I just scrape in the money - Yew, Decoy

Peg 27, Saturday, May 22
 By this time last year my wife and I had walked scores of miles, on our local highways and byways, in an effort to remain what passes, for us, as fit. This year we've hardly managed a quarter of that thanks to the weather - cold and windy and wet. But that wind and lack of warmth must mean that the fisheries are all now saturated with oxygen, which accounts for how hard the fish are fighting. They are definitely fitter than I am!

Overcast with a nice big ripple at out end of the lake. Luckily the rain wasn't heavy.

I was drawn 27 in our Fenland Rods match (entry down, unaccountably, to nine) on the east bank of Yew lake, which was at the Southern end, with a nice wave on it. However, when I walked up to the other end, towards the lower numbers, the water was flat calm and it felt five degrees warmer, being completely sheltered. Immediately I thought that, with the water in such good condition from the never-ending Fen blows, the fish might well choose that end to feed in. my choice would have been 20 or 21, or 16 in the corner, which also has a good reputation. Time would tell.

This won't last long! I started on a feeder and in the first 90 minutes took three carp approaching 10 lb on a washed-out wafter, cast about three-quarters of the way across the 40-years wide strip, and then lost two when the hook length broke. One of those was a very big fish indeed, and I played it for some minutes before the break. 

Kevin Lee, on my right, battles yet another big barbel towards the end of the match.

The hooklengths were self-tied bands, tied with the JB Clarke Match team nylon, about 5.5 lb. And after the second breakage I turned to some Guru bands tied to 7 lb. These Guru hooks, of whatever pattern, are the best tied hooks I've ever used. Two more fish came with no more breakages. I can't work out why the others broke. I now have complete faith in the Guru hooks.

A lovely-looking margin to my left. but it didn't produce.

Seems like I am doing OK
To my right on 26 sat Kevin Lee, who has won the club championship more times than anyone else, and he had four or five fish at this point on top-two-plus-two, including a bream and an ide, and I was definitely beating him.  Then I wandered up to Alan Golightly on peg 30, to my left, who had won a club match on 27 last year. He had just one fish, so I guessed I was doing OK.

Back to my peg and after one more fish on the feeder I went out to top-two-plus-three and in the next hour caught two or three F1s and three or four carp to about 8 lb on corn over hard pellets and hemp. Two big fish came off - not sure whether they were foulhooked. Halfway through, and I was still ahead of Kevin. But then the wheels fell off. I went the next 90 minutes without a fish while Kevin, after failing to catch in the side to his left turned to his right margin and immediately had a purple patch with five or six fish in half an hour, mainly barbel which ran to to 5 lb.

Kevin, with 130 lb 10 oz, gave me a bit of a thrashing!

Kevin carries on catching
His catch rate then fell away, but he still managed another half-dozen fish to 10 lb before the match ended.  I could see liners in my left margin, and tried corn, expander and cat meat, but could manage only one fish there - a 5 lb barbel foulhooked in the fin on a bunch of dead maggots. My mistake was to keep fishing there, as the fish were obviously not feeding properly.

I did manage to add a couple of F1s to 3 lb and couple of carp from the long swim in the last hour, but I knew Kevin had me well beaten.

Peter Spriggs, obviously happy with second spot.

The weigh-in
Alan on peg 30 had found fish in the margin eventually, totalling 46 lb 4 oz and I weighed in 82 lb 10 oz, topped by Kevin's 130 lb 10 oz. He told me he had been using double cat meat. I should have tried that, and I should also have made a determined effort to fish the right margin properly for a time. as it was I had a couple of half-hearted drops there, without any success. 

Current club Champion Gave Garner with friend.

I was surprised that Kevin's weight was not beaten by the anglers towards the warmer end, and that only Peter Spriggs with 113 lb 4 oz beat my catch, leaving me third. and the last man to be paid out. Interestingly most of the anglers found, like me, that they couldn't catch in the margins. 

So I hooked enough fish to have been second, and I can't beat myself up about losing some. For anyone to catch fish they have to get bites - that's the first requisite. If I get the bites I feel I haven't done too badly. Better to have hooked and lost than never to have hooked at all!!

Mike Rawson with a mirror we weighd at 12 lb 11 oz

Next match Monday on Cedar at Decoy. It looks like showers only, and I don't care where I get drawn. 

Our chairman/secretary John Smith was fourth.

The Vets National is on Lindholme in July, and I am seriously questioning whether to travel up to fish it. I just can't gather much enthusiasm, as I know that the lakes are all different, and that some are likely to fish better than others. Last year's match on Decoy was cancelled when there was really no need - and on Decoy it's possible to win a match like that on ANY peg. I was looking forward to that. I guess we are spoiled.

The weights were fairly well spread.

The carp tease me - Kingsland, Coates, Cambs

Peg 6, Sunday 16th May
Thirteen of us fished this Fenland Rods match on the small carp lake at Kingsland. It's not permanently pegged, and we put peg 1 in the first corner you come to, running to 7 on the righthand bank, 8 and 9 on the end (we left them out), and 10 to 16 back down the North bank, with 17 on its own on the West bank. That peg had probably won more matches than any other, and our club champion Dave Garner drew it.

My swim looking across to 10 in the righthand corner. Flat calm and sun - not perfect!

My peg 6 had four nice big concrete steps down to the large platform. Some of the pegs can be decidedly dodgy if the grass is wet, to the extent that some anglers won't fish here now because of the danger of slipping. My left margin had bare bank for the first few metres to the left and a clump of reeds about five feet to my right in the right margin. But I started out at about 10 metres, as did Kevin Lee on my left. But neither of us had a bite there in the first 30 minutes. Opposite, Peter Spriggs hooked a carp from his margin, and that was enough to persuade me to try mine.

My left margin had bare bank along to the dead reds. The platforms here are really big!

Fish on corn, but not many
I started to the right and after half an hour took an 8 lb mirror on corn fished over corn and hemp. Fish were cruising, but they wouldn't look at a bait, so I persevered with corn to the right and after three hours had just five fish for about 40 lb, four on corn with one on an expander, though I had lost a couple more. Five fish doesn't sound much, but I reckoned that was better than most, as these big fish were usually splashing while being landed and I hadn't seen much splashing. With the water almost flat calm, Kevin's fish, when he landed them, send big waves through my swim, and there hadn't been many waves from anywhere.

A switch to the left margin, though this didn't look as inviting, brought another fish or two on a small cube of luncheon meat in the slightly deeper water about four feet from the bank, and when I changed to two small pieces, to fish more positively, my catch rate went up. In one really good hour I landed about six fish around 5 lb, while Kevin seemed to be struggling, and I reckoned I was ahead of him. 

Kevin Lee with a lovely light golden common around 10 lb.

To my right, guest Roland Butcher started hitting a lot of fish on his waggler, but he told me afterwards that on his rod he couldn't stop a lot of them dashing into the thick reeds and coming off. I prefer to use a pole in swims like that as you can tighten the elastic to hold the fish, without having to keep it at rightangles to the pole, whereas with a rod you risk it breaking if you have to hold everything hard.

Everybody seemed to foulhook carp
Foulhooked fish were a problem, and I lost some more. Strangely there were three instances when I gently lifted the bait, followed immediately by the float diving under in a typical bite, only to find that I hooked a fish which immediately came off leaving me with a scale. Then a fish, possibly foulhooked, took the whole of the rig which had been doing the business. A Disaster, Daarling! So I reverted to the rig I'd used in the right margin.

Dave Garner on Peg 17 was fifth with 83 lb.

With my estimate of about 100 lb in two nets I went for a third with 45 minutes left. Now the fish should really start biting! Kevin had just landed a fish or two on cat meat, so I tried it. But I couldn't get a bite, and reverted to luncheon meat in the left margin. A 2 lb carp came in, but then I had a terrible half hour fishless, while Kevin had five or six big fish, and I guessed he was catching me up.

A disappointing end
Hemp seemed to have an immediate effect and everytime I put it in with meat big fish came swirling in, but they now left very quickly, instead of staying a few minutes as they had previously. I felt that just a couple of those big fish would give me a chance of possibly winning, though I couldn't see what everyone else was catching.

In the last ten minutes two more fish came in  of 3 lb and 6 lb, the last one being my only fish on cat meat, but I knew I had possibly fallen behind Kevin just when I expected to have my best spell of the match. The substitute rig hadn't worked as well as the lost one, but I didn't think I had time to mess about getting a new rig to work just right. I should have gone back to the righthand margin, or put in dead maggots, which would probably have kept fish in the swim for longer.

This was my first net - six good carp for 44 lb mainly on corn.

Again, as had happened before, the spare nets provided are not large enough for the landing net provided to be pushed inside to release the fish. But I had read my blog before going, and that reminded me that I needed to use the spare net I keep in the van to transfer the fish into it, so it could be popped into the keepnet.

The weigh in
James Garner on Peg 2 was leading with 116 lb 6 oz when the scales came to Kevin. James fishes very few of our matches but always seems to be in the top two or three. Kevin weighed 104 lb 10 oz and I thought I might still beat that. But for only the second time ever I had OVERestimated my weight. My three nets went just 99 lb 5 oz - only about one fish short of Kevin's weight.

The result - quite patchy, perhaps because the fish seemed
to want to be spawning, but the water isn't yet warm enough.

Those weights dominated right round to Dennis Sambridge on 15, the oldest angler on the bank (I think he's about 81). He put 138 lb 8 oz on the scales for the win. Dave Garner on his own on the West bank was broken four times on his waggler rig when fish took him into the thick reeds which stretch out a long way from the platform, and was fifth, leaving me in fourth spot and the last in the money.

A good day's fishing, so I was very happy. Those fish wouldn't give in, and I felt I had played them OK. I think that just one that I lost may have been properly hooked, but can't be certain of that.

Next match Saturday on Yew at Decoy, pegs 16 to 30. Pegs 20 and 21 have traditionally had a slight edge, but our last one there was won on Peg 27 I think. As usual I am happy anywhere, fishing with mates. Life doesn't get any better than that.

Good conditions but difficult on Damson, Decoy

 Peg 15, Friday, May 14
Eighteen of us turned up for this Spratts match on an almost windless, cloudy day. Damson is like an inverted triangle, with Pegs 1 to 13 running from the bottom point up the right hand side; then 14 to 17 across the top, and 18 to about 26 down the lefthand side, stopping short of the narrow section. We fished 1 to 20, with 7 and 14 left out, having dodgy platforms.

Strangely, when I got out of the van in the car park I remarked how cold it was, but by the time we'd drawn and driven to the lake it was much warmer. Peg 1 was the favourite, and that went to Bob Allen. There was a tiny amount of ripple at the end, while I and 16 and 17 had back wind, so it was flat calm, except for the ducks!

Almost flat calm at our end. The fishing was very hard all round the lake.

 

Brilliant start

You get seven feet of depth on a top two on every peg, but it's usual to start in the margins, and that's what almost everyone did. Almost everyone also had a similar experience as me - two fish for 3 lb in the first three minutes and then Zilch. Gone. Vanished. Just Like That! Trevor had five in five minutes, while others admitted to two or three. Usually the fish stay around the margins for an hour or so, but this was a new experience for most of us.

After that some turned to the feeder, while others, including me, went out to the deep water. I managed to snag four or five, mainly small but with the best over 4 lb, on corn by pulling the bait along very slowly. Leaving it just didn't produce. Eventually I had to have another look in the margin, in a small cutout in the reeds to my left, where to my surprise I found three F1s on corn fished a few inches off bottom in 18 inches of water. They fought like fury, probably full of testosterone, or the fishy equivalent.

My Special Method gets me out of jail
Clearly hardly anything was being caught - Peter Harrison had some on a feeder and I could see Trevor catching on rod and line. It turned out he was fishing a waggler right across and had to get within 18 inches of the reeds to get a bite. In desperation I turned to my special method which at least usually tells me whether there are fish in the swim. Today it didn't bring a fish for 40 minutes, but I could see that there were fish down below, so I persevered.

Alan Porter, second  by 1 oz after fishing a feeder in open water.

My reward was a few fish around 2 lb, but it was hard going. Being able to see tiny signs of fish in the swim keeps me concentrating. There was no question of putting out a feeder as I'd deliberately left my rods behind, intent on just fishing the pole. Anyway, I kept putting the occasional fish into the net while I knew that Peter and Mick, to my right, were struggling. At one point I turned to the righthand margin again, which had not yet produced a fish. I threw in half-a-dozen grains of corn, dropped in on top, and immediately hit a 2 lb carp. but I never had another touch there.

Things became more difficult, and over the next hour I landed about one fish and lost five. I think one may have been foulhooked, but I'm sure the rest weren't. Others told me they also lost fish late on, so I have to assume the fish were getting finicky. I saw Martin try up in the water, and he may have had one. Several times I dropped my rig, with corn, in front of cruising fish, but none of them took it. The water felt dead all day, though the sun stayed away and conditions were pretty good.

The End
I estimated I had 40 lb, but really had no idea how the early pegs had done. I assumed that one or two would have 100 lb or more. I was wrong...

Peter Harrison could catch fish in a bucket of concrete!
He ended sixth today, having taken almost all his
fish on a feeder cast to the island.

Bob Allen on 1 weighed 47 lb 2 oz, and I caught up with the scales on Peg 5, to see that Trevor was second with 40 lb 13 oz. Then Alan Porter on Peg 8 weighed just 47 lb 1 oz. I watched as the scales refused to move upwards, and it left him in second place by just 1 oz! He caught his fish on a feeder cast to the middle of the lake.

Peter Harrison on 11 was opposite the island and had caught fish by casting right across to it with a feeder, but he managed only 35 lb 11 oz.

I weighed 43 lb 1 oz, which was third round to Terry Tribe who beat me by 7 oz, and left me in fourth place. I rued the lost fish, which certainly cost me the match, but hey, that's fishing for you. It's a Funny Old Game (apologies to Greavsie). So well done Bob - I don't know how he fished. Obviously well!

Next match Sunday on Kingsland's small carp lake, which has been in tantalising form recently - some days terrible, other days great.  The corner pegs have an edge, and so does the swim on its own on the West bank, but I'm happy anywhere. The fish can be hefty, and I'm expecting close-in fishing, next to the reeds, will win. But sometimes the first four hours can be almost fishless, so I mustn't fall asleep.

RESULT

1 Bob Allen              47 lb 2 oz     1st
2 Mick Ramm         26 lb 8 oz
3 John Garner          17 lb 8 oz
4 Trevor Cousins      40 lb 13 oz    5th
5 Bob Barrett             8 lb 4 oz

6 Wendy Bedford       16 lb 3 oz

8 Alan Porter              47 lb 1 oz    2nd

9 John Smith              16 lb 9 oz

10 Peter Spriggs         10 lb 12 oz

11 Peter Harrison        35 lb 11 oz

12 Shaun Buddle        12 lb 8 oz

13 Mick Rawson        DNW

15 Mac Campbell      43 lb 10 oz    4th

16 Martin Parker       34 lb 10 oz

17 Mick Raby           27 lb 5 oz

18 Mick Linnell        DNW

19 Terry Tribe           44 lb 1 oz        3rd

20 Joe Bedford          21 lb 12 oz

Here endeth lesson Number Two - Fields End, Cambs

 Wednesday, and the forecast was reasonable, so I took Alan, from my village, for his second lesson. He owns only a rod and reel (perhaps two) and the first time he used a pole, on Decoy, he got some good fish, including his first barbel. I thought it would help him catch more in future if he saw just how precise your fishing can be if you use a pole.

The first - and most important - job of the day was plumbing up. I sat on his chair and I hope he watched carefully as I plumbed up in front, moving slowly out, until I found a definite drop-off at about eight metres. Fields End is an irrigation reservoir, with basically slowly-sloping sides, though I don't know how deep it is in the middle as it's about 60 yards across - probably about 12 feet I guess.

I then set the rig to be two or three inches overdepth and swung it out, letting it fall back to the spot where the drop-off was. First cast, on corn, I hooked a roach. At least Alan could see that the system would catch fish. That's so important in fishing. No amount of You Tube video will take the place of watching someone actually doing it!

I sat in the swim on his left.

Alan with his first-ever ide - a beauty of 5 lb.

Story of the day
Nothing much to report for the first four hours, though we both had two or three fish over 2 lb, plus some lovely roach averaging several ounces each. I was beginning to be a bit embarrassed, having taken Alan here, though no-one else seemed to be catching much. I tried a piece of cat meat and a 3 lb chub took it on the drop first cast, followed by another next cast. But they were flashes in the pan.

Later I came in towards the side, fishing a top three, and hit a couple of fish, so I went over to Alan and rigged him up with another top for fishing inside, and gradually we started to catch fish - carp to 4 lb plus the occasional ide. Alan had one of 5 lb, which he was mighty pleased with, as so he should have been.

A shower started and everyone on the bank stood up and put on their waterproof jackets; ten minutes later the sun came out and everyone stood up in unison and took them off again. Monty Python would have been proud.

Alan loves taking photographs. Me with fish!

Losing fish
At one point Alan lost seven good carp in a row. That was largely because a) he's not used to playing fish on a pole (though he did very well) and b) he was using my old Browning Sting, which is a put-in pole as opposed to put-over (ie you slide the bottom section over the smaller one in front, as opposed to slipping it inside).

These put-in poles are lovely and light, but very slim, making it a specialist job to insert a puller. So the elastics are fairly tight, the top two are fairly short (so of course is the elastic) and you have to add pole sections when you need to lessen the pressure. Not something which is easy on these put-ins.

Alan in action. The pole is so slim that the small pole cup is attached lower down than I would have liked.

The answer
The answer was to go over and swap the rig over to a top-three, with elastic running through all three. He got on much better with this and didn't lose any more. He ended with 10 or 12 carp to 4 lb and two or three chub or ide. I was pleased to see he kept feeding, which was undoubtedly a big factor in his catching fish.

I had more, best 7 lb,  because I came right in, to two feet of water, where the bigger fish seemed to be. I suggested Alan came in closer, but he said he was happy out at about five metres, so I left him to it. There's only so much anyone can take in in a single day.

Me, on messy platform, with a nice chub.

Conclusion
There's no magic in using a pole. but I lent him my Sting in an attempt to show how precise you can be. How easy it is to plumb up and feed properly, which is not as easy with a rod and line if you're fishing beyond the rod tip and feeding by hand. That's because most anglers will skimp doing it properly because they have to keep reeling in, adjusting the float, and casting out again to the same spot. It's so much easier with a pole because you're back, bang, right in the same spot (provided you hold the pole in the same place).

So if he plumbs up carefully next time he goes floatfishing I will be satisfied that the day was worthwhile. He later sent me a message saying he had enjoyed his 'lesson.' So it was a good day.

Here follows a video that Alan took during the day. Sorry about the angler!

Better weather, but difficult fishing - Elm, Decoy

 Peg 8
There were 13 of us in this Fenland Rods match on Sunday - unlucky for me because I forgot to take my mussels, and my mobile battery was flat, so no pictures. But I was happy with 8, as often 8 to 12, in the corner, have an edge.

The wind was quite warm, and the sky was overcast, so conditions seemed ideal, in fact so good that my plan to start on a feeder went out of the window and I fished pole all day. That was partly because when I was plumbing up in my shallow lefthand margin I had a definite liner. So I started by putting some expanders in that swim, but starting fishing out at 10 metres with a 6mm expander over expanders and hemp. That immediately produced some liners and I considered fishing shallow. it was noticeable that my pellet felt ice cold when I felt it after I'd had it in the swim.

The fish were teasing me
Next I came back to fish the shallow margin, and to my amazement I never had a touch there. Not all day. The fish had obviously been teasing me and then buggered off. And since shallow fishing in the open water is not what I am best at I decided to carry on fishing near the bottom at 10 metres. Ninety minutes later all I had was a 4 lb mirror, and a bump-off the next cast.

Back to the shallow margins for nothing, then out to 10 metres for a 6 oz bream, and then into the deep lefthand margin, only about a metre out. I put in some cat meat, because I had seen both Dave Garner on 11 to my left, and Kevin Lee on 6 to my right, catch and I guessed they would be using cat meat (luncheon meat is banned here).

First drop in with meat and the float went straight down and I hooked...a 2 lb bream. Nothing else on meat so I tried a grain of corn on a lighter float and after ten minutes hooked a 3 lb mirror. The match was half over and I had about 11 lb! From then on I stayed mainly in that swim using corn, and slowly started to contact fish - bream to 3 lb, two carp around 10 lb (one of these was foulhooked), several others to 6 lb, and three F1s towards the end. Worm took a 3 lb bream first cast but I never had another touch on it.

I had to use the tow against the wind
There was a considerable tow from left to right, and I had to get the bait just moving with the tow, bumping along the bottom, to get a bite, except for the F1s which took the corn laid three or four inches on bottom. I tried the right margin, and took a fish first drop, but no more came there.

I foulhooked and lost several fish, as did Peter to my left. It wasn't that there were too many fish in the swim - it was that there were so many swimming around. One of these I played for several minutes. It was obviously a very big fish hooked in the tail, and I decided to take my time, dipping the pole in the water and letting the elastic bring the fish to the surface, but it never came close enough for me to net it and in the end the hook pulled out. That certainly cost me a place.

The weigh in
Not that this has anything to do with the match, but I took my time packing up, particularly as I realised I couldn't take pictures, and felt much better than I normally do. I had five top kits and the feeder rod to put away. 

I was then surprised to see pegs 1 and 2 had done really well on a difficult day. Then Kevin on 6 had  107 lb 10 oz, including a fish they weighed at (from memory) 17 lb 6 oz. He caught only in his right margin - couldn't get a bite to the left.

I estimated I had 40 lb plus in the first net and 30 lb in the second; in fact they went 44 lb and 36 lb, plus some ounces, for 81 lb 8 oz total. That was fourth at that point, but Alan Golightly, who fished on the opposite bank alongside Dennis Sambridge, had a magnificent 133 lb 4 oz, to win his second match of the year. I think he caught mainly in the margins. I finished fifth.

THE RESULT

1 Callum Judge        91 lb 4 oz      3rd

2 Dick Warrener        85 lb            4th
3 Mel Lutkin            20 lb 9 oz
4 Joe Bedford            20 lb 4 oz
6 Kevin Lee                107 lb 10 oz   2nd
7 Wendy Bedford        20 lb 4 oz
8 Mac Campbell          81 lb 8 ox
9 Peter Spriggs            39 lb 14 oz
10 John Smith              60 lb 9 oz
11 Dave Garner            55 lb 12 oz
12 Mick Rawson            28 lb 4 oz
13 Dennis Sambridge    79 lb 11 oz
14 Alan Golightly          133 lb 4 oz.    1st

Conclusions
I wasn't unhappy. I was top weight in the bottom half of my bank, and Peter, to my left, who is a very good matchman, had just 39 lb 14 oz. I am still wondering, though, why I couldn't get any more fish on cat meat when others were catching on it.

The water was cold, but it seemed to me the fish are itching to spawn, so they must be frustrated. Like me. Next trip will be with a friend from the village to Fields End, Doddington.  I'm setting him up with a pole and will try to show him how precise plumbing up, feeding and presentation should help him increase his catches.

Have van, will travel, to Willows, Decoy

 Peg 1
The forecast was for showers, and as I drove on to Decoy through the wind and on through the rain my dreams were all over the place; drove on, drove on, with hope in my heart... you know the rest. Got to Pondersbridge (I don't know who pondered what or for how long) where I turned right, cos the road ahead is closed. Drove alongside Bevill's Leam, over the bridge, up to the next corkscrew, one-vehicle, bridge that spans the Old River Nene, and into Whittlesey. A four-mile detour.

The official route
BUT from Pondersbridge the official diversion to Whittlesey now takes you about four miles back the way I came, to the Ramsey turnoff; then through Ramsey, alongside the Forty Foot drain and then, I suspect, into Chatteris to join the A47 towards March, round the bypass towards Wisbech, on to Hobbs Lot bridge (don't know who Hobb was or what he had a lot of) and up to the next traffic lights, where a left turn and a mere eight-mile drive through the villages of Coates and Eastrea, finally get you to Whittlesey. A Grand Tour of over 20 miles.

That's progress for you. The only good thing is that it's all caused by the new flyover on the main Peterbrorough to Whittlesey road which will eventually avoid the railway gates that used to get stuck in the closed position for hours at a time, paralysing that part of the Fens. And all the lorries carrying vehicles to Germany (where they make their own cars) and bringing back apples (which we grow in the UK) from Spain would actually clog up that bumpy, narrow detour I took, so I can see the reason for the change. Perhaps a reduction in the number of lorries?

If the video doesn't work, this was my swim at the start.

Back to fishing

Now the important bit. Peg 1 had a good reputation years ago but it's ten years since I drew it, in the middle of Winter, when the frost stayed on the grass all day and I caught very little. It's between pegs 35 and 2 and often not pegged now, but I was happy with it in this 20-entry Spratts club match, though the forecast South-Westerly was definitely more South-Easterly when I started, and right in my face. If it works, I include a video of my swim.

The first hour saw me take a 4 lb fish from a 6-metre line on an expander, then one of 6 lb, and then two more at 11 metres, about a metre from the far bank on corn. Wendy on Peg 3 to my right had two early ones (the only fish she caught) and Callum on 5 also had one or two. But to be honest the water felt dead. Then heavy rain made me (and most others) put my umbrella up.

A look in the left side with maggot, where there was a three-foot deep spot, saw a couple of roach come in and it was back to the longer swims, where an eight-pounder came at 11 metres, and I had a few very slight liners. Then the rain stopped and the sun came out really hot and the umbrellas came down. I wandered along to Mick Raby on last peg 35, to my left the other side of the island bridge, and he had one fish of about 1 lb. Those past him didn't have much more.

Ninety-One year old Joe still catches 'em.

An F1, but where were the rest?

Back to the peg and more light rain, where an F1 suddenly took maggot in the left margin, but try as I might I couldn't catch any more.  Strange, because they are not solitary fish.

Then  a dark cloud loomed, which saw my umbrella going up just in time to beat off the hail storm, now coming from the North, which enveloped us. The water was spattered all over meaning a float was almost impossible to see at distance, so I put some corn and cat meat into a very shallow 18-inch swim to my right - with no hope of the fish actually coming in there because of the weather.

However, when the hail eased up a little and I made a final plumb into that swim the float jagged under from a liner. I followed up with a piece of meat and, wonder of wonders, a near-10 lb carp was the result. After a lull I tried the same to the left margin, and another good carp came in.

I stay on cat meat
Now the sun was out again, down came the umbrella, and I fished the rest of the match with cat meat, taking a couple of F1s from each swim and an eight-pounder, with which I started my second net having clicked 34 lb for my first (but I always seem to underestimate). I also lost one when the rig broke at the hook, and that cost me the match. All the fish came using my special method.

The sun was so hot it brought lots of carp up to the surface where they indulged in the fishy equivalent of sunbathing, but without eating the offered free take-aways.

With twenty minutes to go and no bites for a long time I had a look with mussel - putting in about 15 cut in half and baiting with a half. No response, so with five minutes left I pushed up the float to lay well on, and suddenly the float jagged under and I was playing a four-pounder.

Trevor - another win under his belt. And a great guy (but don't tell him).

End of the match
I'm not the only one to find packing up a great strain - John Smith and Mick Raby were discussing it afterwards. There must be an alternative to joining the Old Age Club, cos I never paid a subscription! Then John Garner came along and took my holdall back to the van, coming back to push my loaded trolley as well - a really good friend. It left me with enough strength to walk along and get a picture or two of the catches.

The weigh-in

Trevor, on 22, started weighing at 24 with Terry Tribe, who had 42 lb 8 oz and led round past 35 and up to me. I was admitting to about 50 lb, but my first "34 lb" net weighed 44 lb 8 oz, and the second 14 lb 13 oz, total  59 lb 5 oz. which led the field right round to Trevor, who also had two nets.

John Garner found a few on Peg 34, but not enough.

Cliffhanger

Trevor's first net went 44 lb 1 oz, and the second was obviously less, He needed 15 lb 5 oz to beat me...and it went 16 lb 9 oz, for a well-deserved win. He took some fish on a feeder and then more to his left on a pole fishing to the platform on peg 21. I ended second, and very happy on a very difficult day when everyone struggled. But that lost big fish had definitely cost me the match.

FULL RESULT

1     Mac Campbell      59 lb 5 oz         2

3    Wendy Bedford      5 lb 4 oz    

5    Callum Judge        45 lb                4

7    Bob Allen               6 lb 14 oz

9    Peter Harrison       48 lb                3

11  Martin Parker        4 lb 13 oz

13  Mick Ramm         12 lb 11 oz

15  Peter Barnes         12 lb 6 oz

16 Peter Spriggs         22 lb 11 oz

18 Mick Linnell         26 lb 11 oz

20 Mick Rawson        DNW

22 Trevor Cousins      60 lb 10 oz       1

24 Terry Tribe             42 lb 8 oz         5

25 Alan Porter            30 lb 9 oz

27 Shaun Buddle        10 lb 13 oz

29 Bob Barrett            13 lb 12 oz  

31 Joe Bedford            15 lb 10 oz

33 John Smith             DNW

34 John Garner            25 lb 14 oz

35 Mick Raby            9 lb 13 oz  

The irrepressible Peter Harrison was third, Callum fourth, to keep up a very good recent run, while former Div 4 National Champion Terry Tribe ended fifth to take the golden coin from former Vets National Champion Martin Parker, who had a terrible day. Terry was really upset about that.

Next match Elm on Sunday, peg 1 to 12. I half expect pegs 8 to 12 to dominate, but I'm happy anywhere. I have re-made the rig which broke and with a decent forecast hope we can get by without having to constantly erect our umbrellas. I will have mussel on the menu for those wily carp which think they've seen it all...

A good match for me - but a traumatic ending. Oak, Decoy

 Peg 22
This was an 11-entry Fenland Rods match on the Oak strip lake, with us all on one bank from peg 16 to 30. We left out the two end pegs and put all the rest in the bag. In Summer Pegs 19, 20 and 21 would probably be my pick, because they have such good shallow margins. But I was quite happy with the peg picked out for me, until I found that I had no shallow margin on my left because of a big bunch of irises, and with a North-Easterly over our right shoulders that was anything but ideal. Still I had a job to do.

I suspect that most of the anglers make up probably just two rigs, but I almost always have more - today I had five: one for a long line, two for the deep margins (one for light baits and another for catmeat), one for the two-foot margin on my right, and another for a tiny four-foot-deep shelf against the irises.

The fish on Oak are mainly big carp, with not as many barbel as on Elm and Cedar.

A fish on feeder
I started, though, on a small banjo feeder with a yellow washed-out Wafter, and within ten minutes an 8 lb mirror was in the net. But the next 25 minutes saw no more bites, even though I varied the length of the cast from right under the far bank to a few yards short. Two pegs to my left Dick Warrener had a good fish on a pole at about four sections, and I changed over to pole myself.

It started off in reasonable conditions, but soon the North-East wind blew harder.

I had held out seven sections before the start, but that seemed to be the absolute limit I would be able to fish because of the strong, cold breeze. So I decided to start at six sections - about 10 metres - having potted in expanders and hemp. I am sure that hemp brings fish in to investigate in almost all conditions, even if they aren't feeding. But after feeding I first had a quick look in the lefthand deep margin, where the depth was about five feet, and where I had been flicking sweetcorn. I was surprised not to get any indication here, so I quickly went out to 10 metres.

I was using a rig which has served me well for several matches - a 0.5 gm Tuff Eye with a black tip put in (these floats have the option of four different-coloured tips which can be inserted). Normally I gravitate towards heavier floats in a strong wind, but I've got used to how this float behaves.

I pull back to the 9-ish metre line
After about ten minutes I had a fish of about 6 lb on a 4 mm expander, and from then on concentrated on that long line, although first I had to take off the pot on the pole as it was catching the wind; and then I had to start feeding half a section closer to the bank because the wind got worse.

However, I started to pick up fish quite slowly, and kept on that line as I couldn't see much else being caught. Next to me, on my left, John Smith then hit a fish or two fishing at about three sections. I carried on putting a fish in the net perhaps once every 20 minutes, but had quite a lot of line bites as fish were swirling about just under the surface. A top angler would probably have fished shallow for them, but I'm not very good at that, though I would have changed if I had been desperate. 

Out in the middle some of the big carp were humping like porpoises, even though the wind was still cold, and we were all wrapped up heavily.

Actually that's not strictly true - in the end two or three swims to my right it was like a pleasant Spring day, with little wind and the temperature five degrees above what we were enduring in the higher numbers, thanks to shelter provided by the high end bank. You could have fished there without the protection of a fleece-lined top jacket. Not that I am jealous or anything!!

The rig had to drift against the wind
There was a fair tow left to right against the wind and by sinking the pole tip a couple of feet I managed to pick up the tow. If I could do that I had the chance of a bite. A change to a 6mm expander seemed to make the rig a little more positive, but a switch to sweetcorn saw only one fish, and that was foulhooked. The rig needed to drag the float along with the bait touching bottom; when I tried fishing two inches off bottom I never had a bite.

The fish were mainly from 6 lb upwards and with 43 lb clicked for my first net I went to the second. Bites tailed off at one point and I had quick looks in the margins again, but never had a touch; meanwhile John Smith was making up ground on me. 

I had lost two or three fish, probably foulhooked, and then played a big one for at least ten minutes before it came off, Not only is it hard work, but it's valuable time lost. And with an hour to go I played one for about 15 minutes before it came off, never once managing to get it anywhere near the surface. I thought I was probably a foulhooked barbel, but the next fish behaved similarly (though I took only five minutes) and it turned out to be a ten-pounder hooked properly. I can't remember fishing at Decoy ever fighting as hard as they have this year.

I eventually have to alter the elastic
I hooked one carp in the nose - that's the worst place, I have found. You simply can't get their head up. Elastic for these was Middy size 18-22 Hi-Viz Shock Core Hollow, which I have found is a good all-round elastic for Decoy, but these fish were pulling so much out that I had yards of the stuff hanging out from the pole when I used the puller.

One fish around 10 lb left me so exhausted after playing it that I put it in the second net, started on a third net, and decided to alter the elastic. There were less that 30 minutes left, bites had slowed up, so I picked up the cat meat rig and put it out to the long line. John was striking at fish and missing and I (wrongly) assumed that he was using cat meat, so I was full of confidence again,

That rig had a big, thick  red elastic in, and it turned out to be much better. The first fish was about 6 lb; the second one about 10 lb, and the third one, which I landed after the match finished, as also about 10 lb. I should definitely have changed over before I did. My estimated catch was 43 lb+40 lb+26lb = 109 lb.

The weigh in (which I didn't see)
I didn't see the weigh in, and there are no photographs of catches, because I had a problem. I had packed most of the tackle away (late as I had five rigs and a feeder rod up) and was preparing to load it on the trolley, after which I would follow the scales and get a couple of pictures in the last pegs to my right. But suddenly I had a crippling stomach pain, which doubled me over.

I am really in trouble
More pains came and I felt I needed to go to the toilet. So I left the gear on the bank and started to walk back to the van, about 150 yards away. But after a couple of steps I found I could hardly walk - I felt absolutely drained and could hardy put one foot in front of the other.

I soldiered on a step at a time but three or four times had to drop to one knee to  summon up strength to take another few paces. If I had dropped to both knees I knew I wouldn't be able to get up again.

Two or three people came up to me - I don't know who they were - and helped me to my feet. The walk seemed to take a lifetime and for two pins I would have dropped to the ground and just lay there. Twenty yards from my van Dave Garner  came over and I asked him to help me back. He did so, and got me seated on the drivers seat.

After a time I felt just well enough to drive to the toilet. Afterwards I immediately felt so much better, drove back to the lake...and found that my mates had loaded my trolley and pushed it back to the van. Thanks everybody - much appreciated.

I asked what I weighed in
My 109 lb estimate turned out to be way out - the first two nets went 55 lb and 56 lb (knocked back to 50 lb each) and the 26 lb net weighed 37 lb 10 oz. Those last two fish must have been 14 lb each. So I ended with 137 lb 10 oz for third spot, the top two weights coming from the end pegs 16 and 29.

Not sure how winner Kevin Lee caught his fish. Sorry about that. But well done, Kev..

I could have been in serious trouble!
Then I realised that this had happed once before.  And it is frightening.

About 12 years ago in Tenerife my wife and I were in a restuarant. I chose sardines as a first course, and while choosing the second course I came over just as I had on the bank - stomach pains and drained of all my energy. I could hardy speak. The restuarant, thinking I was having a heart attack, called the hospital for paramedics to attend, but before they got there I managed to drag myself to the toilet and get rid of everything.

Immediately I felt better - it was almost like a miracle; and after the paramedics had given me the once-over I decided not to go to the hospital. Later my daughter suggested it could be clupeotoxin - Sardine Poisoning - and given the circumstances it clearly was. We Googled it.

Clupeotoxin
Clupeotoxin, or Sardine Poisoning, is due to a toxin found in some oily fish caught at certain times of the year in certain areas of the planet. I have been told, by someone who worked in the business, that's it actually illegal to catch those fish at that time.

The toxin is unknown, but is not destroyed by cooking.

There is no known antidote.

The death rate is 50%.

My symptoms - the sudden draining of all energy, and the recovery - were exactly the same this time. I didn't eat anything while fishing. BUT I did have a flask of chicken soup with me which I drank, and must assume that I hadn't washed the flask out properly after previously using it. Whatever the reason (and I know it sound pretentious) I reckon I could have cheated death not for the first time!

Next match
Back to happier topics - next match on Willows at  Decoy on Thursday. Willows is different to all the other lakes, much peggier, and can be brilliant or very difficult. Either way Peg 25 is favourite, but 16, 24 and 29 all have good form. Frankly I don't care where I get pegged as I usually do well on Willows.

Sunday see us on Elm again, but the next Sunday it's all change to Kingsland Small Carp Lake (that's the lake which is small - not the carp!)