Peg 4 Elm, Thursday, April 19
Hoping I had a bit better luck in this Spratts match than I've been having in my bowls matches at Huntingdon Indoor club. I play a pairs league at 8.30 pm, when you get the younger, better players come along, including some who play in the same team as Nicky Brett, former world singles, pairs, and mixed pairs champion. We've typically been holding our own until the last couple of ends, and then faltering. Last Tuesday myself and Rob were 12-all against a cracking pair, and then went on to lose the last three ends, ending beaten 17-12. But you don't half get some good games!
Hoping I had a bit better luck in this Spratts match than I've been having in my bowls matches at Huntingdon Indoor club. I play a pairs league at 8.30 pm, when you get the younger, better players come along, including some who play in the same team as Nicky Brett, former world singles, pairs, and mixed pairs champion. We've typically been holding our own until the last couple of ends, and then faltering. Last Tuesday myself and Rob were 12-all against a cracking pair, and then went on to lose the last three ends, ending beaten 17-12. But you don't half get some good games!
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| Cold and dank conditions greeted us, and the ripple was over towards the other bank. |
Back to peg 4 on Elm, which wasn't the end I preferred - anywhere from 8 to 12 would have been my choice. Peter Spriggs drew golden peg (again), and was on 11. 'Nuff said! I had casters with me, and was determined to use them, but started on the feeder. To my right Trevor Cousins had a fish on feeder within 90 seconds, and not long after, John Smith on my left had a carp on the waggler. I sat sitting there with nowt!
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| Trevor's first fish was hooked within 90 seconds of the start, on a feeder. |
Thinking about an orgy
I think Trev had another couple on the feeder in the first hour before switching to a pole, fished shallow, and trying to mug the vague shadows he could see moving just under the surface. I changed at about the same time, to where I had been catapulting casters, about 13 metres out. The cool wind was behind us, and the only ripple tended to start about 13 metres out, and the only fish I could see were coming straight into the bank. I think they were sussing out areas where they would be holding an orgy in the near future...
I think Trev had another couple on the feeder in the first hour before switching to a pole, fished shallow, and trying to mug the vague shadows he could see moving just under the surface. I changed at about the same time, to where I had been catapulting casters, about 13 metres out. The cool wind was behind us, and the only ripple tended to start about 13 metres out, and the only fish I could see were coming straight into the bank. I think they were sussing out areas where they would be holding an orgy in the near future...
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| The sun came out briefly, and John Smith on 5 had a good carp on waggler. |
I catch shallow
After an hour I think Trevor had had a couple more fish on a feeder. He told me later they were mainly on dead maggot. I had had a touch or two on a shallow caster I was sure they were roach. However, I stuck it out and eventually just left the pole on the bump bar, at 13 metres, with a banded caster hanging there a foot below the surface, and stopped feeding (out of boredom). Blow me, the float went down, I lifted the pole, and the elastic streamed out with an 8 lb mirror on the end.
In the next 45 minutes I had just two more, plus a roach, but Trevor had another four or five on a banded pellet. It was very noticeable that my fish all came when the float was in the edge of the ripple - I had nothing when the water there was calm. I changed to fishing corn or expander on the bottom at 11.5 metres but that didn't see me get a single touch. Halfway through and I had just those three fish.
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| Trevor ended the match catching in the margins with meat and paste. |
Into the margins
So it was down into the margins with cat meat, where I had seen John Smith and Mick Ramm get a fish or two. But it wasn't until I saw John with a worm on that I changed to worm and this brought three carp in the next hour, from the left, all around 8 lb to 10 lb. Then a switch to mussel saw two more come in (one to my right, which was the only fish I had there) and Trevor went back to feeder for another fish or two and then caught thgree or four in the margins.
So it was down into the margins with cat meat, where I had seen John Smith and Mick Ramm get a fish or two. But it wasn't until I saw John with a worm on that I changed to worm and this brought three carp in the next hour, from the left, all around 8 lb to 10 lb. Then a switch to mussel saw two more come in (one to my right, which was the only fish I had there) and Trevor went back to feeder for another fish or two and then caught thgree or four in the margins.
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| Dick Warrener on 1 was first to weigh in - a very good 55 lb 4 oz catch of carp. |
The weigh-in
On peg 1, which can be very dodgy, Dick Warrener had 55 lb 14 oz, which I thought was very good in the cold conditions. Then Bob Allen had 45 lb 15 oz, but Trevor totalled 92 lb 5 oz, which included one we weighed at 16 lb 1 oz, but which was a LOT more than I thought I had. However my few carp, plus one bream on mussel, went 71 lb 6 oz, which I was very happy with, as John on my left had only 45 lb.
On peg 1, which can be very dodgy, Dick Warrener had 55 lb 14 oz, which I thought was very good in the cold conditions. Then Bob Allen had 45 lb 15 oz, but Trevor totalled 92 lb 5 oz, which included one we weighed at 16 lb 1 oz, but which was a LOT more than I thought I had. However my few carp, plus one bream on mussel, went 71 lb 6 oz, which I was very happy with, as John on my left had only 45 lb.
Dave Hobbs pipped me on peg 7 with 77 lb 6 oz, but Peter Spriggs came up trumps on 11 with a winning 112 lb 9 oz, taken on paste on 2+1 - I don't think he had a single fish from the margins. He also won the golden peg, and went home more than £100 better off. I finished fourth, and if I had hit that last-minute bite and landed one more carp it would probably have been third.
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| We weighed this fish, taken by Trevor, at 16 lb 1 oz. They are so difficult to hold because they are out of the water for such a short length of time. |
Bob Barrett and Mike Rawson both decided not to weigh in their fish, but I am told they both had carp which looked to be around 16 lb.
Marks out of ten
Trevor had read my last blog, where I gave myself just 2, and reckoned I was no better today. Oh, he can be cruel! But I think that 6 wouldn't be unfair - I was particularly pleased that I had three shallow, even in that cold wind. Next match the Fenland Rods Pairs on Horseshoe - the only pegs I really don't want are 10 to 12, as they are deepish with no nice margins. I'd pick peg 1 or 13.
Trevor had read my last blog, where I gave myself just 2, and reckoned I was no better today. Oh, he can be cruel! But I think that 6 wouldn't be unfair - I was particularly pleased that I had three shallow, even in that cold wind. Next match the Fenland Rods Pairs on Horseshoe - the only pegs I really don't want are 10 to 12, as they are deepish with no nice margins. I'd pick peg 1 or 13.
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| Peter Spriggs - winner with 112 lb 9 oz. |
1 Dick Warrener 55 lb 14 oz
2 Bob Allen 45 lb 15 oz
3 Trevor Cousins 92 lb 5 oz 2nd
4 Mac Campbell 71 lb 6 oz 4th
5 John Smith 45 lb
6 Mick Ramm 44 lb 5 oz
7 Dave Hobbs 77 lb6 oz 3rd
8 Mike Rawson DNW
9 Bob Barrett DNW
10 John Garner 62 lb 2 oz
11 Peter Spriggs 112 lb 9 oz 1st
12 Joe Bedford 34 lb 5 oz
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