Stafford Moor Fishomania qualifier was my next outing, my first visit to this renowned Devon fishery, a very picturesque venue with several lakes and lots of features. At the draw bag I pulled out peg 3 on Pine's lake. Talking to the owner he said I probably wouldn't win the match from there, so all out for the lake and section win. After a heavy thunderstorm the night before, and spawning fish it wasn't going to be an easy day, the swim was nice, with an island just about reachable with 16m, not comfortable but just about manageable. After catching some early fish next to the island on corn over pellet things slowed and bites became a premium. At the all out I ended up with 26lb 04oz, this was good enough for second on the lake. A hard days fishing with not a lot to show and a long drive home.
The next day it was the next round of the spring series at Dandy's ford, I was knackered after the long day before at Stafford Moor, so when I pulled out peg 23, I decided to chuck the tip all day, as I didn't fancy battling with the pole all day in the gusty wind. I set up a small method feeder and soaked some 4mm pellets to squash round it and hair rigged some meat for the hook. After a couple of miss casts into the island, ( I blamed the tiredness! ) I found my range and managed to catch 55lb, for 3rd in section. I was doing well in the series being joint top, but unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control I couldn't fish the final 2 rounds, a bit of a shame as I was doing well.
After a few weeks away from fishing, my next outing was with the team at Witherington Farm for the inaugural Army challenge match, Browning Andover against some rufty tufty army chaps! Needless to say we won, albeit a narrow victory! But another trophy for the cabinet, hopefully we can keep hold of it next year! The weather made it interesting being very windy in the morning giving way to heavy rain which was a good test for the new waterproofs! I had a so so match, catching a few to begin with before struggling for bites, but the fish seemed to be in pockets, and you were either on them or not, but that's commercial snake fishing for you. A very enjoyable close fought contest, despite the weather.
My next outing was back down to Orchard, the weather was atrocious, very strong gusty wind and heavy rain was going to make it interesting! I pulled peg 18 out of the draw bag, not to bad a peg but well away from the fliers, ( which is probably good as I would only bugger it up! ) Some big weights had been coming out now that the fish had finished spawning, all on the short pole. So I got out a top 4 and that was as far as I was going to go, hoping to catch on the top set. I caught all day on the top set, using meat as a hook bait and feeding the same, ending up with 132lb, a good weight and good enough for a section win, but no where near the weights that came of the fliers! I did loose a top set to the lake as a gust of wind took it clean off the roost and across the lake where it slowly did it's Excalibur impression, before sinking out of site! Much swearing!
Next outing was with the team on the River Huntspill, for the regional national. A first for me and some of the team. Another wild and wet day was forecast, ( testing both angler and waterproofs to it's limit! ) It was a very interesting day, with the pole being virtually unfishable, so a feeder job was the order of the day. After 5 hours I managed just 500 grams of Eels and Roach, not last in section but was beaten by other anglers who caught bonus Bream, which sadly I never saw all day! The team did ok, being just a couple of points from finishing in the top three, a good result which we hope to improve on next year.
Back to Dandy's for the next swaray. It doesn't seem to matter where you draw, as there is always plenty of fish and bites to be had, so after pulling out peg 19 form the draw bag Iwas quite pleased. It seemed that I had my own little island to fish to, so I set up a small cage feeder with a 15" hook length, using the method is now prohibited. Soaking some 4mm pellets, and hair rigging meat as a hook bait, I also set up a margin swim next to some lillys. I caught steady on the feeder all day plus a couple late on in the margins, a mixture of Carp, small Barbel and Tench for 77lb 8oz, good enough for second on the day, another good result for me at his lovely venue, no wonder it's one of my favourites!
Team duties next for the National. After Some Practice, which resulted in some good days including a second in section on a pratice match, as well as some hard days, a team plan was formed, and the day arrived. I got drawn a lovely looking peg just up from a bridge, but it wasn't till I started plumbing up that I realised that my day was going to be " one of those ", and my nice looking peg turned into a snag pit from hell! Trying to find a clear area in my peg was virtually impossible, and I was loosing hook lengths and rigs like no tomorrow. And when I did get through the snags, I hooked big Carp on my squatt rigs, a no contest really, Carp 4 Ian 0 ! I ended up with a measly 270 grams, not last but no where near good enough, and I was very dissapointed with my efforts, for the team as well as myself, I know in a clearer peg I could of caught more, but thats match fishing, always a good leveller even when you think you have it sussed!
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