Brenda and I spent the last five days at Bournemouth; we picked a good week for the weather. The hotel Blue Palms was ideally placed for both the town centre and beach – with an excellent breakfast every day. I do a fair bit of walking when at home; however, I was amazed how Brenda kept up with me. We must have done 16 miles over the first four days. Come the end of the week it was me slacking!
England had a bit of bad luck in the Angling World Championships in Holland, coming fifth overall but only by 3 ½ points from top spot, with a couple of England’s anglers losing 3 point fish at the death. However, I couldn’t believe my ears when Marks Downes (joint team manager) explaining that they didn’t take any maggot, caster or pinkie – I would have thought a pint of each per angler would have been essential on a venue that holds big Bream – nothing better than tipping a red maggot with a couple of bloodworm for Bream.
On my walk round the Match Lake I bumped in to Ray Sims and Bob Blackmore fishing South Pool. Ray was fishing Hemp and Tares and Bob trying to get to grips with pellet fishing (only because it’s cheaper than caster). Bob missed three bites whilst I was there. It was nice to see them both on the bank – I have fished in teams with both of these guys over the years and both were hard to beat in their day.
Phil no sign of the Gardener, the rumour is that he's having it off with “Lady Chatterley” (Tom Thick is too young to understand this). As Tim Pallant said taking out the weed bed around pegs 25 and 26 will be the equivalent of restocking, as the fish will have no where to hide.
I drew peg 21 (it’s either this peg or peg 22 I draw these days). I was happy with it until I got to the swim – the sun was blinding and mixed with the varying colours from the surrounding trees etc... It was impossible to see the float, even with my Polaroid’s on! So once again I was forced to fish where I could see my float. I set up a 4x12 Colmic Jolly with a 16 Tubertini 808 hook; this hook is suitable for soft pellet, caster and maggot. I also set up a paste rig. I started by kinder potting in some caster and micro pellet mix and fish 4mm Halibait pellet over the top. This resulted in one 2lb Carp and three Crucians and one Gold fish. My swim slowed, so I switched to caster on the hook but still fed through the kinder pot regularly with caster and micro. I then had a good run of Ronnie’s and Crucian’s and one small Tench. With an hour to go I reckoned I was lying third in the Silvers so decision time. I still had a section place to go for and perhaps an overall placing. So switched to the paste and landed another eight Carp for 30lb 6oz of Carp and 14lb 8oz of Silvers for fourth in the Silvers and second overall with a combined weight of 44lb 14oz and a picked up £40.
The match was won by Tom Thick (pictured right) from peg 18 with 52lb 12oz. Tom caught on maggot fished over a ground bait mix of Gros Gardon and Gimps Gold.
The Silvers was won by John Bradford from peg 15 with 24lb 14oz. John caught a mix of Crucians, Roach and Skimmers on caster and double Pinkie.
I must mention the Silvers runner up Charlie Barnes who weighed 24lb 12oz – 2oz behind John. Well with the crap scales used today (see comments below) I think is would have been fairer to have given the result as a dead heat for first.
Colin Golding’s car broke down so three sets of scales were in his car and with one set of scales in John Bennett’s garage – so no scales for the match! So the Gimp had to borrow a set from a pleasure angler and a large Senses bucket. I was second to weigh and the Gimp was deducting 1lb 6oz for every weigh to allow for the bucket (which would only hold one 5lb Carp without it jumping out). It wasn’t until he got to the next swim that he realised that the scales could be adjusted – Duh - Gump!!
Full Result:
1. Tom Thick 52-12-0 peg 18
2. Mike Nicholls 44-14-0 peg 21
3. Peter Notton 41-14-0 peg 12
4. John Bradford 32-12-0 peg 15
5. Tim Pallant 29-04-0 peg 24
6. John Green 26-12-0 peg 25
Top Silvers:
1. John Bradford 24-14-0 peg 15
2. Charlie Barnes 24-12-0 peg 22
3 comments:
bob blackmore got to be the only angler in the world that can make 1 bag of pellets last all summer. i think phil was joking about the gardener but it really does need a serious trim(i hope you are reading this phil). as for the scales you would think the gump would realise being a tackle dealer. how did mr palant manage to get enough water in front of him to get his 64 turns out
Mike, That piccy of Tom make him look like the old "Frys Boy" (sure you'll remember that). Do you reckon he could be related!
No mention from Darren this week of how he caught next to nothing from the best peg at Conigre?
Tim I think you mean "Fry's Five Boys", I have four others!! Darren is inconsolable - went to bed at nine last night - Fabio beat him off the next peg even though he has Bird flu!
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