First match of the year, on Damson, could have been worse

Peg 18, Damson, Decoy

I hate driving to matches in the near-dark, but the previous jourmey to Decoy had been made bearable by the sighting of two owls. The first was flying, very slowly, along the lefthand side of the road, so as I passed it, that magnificent bird was only a few feet away. It looked pure white, and I wondered if it was a Snowy Owl. Later, only 200 yards from Decoy, another owl flew in the opposite direction, and I could clearly see brown on its back - a Barn Owl.

In the club house Roy Whincup said that Snowly Owls were quite big, so later, at home, I checked up - yes, Snoly Owls 22 inches; Barn Owls 13.5 inches. So they were both Barn Owls. Not that they are rare, of course, but two on the way to a match lifted my spirits.

Now, a week later, things looked like changing when I drew on the high bank of Damson, for this JV match, a swim which is not normally pegged in club matches because of the steps down. I wasn't sure if thge steps would be too difficult for me.

Twat In The Hat
Now local piscator (I think that it what I have heard him called) Ivy Tilsley often awards a Twat In The Hat to some poor sod who has messed up, though in fairness he's given it to himself a few times lately for forgetting things, like fishing tackle, trousers, and boots! Some time this Winter he'll realise he's forgotten his box...

Anyway, if he knew what I had did he would have chucked it over to me. I carted my box gingerly down the steps, and arranged my other bags carefully on the top of the bank, because there's not a lot of room at the bottom, when along came Barry Webb. "What number are you?" he asked. "I'm 18". 

"Well that is peg 18," he said, pointing to the next swim. And it was, 'cos it had got the number 18 on the platform (a lot are missing the numbers, and I'd miscounted). So I had to cart my box back up the steps, re-load the barrow, and pusk it, ignominiously, along 15 yards to the next peg, but at least there were only three steps down. But they were, inevitably after the rain, muddy, and it was a chore getting stuff down and up. 

The genuine peg 18. With hardly any wind at the start it looked as if we
might be in for decent weather - but then the North-Easterly charged in...

It's an ill wind

HOWEVER, I was ready when the match started. The forecast bitter North Easterly was in fact a cool Westerly, over our backs, and I started close-in, in about four feet of water, with maggot. Bites came - from tiny roach and perch, but I persevered, changed to corn, and after half an hour hit a 2 lb carp. Barry had had a couple close in I think, but when he took a couple of carp at five sections, I changed. 

Two tiny bites on corn on 2+3 brought carp of 3 lb and 4 lb...and then the wind hit us. It came out of nowhere, from the North East, and it was bitter. Luckily I had a pair of gloves with the finger tips cut out but a flap to cover them, and I could hold the pole with them on. But about half an hour later Barry had to get up and walk about as he was so cold. He ended talking to Joe Bourne on21, and Joe decided to call it a day. While that was going on I managed one more carp, about 5 lb, but with the wind directly into me, holding the bait where I had dripped in some corn, and stopping it drifting away, was difficult, and I came back to the side.

I thought about getting my feeder rod out of the bag, as the island was only about 20 metres away, but couldn't face the trek back up the steps, so I left it there, on the bank behind me.

Five carp
Next couple of hours saw about five carp come from the deep water, about six feet, just a metre from the bank, and the wind got very slightly warmer. Towards the end Barry took another fish or two long, and I had a three in a few minutes. An hour left, and I hoped for a bit of a perple patch, but it that time I never had a fish, while Barry lost one.  I didn't lose any at all, which I was chuffed with.

Andy Kell won the lake from peg 11 fishing a pellet feeder to the island.

Glad when I'd had enough

To my left on the end bank I saw Paul Faulkner catch a few - it turned out he fished maggot all day and took fish steadily. During that last hour the wind became bitter again and I thought I'd be glad when I had had enough. Then the match finished, and not a minute too soon. Barry and I, and no doubt other anglers facing the wind, were perished. On the end peg on out bank Gus Gausden had packed up early, and opposite him Shaun Coaten had done the same.

The weigh in

Opposite me, on the other side of the island, and who I couldn't see, Andy Kell on 11 had started on a pole but given that up when only roach came in. He changed to a pellet feeder and wafter, dropped right next to the island, and ended with72 lb 14 oz of carp, which won the lake. He said that if he dropped it within a metre of the reeds he wouldn't get a bite - the feeder had to land within about a foot.

Barry Webb was on my right, but hidden by a bush.

On the end bank Paul Faulkner was second with 68 lb 7 oz. I was next to weigh and mmy 111 or 12 fish went 28 lb 7 oz, with Barry Webb next to weigh. He said he had 14 or 15 fish, so I guessed he wwuld beat me, but in fact they went 22 lb 3 oz. The final four pegs on our bank saw Ron Cuthbert total 37 lb 1o oz, tsken on a feeder, with Chris Saunders the only other one to still be there at the end. He had 18 lb 1 oz.

Section winner (sort of)
In the cafe I was surprised to be given a section prize - I had won it by double default, with the winner and second in my section. Lucky, but I'll take that. In any case I was second-highest on my bank of six.

Marks out of ten

I give myself 7. I should have taken a feeder rod down with me - I could have laid it on the sloping bank somewhere I suppose. I did try expander as an alternative to corn, but kept with corn - just very small pieces - because I was getting occasional liners in it. I didn't try dobbing bread shallow, which might have worked because I twice saw big carp moving through my swim close to the surface. But it was cold, which freezes my brain, and you can't do everything!

Ten also fished on Cedar, where weights were a little better, and John Knight won on peg 2 with 74 lb 15 oz. Those pegs nearest to the car park (the lowest and highest numbers) tend to be best on Cedar.

My next match wouuld have been Wednesday at Pidley, but my bladder has not settled down properly after the operation, and it plays up especially in cold weather, so I'm giving it a miss, and I'm booked in for Sunday with JV at Decoy.

THE RESULT

Cedar

Damson