A fairly modest turn out for the latest visit to Blundells. Following a couple of disappointing contests at the venue, everyone seemed to have set themselves realistic expectations, and consequently it turned into a pleasant match, where you had to work for your bites in order to put a weight together. Sport was reasonably consistent right along the match length, with the 'podium' all drawn in different sections.
With two hours left, Johnny Rogers was holding on to shirt-tails to keep himself in contention. He then turned on the turbo to blitz the field with a sparkling end to the match. Denying every fish that went into the net, Buck caught F1s steadily and added two decent bonus carp to claim victory with an excellent 42lb 02oz. Congratulations to Johnboy.
Pipped at the post, and bridesmaid again, was Dennis Jones. A rock solid performance from start to finish on the long pole, saw Den regularly feeding his keepnets, and putting pressure on those around him throughout. 40lb 09oz meant agony for Ginger as he was headed on the line. but still a great effort.
John Edwards was on peg 2, which meant he was on scales duty. You could smell a rat from a mile away, as Sumo decided to start the weigh-in at the high numbers and work backwards to his own catch. He was also in high spirits, which could only mean that he fancied his chances of framing. And frame he certainly did. Fishing 'gnome style' on short pole, Sumo put 39lb 08oz in the bucket, to claim a well deserved bronze medal. Well done to John, who reckons he's got his mojo back.... along with some blackjacks, swizzles and an arrow bar.
Credit is due once again, as despite a tough day for most, there was no moaning whatsoever. It makes the job so much easier, so thanks to everyone in attendance.
Monday, 21 September 2015
Monday, 7 September 2015
ANOTHER WEEKEND IN WORCESTER, 4/5/6th September 2015 ~ Remember the name...Eggy Ferry
Before this weekend even got under way there were rumours abound that the fishing would be awful and it would be difficult to build relations with the respective fishery bosses. How wrong can you be? I think the days of ridiculous bagging matches at Cob House are long gone, but the fishery provided us with some great sport, as good as anywhere we normally go, and our matches were fiercely competitive. In fairness, there were some credible weights too.
Despite some indifferent customer relations, the club must come away from the venue with an excellent reputation. No moaning, no inappropriate comments, and a respect for the fishery and its staff.
On to Solhampton, and Burgess. Now he is a bit of a character to say the least, but following last year's visit, members did well to enhance the already decent image that we created. Once again no moaning, and the somewhat tricky set of rules observed to the letter.
I was proud to represent the club at each of the hotels, and I'm sure we will be welcome to return in future years. The hostelry at which everyone spent Saturday night would, no doubt, be delighted to have our custom should we wish to return. Following a poor showing on the Friday night, Robbo managed to stay awake and soberish to enjoy a fantastic evening. Long live the floating Guinness and chilli sambuca. Even Yozzer had a jaeger bomb! Such was the night, that the stragglers didn't leave till 3am.
Friday 4th Sept, COB HOUSE, WYATTS ~ Ton-up Tony is tops.
A little confusion at the start of this meant that some people were claiming that by the time they went in, The Gnome had caught three fish. No "all-in" shout, but a "commence when you are ready", done to prevent certain members from swimming, caused the misunderstanding. The head start didn't do Yozzer any good though, as he ended up getting dusted by Dirk Wriggler off the next peg. Degsy fished method feeder at 5 metres to register a second place with an excellent 86lb 15oz.
The winner, however, was the man in form, Tony Wilson. Continuing his improvement, which has been steady all season, Tony 'smashed' the ton by 3oz. It could have been even more but a keepnet violation meant his weight from one net was capped at 60lb, when it was clear he'd had more than that. Regardless, rules is rules but still a brilliant achievement, so congratulations.
A randomly drawn pairs competition was being run over the three days, so when Tony's partner, Gary Brislen finished in 3rd place with another tidy weight of 82lb 10oz, it seemed like that little contest was over before it began. It actually gave them a 40lb advantage going into day 2.
It's becoming a regular occurrence, but, yet again, Andy Lawton was in the money. Once again a section win, this time with 43lb 04oz. Paul Robb managed to get the better of Neil Paterson in the final section, his 76lb 15oz giving him 10oz to spare over the big fella. Well done to both section winners and to the Jolly Green Giant, too.
Well done to Harry Simpson for giving Simmo Jnr and Col Cook a 'babooning' (red arses from a kicking). His 57lb was a genuine highlight.
Saturday 5th Sept, COB HOUSE, WYATTS ~ Ton-up Tony foiled this time
A really strange match, as everyone felt they had learnt from the day before, but the fishing seemed harder. At the end, however, the weights had improved!
Before the match, everyone had put a pound in the kitty, and before they put fish on scales, they had to estimate the weight they would record. Nearest guess would take the prize.
Tony Wilson informed the scalesmen that he had 78lb but again went over the magical hundred mark, this time with 101lb 09oz. A pretty poor guess, but by no means the worst (only 23lb out).
Now The Gnome is a notorious bull-shitter at the weigh-in. He reckoned on 70lb, but accepted that he never gets anywhere near, so for the purposes of the game, he guessed at 88lb. Absolutely hopeless!!...... The scales went round to 108lb 07oz. It proved to be the match winner, but the 'guess your weight' contest..... well.
Filling the podium was Nice Boy Nicky Harrop. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry when the scales stopped at 96lb 13oz. A brilliant effort, but falling just short of the ton, and Tony was in his section too. Oh dear, never mind.
Harry Simpson was first to weigh, and having estimated his catch to be worth 34lb, it looked like game over when the scales read 34lb 03oz.
However, with three to weigh, the scales arrived at Andy Lawton.
The Butler claimed he had fished to a plan. Catching very little would make the guessing easier. 16lb 02oz was the precise estimation, and incredibly, the scales went to 16lb 04oz. He'd beaten Harry by a mere ounce. He may have finished last, but he was £20 richer. Great fun, and huge interest in the weights all they way round the lake.
Pato gained revenge by beating Robbo to the section with his level 62lb, even if his was the worst guess (35lb).
Ian Simpson and Col Cook looked for all the world like they were going to be 'babooned' by Dad for the second day running. Amazingly. they both had sensational last hours, with Ian bringing a brilliant 88lb 10oz to the scales, and Colin a credible 56lb 03oz. Ian also upheld the guessing standard with his 87lb 08oz estimate.
Gary Brislen was also in the money again, this time The Entertainments Manager was a section winner with 70lb 04oz. A great effort, which also added 7lb to the lead in the Pairs contest.
Sunday 6th Sept SOLHAMPTON, KINGFISHER ~ Robbo is a Bathing Beauty, Yozz wins the fishing.
It just had to happen at least once during the trip.
In the warm autumn sun, Sumo was sitting topless at his peg looking like he could play a big part in the contest. Suddenly, out of the blue, an almighty splash in the next peg indicated that Paul Robb had dived head first into his peg to retrieve an errant top kit which was making it's way over to the far bank. Robbo rescued the top, and the carpy culprit, and made his way back to the bank. Despite his peg being ruined by the commotion, John offered Robbo a dry fleece and Harrop asked if he wanted some bristle grease to smarten up his hair.
This was a totally different type of venue, with lots of smaller carp around 10/12 oz supplementing some better samples.
Although pegged on the other side of Robbo, a big bed of rushes had softened the blow of the Swimming show, so Yozzer was able to catch all day and his 90lb 03oz proved enough for a nice day's fishing and a victory too.
After two excellent but fruitless displays at Cob, little Dennis Jones was finally rewarded for his consistency with a magnificent 82lb net and an honourable silver medal. A great display by Den, but those floats? They keep going under! Testimony to their quality, everyone seems to want them.
No holding that man Tony Wilson back. This time another quality effort brought third place with a decent return of 76lb 08oz. Like all good anglers, he reckoned he'd learned a few lessons over the 3 days. Good Luck to him and Chris Roe on TBF next week.
Still referred to as young Paul, Cargy is getting on a bit now, but despite excessive alcohol consumption on the previous night, his fishing is also coming along and so he proved with a section winning 60lb. Well done Paul.
Pato finished off a very productive weekend with his third decent weight in 3 days. This time his 56lb 08oz saw another section winner's envelope go into the back pocket, and travelling companion Gary B sticking his sloppy paste where the sun don't shine. With Gary disappointing on the final day, it gave a glimmer of hope to the chasing pack in the pairs. With a final combined total of 450lb, Gary and Tony had proved to be a perfect pair, winning by a relatively small 12lb margin from Chris Roe and The Gnome.
From a personal point of view, I'd like to thank each and every member for their contribution to this weekend. My job was made easy because everyone did their bit and there was no moaning about anything. I was proud to be the front man for the club as everybody conducted themselves impeccably. A special mention to Sumo and Luco for their assistance, and Spadger for his efforts in securing the top class accommodation. Both brilliant hotels, especially for the money.
Hope we can do it all again next year.
Despite some indifferent customer relations, the club must come away from the venue with an excellent reputation. No moaning, no inappropriate comments, and a respect for the fishery and its staff.
On to Solhampton, and Burgess. Now he is a bit of a character to say the least, but following last year's visit, members did well to enhance the already decent image that we created. Once again no moaning, and the somewhat tricky set of rules observed to the letter.
I was proud to represent the club at each of the hotels, and I'm sure we will be welcome to return in future years. The hostelry at which everyone spent Saturday night would, no doubt, be delighted to have our custom should we wish to return. Following a poor showing on the Friday night, Robbo managed to stay awake and soberish to enjoy a fantastic evening. Long live the floating Guinness and chilli sambuca. Even Yozzer had a jaeger bomb! Such was the night, that the stragglers didn't leave till 3am.
Friday 4th Sept, COB HOUSE, WYATTS ~ Ton-up Tony is tops.
A little confusion at the start of this meant that some people were claiming that by the time they went in, The Gnome had caught three fish. No "all-in" shout, but a "commence when you are ready", done to prevent certain members from swimming, caused the misunderstanding. The head start didn't do Yozzer any good though, as he ended up getting dusted by Dirk Wriggler off the next peg. Degsy fished method feeder at 5 metres to register a second place with an excellent 86lb 15oz.
The winner, however, was the man in form, Tony Wilson. Continuing his improvement, which has been steady all season, Tony 'smashed' the ton by 3oz. It could have been even more but a keepnet violation meant his weight from one net was capped at 60lb, when it was clear he'd had more than that. Regardless, rules is rules but still a brilliant achievement, so congratulations.
A randomly drawn pairs competition was being run over the three days, so when Tony's partner, Gary Brislen finished in 3rd place with another tidy weight of 82lb 10oz, it seemed like that little contest was over before it began. It actually gave them a 40lb advantage going into day 2.
It's becoming a regular occurrence, but, yet again, Andy Lawton was in the money. Once again a section win, this time with 43lb 04oz. Paul Robb managed to get the better of Neil Paterson in the final section, his 76lb 15oz giving him 10oz to spare over the big fella. Well done to both section winners and to the Jolly Green Giant, too.
Well done to Harry Simpson for giving Simmo Jnr and Col Cook a 'babooning' (red arses from a kicking). His 57lb was a genuine highlight.
Saturday 5th Sept, COB HOUSE, WYATTS ~ Ton-up Tony foiled this time
A really strange match, as everyone felt they had learnt from the day before, but the fishing seemed harder. At the end, however, the weights had improved!
Before the match, everyone had put a pound in the kitty, and before they put fish on scales, they had to estimate the weight they would record. Nearest guess would take the prize.
Tony Wilson informed the scalesmen that he had 78lb but again went over the magical hundred mark, this time with 101lb 09oz. A pretty poor guess, but by no means the worst (only 23lb out).
Now The Gnome is a notorious bull-shitter at the weigh-in. He reckoned on 70lb, but accepted that he never gets anywhere near, so for the purposes of the game, he guessed at 88lb. Absolutely hopeless!!...... The scales went round to 108lb 07oz. It proved to be the match winner, but the 'guess your weight' contest..... well.
Filling the podium was Nice Boy Nicky Harrop. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry when the scales stopped at 96lb 13oz. A brilliant effort, but falling just short of the ton, and Tony was in his section too. Oh dear, never mind.
Harry Simpson was first to weigh, and having estimated his catch to be worth 34lb, it looked like game over when the scales read 34lb 03oz.
However, with three to weigh, the scales arrived at Andy Lawton.
The Butler claimed he had fished to a plan. Catching very little would make the guessing easier. 16lb 02oz was the precise estimation, and incredibly, the scales went to 16lb 04oz. He'd beaten Harry by a mere ounce. He may have finished last, but he was £20 richer. Great fun, and huge interest in the weights all they way round the lake.
Pato gained revenge by beating Robbo to the section with his level 62lb, even if his was the worst guess (35lb).
Ian Simpson and Col Cook looked for all the world like they were going to be 'babooned' by Dad for the second day running. Amazingly. they both had sensational last hours, with Ian bringing a brilliant 88lb 10oz to the scales, and Colin a credible 56lb 03oz. Ian also upheld the guessing standard with his 87lb 08oz estimate.
Gary Brislen was also in the money again, this time The Entertainments Manager was a section winner with 70lb 04oz. A great effort, which also added 7lb to the lead in the Pairs contest.
Sunday 6th Sept SOLHAMPTON, KINGFISHER ~ Robbo is a Bathing Beauty, Yozz wins the fishing.
It just had to happen at least once during the trip.
In the warm autumn sun, Sumo was sitting topless at his peg looking like he could play a big part in the contest. Suddenly, out of the blue, an almighty splash in the next peg indicated that Paul Robb had dived head first into his peg to retrieve an errant top kit which was making it's way over to the far bank. Robbo rescued the top, and the carpy culprit, and made his way back to the bank. Despite his peg being ruined by the commotion, John offered Robbo a dry fleece and Harrop asked if he wanted some bristle grease to smarten up his hair.
This was a totally different type of venue, with lots of smaller carp around 10/12 oz supplementing some better samples.
Although pegged on the other side of Robbo, a big bed of rushes had softened the blow of the Swimming show, so Yozzer was able to catch all day and his 90lb 03oz proved enough for a nice day's fishing and a victory too.
After two excellent but fruitless displays at Cob, little Dennis Jones was finally rewarded for his consistency with a magnificent 82lb net and an honourable silver medal. A great display by Den, but those floats? They keep going under! Testimony to their quality, everyone seems to want them.
No holding that man Tony Wilson back. This time another quality effort brought third place with a decent return of 76lb 08oz. Like all good anglers, he reckoned he'd learned a few lessons over the 3 days. Good Luck to him and Chris Roe on TBF next week.
Still referred to as young Paul, Cargy is getting on a bit now, but despite excessive alcohol consumption on the previous night, his fishing is also coming along and so he proved with a section winning 60lb. Well done Paul.
Pato finished off a very productive weekend with his third decent weight in 3 days. This time his 56lb 08oz saw another section winner's envelope go into the back pocket, and travelling companion Gary B sticking his sloppy paste where the sun don't shine. With Gary disappointing on the final day, it gave a glimmer of hope to the chasing pack in the pairs. With a final combined total of 450lb, Gary and Tony had proved to be a perfect pair, winning by a relatively small 12lb margin from Chris Roe and The Gnome.
From a personal point of view, I'd like to thank each and every member for their contribution to this weekend. My job was made easy because everyone did their bit and there was no moaning about anything. I was proud to be the front man for the club as everybody conducted themselves impeccably. A special mention to Sumo and Luco for their assistance, and Spadger for his efforts in securing the top class accommodation. Both brilliant hotels, especially for the money.
Hope we can do it all again next year.
Monday, 24 August 2015
HAMPTON SPRINGS, Rock, 23/8/15 ~ Pato makes The Gnome up his game.
Another brilliant turn-out meant that some of the less productive pegs on Rock had to go into the drawbag. Still, our section system tries to ensure that things remain competitive even when areas of the lake aren't full of fish.
Only one section proved to be a complete washout, with Steve Coleman's modest 6lb 14oz return being enough to take the money. Everyone in the section stayed the distance and weighed in, so credit to them, and congrats to Steve.
Midway through the contest, Neil Paterson was making very good use of the 'tip flier' known as Rock 23. After putting a few decent carp in the onion bag, it seemed that he was well in front of The Gnome and his bag of pole caught crucians. "Come over here a minute" Pato beckoned. "What for?" was Yozzer's response. "You're gonna need this Argos catalogue to make the kicking a little less painful".
Now, when faced with the option of kissing or kicking Pato's backside, which one would you prefer? Me too, that's why I had to up my game. Fortunately the island carp decided to come closer to the bank, and as Pato slowed, the margins started to produce. One 5 lber and half a dozen smaller carp were added to around 30lb of cruies, and it was job done.
Yozzer had totalled 58lb 02 oz, and not only put Pato's 35lb 06oz in it's place, but also won the match.
Ian Simpson put in a welcome, if rare appearance and, as usual, went away with cash. An 'enjoyable' day resulted in the runner-up spot with an excellent 52lb 02oz.
Another angler we don't see enough of is Tony Wilson. He fished mainly maggot and put together an honourable 51lb 03oz, to take the final podium position. Well done to Poulton's finest.
It's now becoming a habit, but once again Andy Lawton was the shining light in the Leasowe partnership. 23lb 12oz brought section success. Despair in this section, as, despite his best efforts, Les Tommo failed to complete the 20lb challenge. The age old fight with Lily took it's toll and Les lost out on several occasions. Don't mess with Lily, you won't win!
The final section was won by Lee Pickup, who beat 'our kid' off the next peg, with a reasonable score of 19lb 02oz, Good job the challenge has already been met for this month though, Lee. Well done.
Finally, as the only qualifying member to get through this month, Yozzer is already this year's 'Section Winner Challenge' champion.
11 members continue in the 20lb challenge, which will be September and October, but not including the weekend away. Good Luck.
Only one section proved to be a complete washout, with Steve Coleman's modest 6lb 14oz return being enough to take the money. Everyone in the section stayed the distance and weighed in, so credit to them, and congrats to Steve.
Midway through the contest, Neil Paterson was making very good use of the 'tip flier' known as Rock 23. After putting a few decent carp in the onion bag, it seemed that he was well in front of The Gnome and his bag of pole caught crucians. "Come over here a minute" Pato beckoned. "What for?" was Yozzer's response. "You're gonna need this Argos catalogue to make the kicking a little less painful".
Now, when faced with the option of kissing or kicking Pato's backside, which one would you prefer? Me too, that's why I had to up my game. Fortunately the island carp decided to come closer to the bank, and as Pato slowed, the margins started to produce. One 5 lber and half a dozen smaller carp were added to around 30lb of cruies, and it was job done.
Yozzer had totalled 58lb 02 oz, and not only put Pato's 35lb 06oz in it's place, but also won the match.
Ian Simpson put in a welcome, if rare appearance and, as usual, went away with cash. An 'enjoyable' day resulted in the runner-up spot with an excellent 52lb 02oz.
Another angler we don't see enough of is Tony Wilson. He fished mainly maggot and put together an honourable 51lb 03oz, to take the final podium position. Well done to Poulton's finest.
It's now becoming a habit, but once again Andy Lawton was the shining light in the Leasowe partnership. 23lb 12oz brought section success. Despair in this section, as, despite his best efforts, Les Tommo failed to complete the 20lb challenge. The age old fight with Lily took it's toll and Les lost out on several occasions. Don't mess with Lily, you won't win!
The final section was won by Lee Pickup, who beat 'our kid' off the next peg, with a reasonable score of 19lb 02oz, Good job the challenge has already been met for this month though, Lee. Well done.
Finally, as the only qualifying member to get through this month, Yozzer is already this year's 'Section Winner Challenge' champion.
11 members continue in the 20lb challenge, which will be September and October, but not including the weekend away. Good Luck.
Monday, 17 August 2015
LINGMERE, 16/8/15 ~ Jamie is Alpha One male
A great turnout for Lingmere meant that every peg was in and it was a godsend when The Gnome had to cry off with his shoulder again. Quite remarkable that some members were disappointed at the lack of a breeze, as normally the wind is such a spoiler.
Once again the fishing seemed almost secondary to most as the banter was superb from start to finish. Even as a spectator, there was never a dull moment.
For the purposes of the blog I shall call the tactic of pole fishing shallow with no float the Monkey method. I'm sure you all know what I mean.
The frame this week was made up entirely of 'monkeys'. Paul Cargill was drawn on the unfashionable peg 11, and midway through the match he was everybody's favourite to win. Catching shallow to the bush on maggot, he soon dispensed with his float and fished the monkey with devastating effect. The scales showed 75lb 08oz, which surprised a few who thought Paul had cracked the ton. A brilliant display all the same.
Jamie Pickup also employed the monkey, mainly to the middle of the lake, and quietly sneaked them in all match. He rained on Cargy's parade too, as an impressive 79lb 14oz snatched victory. Well done to The Awesome One, and hard luck to Paul.
The Third wise monkey was the most surprising. Despite being a master float maker, Dennis Jones fished without one! Business must surely take a knock as Ginger let scruples slip and resorted to the 'slap n tap' tactics. Normally he should be ashamed of himself, but scruples don't pay bills. The resultant 71lb 01oz meant that the money went into his pocket, so it was job done. Nice one Denboy.
Plenty of other decent weights saw the Harrop father and son team take 2 section prizes, as Nick had 43lb 12oz, and Dave's 28lb 05oz was also good enough. Andy Lawton ensured that the Leasowe gentry didn't leave empty handed as another fine performance resulted in a 58lb 09oz return. Johnny Buck Rogers continues to bluff. He struggled and didn't end up with much, but a mere 59lb 15oz managed to get him some coin so that was a bit of compensation. Heaven help us when he does have a good day, the club record will surely go. Congratulations to the winners, unlucky the also-rans.
Once again the fishing seemed almost secondary to most as the banter was superb from start to finish. Even as a spectator, there was never a dull moment.
For the purposes of the blog I shall call the tactic of pole fishing shallow with no float the Monkey method. I'm sure you all know what I mean.
The frame this week was made up entirely of 'monkeys'. Paul Cargill was drawn on the unfashionable peg 11, and midway through the match he was everybody's favourite to win. Catching shallow to the bush on maggot, he soon dispensed with his float and fished the monkey with devastating effect. The scales showed 75lb 08oz, which surprised a few who thought Paul had cracked the ton. A brilliant display all the same.
Jamie Pickup also employed the monkey, mainly to the middle of the lake, and quietly sneaked them in all match. He rained on Cargy's parade too, as an impressive 79lb 14oz snatched victory. Well done to The Awesome One, and hard luck to Paul.
The Third wise monkey was the most surprising. Despite being a master float maker, Dennis Jones fished without one! Business must surely take a knock as Ginger let scruples slip and resorted to the 'slap n tap' tactics. Normally he should be ashamed of himself, but scruples don't pay bills. The resultant 71lb 01oz meant that the money went into his pocket, so it was job done. Nice one Denboy.
Plenty of other decent weights saw the Harrop father and son team take 2 section prizes, as Nick had 43lb 12oz, and Dave's 28lb 05oz was also good enough. Andy Lawton ensured that the Leasowe gentry didn't leave empty handed as another fine performance resulted in a 58lb 09oz return. Johnny Buck Rogers continues to bluff. He struggled and didn't end up with much, but a mere 59lb 15oz managed to get him some coin so that was a bit of compensation. Heaven help us when he does have a good day, the club record will surely go. Congratulations to the winners, unlucky the also-rans.
Monday, 10 August 2015
LLOYDS, Badger, 9/8/15 ~ After the Lord Mayor's show....
I suppose it was bound to happen, but following last week's remarkable day out, it was back to some sort of normality for this match. As expected on Badger, if you are on a few it can be a nice day's sport, but if you're not it can be a bit of a grueller. Results reflected the total hit and miss nature of the venue.
The car park side of the lake was rock hard to say the least. There were, however, several outstanding performances. John Edwards stayed the distance for once and put together an impressive (on the day) 33lb 03oz, which was far and away the best weight for that side of the lake.
Lots of tomfoolery surrounded the Maver magician. Andy Lawton almost lost a complete pole. Hooking a carp at 16m, 11 metres of his pole detached itself and was floating around on the surface. As is quite likely on these occasions, Steve Cooke came to the rescue, wedging his 13m section into Andy's errant pole and retrieving the situation. Meanwhile, Paul Robb hooked a carp while fishing the tip, and let it career through Sumo's peg and into Andy's, snagging the latter's pole rig. Andy landed the runaway, unhooked it and then sportingly returned the feeder to Paul and the carp back into the lake.
Absolutely brilliant to see the 2 section winners on that side getting the applause they fully deserved. Cookie Monster Steve just edged in front of Mr Jackson to win his section, while Gentleman Jim, the ever jovial Eric Heyes, had an even bigger smile than usual as he picked up a brown envelope with his 17lb 02oz bag. Marvellous efforts from both on a tough day.
All the main action was around on the far side, with the first 3 pegged in a line. Dennis Jones caught steadily from the first whistle, sneaking the odd fish from his 16 metre line. Buck Rogers also had the odd carp and skimmer from the long line but could never quite nail The Ginger one. For the first hour, Yozzer sat stubbornly refusing to go beyond 6 metres. Consequently, he never had a fish. A switch to maggot shallow brought about a few quality ide and 2 surprise carp. Then it went quiet, except for the usual mind games of who was winning and who wasn't.
Despite losing one fish for every one he put in the net, Dennis was the clear leader at halfway.
With 2 hours to go, The Garden Gnome had a quick look in the margins. 30 seconds later he was playing a ghostie! That "quick" look turned into a full blown assault and it was game on.
Both Dennis and Bucko tried their margins and had a couple of fish, while Yozzer was getting a bite a chuck on 4mm pellet, hooking plenty of carp, landing some and losing some.
It was going to be close. Ginger put a superb 48lb 09oz on the scales and probably deserved to win. Bucko was next and his 36lb 06oz fell short but put him into second. Another fine performance.
However, those late margin fish transformed The Gnome from zero to hero as he took the honours with 67lb 13oz.
Can members please note that following recent events regarding "swimming" all matches will now start with the shout of 'commence fishing' as the old 'all in' call seems to encourage certain people into the lake.
The car park side of the lake was rock hard to say the least. There were, however, several outstanding performances. John Edwards stayed the distance for once and put together an impressive (on the day) 33lb 03oz, which was far and away the best weight for that side of the lake.
Lots of tomfoolery surrounded the Maver magician. Andy Lawton almost lost a complete pole. Hooking a carp at 16m, 11 metres of his pole detached itself and was floating around on the surface. As is quite likely on these occasions, Steve Cooke came to the rescue, wedging his 13m section into Andy's errant pole and retrieving the situation. Meanwhile, Paul Robb hooked a carp while fishing the tip, and let it career through Sumo's peg and into Andy's, snagging the latter's pole rig. Andy landed the runaway, unhooked it and then sportingly returned the feeder to Paul and the carp back into the lake.
Absolutely brilliant to see the 2 section winners on that side getting the applause they fully deserved. Cookie Monster Steve just edged in front of Mr Jackson to win his section, while Gentleman Jim, the ever jovial Eric Heyes, had an even bigger smile than usual as he picked up a brown envelope with his 17lb 02oz bag. Marvellous efforts from both on a tough day.
All the main action was around on the far side, with the first 3 pegged in a line. Dennis Jones caught steadily from the first whistle, sneaking the odd fish from his 16 metre line. Buck Rogers also had the odd carp and skimmer from the long line but could never quite nail The Ginger one. For the first hour, Yozzer sat stubbornly refusing to go beyond 6 metres. Consequently, he never had a fish. A switch to maggot shallow brought about a few quality ide and 2 surprise carp. Then it went quiet, except for the usual mind games of who was winning and who wasn't.
Despite losing one fish for every one he put in the net, Dennis was the clear leader at halfway.
With 2 hours to go, The Garden Gnome had a quick look in the margins. 30 seconds later he was playing a ghostie! That "quick" look turned into a full blown assault and it was game on.
Both Dennis and Bucko tried their margins and had a couple of fish, while Yozzer was getting a bite a chuck on 4mm pellet, hooking plenty of carp, landing some and losing some.
It was going to be close. Ginger put a superb 48lb 09oz on the scales and probably deserved to win. Bucko was next and his 36lb 06oz fell short but put him into second. Another fine performance.
However, those late margin fish transformed The Gnome from zero to hero as he took the honours with 67lb 13oz.
Can members please note that following recent events regarding "swimming" all matches will now start with the shout of 'commence fishing' as the old 'all in' call seems to encourage certain people into the lake.
Monday, 3 August 2015
LATHOMS No1, 2/8/15 ~ If Carlsberg did club matches.....
As the advert goes, If Carlsberg did club matches, then this would be about as perfect as you could get. Regulars will know that the pegging is a little tight to say the least, and with 18 in attendance, it was hard to find a bit of space. I think it also meant that the fish had nowhere to back off to.
On a day when 50lb was only good enough for 17th spot, everyone's elastic was on show for most of the day. Banter was great as the feelgood factor spread right along the bank (OK it briefly stopped at Pato). Quote of the day must go to Jamie. Speaking to Paul Robb about a future venue, he said to Paul "you'll love it there...... it's next door to a hairdressers". Quality!
The first section was a real tight affair, with Dennis Jones sneaking the verdict thanks to his 52lb 13oz, while Cookie monster's 50lb 15oz only claimed third in section. Dennis was contemplating a return to the canal scene, but after this match I somehow doubt that will happen any time soon.
Jamie Pickup won the next section with a fine 71lb 02oz, closely followed by Robbo, who weighed 69lb 05oz on his first venue visit. Good efforts from both.
The next section featured overall second and third. Runner-up was Nasty Boy Nick, with a very impressive 94lb 13oz, all caught on maggot at 4 metres. I don't know where he got that idea from.
But it proved too good for Dirk Wriggler who could 'only' manage 83lb 05oz on caster shallow at 13 metres. Maybe all the shipping in and out cost him too much time? Great scores from both men though.
Lee Pickup also chose to fish long and shallow and was rewarded for his hard work by catching sporadically throughout the match for his section win, this time with another bumper weight of 70lb 07oz.
Ken Stuart, with 72lb, and Gary Brislen with 78lb, could have reasonably expected to be in the money. Alas, their section also contained The Gnome, whose 115lb 07oz, caught on pellet and corn at 4 metres, was enough for overall victory. Tough luck fellas.
John Edwards started like a runaway train and another venue record looked to be under threat. Sadly for Sumo, the wheel fell off at halfway but he was able to hang on for a section win with yet another super weight of 76lb 09oz.
Thanks to those that did the weigh-in, it really was a week when you didn't want it to be your turn.
On a day when 50lb was only good enough for 17th spot, everyone's elastic was on show for most of the day. Banter was great as the feelgood factor spread right along the bank (OK it briefly stopped at Pato). Quote of the day must go to Jamie. Speaking to Paul Robb about a future venue, he said to Paul "you'll love it there...... it's next door to a hairdressers". Quality!
The first section was a real tight affair, with Dennis Jones sneaking the verdict thanks to his 52lb 13oz, while Cookie monster's 50lb 15oz only claimed third in section. Dennis was contemplating a return to the canal scene, but after this match I somehow doubt that will happen any time soon.
Jamie Pickup won the next section with a fine 71lb 02oz, closely followed by Robbo, who weighed 69lb 05oz on his first venue visit. Good efforts from both.
The next section featured overall second and third. Runner-up was Nasty Boy Nick, with a very impressive 94lb 13oz, all caught on maggot at 4 metres. I don't know where he got that idea from.
But it proved too good for Dirk Wriggler who could 'only' manage 83lb 05oz on caster shallow at 13 metres. Maybe all the shipping in and out cost him too much time? Great scores from both men though.
Lee Pickup also chose to fish long and shallow and was rewarded for his hard work by catching sporadically throughout the match for his section win, this time with another bumper weight of 70lb 07oz.
Ken Stuart, with 72lb, and Gary Brislen with 78lb, could have reasonably expected to be in the money. Alas, their section also contained The Gnome, whose 115lb 07oz, caught on pellet and corn at 4 metres, was enough for overall victory. Tough luck fellas.
John Edwards started like a runaway train and another venue record looked to be under threat. Sadly for Sumo, the wheel fell off at halfway but he was able to hang on for a section win with yet another super weight of 76lb 09oz.
Thanks to those that did the weigh-in, it really was a week when you didn't want it to be your turn.
Monday, 27 July 2015
GORSTY HALL, 26/7/15, Ben Pickup Memorial
Ben will never be forgotten, but according to reports, maybe from a fishing point of view, sport was instantly forgettable.
Sumo ran the match and has kindly written an account of the day:
For those that remember the glory days at Gorsty, and given the recent club results there, plus the weather forecast, eleven brave (deluded?) souls headed out for our latest extravaganza more in hope than expectation.
The day started badly for more than half the field with an enforced Mackie D breakfast as the café wagon at Gorsty doesn't seem to open anymore. Still, the remaining 45 minute drive was enough time to get over the indigestion before the draw.
Given the wind and rain 'in the kipper', keeping your head down on the method/waggler and hoping for a bite was the order of the day. Most poles stayed in the rod bag and the three hopefuls in A section who set them up soon wished they hadn't.
Triumphant on the day was Dirk Wriggler with 25lb 15oz of method caught carp off the lilies. The £28 prize money Derek won will go some way towards replacing the rod he snapped and the reel he dropped into the margin and somehow never to be seen again????
Second, sitting next to Dirk, and on an all too rare outing, was Cargy Jnr with 19lb 05oz of carp, all (all? hah! five ) again caught on the method. Paul's casting prowess drew gasps of amazement from his fellow anglers as his skill and experience prevented his feeder from EVER landing in the same place twice. Searching the peg it's called. Well done son.
Final framer was Steve (I'm better looking than Rock ) Hudson. Perseverance and five and a half hours thrashing away on the big wag resulted in 5 carp for 11lb 15oz.
Sections
A- Dennis Jones - 10lb 13oz (with a perfect split of 2 fish in one net and 2 in the other).
B- Steve Hudson 11lb 15oz
C- Dirk Wriggler 25lb 15oz
I'd like to thank The Butler for sending tradesmen round to the rear entrance and helping with the draw, and Cargy for helping with the weigh in.
Joking apart, hopefully next year we can have a better day on which to remember Lee's little lad.
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