So the new season of Army matches has begun and the first
was last week at Bishops Cannings, a stretch of the K&A Canal hat I am
starting to get to know well, so much so that I pegged it again, even after
having said I never would again. I went
down the Sunday before ably assisted by my wife, (I told her it would just be a
walk along the canal) and managed to spend 3 hours cutting out swims along 2 of
the sections with the intention of getting to the canal early on the morning
and finishing the job after pegging the stretch.
Even a 0400 start in London didn’t faze me and although
it took a little longer than anticipated I was soon getting a brew down my neck
in the Crown Inn, thank you Carl.
I did the team draw for Blandford Nodders as I am fishing
for them this year with my impending posting and on paper it meant nothing,
Pete was close to the Swing Bridge and Dave was just up from the main road
bridge so I had the longest walk to the infamous turning bay.
It is infamous as there are carp and large bream to be
found there and I was hoping to hook at least 1 as I seldom catch bonus fish on
the canal, time would tell. I suddenly
noticed that in my section there were some big names such as Dave, Ex Army
Captain, John aka Yoda on the peg to my right, then at least another three members of the Army Team, Nick, Rikki
and Daz!! (to name but a few) Although
most of them took time to point out that I was sat on a flyer.
As I have been concentrating away from match fishing for
the last month or so I had only prepped a few rigs for the day so they were set
up, bait was sorted and I as ready for the all in well before time. More abuse
was to follow as Daz pointed out that that was the peg he used to pleasure fish
all the time there due to the bream, and as I was chatting to John a big fish
rolled under the far bank.
Back to the fishing the plan was bread short, worm at 13m
left and right and then groundbait and pinkie at 13 in front. I also set up a light feeder rod in case I
needed to chuck it. The all in was called, 5 lobs and a few dendys were
chopped and cupped on the left hand swim in the turning bay, a small ball of
bread was cupped in at 5m and then I fed 4 balls of groundbait and pinkie on
the long line to prime it for later.
The first 30 minutes on the bread line was good for about
a pound and an early look on the worm line set my day as I had 2 decent hybrids
in 2 put ins. Back on the bread for a few and then a couple more on the worm
line, then a look on the pinkie line for a perch which would always be followed
by a few small roach and that was the pattern for the day.
I managed a few chucks on the tip but 1 missed bite on
bread was all I managed, back on the pole if I didn’t catch a roach straight away
on the pinkie line then a few twitches would give me a perch and then I could
get upto 6 small roach off it before they would disappear. I had several perch
or pike smash through then roach at times during the match and this seemed to
make them reluctant to settle in the swim. The worm line would be hybrids then
perch, if I caught 2 perch I re fed and moved to let the hybrids come back in. I also missed loads of odd indications that
were either tiny perch trying to eat half a lobworm or crayfish, the jury is
still out on that one.
I kept trying the bread line but the decent roach did the
off after an hour, and I started a new worm line down to the right in the boat
track but I missed 1 bite from there.
It was an interesting day and I was always hoping for a
big bonus but it never materialised, I managed a quick run of 10 roach off the
pinkie line in the last 15 minutes as I needed some fish and they proved to be
very worthwhile.
The all out was called and the scales arrived, daz was
leading on 4.66kg with Gav, John and Dave all on 3kg+.
The scales showed just how useful those last few roach
were as I managed 2nd in section by 20g…… 1 roach!!
Back at the pub and the rest of the team had done
alright, Dave had managed over a kilo from A section for 6 points and Pete
manged 5 points with over a kilo and a half from C section which was a good
result considering the standard of angler on the bank nowadays.
This was enough for the team to take second on section count back and that is a good start to our year, lets hope that we can continue
on this form.
What would I do different?
I should have been more regimented on the amount of time
I spent on the worm line and another worm line further into the turning bay may
have given me the bonus I was looking for.
I don’t think the feeder was right but it was good to sit
on whilst untangling rigs!
Tackle used:
Pole bread Short:
Elastic: Double 4 slip
Line: 0.11mm powerline to 0.08mm Cenex
Hook: 20 Drennan Polemaster wide gape
Float: Garbolino DS14h
Pole Pinkie long:
Elastic: No.3 Slip
Line: 0.11mm powerline to 0.08mm Cenex
Hook: Preston PR 311 in 22,
Float: 4X10 MW F1 Carbon
Pole Skimmer Long:
Elastic: Double 4 slip
Line: 0.11mm powerline to 0.10mm Colmic
Hook: 20 Colmic B957
Float: Drennan AS2 0.3
Pole Worm:
Elastic: Yellow Vespe hollow through 1 section
Line: 0.17mm powerline to 0.12mm Cenex
Hook: 14 B560
Float: 4X12 Drennan Dibber and 0.3g Frenzee FP500 when
the wind casused to great a ripple to see the dibber
Feeder:
Rod: Drennan Ultralight Bomb at 10ft with 3/4oz tip
Reel: Daiwa TDM 3012
Line: 0.16mm Cenex feeder to 0.12mm Cenex
Hook: 14 B560
Feeder: Guru Mini Open end
