With my team - Pikey's Six leading my 48 peg winter league by a country mile, I was really looking forward to sundays match as even with 3 matches remaining, the league title was almost guaranteed wasn't it !
Well, it didn't quite work out like that ! Our team draw gave us a selection of pegs which potentially could prove to be a bit of a banana skin if the fish decided to move to their usual winter quarters.
Personally I was more than happy with my draw - Peg 18 on New Lake as you can usually catch a few fish there and with only eight pegs being used on the lake, I had loads of room. I set up a lead to chuck about the lake, plus 4 pole rigs - one at 16 metres stright out in front, and two at 12 and 8 metres at 10 o'clock. I also set up a rig to fish both sides in the edge as it was quite deep and I thought with about 50 yards of empty bank to my left, a few fish might just creep along the bank looking for some food.
I seem to have written the same sentence for the past coupl eof months but .........the match started slowly for me and after 90 minutes, I was still fishless ! With only 3 people having caught carp on the lake, I decided that I should spent a few minutes trying to catch a silver fish as at the time it would be worth 5 section points. Feeding a few maggots in the edge to my left, I had my first bite and lifted out a small rudd, only for it to fall off on the way in ! Next put in I hooked another one, lifted the pole so the fish was over the bank and shipped back with a one ounce rudd on the hook. Job done, I could now sack up with carp.
The hours seemed to drift by as everyone seemed to be catching the odd carp except me as my tip just sat there motionless on the rest. Just to rub it in, I was sitting there minding my own business when I suddenly noticed a carp of about 8lb swimming in the edge towards my keepnet. It didn't look particularly healthy or maybe it was just a bit tired but with nobody watching, I slowly picked up my landing net and scooped it out, letting out a big cheer at the same time. I don't think I've ever received so much abuse in a match before as everyone thought I had caught it fair and square and the whole lake shouted their congratulations !
I think the only printable comment was "Jammy Bugger" - however, I then slipped it back into the lake - where it swam off strongly and confessed to everyone what had happened. Afterwards I couldn't believe the number of anglers who said that they'd have put it in there net - and I thought I fished with an honest group of anglers.
Anyway, the match petered out for me still with one rudd in my net and I couldn't believe that I'd been beaten by such muppets as Gedge Cooper, Malcolm Heaver, Wiggy Mearns and Pat Saward as I finished up with one section point.
I was expecting to finish last as a team as with an hour or so to go I think our team of 6 had caught THREE carp between us. Fortunately Molloy's Mob - led by Mick The Bookie saved us from finishing last (they really are useless) but with Don's Foxy Five team winning the match, we now find ourselves in second place.
Oh yes, fellow team mate Gary Haisman has just rung me to complain that I hadn't mentioned his Lake win on Pittance with 26lb - as I am a man of my word and promised him I would do so, I have just edited the original report. However, as it seems like the team draw seemed to have put all the no hopers (Mick the Bookie, Brian "DNW" Green, Bag up Bob, Derek "The Bread" White and Tony "The worst caster" Yianni) all on the same lake, I just have to say that he didn't have a lot of competition !
Result
Steve Hearn New 13 45-14-0
John Clifford Top 21 44-0-0
Mick Keeper New 8 44-0-0
Malcolm Heaver New 6 39-0-0
Jamie Matthews New 16 35-10-0
Lee Smith Old 2 34-2-0
Teams
Foxy Five 37
Decca 32
Willinghurst Cabin 30
Willinghurst Muppetts 7
Missfits 24
Molesey 24
Pikey's Six 21
Molloy's Mob 17
League
Foxy Five 9
Pikeys Six 10
Willinghurst Cabin 12
Decca 15
Willinghurst Muppetts 21
Molloys Mob 22
Missfits 25
Molesey 26
At the moment, I really can't be bothered to fish on wednesday - but I'm sure by tomorrow I shall be raring to go again. Come back Thursday to see if I went or stayed at home to do some gardening.
JPZ's from Marukyu - "The Dogs Danglies"
Jordan Whitby with a PB Carp of 18lb from Newdigate
Maggotdrowning.com
Exclusive Pictures
Fred Davis with his personal best chub of 7-2-0 from the River Lea
and his 6-8-0 tench !
Neil Humpage with part of his 89-10-0 match winning chub catch from the River Wye
Mike Spragg with his personal best Barbel from the The Wye, a whopping 10-1-0.
Davey P's Locker - Tackle I would recommend
Drennan Lake Floats - I used to use these floats for crucians and have recently started using them again for my silvers fishing, The cane bristle makes them especially sensitive.
I use this hook for nearly all my carp fishing from Size 10's with paste, 14's with the knotless knot on the lead and 18's for Hook in the loop rigs and they have never let me down.
How smart are this lot - Andy May and his wife with some of the motley Total fishing.com crew. There is a small pond just out of the picture and they fished a small sweepstake between the wedding ceremony and the reception ! Andy May won, Haisman was last - no change there then !
Myles Levy and his mate Chris with a 59lb catfish from France.
When I was writing in the Angling Times I promised some friends that I would try and get "Fish Cakes" mentioned in an article. However, as I was sacked before I could do so, I thought I'd put them on here ! So Mick and Karen Jones, here they are as promised !
At least one member of the Baxter clan can catch fish ! Young Dylan with a 4lb bream.
Hathers at Stafford Moor - Let this picture be a lesson to you all, those last couple of drinks the night before are never a good idea !
World Exclusive !!!!!!!
Andy Toplis playing a fish.
Ryan Hughes with part of an 80lb bag from White Springs Fishery in Wales
Mick Bull wont have received many points for this dive - but having just won the Fisho Final and £25k I don't think he really cared !
Another exclusive for Pikey's Progress - Terry Molloy not talking ! Oh yes and with a decent River Thames Pike.
OK Own up - who lent Mick The Bookie some fish to pose with ?
Martin Harper with a superb 8lb tench from Farlows Lake
Young match star Tony Curd with an 11lb barbel from the River Kennet - he didn't say where, these spessy hunters are so secretive !
Total Fishing's Justin Laundon with a fine net of fish from Lindholme Lakes
Fred Davis with 3 chub over 5lb and a small one from the River Lea.
http://www.carpvader.com/index.asp
Jeff Moors took part in the recent Catfish Challenge and caught this one - more of a "kitten" than a cat really !
And here are some proper ones that the winners had.
BNF - with part of a near 100lb haul from the Glebe
Scone - Angling writer, float maker and all round good egg !
"Hathers" with his 3-8-0 roach from Timsbury Manor - some claim it was really a hybrid, I couldn't possibly comment !
"Fordy on the Telly" with 40lb of prime River Kennet chub.
.........and this one weighed 5-2-0
Alan Dove with a small Skimmer Bream of 15-8-0 from Walthamstow Reservoir
Fred Davis plied Alan Dove with coffee all day then when he went to attend to a call of nature caught this one with his gear !
Colin Ormston (Billy no Fish) with the reason that some anglers still fish rivers !
Phil Stone (Pebs) with a fine net of roach and rudd from Witherington Farm
Total Fishing.com ventriloquist Gary Haisman with his two new dummies - Billy No Fish and Pebs.
