Pewsey Canal Championship Bowdens would you B - Leaf it!

Oh I just didn't want to go today and at 5 am sat on the loo, it was all I could do not to just go back to bed.  Still on a downer from last week, I had no get up and go.  In fact didn't care if I never saw a a fishing rod for weeks.

My bait fridge had had a fit in the night and all my bait was frozen, I whacked on defrost in microwave and managed to save about 60 pinkie for hook bait and maybe 100 squat.  So I was reliant on worm and bread.  The huge storms of the night had left flooded roads; and the rain just kept coming. In short I had a gut feeling it was all gonna go terribly wrong today.

Slooshed and slid my way on a muddy towpath. To the draw at the swing bridge. Just need Brian Shutler to draw bad and have a bad day.  Wouldn't hurt if Chris Rushton slipped a little further behind he is creeping up incrementally.

Got pushed out of the way in rush to draw from the hat.  Whats Brian got?  Would you credit it hes drawn the end peg!!!  Hes not happy as he has the scales but bloody hell the man can draw and its going to be hard to make up points today.  So Chris what does he have, peg 2 the other end peg God hates me.

So onward to the section of death the other side of Bowdens Bridge. Passing Si Burden end peg before the bridge (number 10).  Peg 12 and its Kev the Bread first past the bridge and Kev's favourite pleasure peg. Then Paul Giddings on 13, not unlucky for him he was born yards from that peg. God Hates me.  Mark Kay and the improving Martin Aris next - then me.  To my right Steve Trevett, then Steve Dean last but one with one of the best swims on the canal; and finally Brian Shutler on the end peg. GOD doesn't just hate me he wants me to really suffer and then die.

I look with dismay at my peg probably one of the widest parts of the canal, no real far shelf just branches and tangles. Steve T and I agree Brian will win it and Kev the Bread will be second. So it will be inside whip line a track swim and an attempt at waggler if I can find a gap.

The bait situation gets worse as I slip and drop some of my only live hook bait.  In temper I grab my worm scissors to mash the living shit out of my worm .  Not realising my own strength, I squeeze the scissors too hard snapping them!  The pinkies have got wet and frothy and they are attempting a mass escape crawling all over the side tray.  I can hear God Pissing himself laughing,  so much so the rain gets harder  - is he pissing on me as well? Paranoia sets in.  Even more so that I couldn't find my wallet and was convinced I had either dropped it in or on the towpath.

The match gets under way and its difficult trying to keep bait dry.  Bread punch is doing nothing and Steve Trevett to my right is in to the first of his big Perch.  Brian S is going one a chuck as is Steve Dean obviously that's where the fish are as no one else except Kev the Bread (who has just lost a big Hybrid) is catching. Pike one for me was a four pounder, took roach and terminal tackle - and pike two a 10 ouncer - which I did get in.

I do manage a couple of roach on the whip, before Steve T gets another big Perch. With my limited bait, cold rain dripping off my nose, I listen to Steve Ts banter about how well Brian and Steve are doing.  Its a real knife to my heart as I realise the match is slipping away. 

What made it worse is for two solid hours all I caught was twigs and leaves.  Even coming 3 to 4 inches off the bottom I still caught leaves.  The rain stopped with 2 hours to go, as did any bites.  Temperature dropped and the colour fell out of the canal.  Oh woe is me. Pathetic result below.

So the faint sound of a whistle re-enforced by Kev the Bread shouting all out. The weigh in begins and I am surprised Steve Dean and Brian Shutler who have caught all day don't have more but they are small fish.  Mr Trevett's 2 big Perch and a big hybrid take the lead.

Don't believe in if only's but - without those three might have pipped him.  On down through the sections  (Chris Glover and Ian showing well)and eventually the sheet is complete.

With 5 blokes between 1 lb 2 oz and 1 lb 4 oz. The middle of the board is congested, and one more fish could have made the day respectable for me , but as my gut feeling had suggested today turned out to be a bad day.

An ounce was enough for him to gain a point on me and take a pound of me.  Which I gave to Spanners as they had a pound on to.  Controversy as Chris suggested I was conveniently quarter of an ounce heavier than Leo.  Perhaps I could have rounded up to 2 lb 2 and a half, but it wouldn't have made a difference to my battle with him.  And Leo was happy with the scales-mans (me) judgement.  

Steve (left) wins it, Chris Glover (right) second and Spanner

Brian extended his lead on me by 8 points.  Its still do-able, and on the way home I photograph the Wiltshire sky; and wonder is the sun going down on my Championship push?

PS.  Found my wallet zipped inside my jacket - Phew!!

No need to lie Richard Walker

Richard Walker published a book in 1964 the year of my birth.  It was called "No need to lie".  Yet I have seen car stickers that say, "I fish therefore I lie"  So what is it about fishing that leads us all at some point to exaggerate.  I don't believe we are all cheats yet 50 years after that book; I would voice a personal opinion.  There is no need to lie.

I have a theory that time spent alone thinking on the bank leads fisherman to become philosophical; and my favourite philosophical quote Scholars have long known that fishing eventually turns men into philosophers. 

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy decent tackle on a philosopher's salary. ~

Patrick F. McManus

So do we Lie?

Well its just not cricket, or gentlemanly to gain advantage by being deceptive.  Before you howl in disgust and say I knew it all along; Williams is a bloody cheat. Yes I have been accused. Nothing ever proven but I have been accused.  My view is you will have to know that KARMA will pay you back ten fold.

Personally I struggle with "its a white lie" or "its for the greater good"  Clean or not, the guilt (even from incidents (in other walks of life) years past) sits and festers on my conscious mind.  It is tempered these days by knowing if I do well it has been a win fair and square.

As for other anglers.

One of the odd things is I, like many others have witnessed a cheat and said nothing.  Why?

Do we sacrifice saying things for fear of upsetting friends "Least said soon is mended?"

Are they really friends if they are willing to commit a falsehood against us ?  Or is it that we want the adoration or acceptance of our peers ?  Nobody likes to be a loner everyone wants to fit in and be accepted.  So why rock the boat? Be honest it will win the day, if only in a moral way.

If so, how do we Lie and why?

Are we trying to gain advantage by cheating because we lack the skill or will to improve.  Clearly I cant speak for others but I think that is partially true.

For me, I don't lack the will to improve, but I do lack some skill; and the road to gaining that skill seems so long that it is an impossible distance.

In recent times two people that I like and respect have suggested perhaps in jest; have suggested I have been less then truthful when weighing in.  Suggesting that I have called a weight that would be to my advantage and their loss. Perhaps I should be thicker skinned and less sensitive, but I am mortified, to think people might think of me as a cheat.

So much so I will happily record results in future but I will never call a weight again without the angler himself witnessing.

Of course the devil (Claudius)  pours poison in (King Hamlets) my minds ear.  And says " try this Gary no one is looking, it will shorten the road.  But be assured I have silenced Claudius, and the hebenon will never dilute or infect my pretty wholesome blood.

Despite the oft quoted "its not the winning, its the taking part" the biggest driver is the embarrassment of coming last.  A powerful driver indeed and for me embarrassment would be the main driver.

Embarrassed to lose out in a match or let my friends down in a team event*.  I am sure I witness other anglers embarrassment these days with them blaming bad draws, too many crayfish, bloody Pike etc etc.  That is why I take so many photos of Pike, Crayfish and am at pains to describe my peg, the camera never lies.

*But as I mention team events, honesty here is even more important.  I would be mortified if I even for the best reasons, I er'd and had my whole team disqualified.  I would rather suffer the ignominy and abuse of a blank net then get my friends booted out of a competition.

So what have you seen or heard?  I have heard some outlandish stories so much so, that they must be a wind up. The biggest was widely reported in the angling press when an angler, emptied fish from his dolly butt section into his keep net.  He was caught by a steward, challenged and disqualified.

 People having more than one baited hook in the water at one time. Catching before or after the whistle.  Faking photographs to make fish seem bigger than they actually are.  Drawing your peg and swapping it for another by slight of hand.

 Using banned baits (blood worm) or joker, barbed hooks instead of barbless.  Fixed instead of running rigs.  Bringing in "ringer anglers". One story told to me was; at Cudmore, it wasn't unusual for many anglers to put ground bait in the keep net so the edge was being fed even before the start of the match!!!  The list can go on and I am sure you have witnessed worse.

Nobody believes the truth or at least refuse to accept it.

One of the biggest ironies is even if you are straight and above board.  Opposition teams or opponents will convince themselves through paranoia that you can't be that successful, that there has to be a cheat involved. Certainly lady luck has a lot to do with it. And there are many anglers who have the word lucky attached all too often to their name.  Whatever you draw you still have to have the skill to catch em.

So do I pack in Match fishing? Or live with it.

It is a truly philosophical question to which at this stage of my life, I have no truthful answer. I can only say I endeavor to be as pure and above board as is possible.  Sometimes I wish I didn't find so much enjoyment in competition and could leave the accusation and counter accusation behind and pack in match fishing and just go pleasure fishing.

Would that be the perfect answer? Or would the urge to tell a fisherman's tall story still be there? like Hemingway - The old man and the Sea.  Who will believe the fish was that big?

So give up?  I think not (suck it up Princess, and dry your eyes).   The current group of Anglers I fish with and against both at Club level and with the Army are gentlemen and I feel in my gut they would never cheat.

I am sorry to finish on a couple of quotes (I can confirm I do have original thoughts of my own, but sometimes other more learned people say it better).

But H.T. Sheringham (Open Creel 1911) sums up my enjoyment of the canal and river scene " minnows are not despised, gudgeon are greeted with rapture, and the occasional triumph of a Roach, with gorgeous red eyes was beyond words"

I hope when the day comes when I hang up my waders, I will remember Richard Walker " I will leave only footprints and take only memories"

Good memories of gentlemen who understand the value of winning fair and square.

North Wessex and its the final count down

So lets do it, I have been like a Cat on a hot tin roof all week wanting the weekend to come.  Its the final round of the league and we have a tall order of 6 points to make up.  Despite the bravado and the talk of its only one point per man.  I would rather be 6 points in front.  The thing is despite me concentrating on my team you just cannot discount the others Clanfield Radcot etc. Least of all the other Pewsey teams the whole squad has fished hard to win with no love lost between teams on the bank , but solid group away from the bank.  In fact we are to lose we have probably beaten ourselves as all the teams have taken points of each other. Still lets see.

 There were a number of caveats to today, first team one needs some luck.  We wanted the following:

1. Swindon ISIS not to draw 1 or 8 end pegs
2. Team 1 Pewsey not to draw 3 or 4
3. Ian to draw the boats (section F) Preferably peg 8 (suits his fast fish small fish style)
4. and personally I didn't want to draw against Brian Webb (ISIS A)

Having drawn reasonably well all year for the team should I draw again? Last couple of matches ( not Wx) I haven't drawn well. So we decided to let Paul "Endus Pegeeas" Giddings draw as he always draws well on the canal. 

Bad start amazingly Swindon draw end pegs again number 8 - sod it.  Paul then draws peg 3 - sod it.  Ian Spanners Spanswick is in E section and not F.  0- 3 was it to be a whitewash, well yes yours truly on F section and against Brian Webb bugger it. Whitewash nil for four.

So waders on and slide down the bank opposite"Hobgoblin for one of the shallows pegs on the canal.  So shallow that when the boats come through the scrape the bottom.  Nightmare complete Brian Webb is on the "wires" the flying and end peg today.  I look around to see good anglers everywhere.  Initially I am despondent but I am fishing well lately so lets give it ago.  Head down and crack on.

First problem slip on the bank and drop my platform which roles forward and upside down bugger, that's not helped.  I seem to be nervous but I shouldn't be its just fishing, but I don't want to let the side down.  The swim is devoid of any movement or anything that would suggest fishy.

The  match starts and a couple stand behind me and start holding a conversation with the owners of Hobgoblin, who by now couldn't be making much more movement and noise! My boat-side swim was under the door on Hobgoblin between round and square window. But its unfishable as the owners swing the doors open like windows on a summers day and carry on the chat with the people behind me.  Ooh wasn't strictly good last night, will you be at the pub tonight? etc etc.  

In the end I said excuse me I don't meant to interrupt but could I ask a favour?  Could you lot shut up?  Fish don't respond well to a party being held over their head.

At which point, the guy on the next boat joins in, sorry he said got loads of carpentry to do and will be running my generator etc.  His wife's contribution was to empty the soapy contents of he sink into the canal.  You couldn't make this shit up.  

What chance do I have ?  45 minutes in and no bites.  The conversation re last night has re ignited as the couple behind me walked around to the other side of the canal climbed on Hobgoblin and poured the coffee.Handy bloody Andy and his bloody generator are still going great guns and Martin Aris on my left (who has 5 fish) is saying 5 nil Gazzer want a lesson in how to fish a canal.

My first fish is greeted with derisory laughter from the the "Strictly" crowd opposite and quite rightly so, its only days old!

Embarrassment and temper focus the mind and I hunker down.  A friend of mine said this week keep going Gary and let your results do the talking.  So blinkers on and ear muffs in place to drown out Martins sarky want a lesson comments and strictly conversation which had expanded to choice of music for the Tango, and tonight's pub quiz.

God had not finished with me though.  Two blokes along the bloke had a diesel spill from his engine work, and "to help" disperse he squirted fairy liquid into it.  Cheers Pal my entire swim and two swims either side had a beautiful multicolored diesel smelling slick coating line, floats and bait. That's got to have killed it.

  You just cant credit it can you. For once I want a boat to disperse it and sure enough one comes through, scraping the shallow bottom and turning the swim into mulligatawny soup.

However I do get my first decent bite a sail away, but seconds later I am not so pleased as I have to unhook a ladies sanitary towel.  You gotta laugh haven't you. No!  I look heavenwards and then behind me to see Chris Glover. Oh to see a friendly face.  Chris was unlucky not to be fishing for team 2 as he is a regular for them.  Hes fishing well, but couldn't make it due to work.  So we called in supersub again , Graham Godwin.  Then blow me Chris managed to get off work, so we had to decide.  Having told Graham he was in I had to break the bad news to Chris he wasn't fishing. 

He took it on the chin but I know he was pissed off.  Credit to him though he came down to walk the bank and keep us informed. His first duty was to tell me Si Irwin has 35 fish and going great guns and Brian Webb on the flyer is catching.  Oh woe is me.  It was all I could do not to slide of the platform and drown - I wouldn't be missed.  Thing is I am so big and the canal is so shallow I probably cock that up too!!

Wallowing in mind games is not helping so I decide to really give it a go.  I ditch all the rigs except one  - my tight tot the boat rig and start ping a mix of hemp and pinkie.  Before long I am one a chuck and Martin is now struggling, tangled rigs and bad language fill the air.  Two more boats come through and the diesel spill is dispersing.  Fish keep coming and the weight builds.  Chris is back with  news from other sections.  Its not good the ISIS lads are going well with one of them having two tench and a slab.  Danny is going well but has Pike trouble.  Steve Trevett is struggling as is Kev Chubb. Graham - Chris's replacement is neck and neck with PG and he wasn't sure about the rest except team 3 Captain Lee Knight who has had bonus fish.  The ever reliable Brian Shutler was smashing out the small stuff.

And so the match progressed incrementally fish after fish I clawed my way back in.  Chris was convinced Si Irwin had the section, which I wasn't fussed about I just need to be ahead of Brian Webb and ISIS. That's all I can do.  He did think that Doug Foreshaw on Peg 1 down towards the WHARF was going well with Perch but couldn't be sure. I like Doug top bloke.

Still the end comes with Doug's whistle and my bites had stopped ten minutes before anyhow as further boats had stirred the boat into a muddy silty mess.

I am crushed when I see Brian Webb's net, I know he is on the flier and I knew there were loads of fish there but nevertheless, I just hoped he would have a bad day. No chance 6 lb 1 oz, bugger that's torn it.  I have let the boys down and lost to the ISIS man. 

Si Irwin is next and he lifts out 4 lb 3 oz.  On down through and the wieghts are smaller thank god till it gets to me. Agonizingly I am an ounce short (4 lb 2 oz) of Si and second place and 7 points.  Still 6 points not to be sniffed at. 

Right, on to Doug on peg 1.  Should be a good weight and its looking good for him, but Si whispers 4 lb 1 and a half, (yes - think I've got third) but at the same time as Doug says hang on there's one more here and drops a fish in.  

The scales bounce and settle and Si says 4 lb 2 and a half  -the extra fish was an ounce and my day is complete knocked back to 4th and only 5 points.  

How will I face them.

So to the other results and sorry if I am brief, but cant see the screen or type through the tears and sobbing.

A section, the nip and tuck battle between 1 and 2 ended in a draw thankfully they both get 8 points

B section ( A through E by the way all at milk house A by milk house and E by Pains Bridge and the crab apple) Steve Dean takes 5 points and two points of Steve Trevett with ISIS winning from the end peg

Section C Danny takes it for team 2 and Kev takes 3 points of ISIS.

Well done to Chris another section for Pewsey.

E Section and good old Brian takes the section, with Lee Knight second and ISIS 3rd.

Overall winners on the day Pewsey 2 a magnificent 41 points, well done to them, but I refer back to my earlier comment and how Pewsey have undone Pewsey - not sure how to stop that happening again. 

Need to think on it with my PMG com-padre's.  ISIS A have the top 2 places with Brian and Lee 3rd and fourth.

After a very long wait as the scores were totted up and the top ten anglers were announced. I managed 8th and Pewsey had a good showing with Brian winning the best angler on weight count back to Chris R. Brian Webb third, Brian Ballard fourth then John Swan and Pewseys Paul Giddings and Graham Godwin 6 and 7 finally Kev Chubb 10th. So six Pewsey in top 10. Well done all.

Teams

ISIS A winners P1 second on 167 and despite what said in the pub P2 beat Radcot to third with 153 to 147 so two teams in top three.  Huge well done to P3, without their support in beating the opposition we couldn't have done it - truly Pewsey is a squad effort, immensely proud to be part of the team.

So back to the festivities and handouts of prizes.

The post mortem begins

Leo accepts Brian Shutler's trophies in his absence (gone home manthrax)

Pete Gilbert accepts the trophy back, as champions.  It hurts to see it relinquished but its only on loan we will get it back next year.

Army match 2 ..... All change and back on the cut

So I was lucky enough to be able to get the day and fish the second Army match of the 2014/2015 season. I like all, had prepared for the river at Chippenham.

However the recent consistent heavy rain had forced Kev East to consider a change to the venue. Nobody catches on a rising river and I think even the superstars of the group would have struggled. He also has to take the wider view and consider the new and inexperienced anglers.  So in the interest of duty of care and safety; and giving everyone a chance of catching it was moved back to the cut.

Good call as it happens as the river rose over its banks today; and of course everyone caught something on the cut.  The weather would not relent though and we all racked up to the pub for breakfast with tales of copious surface water and dreadful driving conditions.

Me well I enjoyed the drive  "Kate" my Volvo is safe as houses 4 wheel drive heated seats the works - lovely.  The only downside yet another garage bill for a new fuse box.  Its getting like Triggers brush as I replace all the parts bit by bit. Should have a good van soon.  The other downside was I had left my waders in the van thus negating me being able to get in.  And having to sit high on the bank - bad practice - not happy.

So with peg A1 being down by the Bridge inn, and B section split equally either side of the swing bridge.  That left C Section on up the narrows towards Horton.

Getting from the pub to the car park was a bit of a drama as the we pass the local school and we clashed with the school run as the local middle class's dropped of their little darlings.

Trouble was a local coach driver had compounded the awful "park anywhere without consideration" approach by the young mummies.  We were moving along like an asthmatic ant with a back pack on, and my temper was rising.

In the end I jumped out the car and had a serious word with the coach driver and some of the the more plainly stupid woman parkers' / drivers.  One woman clearly thought she was in an episode of Downton Abbey as she said if I didn't stop shouting ( I was frightening Cassandra her little girl, who by the way said she wasn't frightened mumsy - mumsy!) she would have her driver sort me out!  So having "tuned her in" - she went off with an "ooh I say how rude" Her driver looking pleased he and I didn't have to get into it.

Moved the coach driver and a quick impression of New York traffic cop pointing and shouting we got moving.

The rain continued to spatter all, and Kev shouted the all in.  I am not a fan of the stretch I drew its narrow and shallow and is only good for a couple of hours of sport if you are lucky, then its scratch city. So over the swing bridge and left.  On round the bend and straight on to wooden bridge. Stopping on C1 , I looked up stream to note some very talented anglers in my section, this won't be easy.

So quick start on the bread and nothing for 15 minutes.  Ditched the bread rig and tried the choppy line , which produced straight away.  So with the cold wind coming of the fields behind giving me a stiff neck, I hunkered down and ground it out.  Went steady till 13.30 when the obligatory Pike made a show in the peg to my left fry was jumping clear of the water all over.  Seconds later my float dipped and and as I un-shipped the pike took the roach I was playing. So after the fish had entertained Mr Aplen on B 15 and myself I replaced my trashed rig and dropped back in.  However it was like someone had flicked a switch. there was nothing there.  I tried the far shelf even going down to a single squat on a 24 but no more fish.  Except for one tiny Perch with 10 minutes to go.

So it was with relief and delight when Kev shouted "all out"

Score sheets below.  Fancied this section myself, or at least A3. But today its the ever reliable John Dewberry who takes the section with 8 lb 8oz of peg A11.

B section and my com-padre Mike Poolman was delighted that I drew him B7 the first peg right of the swing bridge a flier.  Good job really as our three man team Nomads B is one man down today.  Mike was unlucky to not get anything but small stuff, but nevertheless  still managed a creditable 2.590 or 5 and 3/4 pound.  Section winner was Eddy Edwards (Nomads A) the first peg the other side of the swing bridge with 3.380 and third in the match.

Section C, my section. Lucky or unlucky to have fellow Pewsey anglers Carl Amman, Brian Shutler and the superb Si Irwin.  Also Pewsey (Chris Glover bagged up in A section) Add to that Kev East, Ivan Oakey and Ben Bentley and a few new guys who look the biz, its tough.  The end pegs take it with Si coming out on top with a quality roach bag on punch.  And all of C15, 14, 13 and Ben on 11, catching quality fish of a reasonable size.  The guy on 13 had a beautiful golden Rudd, haven't seen one of those for a while.  I am reasonably please with my weight ( 3 lb 5 oz) beating 9 guys to my right and 5 guys to my left, but its not enough to pick up. Shame. Nomads B (despite being one man down) finish in the top third.  Nomads A come second to Mercians.

Nice drink and banter after in the pub.

Thoughts turn to the final round of the Wessex on Sunday.  Can we overhaul a six point deficit from Swindon. Well its our home water the canal - squeaky bum time.

Pewsey Lake Match Remembering those who left Wiltshire never to return.

Through the fog and onward to the lake for Match 8 of the Lake championship how time flies match 8 already unbelievable.  Nice  view to see the electric pylons poking through the thick foggy blanket. Get to the lake to find I have left my hot foot boots behind as well as my short whip and a landing net pan. Great start to the day.

Banter was cut off at the knees today as after an initial humorous draw; a respectful silence was observed before the first bait broke the surface.  In this centenary year of the start of the Great War; I took the time not only to say a silent thank you to those men; but to think of more modern conflicts and loss of men and women.  I am very fortunate in that being a civil servant I have the pleasure of working with the Army and through that have made personal friendships that have extended outside the work environment and into fishing.

Pewsey DAA have also benefited from the talents (and membership funds) of Army anglers who have joined our ranks.  We are under no illusion their presence is transitory; due to the nature of their role.  However, we all wish for their time with us to be long as possible.  To that end I finish my thoughts of remembrance with hopes of a more peaceful future when "friends" can spend time wetting a line together.

Not many at the match today.  Many of the lads preferring to check out our canal stretch ahead of the crunch final winter league match next week.  The first trick is going to find sections that are fish-able and not boated out.  Then to try and find somewhere where our friends in the winter league can catch, but not catch too much (otherwise whats the point of a home venue).

Unfortunately as much as I would have love to have joined them; my commitment to run the lake matches comes first.   The lake reflected the grey autumn dawn and was sprinkled with beech tree leaves.  Clarity has won the battle over the clean green of the summer water; and the temperature was a very, very cold 4 degrees and clear..

We steeled ourselves for a tough one.  A day for warm clothes comfortable seats and a long wait over the quiver tip. accompanied by a hot flask of sweet Tea. No show from Chas, so we started the draw.  It meant only two sections of 5 but he ho, can't be helped.

Two left, Simon and I last to draw would it be 13 or 5. It would be nice to get down the bottom in the fish and in the sun. The day gets worse as I draw peg 5.

I decided to set up a waggler for the far side, fishing long with the pole would be difficult needed 17 meters really.  I was also concerned that the pole waggling around casting shadows - would spook the few fish in the clear upper levels of the lake. Brian Shutler on end peg 4 on my left and Steve Dean (below) to my right.

I had scaled my rigs down from 0.12 mainline 0.10 hook length to 0.08 straight through.  Hooks scaled down from an 18 to Kamasan BS 510 size 22.  Deep canal rigs.  The main attack (deep water (7 and a half feet deep) was with my brilliant Long Bream 0.75 Dino floats.  Superbly balanced floats these and it seems built for our lake.  I bulk down with 3 number 12 shot along the hook length.  It shows the the tiniest of movement up or down, in fact most of my bites on the lake recently have been lifts.

Also set up another Dino float the Roach Royale' to work the water between 2 feet deep and 6 feet. Plenty of line between top of float and the pole to keep the shadow of the water.  The shot on this was well spread to try and pick up a few "on the drop" has the bait dropped gently through the water.

Martin Aris walked behind me. "You alright mate" I said you look like shit.  I don't feel well he says I am gonna sit in my van.  He looked bloody awful, white waxy face sweating like OJ Simpson's defence lawyer and really looking poorly.  I quickly finished setting up.  Then went back up to the road to see Martin.  He didn't look right at all, so did the normal first aid questions and said I was gonna call an ambulance.  He swore at me and said don't be daft he was feeling better and he had no pain etc.  So after getting some drink into him and sitting with him for a bit, he said he was ready to fish.  I was not convinced but we strolled slowly back.  I gave him some more hot tea from my flask and then blew the whistle.

The match started slowly.  30 Minutes in and I had a 2 ounce Perch, Steve's had a few small roach and Roly has had a few net-able fish.  Brian has had nothing.2 Hours in and I am officially panicking.  Still on one Perch, Brian now has three small ones Steve's up to 6 or 7 Roly is on a pound and Will is still whacking out the Method with no joy.  Apparently the other section is not doing much better, so I take the temp of the water and is a chilling 3 degrees. Bugger dropped my thermometer in the lake!

I scale down the waggler to 10 oz bottom size 24 and a single pinkie. The float lands just right and then dips. I strike and am relieved to land a Perch that might go a pound.  This puts me second in section just need to build on it.  That was it though, all of us stopped catching and never saw another fish till ten minutes from the end. When Brian stated it was Carp O'clock.

 As always the other end has it, however I am sitting pretty for good points in my section.  Suddenly Will T shouts hes in to a Carp on the method.  Brian on my left is also away. Unbelievable so close to picking up more points on Brian and hes done it again - a last minute lump.  Will lands his fish and thankfully Brian loses his clearly a massive fish his medium gear cant hold it.

I blow for the end and Steve Hiscock in the next section shouts fish on!  The rest of us pack away whilst Steve Hiscock plays and lands his fish in the allotted time (near double figure common).

Brian and I start the weigh in.  First surprise is Marc Kay on end peg - no proper Carp but two gold fish for 9 ounces. To add to his silvers weight.  The ever present Simon Burden who draws last with me; has made the most of the draw with one Carp for 6 lb 6 oz to add to his two Chubb and many silvers.

On through the other pegs.  Steve Hiscocks "whistle" fish goes a lovely 9 lb 4 oz.  Martin Aris (looking a bit more pink) does well with lots of little fish to get his best lake weight for a while.  Then through my section where the weights are no where near the other section. Steve's near double common below.  Biggest tail on a Carp I have seen for a while.

So to the score sheet and as Brian says my "Jammy Perch" gives me enough to claw a point back off Brian. Brian also dutifully hands over a pound coin to Martin on their pre match bet.  What a day. 3 bites and three fish.  Hope to get a Perch like that on the canal next week.

The lads pick up their winnings

As the day comes to end our thoughts are torn between the future and next week on the canal; and on this day of Remembrance - most of all, to those who fought and died for our Freedom.  Thank you to them.

Wessex Winter League round 4 Radcot Thames. Hanging in there.

After the recent glorious high temperatures its seems weird to be on round 4 of a Winter League.  The hope was we could overhaul the four point lead Swindon Isis A had on us and go into the last match on the Home water Pewsey canal either tied or in front.  Shouldn't discount Radcot either as they had a red letter day at Lechlade last time out.

Could do with another pick up myself funds are tight and another £46 paid out to replace the wing mirror on the flyer after last weeks impact with a Pheasant, doesn't help.  Axel Rose is agonizingly but soulfully singing an appropriate tune "November Rain" and Slash and the rest of Guns and Roses are ensuring the song has overblown and overlong guitar solo to make it sound as epic as possible.

Its squeaky bum time as Swindon Isis and Radcot seem to be bringing it big style.  Its fair to say that not only do they have good anglers but they all seem very nice with it.  In fact all anglers taking part seem to be a good bunch of friendly blokes. Its clear Swindon want us to lose our grip on the title we won last year.  We are well up for it, but its definitely to a gimme and any number of teams on the day can win and throw it in the air.

I am thinking on the team plan derived from the practice open match on Wednesday.  It centers around a ground bait and caster approach again; but its clear from Wednesday the roach are not showing so 2.5 lb of gudgeon and small stuff on pinkie, is the target for good section points.  I am not totally comfortable as we are basing it on the upper sections at Grafton lock and boatyard.  Not sure its relevant to the pegs below the Golden Swan, but fingers crossed.  I had a look back at last years blog and I won my section (the boatyard) with 3 lb 15 and half lets hope its repeated.  I am getting a bit fed up of the travelling up from Salisbury way, could do with a few matches closer to home. Costing a fortune in diesel.

Breakfast for a fiver and booked in we go to the draw.  But most of the lads are going with the bap approach. Me I am not really hungry just wanna draw.  Have a feeling today could be the day it all goes badly wrong.  Below Martin Aris trying not to bite his fingers.

So I am pushed forward to draw again and after a run of reasonable pegs in this competition I draw 6.  Which it appears is not the best.  Local Knowledge from Graham Godwin indicates I am going to struggle and scratch.  And true to his word when I get to my swim I find a blank looking number, and I am trapped between good anglers John Swan and Paul Rice.

Looks good in the photo but dark clouds rumbled in and the wind was straight in my face and swirling around. Had 8 foot at my feet and then 10 feet to two thirds of the way across where it shelved up.

Don't know why but even plumbing up I knew it was gonna be a struggle;and so it proved this was grind.  I really worked at it through the match trying several methods and baits to no avail.  Through the entire five hour match I probably watched a stationery float for 4 hours and fifteen minutes.  I am not the only one struggling Paul Rice up stream is dogged in his waggler approach, but is only catching like me tiny fish just out of the egg sack.  I have seen John Swan catch what looks like a Hybrid , in fact he seems to have been catching all day.  He is the end peg as no one has turned up on peg 8. I tried a whole tin of hemp over half an hour with the bait dropper but still no roach.  So much weed on the bottom it was making it difficult and every now and then the elastic stretched and pulled up an ancient branch from the depths.

 In the end I had one 2 ounce roach 32 Gudgeon and a lucky Perch at the end for 1 lb 3 and half ounces.  Pikeless for the first time in a while- yippee.  The all out was called and I was glad to turn my back on a long cold day.  A day of leaves, twigs, tiny, tiny fish and a great deal of frustration.


A section first and Danny has done well up in the boatyard.  Our  floating sub Graham Godwin also does well.  The unstoppable Brian Webb does it for ISIS A.

B section (my section) and its a close call. John Swans Hybrid was a proper River Roach well done to him.  Well done to the excellent Summer League organiser Daz Edgell second  - and me third with 1 lb 3 and a half.  The half proving vital as two others (Steve Dean and P Eales) had 1 lb 3 tied !!!!

  So to C section and will it be as tough as B? Trev Bradley wins it for ISIS A. ISIS B Steve Bull second.  Well done to Lee Knight and Leo; as Steve Trevett struggles.

D section (by the Swan pub), next and the skillful Brian Shutler wins it for team 2. Marc Kay also continues his good form and Kev gets mid section.

E section next. An extraordinary weight by a new fella Mr Curtis of 35 lb !!!! suggests the fish in this section had shoaled up.  As everyone else except Pewsey 1 Paul Giddings gets ounces.

and Finally F section slight controversy here as I note a mistake.  Recount needed.  Unfortunately Chas Short rang in at draw time to say his father had fallen ill, and he was in hospital with him and couldn't make it.   So looking at the sheet Chris Glover should be in Pewsey 2. Pewsey 3 should be blank and presumably Colin Betteridge is Clanfield?? Well done to Brian Ballard and the N Russell for ISIS, Both piling the points on for ISIS.

Totals now.

If I am right, Pewsey 3 Should have 34 Points and still win the day. Pewsey 3 - -  18 instead of 21; and Clanfield 21 points instead of 15.  I am sure it will all come out in the wash.  See you next week on the lake for the Remembrance day match.

Well done to Pewsey 2.