Thank you to Andrew Cranston who dealt with all the bloodworm and joker orders for us and the other teams, it was good quality and a fair price. As a team we divided up our packs and then went in for the draw. Sections used today were The Tunnels, Darlington, Meadow Farm, Bathampton and Claverton. Like most of the country the weather during the week was not the best but Saturday night saw no frost and at 06:30 when I headed out the front door it was 5 degrees forecasting to rise to 8 during the day.
The small McDonalds was packed and very busy with money changing hands for bait and pools by the 8 teams of 6 I could hardly hear myself think, goodness knows what the staff thought as I don't think they expected it.
Our Team Sensas Nomads Black today was...
Geraint Powell
Rich Whitmarsh
Chis Hook
Sam Johnson
Leigh Wakefield
Me
I think Geraint done the draw for us and I was allocated E6 which was at Bathampton which I didn't fancy as its fished pretty rubbish lately. Surprisingly I parked OK aside the church but it is a bit of a risk as it states only 4 hours permitted and nothing to say it does not apply on Sundays.
I was soon at my peg with the help of Mike Withey (Sensas Nomads Green) as my tyre on the barrow was nearly flat.
E6 was up toward an area called the wires which is supposed to be OK. Space between pegs was very generous so I hoped to have a good day.
I started off by feeding 2 small balls of joker in leam and soil across at the bottom of the far shelf and started on the bread punch at 5 metres just down the slope on the near shelf. After 20 minutes no bites were forthcoming on the punch so that rig went on the roost for the rest of the match. I fed some really fine chopped worm by the boat to my right before going down the track to have a look with a fluro pinkie where I had fed nothing. There was a slow sail away bite, it was a very small perch which fell off shipping back. I had another look own the same line for 15 minutes but no sign of life at all.
Steve Skelton to my right on E5 didn't appear to be having any luck either , he was the only other angler I could see. Things were not going well.
I went across on my joker line with double bloodworm and after about 5 minutes the float dipped ever so slightly so I struck, too early and missed it. Next put in no problem a better bite and a small and I mean small perch was dragged across the top of the water. I put a little joker down the track to my left for a look see later on. I had another 3 or 4 small perch across but it was by no means fast and furious.
It must have been around the 2 hour mark when Andy Cranston came for a walk from E7. He asked if I had caught and looked surprised when I said yes. I think Andy said he had about 5 small perch for about 2 ozs and headed off down the bank to see how the other were doing. Just before he came down the boat to my right had started the engine to charge the battery and the owner was cutting up timber with a circular saw. I had another small perch before he came back. He said everyone was really struggling in our area with some guys blanking.
The canal was quite dirty with lots of debris floating in mid water which made presentation difficult at times. Then a load of paddle boarders came up, about 20 of them. I had never seen this before on the K & A around Bath, it is really getting harder to fish in peace.
One of the many paddle boarders
I added about 4 or 5 small perch from the bottom of the far shelf and couldn't get a bite anywhere else.
The all out was called and I went looking for the board as I had the scales. The angler on the end E8 had the board and was already by Andy C as he had blanked. Look at this for a weigh board and this was not untypical across the whole match length except for A Section in the Tunnels and Darlington.
Steve Skelton had a 2lb bream out of the blue plus a small skimmer 1 hour from the end which actually got him 4th overall in the whole match!!! My 7oz was good enough for a Section win in A Division.
Rich Lacey won the match with 13lb plus from peg 1 in the Tunnels followed my team mate Mark Williams Sensas Nomads Green with 8lb plus from peg 2 in the Tunnels, 3rd was Liam Braddel with 7lb odd from Darlington.
Geraint in our team was one out of the money with 2lb 9oz but picked up his section by double default.
Sam is also through to the final of the ''knockout'' next week and up against Darren Gillman.
On the Team front Thatchers are still winning A Div and my team Nomads Black are bottom. Nomads Green are 3rd or bottom in B Div. I think we will probably have a different format on the Team front but needs debate.
Mike Goodhind who runs the league assisted by his wife Nicky said he was standing down after the final match next week so not sure if anyone will take on the job for this year.
A couple of our squad were up on the Gloucester Canal day and done very well.
Andy Thomas won the match with 11lb 1oz of roach.
Andy with his winning bag today
and Steve Stretch Sanders was 2nd with 10lb 2oz
I think this is his happy look
So back on the K & A again next week....oh dear!
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