14 Pairs had paid to fish this match but on the morning only 12 turned up for whatever reason!
Based on the entry 2 pairs would qualify for the grand final. Looking around at the Gordon League Rugby Club where the draw was all the competitors were Glossy regulars.
There would be 2 Zones for todays match and the winning pairs would go through on whoever had the combined lowest points e.g. 1 point for a Zone win.
Pegging was.... Zone 1, 45 to 65 (Hempstead) and Zone 2, 173 to 199 (Rea). It was every other peg at Rea.
Mark called each pair up in turn with angler 1 drawing in the Hempstead Zone and angler 2 drawing in the Rea Zone. I drew 47 in Zone 1 and Chris 199 (end peg) in Zone 2, we were fairly happy with that. Fishing was 10:30 - 15:30.
Pay-outs were 4 sections of 6 and top angler in each Zone plus overall top weight (by default). The winning pairs would also receive a cheque from the Angling Trust.
Chris and I had fished these Sections enough to know what to do and we both went off to fish our respective pegs accordingly.
When I got to my peg I found Sensas Lobby's Andy Jane to my left on 46 and Diawa Gordon Leagues Mark Brush to my right on 48. Senses Lobby's Shane Williams was on 49 so I guessed this part of the Zone would be tight.
I had never fished 47 before but had fished 48 and 49. I saw Diawa Gordon Leagues Alan Jones fish it a few weeks ago and remember it being very snaggy.
I decided on 2 Feeder lines, both fairly long chucks each side of where a drain comes in and about 4 metres out from far bank vegetation. Depths on both lines was quite good at around 6 to 8 foot. Only 1 pole rig today to fish at 5 metres where it was top 5 deep.
Fishmeal ground bait for the Feeders and a mix of Sensas Magic and Brown crumb with a little soil for the pole line.
As we were setting up there were bream rolling everywhere, not a good sign.
Andy shouted the ''all in'' and I fed 4 big balls on the pole line before starting off on my Feeder line to the right of the drain. Just a pinch of caster, dead pinkie and a couple of bits of worm each cast.
it wasn't long before I saw Shane on 49 net a couple of fish, I thought at that time they were proper lumps.
I didn't get my first indication until about 35 minutes in and let the bite develop, usually the tip flies around no problem. The tip eventually went around and a skimmer of around 1.5 pounds was safely netted so blank avoided. Frustration soon set in due to getting quite a few liners, Andy on 46 was having the same problem, they just wouldn't get their heads down but at least there was some activity.
Constantly looking up and down the bank as far as I could see nothing much was happening although Andy did get a couple of skimmers. About 2 plus hours in I had a call from Thatchers Jack Jones who was on 61 asking how I was getting on. He had only had a small eel i believe at that point and said his Section was fishing really hard.
About 15 minutes after that I gave Chris a call who said he had about 10 had sized skimmers feeding squats through the Feeder with maggot on the hook.
I decided then to stop fishing worm and put on a couple of dead reds with a live pinkie and had a perch straight away.
A very quick 10 minutes on the pole at the halfway stage gave no indications of fish so it was back out on the left had side of the drain with the Feeder. I did have a couple of liners but thought my options were better on the other line. I soon had another big skimmer followed by a second perch. At this stage I thought I was doing OK although behind Andy who had take a couple more skimmers.
One more big bream followed before 14:30 and I lost another good fish halfway across the canal due to the hook some how coming off the line.
Based on who I could see I thought I was possibly 2nd in our mini section of 6 but didn't know what they had the other side of the swing bridge. Turns out I had done enough for 2nd in the 12 peg zone.
Here is our Zone weigh sheet......
Andy took the Zone with 10lb 3oz with me less than 2lb behind, that lost fish cost me.
Andy with his catch, not big fish but enough.
my 8lb 4oz, sorry about the quality, dirty lense.
Word soon arrived that the other Zone had fished hard and that Chris had done OK.
When I caught up with him back at the Rugby Club, he had done OK coming 3rd in his with just under 5lbs, top man.
Zone 2 had a couple of good weights but most struggled.
Gossip around the Bar suggested Chris and I had won it as we had 5 points. Always best to wait and see though.
Results as follows.....
Sections....
51 - 46 Ivan Currie, Sensas Nomads 8lb 4oz
45 - 61 Jack Jones, P I Thatchers 7lb 7oz
173 - 183 Steve Long, Garbolino Blackmore Vale 4lb
189 - 199 Chris Hook, Sensas Nomads 4lb 15oz
Zone winners......
Zone 1 Andy Jane, Sensas Lobby's 10lb 4oz
Zone 2 Rob Skillet 15lb 10oz
1st Overall.....
Andy Pollard Diawa Gordon League 21lb 12oz
Andy Pollard, todays winner
Qualifying pairs.....
1st Ivan Currie and Chris Hook, Sensas Nomads 5 points
2nd Charlie Vallender and Andy Pollard, Diawa Gordon League 10 points same as 3 other pairs but went through on weight.
Qualifying pairs, Chris and I had goodie buckets cash and waiting on cheques from the Angling Trust
So.....national pairs final on 21st October on the Trent and Mersey Canal wherever that is....!!!!
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