Paul told me a lot of anglers who originally booked in were dropping out but he hoped for 25 for definite. The draw was at the Pilot Inn with £6 payable in advance but Paul kindly paid ours up front.
The pegging was going to be from Rea Bridge to the Pilot Inn but due to clear conditions it was going to be Tanker Bay, Hempstead Bend and the 60's at Netheridge.
I had been to the Pilot Inn before but only for a drink after a match and I have to say the breakfast was pretty good. There was a reasonable turnout of around 26, many I had not seen before. A lot of them knew me though from my Blog.
Just before the draw it was announced there would be payouts as follows:
Top 1 £110
5 Sections of £60 (default)
I thought that was pretty fair as the ''Bend'' was always likely to throw up the top weight so in that Section there would be 2 pick ups from 5 anglers (overall winner and default section) and the rest would be fishing for £60 in the other sections.
I gave Welsh International a bit of stick last time for pushing in front of me just before Christmas so he let me go in front of him this time even though he was behaving himself today and qued up like everyone else.
Into the draw and I pulled out peg 62, not too unhappy about that as its in the middle where the old bend used to come out but in the old arm there was a small Club Match going on. Chris drew 61 and was disappointed as he thought the Club anglers would be directly opposite him. Nige drew 44 so just out of the Bend and said it was useless. I could see his point as he would find it hard to compete with 47, 48 and 49. Nige did say to me 64 would be likely to win the section where I was.
At least my peg had plenty of water in front of it
Chris on 61 was OK as well as the Club anglers had not pegged right down to the mouth of the old arm so no one was going to be fishing in front of him.
The wind wasn't too bad in our section and I was able to cast right across to the far brambles with a front loaded feeder for fishing with fishmeal and dead pinkie plus a few casters. I set up another tip rod for fishing just past the middle, 25 grm for liqqy and punch. Only one pole rig, 11 metres where it was just under top 5 deep. 1.5 grm with a 20 wide gape to 0.10 fluro. For the pole line I was trying a new sweet mix today.
It was going to be bream or bust today, I have draw around this area quite a few times and never seen a big weight on the pole line, so a bit of a waiting game was ahead.
I fed 4 feeder fulls right across and cupped in 3 small balls on the pole line before starting off on the bread feeder with 8mm punch on a wide gape 16.
Blog follower Chris Hammond came down on his bike and said I was in a decent area.
About 10 minutes in I started getting liners, I hear the angler below me on 63 also say he was getting liners as was peg 64. A few fish around then which is something at least. I soon had a more positive twitch and hit it. It didn't feel that big but fought pretty good, ended up with a decent roach around 10oz, probably the biggest I have had from the Glossy. A few more liners followed until just before the 30 minute mark I had a proper pull round and hit it resulting in a small bream just over 2lbs. More and more liners followed and another proper bite about 45 minutes in saw me get another decent roach. Next put in I had a bream on but it became unhooked just before the net and I didn't have a bite on any line after that, even trying a couple of new ones. I think what I should have done was stop the feed and just fish a straight lead.
Everyone in the section caught but Mike Blakemore on end peg 64 done the business with 9lb 13oz just as Nige predicted.
Mike Blakemore, section winner
My net went 3lb 4oz but firmly believe there was more to be had
Chris had a couple of skimmers and roach beating me by 4oz
Jason Wellington had a few fish late for 8lb 6oz from a peg that we wouldn't want
Netheridge Section Board
The match was won by organiser Paul Matthews from the Bend with 30lbs 5oz so well done to him.
Winner Paul ( I didn't take this photo)
Second and the Bend section by default was former Maver Team mate Dave Hoskins also on the Bend with 24lb 13oz.
and Nige who said his peg was a waste of time...well it was really but he still managed 23lb 15oz on the pole, at least he had a days fishing.
Nice day but no cigar
11lbs was top weight up at Tanker Bay and I believe there were about 5 DNW's.
Thanks to The Creel and the Pilot Inn, enjoyed it.
Next match for me is the Avon League at Bradford on Avon this Wednesday, looks like its going to be cold.
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