After a bit of a scramble to re-peg some of the sections due to a sponsored boat-pull from Gathurst to Crooke, we eventually got underway half an hour later than planned. Well, when I say we, I mean some of us; apparently some sections started at 10:00 it was learned later.
There was uproar in the pub at the draw (well, at the SDAA table anyway) as 'Baitboat' Bob took a terrible amount of stick for his groundbait exploits at Adlington the previous week. There's a rumour circulating that Van Den Eynde had started a night shift to replace the stocks he'd put in, and that Sensas have put a quote in to compete for his order. Another japester claimed there was a flashing amber warning beacon sticking out of the canal on his peg - marking an island of groundbait he'd left... All the same, he took it in very good part and we all had a good laugh to start the day.
On to the draw, and the strip drawn out by Capt. Tabron was a kind one to me as it put me past the flats at Greens Carpets in B section. When I got there, I was drawn next to Steve Gallop for the second week running - people will start to talk...
After the delay, we got underway at 10:30 and it was pretty normal stuff - the obligatory narrow boat on the 'all-in' followed by some small roach down the track. After topping up the punch line I went over to the willow tree and started catching on pinkie over squatt so that was looking promising.
I'd fed a groundbait line at 13m with a few casters and after Steve had looked up to the heavens praising 'a gift from God' in the form of a very nice Tench, I went over to the groundbait line. Nothing showed on the first put in, so I checked the caster and while in the process of shipping out (pole resting safely on the towel wrapped round the barbed-wire fence behind me) the wind changed direction and flicked my pole up - landing on a spike and putting a hole straight through my No6 section.
Undaunted (that the impression I was trying to give, anyway...) I set off again for the groundbait line. No sooner had the float settled than it slid away towards the willow - game on. I said a quiet prayer to the pole protection god as I tried to steer the hooked fish away from the tree and out into clear water - the 8 latex pouring out of my pole. Steve looked over and I just told him that if he heard a bang, he'd know exactly what it was. To say he was pissing himself laughing at this stage would be an understatement...
The tench (I saw it) came hurtling across the cut and headed for the brambles to my left. Given that the bank was six feet above the water, I could only get my landing net a couple of feet out and the fish easily went under it - trying to get under my keepnet. I teased it out only to see it dive under the other side. By this time I'd unshipped the damaged section, but was shaking at the thought of losing this fish. Then my landing net got stuck in the brambles and now Steve really was pissing himself... The tench (easily 3lb) must've heard Steve and decided to surrender out of pity as it wallowed and rose to the top. I scooped it out and winched it slowly up the bank.
At that point I would've gladly accepted the 'all-out' but there were still another two hours to go. More small roach kept coming from the far line along with a few small skimmers and billies but were regularly spooked by the passing boats, and took ages to settle again. As the match wore on, the party started in the flats - even the dog went for a swim!! Wrighty sent me a picture of his peg in A section which he described as 'like fishing in Brookside Close' ale cans, bottles, lumps of polystyrene - you name it was floating around in the water in front of him.
Anyway - the upshot of all that was that I finished with 4-14-0 for 1 point, but we struggled again for 45 points on the day.
Result:
1 Dave Walmesley (Sams) 12-10-3
2 Derek Fairhurst (Leigh Cherries) 5-0-0
3 Mark Rimmer (Southport & DAA) 4-14-0
4 Steve Gallop (Sams) 4-3-0
5 Kevin Stothers 3-11-3
Teams:
1 Sams 21
2 Leigh Cherries 27
J3 Standish 30
J3 Hindley 30
5 BAS 32
6 Lostock White 33
7 Leigh White 35
J8 Preston 38
J8 Lostock Black 38
10 Southport & DAA 45
There was uproar in the pub at the draw (well, at the SDAA table anyway) as 'Baitboat' Bob took a terrible amount of stick for his groundbait exploits at Adlington the previous week. There's a rumour circulating that Van Den Eynde had started a night shift to replace the stocks he'd put in, and that Sensas have put a quote in to compete for his order. Another japester claimed there was a flashing amber warning beacon sticking out of the canal on his peg - marking an island of groundbait he'd left... All the same, he took it in very good part and we all had a good laugh to start the day.
On to the draw, and the strip drawn out by Capt. Tabron was a kind one to me as it put me past the flats at Greens Carpets in B section. When I got there, I was drawn next to Steve Gallop for the second week running - people will start to talk...
After the delay, we got underway at 10:30 and it was pretty normal stuff - the obligatory narrow boat on the 'all-in' followed by some small roach down the track. After topping up the punch line I went over to the willow tree and started catching on pinkie over squatt so that was looking promising.
I'd fed a groundbait line at 13m with a few casters and after Steve had looked up to the heavens praising 'a gift from God' in the form of a very nice Tench, I went over to the groundbait line. Nothing showed on the first put in, so I checked the caster and while in the process of shipping out (pole resting safely on the towel wrapped round the barbed-wire fence behind me) the wind changed direction and flicked my pole up - landing on a spike and putting a hole straight through my No6 section.
Undaunted (that the impression I was trying to give, anyway...) I set off again for the groundbait line. No sooner had the float settled than it slid away towards the willow - game on. I said a quiet prayer to the pole protection god as I tried to steer the hooked fish away from the tree and out into clear water - the 8 latex pouring out of my pole. Steve looked over and I just told him that if he heard a bang, he'd know exactly what it was. To say he was pissing himself laughing at this stage would be an understatement...
The tench (I saw it) came hurtling across the cut and headed for the brambles to my left. Given that the bank was six feet above the water, I could only get my landing net a couple of feet out and the fish easily went under it - trying to get under my keepnet. I teased it out only to see it dive under the other side. By this time I'd unshipped the damaged section, but was shaking at the thought of losing this fish. Then my landing net got stuck in the brambles and now Steve really was pissing himself... The tench (easily 3lb) must've heard Steve and decided to surrender out of pity as it wallowed and rose to the top. I scooped it out and winched it slowly up the bank.
At that point I would've gladly accepted the 'all-out' but there were still another two hours to go. More small roach kept coming from the far line along with a few small skimmers and billies but were regularly spooked by the passing boats, and took ages to settle again. As the match wore on, the party started in the flats - even the dog went for a swim!! Wrighty sent me a picture of his peg in A section which he described as 'like fishing in Brookside Close' ale cans, bottles, lumps of polystyrene - you name it was floating around in the water in front of him.
Anyway - the upshot of all that was that I finished with 4-14-0 for 1 point, but we struggled again for 45 points on the day.
Result:
1 Dave Walmesley (Sams) 12-10-3
2 Derek Fairhurst (Leigh Cherries) 5-0-0
3 Mark Rimmer (Southport & DAA) 4-14-0
4 Steve Gallop (Sams) 4-3-0
5 Kevin Stothers 3-11-3
Teams:
1 Sams 21
2 Leigh Cherries 27
J3 Standish 30
J3 Hindley 30
5 BAS 32
6 Lostock White 33
7 Leigh White 35
J8 Preston 38
J8 Lostock Black 38
10 Southport & DAA 45
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