Not what we hoped for on Yew (and a late result from Elm)

DICK Warrener always reckons that when I don't fish he does better. So do I have special powers I am unaware of? Certainly when I watch England play football they don't play well (but I suppose everyone in the country could claim that!)

Anyway, Dick did himself proud in Spratts'penultimate match on Elm two weeks ago, which I missed, taking most of his winning 73 lb 4 oz catch on a bomb and a wafter, feeding nothing, and including  fish to 9 lb . Runner-up was Trevor Cousins, peg 15, with carp to 10 lb with three caught on a 4mm expander off the bottom,  and two on a bomb and bread.

Third-placed Shaun Buddle included barbel in his 37 lb 1 oz - great to see they are still willing to feed this late in the year. So the four pegs at the Northern end took the top four places, but everyone caught double-figures. 

Result:

East bank                                        West bank

24 Bob Barrett           16 lb                         2 Neil Paas             15 lb 3 oz

22 Mick Ramm         10 lb 13 oz               4 Peter Harrison     20 lb 10 oz

20 Peter Spriggs        27 lb 9 oz                6 Roy Whitwell       20 lb 4 oz

18 Dave Hobbs          23 lb 12 oz             8 Mike Rawson        17 lb 11 oz

16 Martin Parker       26 lb 4 oz                10 Dick Warrener    73 lb 4 oz    1st

15 Trevor Cousins     38 lb 2 oz  2nd       12 John Garner        31 lb 14 oz  4th

13 Shaun Buddle       37 lb 1 oz  3rd

And so to the last match of our season...

Peg 7, Yew, Friday, Nov 23
It all started off so well - Decoy manager Karen Gracey refunded us our peg fees for this Spratts Christmas match, as her Christmas present, and Trevor pegged us all so we'd have the spiteful Westerly wind at our backs. Bob Allen started us off with our traditional fireworks (so loud even I could hear them)...and then it all went pear-shaped!

To be honest three hard frosts had always threatened to derail this last match of the year, when we always have prizes to choose from, drawn teams when we all win something, and everyone goes home happy. And the fish, having not read the script, refused to play ball.

IF I COULD WORK OUT HOW TO GET A VIDEO OF MY SWIM TO UPLOAD TO THIS PAGE IT WOULD BE HERE.

For the first time ever in Spratts history only two anglers out of the 15 of us caught fish. Bob Allen won from far corner peg 15 with four carp for 43 lb 10 oz taken on  a feeder - two on a wafter and two on sweetcorn. Trevor Cousins on peg 12 had one fish early on, on bomb and bread, to complete the sorry-looking list.

Winner Bob Allen with just four fish for 43 lb 10 oz from peg 15.

Here's the weigh sheet:

Several of us, including me, had some liners early in the match, and in the last 30 minutes most of the anglers in the higher numbers started to get liners, with several fish being foulhooked and lost. 

Our brilliant organiser Trevor Cousins -
second  on a day when most of us were
water-whacked! Thanks for all your hard
work during the year, Trevor.

Just before the match started the wind didn't seem too cold, and I looked forward to a comfortable five hours. Like most, I tried the bomb, maggot feeder, and pole long and short. But soon after the start the wind turned towards the North, giving us almost a side wind, and it became VERY cold, and of course just before we finished it died down...

Things got better when we were back in the cafe - Karen had prepared her spectacular roast potatoes for us as another very welcome surprise.

 Then the prizes were chosen (the last 13 by drawing), sweets handed out, the team money awarded to everyone, and Trevor had our grateful thanks for all his hard work doing the booking and getting the prizes. But yes, despite the result, we all went home happy. Looking forward to next year...

TARGETMAN

Neil Paas won more matches than
anyone this year. So Bob Allen made him
our TARGETMAN
 (like Superman  but not as well dressed!)

Prizes, vouchers, and sweets for everyone to end the year.