It was touch and go whether I made the match as I had been
working away and unknowingly drank some of the local water which laid me up in
my hotel for two days before I could even think of making a dash for the
airport and home. During the second night I drank 7 litres of bottled water. I
was beginning to think I had Malaria. Make it home I did and straight to the
Doctors who took blood samples etc... Apparently I can now drink the local’s
water as I am supposedly immune. No chance.
Armed with a full toilet roll I decided to fish the match,
against the Special Ones advice.
The weather had changed from gales to a dull misty frosty
day with the air temperature well below freezing. The river had turned that
bright green which can mean either all or nothing in terms of the fishing. Captain
Colin Golding came back with the draw and I pulled a peg opposite the rowing
club at Saltford the end section on the day. Spot on for the conditions, but a
fair old walk from the Bird in Hand Car Park.
For company I had the Stick and Waggler maestro Edie
Shortman (that’s what he kept telling me) up stream of me. I can’t remember who
was below.
The first thing I did was look for a bolt hole to share with
my toilet roll and found the big old Oak tree ample cover (it’s still there –
the tree that is.
The section is known to throw up Skimmers to 1 ½ lb so set
up a 3AA home made peacock waggler with 2lb Maxima reel line to 1lb Maxima hook length, followed by the Normark feeder rod with 3lb reel lone and 1 1/2 lb Maxima hook length (Maxima lone excellent then and excellent now). I started on the
feeder with brown crumb and caster with double bronze maggot on the hook and
first cast hooked a 1lb Skimmer. Whilst playing the fish to the bank the rod
rings started to freeze up so much I couldn’t wind the Skimmer close enough to
net. As it was the first fish and perhaps the last I was desperate to land it
so kept picking the ice off the rod rings. Thank heavens for barbed hooks as I
hand lined it the few remaining feet to the landing net. Good points I was
thinking. I picked the ice from the rings and cast again and another Skimmer
but this time it was impossible to play it because of the ice and it came off.
Eddie Shortman was fishing the waggler over loose fed
maggots and started to catch Skimmers. I couldn’t understand why his rod rings
weren’t freezing as much as mine, perhaps it was the bigger rings on the
waggler rod. So I switched to the waggler and had a couple of 1lb Skimmers but
I was still suffering with the iced
rings and getting frustrated because there was plenty of Skimmers willing to
feed but I was losing too many. After the third call of nature I walked up to
Eddie and watched him. Back in those days it wasn’t considered sportsman like
to ask anglers how they were catching. Eddie’s rod rings weren’t freezing as
bad as mine and was able to fish well and getting plenty of bites. Back to the
Oak tree and back on the waggler frustratingly landing a few more Skimmers. I
was well and truly beaten come the end by Eddie - he didn’t mention it once!!
Whilst waiting to be weighed in and to Eddie’s credit he did introduce me to
Glycerine. It wasn’t the total answer for him but enough to win the match.
Monday morning I was down Veals for a bottle. I think there are other
substances that can be used nowadays. Luckily poles don’t freeze.
I reluctantly concede that Eddie Shortman was one of the
best river waggler anglers around at the time and there were plenty.
My few Skimmers weighed in at 5lb 7oz which did gain me 6th
overall picking up enough coin to fund some more toilet rolls. I have never
been back to Egypt
since and never will.
Full Result:
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