Sunday 21/08/1981 – Bath AA – Charity Match – Bristol Avon – Town Waters to Monkton Combe

This was to be a 250 pegger through Bath Town up to Monkton Combe - Midford Brooke. The match was being run by Bath AA. The match attracted top anglers from all over the country with the final entry being 234. The draw was at the Crown Inn at Bathford and staggered over an hour. As usual I arrived early waiting for the draw to start (first to draw is assured the winning peg is still be in the bag)! In I go and out comes peg 249 one from the end of the match length. Checking the pegging map I found I was two below Midford Brooke (see picture upper right for peg location - the first three pegs marked with X). Not much parking here so rushed off to park, the walk was short but needed to cross railway lines.

My peg looked spot on but was hoping that the upstream end peg right on the mouth of Midford Brooke would not be drawn. The peg downstream was a little close for my liking. My hopes were double dashed when matey Eddie Shortman (pictured right) came running to his peg 250!!

I set up the tackle box on a weed bed so I able to get reasonably close to the water that said the weed bed was a potential threat to landing Chub, my target fish.

I decided on the waggler and a maggot feeder both to be fished with Bronze Maggot.

I had been sent some great wagglers from an Angler called Derek Spillsbury from Burton-on-Trent. Derek had been practicing for a National Championship on the Avon and for some help I gave him he gifted me the floats (my last remaining pictured right). His friend Ken had made them.

I chose to fish 2lb Maxima straight through to a 18 hook. I started on the waggler and caught Chub straight away (which was the case with the Avon Chub) the next Chub I lost in the weeds. After landing six Chub and loosing two the swim died. Time for the Thamesley maggot feeder and managed a few small fish, Gudgeon and Roach. I decided to stick to the waggler for the remainder of the match – resulting in a few small Dace.

With such a big match you never knew when the scales would arrive or how you had fared. Luckily Eddie was first to weigh in and me second. Eddie had also been catching Chub and thought he had just pipped me, which he had with his 14lb 13oz 8drams and my 12lb 2oz. Did those two lost Chub cost me?

I was one of the first back to the pub and found myself stood at the bar next to a guy called Charlie Barnes – our first ever meeting. We sat chatting over our pints I think Charlie had caught 10lbish. No idea how we had done until the results were read out and I was delighted to have come 6^th overall and pick up a weeks wages and a waggler rod (can’t remember which rod, so it wasn’t spectacular). I think Charlie was either 10^th or 12^th. Eddie came 3^rd overall with his 12lb.

A memorable day with the match being won on the pole!!

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