go again in round 3 of Ditchers SSS League. Roll on Great and little Bedwyn.