Just for something different this week as well as the usual match report I thought I'd give you an insight into the world of match organising !
I do enjoy organising matches - especially the craic, and as long as you are organised there is nothing to it. With the lakes booked well in advance, on the Willinghurst matches I always pop over there on the saturday to peg any lakes we are using that aren't permanently pegged - this week it was cherrytree, and to make sure that all the lakes were ok to fish.
When I get back, I print off the Captains cards, pegging draw sheet, League table and results sheet. I then put a weigh sheet for each lake in a clip board and make sure that there is a pencil in it to record the weights - pencils are far more reliable than pens, especially when it is wet.
I remember years ago they said that the Americans had spent millions of pounds and thousands of man hours developing a pen that could write in space, whilst the Russians just used a pencil !
I then check that I have 9 numbered table tennis balls in a drawbag for the team draw and 6 in another bag for the section draw. All the forms etc and boards are then placed in my brief case along with the boards and cards etc and I then sometimes tie a rig or two.
Sunday morning arrived and arriving at he fishery my first job is to put all the blank captains cards out on the table along with some pens. Each captain collects thier teams money and writes their names on the shhet ready for the draw. I then put all the scales outside on the table for the team lucky enough to draw Peg 1 and get the section boards out for the team who draw Peg 2. If I am lucky, I then have enough time to grab a bite to eat before the draw starts at 8am.
Each captain comes and pays their teams money and draws a peg 1-9, they then select a ball from the other bag 1-6 which gives them each of their anglers pegs. It sounds complicated when you try and explain it but having organised team matches for years, I have found this is by far the best way to do the draw.
With the wind forecast to be 20 mph and very cold, I wasn't really fussed where I drew as long as I had the wind behind me ! Ian Covey drew us Peg 6, which gave us a few decent pegs and as I wrote our team draw out, it placed me on Top Lake Peg 22........another brilliant peg........in the summer !
I actually don't mind the peg even in winter as you can fish tight to the far bank with 16 metres and usually pick up the odd fish or two. I was however a bit disappointed to find that I had a couple of yards of ice in the edge of the peg and the wind was blowing straight into my face.
I set up a couple of rigs to fish at 4 different places along the far bank and one down the middle. All the rigs were 0.16 to a B911 size 18, baits were dead maggot and corn.
I spent the first 2 hours switching about between all five lines hoping for at least an indication that there were some fish about - oh yes, I also chucked a lead towards Peg 23 (as it was not pegged) and just in case the fish had all backed off to the empty peg. But with no signs at all and my hands gettiing colder and colder and the wind getting stronger, I decided that a wander to the cabin was in order.
Not a lot seemed to happening on the other lakes, Only three carp had been caught on Cherrytree, 2 carp on Pittance and a couple of double figure foulhookers on New. Tony Yianni was behind me on Top Lake (Peg 20) and with 5 carp in the net, looked like the only winner, although apparently the bites he was getting were a bit finicky as most times the rod butt only moved a couple of inches !
After a cheesburger (my first bite) and a warming cup of tea, I made my way back to my peg. Although to be honest, given the final result, I should have spent the rest of the match in the cabin sorting out the pools money. Yes you've guesssed it, I fished hard for the last two hours and still never had a bite.
Arriving back at the cabin after the match, I tucked myself away in the corner to sort out the money whilst I waited for all the weight sheets to come back. I like to think I have the results side well sorted now as I count out the Day ticket money, sort out the section winners money (£60) and runners up (£30) and then work out the Overall money for the top 4 from the super pool money. If I get back to the cabin nice and early I can usually get all the money sorted before the results sheets start to arrive.
Working out the results from the weigh sheets is always entertaining as to be tactfull, some anglers spelling isn't quite what it should be and in addition to this, rather than write peoples proper names, I often have to work out who Grumpy, Ugly, fatty or Knob Head are !
Anyway having worked out all results, we then have the part of ther day that I enjoy the most......... taking the piss out of as many people as possible - I especially enjoy throwing Jeff Simmons money on the floor when he comes to collect it - which I have to say has been quite often this winter.
I love organising my leagues because of the people who fish it - Thanks chaps, may they continue for many years to come.
Result
Tony Yianni Top 20 51-4-0
Richard Smith Top 25 21-14-0
Brian Wallin Top 21 18-10-0
Reg The Edge New 16 18-1-0
Shaun Barnett Pittance 5 17-4-0
Terry Molloy Top 4 12-12-0
On sunday night, the snow came and 12 inches of the white stuff was unceremoniously dumped on Fetcham. The roads around my way are still very icy and I've decided to go and help out at the Wildlife Centre on wednesday instead of fishing at Sumners Pond - I know I'll probably regret it but I really couldn't face another day of sitting in the freezing cold and struggling for a bite.
Come back monday to see where I fished and what I caught on sunday.
