Something big must have been on at the Birmingham NEC because rooms in the area were being advertised at higher than usual prices. I managed to secure a twin room at the Premier Inn, Royal Leamington Spa. 2 nights @ £39 per night, still great value and may I say what a delightful place it is too.
We travelled down on Wednesday morning, and arrived about 10.15. After a bacon butty and a chat with the fishery staff, we decided to fish on Extension Pool. Staff advised on the current form pegs, so we chose a couple where the wind was off our backs, and sat next to each other.
For the £2 challenge, we decided upon 6 hours. Pato went out to 6metres with groundbait and maggot and was quickly into F1s. I went to 5 metres, feeding 6mm pellets on one line, and groundbait on another. I also put a small pot of hemp and corn down the edge. I waited about ten minutes for my first F1.
After half a dozen fish each, things went a bit silly. Liners and missed bites for both of us. I put corn on and things settled down while Neil struggled on.
With about an hour gone, I had a little look in the margin on corn. The float buried first drop, and every other drop for that matter, until the end of the session.
After half an hour on maggot in his margins, and with little success, Pato started feeding maggot regularly and the F1s came shallow. Every put in was the same, a pinch of maggots, drop the rig in and within seconds the elastic poured from his top kit. And all at 6 metres !
What a fabulous day's sport we had. Then we realised that we may do ourselves some mischief as we had to weigh them. Pato added his weights up and came to a final tally of 127lb. After resting for a few minutes to get our breath back, it was my turn. I was worried. Not for my £2, but because I thought I'd done Neil by a few pounds and weighing would be hard work. We were equally stunned when my catch finally added up to an amazing 230lb. All F1s too. Never seen anything like it.
Back in Leamington, we found a Chinese, and ordered a banquet, the highlight of which were some rather hot salt n pepper king prawns. Full stomachs and aching muscles counter-acted the excitement, and we a good night's sleep.
Day 2 saw us on the Canal. No, not the thing with doggydo, boats and gudgeon, this was the name of another pool at TBF. We decided on another 6 hours, but this time, just in case, we would weigh after 3 hours and start again (same pegs). Information was that this was more of a maggot water, so Pato went 6 metres with maggot and groundbait, and the same down the edge. As it was a practice for the big match, I was happy to do something else. Pellet at 6 metres, and you guessed it, hemp and corn down the edge.
30 minutes gone and only a couple of skimmers to show for it. Down the edge, again, and a few F1s, but nowhere near as quick as the day before. Pato also went down the edge, on maggot, and had some F1s and a few small barbel. Slow but steady brought us to the first weigh, and only one net each. Neil on 24lb, me 32lb. Tongue in cheek we both muttered "sh*thole" and laughed.
In truth, it was probably a more interesting day's fishing. Corn n hemp didn't seem to be working, and I scratched around for the odd F1 and mirror to 3lb. The staff came round and coached me on maggot for 30 minutes, before walking away muttering that they couldn't believe it hadn't worked for me.
Meanwhile, Pato was catching really well on the maggot, down the edge, mainly poundish barbel, with the odd proper carp and F1. We both agreed he was getting his £2 back.
With 45minutes left I scrapped everything and reverted back to what I know. Despite advice to the contrary, I went on a top kit straight out, where it was 3.5 feet deep, and fed a pinch of micros. A 4mm pellet went on the hook and unbelievably I started catching immediately. Big skimmers, F1s and barbel came steadily to the net until the end. All the local advice, given in good faith, and doing my own thing worked better.
The weigh-in seemed a formality, and when Pato put 54lb on the scales, to go with his first bag at 24lb, the total 78lb was a great effort considering we thought it had been a Grueller (now there's a laugh). Neil could have cried when I put my fish on the scales and the needle went to 52lb, meaning a total of 84lb for me, and another £2 coin.
That evening we went for an Indian, and discussing plans for the Garbo match, Pato thought he had learned enough to have a good go.
There were 130 anglers in the match, spread over 7 pools. Each lake winner would qualify, along with the top 8 subsequent weights overall, making a total of 15 into the final. We both thought around 70lb might be enough.
At the draw, and Pato came out and announced 'Extension'......peg 30. Happy with the lake, but as far away from our opening session as you could get. Our fishery friends indicated, with a quick gurning contest, that it was not a good area.
At the peg, and it didn't look too bad. The whistle went, and so very quickly, did plans A and B. A lad opposite had started with 6 early fish. Plan C, two lines down the right margin, both fed with groundbait and hemp, came into play. Neil began catching steadily with maggot on one line and corn on the other. After an hour he was level with the other guy, and got his head in front, with 15 F1s approaching the two hour mark. A ten minute lull in the action coincided with the other guy having a good run, and that's when the wheel fell off for Pato. Instead of keeping things steady, panic set in and the next hour was "headless chicken" time (understandable I suppose) with Neil chasing round lines trying to make things happen.
With 90 minutes left, he finally settled down and went back to the original catching lines and tactics. F1s came at regular intervals, and he ended on 39 fish. I thought he'd done 50lb, but again, he just seemed concerned about the other fella, who was in his section. 'If I have 50, then he has a ton' was Pato's prediction. To Neil's amazement, the lad weighed 64lb against the honourable 57lb 11oz for the big fella. Lesson learnt! Fish your own peg and don't worry about others.
Pato had finished 5th of 20 on his lake, with the best weight being 80lb, from the other end. It seems that a high 70lb weight was needed to qualify.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable trip. Neil enjoyed himself but feels that he may have let the club down. For what it's worth, I think he's been a credit to the club, and to himself. I'm sure the experience has helped his angling, and whoever is lucky enough to represent the club next year, would do a lot worse than ask him for advice.
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