Four Seasons in Four Hours - Sherwood Lake

It took a lot of loyalty to the cause to attempt the third session of 2009. After the bleak sessions at Makins and Park Hall I needed a few bites.

The wind was ludicrous as I loaded the kit into the car at 8.20am... Last nights Tabasco sauce creating a breeze of its own as i drove down to sherwood. sherwood chosen more about the tree cover and walking with kit than any other reason.

On arriving there were only 3 other anglers on Holmedale every other lake was empty. Some of the waves on Holmedale were carrying ' froth'....Pole weather is was not.

I decided to go on Sherwood on a peg ive fished before a few times and done well at. Opposite roadside near the power lines. Up went the beastmaster / 2oz tip / small feeder / hair rigged 16 to 5lb bottom / 6lb main. Swim was around 20 yards away next to the airator - around 4 feet deep.

As id made the first cast and started to tidy the kit the bailiff pulled up and reported I was doing it right and in the right peg! ( This hasnt happened since 1985).

- Holmedale match was won with 104lb on the method the night before.

As he left I had a savage take and the bailiff left me to land a lovely mirror about 3 lb in great nick....

Over the next three hours I snagged 4 more carp and a decent skimmer with 2 carp lost in the weedbed between me and the airator.

For the last hour or so I had a go with the Garbolio Method elasticated feeder and corn / skinz on hook. Groundbait was 3mm Swimstim pellets / dusted Ringers Dark and a bit of Sensas Method Mix.

Lots of work to do here, as the mix was either too crumbly or too stodgy...needs work. Nevertheless, had two more carp and lost another. Quite pleased as first time used the method with any anger. No tangles, elastic great for this size carp, and rod more than capable of throwing it miles. You need to hold your rod here....its mad...

Weather made it difficult ...rain, sun, wind, cold, warm....would have caught more if settled with casting etc....sherwood lake is go. Stick to feeder on here for me until summer.

The Dead Zone - Peg 20 - Park Hall

Arrived at 9.15 and chose peg 20. More related to blades of grass between car and peg than anything else.

Set up Light feeder rod with small feeder. Casters & Reds the bait. 2AAWaggler and 22 hook closer in.

Two other Bivvie Brigade in attendance casting depth charges into 3 feet of water. One Bite on tip when feeder cast right under island tree, waggler produced nothing.

Bailiff said shallower pegs producing silvers to pole. no sign of fish, one bite, no fish.

Mixed a small amount of Ringers Dark plugging the casters. Useful run out of rod for first time.

Disappointing but not totally unexpected.

Match produced 6 silvers for 3 lb on the weekend. Ice broken to fish.

See you in July....

The Ice Lagoon...Bowled Over....

The decision to kick off the 2009 Monkey Cup a week after some of the worst weather conditions the UK has seen since Bless This House was a topical sitcom remains a mystery.

Texts and calls being exchanged since Santa had been around delivering 'the loony two' hope for a netful in 2009.

Makins was chosen with rose tinted glasses as 7 months ago it delivered a few fish and then claimed £150 of kit in freak weather conditions ? ( you work it out).

Anyhoo...Lagoon lakes was chosen and the bailiff then pounced within 5 minutes of buttock on seatbox....mmm...hes catching people before they give up and leave....

The first of two ice slabs drifted past....

Bomb and Corn was chosen and a hair rigged 18 presented along the feature. The tip would go around in a minute...its rammed..?

tick tick ...

75 minutes later and £5 lighter I was getting a strange ' park hall' feeling...you know theres fish but they dont like you....2009 was off to a belter....

The droan of a car pulling up resurrected hope we'd picked the right lake...more anglers.

" you had much lads?"

" No mate, really slow"

" went to see Captain Ahab down the road at Moby tackle and he says avoid the bowl"

" Really? No good here then?"

" Match on here yesterday....blokes sat in Bowl had 60z roach..some didnt weigh in"

Wagglers and micro pellets with Maggot went up with Del taking two small roach. Nico two slightly bigger skimmers of 10oz each....it was dire....

Less then 4 hours after arriving we were away,roll on summer, always better catching nothing when its warmer.

Papa Chav dialled in hopeful for a glowing report....the deception lasted 30 seconds until Del weeping gave it away....

Calverton 10th April 2003 - Another Archive

Calvo the return - Sorry for delay

The Calvo brothers revisit the theatre of dreams. As announced last week the rematch was arranged with a mdday kick off....Theweather was clemant with both anglers opting for Fleece and Camoflague, a sortof cross between Alan Titchmarsh and 101st Airborne. The area was reccied and little resistance encountered disjointed snipersonly.....luckily for boys their favourite pegs were available numbers 6 and 7 onthe 'beast' lake.

Del had learned his lesson from the previous week, and set up a lighter rig totry and maximise his catching potential in the favoured zone...Nicholson bycontrast was torn on how best to approach the swim and initially followed suitand went for the legendary ' if it swims ill catch it approach'. By 12.06 Nicholls had opened his account, but not with the aquatic variety...more recollections of a personal nature...the previous evening some long term pre- baiting had paid off and the account was opened with ' she looked a million dollars with knee high boots on'

Nicholson was torn into a pyschological battle...fish or tales of boots...need you ask... Nicholls to his credit was catching well a mixed bag of Skimmers, Roach, and astrange looking Rudd...Nicholson by contrast was struggling everything was right - the rig, the location, the depth, regular feed....but his catch rate was slowerthan Nicholls and Nicholson began to worry that the boots were having an effect. Both anglers then decided it was time for some entertainment...Nicholson contacted Henshaw for the score and it came back 1-0 Utd....the sun came out and the birds were singing....and we all know how that finished....brazell text heaven...

Nicholls then took a call from a raging banshee....anyway ...whilst this was happening Nico struck into what seemed like a submerged freight train...the train pulled away from the station and after about 30 seconds of ' oh jesus' the hook and rig were firmly deposited at his feet ....the hook had beenstraightened out by the zoo creature. He then decided it was shit or bust....outcame the pole and beefed up the gear on the rod.... This went well for about an hour...catch rate increased as Nicholson showed his pole prowess to slowly pull the score around.....fate was to play a part in this game and both anglers knew it....

Just as Nicholson needed a decent fish to virtually level things up, Nicholls struck again, and soon over the landing net plopped a nice skimmer perhaps inthe region of 2/3 pounds...for nicholson the game was almost up... Nicholson put the pole away ( thrown up the bank) and went for broke....

Beefed up waggler and rig it was...the minutes ticked by....then...a slight indication on the rod and Nicholson struck...the tomahawk missile took off....Nicholls visibly collapsed on his box....like a balloon deflating....This was last chance saloon for Nicholson a carp had been hooked and seemed to be quite annoyed that it had been .......shit.. Nicholson leaned into it ....and tested his tackle to the limit...5 mins ofhell... and the Carp was safe....all 6 pounds of it...there was a slight twist...the carp had been hooked in the fin....a one in a million

(Nicholls not happy - glad there was no rope around) Nicholls wiped away a tear and the match was Nicholsons....

2-0 Del fished on but his heart wasnt in it.... another day another win....

25th June 2003 - One from the archives

Rowthorne - A Brief Practice Session

It was a lovely night and Derek & Dick decided to have a gentle stroll down to their club water for an evening of bream action on feeder. What they didn’t realise was, God had decided to have a large wee on their session..heres how it panned out.

Dick swallowed a fly that made him wretch and chuck up on the bankside, attracting one or two glances from a silently concentrating pond three…great start.

Dick turned up with enough bait to resemble an EU food mountain, and was hoping for bites galore..Del was unusually late in starting to fish, ( I think he’d gone for another al fresco deposit of matter like in bulwell last week.) The men reccied the ponds - it was a tale of disaster from the start. Derek lost a mud foot from his box (don’t ask), and a kind gentlemen cycling through the woods (why?) found it and placed back with our kit after bellowing across the peaceful lake to tell us.-oops glances all round

We decided to fish unknown pegs 39 & 40 on p0nd 4, the only problem being that Dicks peg had a rather large rotting Pike on the bankside that was creating a smell that turned my trainers into Turkish slippers…we both then for some unknown reason decided to fish feeder which was probably the worse method we could have chosen…we mixed bait, tackled up and cast out…to be followed by “ why are we doing this?” after 10 minutes.

Derek then introduced “ death bait “ to the proceedings – a Tupperware box of strawberry pellets that had turned ( after a spell in tims fridge? ) into a pungent smelling dog meat type affair..brilliant a rotting fish and now death bait filling the air…

An hour later with 1 fish between us the logic seemed less fathomable than ever…why oh why…still…

One chap happily reported that he’d had one tiny fish all since 8am ( it was now 5.30pm)…mind you he did resemble an old baboon with a rod…it was turning into Monkey Tennis.

Del managed to snare a fish or two and much to his frustration lost a very large zoo creature that he never managed to see….bit like Friday night…twice in a week…for Nicholls.
The crescendo of the evening was a guy who had sat and expelled wind at an alarming rate suddenly taking a nose dive head first into the lake next to us…to try and rescue his rod …it was time to pack up…

Smelly fish
Lost tackle
Falling in
Wind galore
Death baits

= no fish

Brilliant

Selection of Great HQ Underwater Photos

http://www.roggo.ch/photos-fische-2.htm#Barbe

Bess of Hardwick - Paradise 24th July

After agreeing with Mrs N the joining fee for BOHAC i got my first visit under my belt on the same night as seemingly the rest of the UK suffered from heavy showers / downpours.

Temperature was 26 degrees.

Not having fished before I had no steer on where / how / when......I plumped for the 'Carp Pond'.

There are 5 ponds at Hardwick each having names such as Tench, Ice, Carp...etc....average depth seems to be around 4 feet, with fish topping all over the place. Carp go to a reported 17lb with Tench 5/6lb and lots of Crucians also.

I bumped into a dad and lad who were also members, and found that only 35 people had tickets for the place

The lakes are superb looking, with car safe and peace and quiet....a commercial it is not. Grass banking and room galore...

The session was a struggle. I fished pole and waggler with casters and maggots.

Cupping in pellets and maggots close to a lilly pad eventually produced some quality Roach and Bream, but I'd guess 90% of the Carp were cruising on the surface or splashing about on the other side. My peg selection wasnt the best, but with 5 ponds and around 100 pegs, i didnt expect much more.

Finished with around 10/12 Roach, a few skimmers and perch galore. Weight around 5lb or so.

Lots to go at, but knowledge and peg noddle needed. There are fish here.....

Butterley Blues

Sunday 20th July 2008


I got those Butterley Blue man, been arguing with my woman. Seven bream caught don't take those blues away. Need the river man to make a plan. Butterley blues man.

Van 88, Pappa Chav & The Princess Bride....

The 2008 MT White Acres festival was an epic.

Monday started bright & breezey with a 5am start for Nicholson, & the Shrewsbury boys leaving at a similar time. Arriving in Newquay at 9.50 after a reasonably swift and trouble free journey the 101st were to rendevous at V point. Introductions were made, followed by a spell in the cafe to work on a plan. The weather continued to be awful, blustery rain backed by gusts that were potential Makins brolly breakers.

Decisions were made to fish on regardless, and Pollawyn pegs 27,28, and 29 were soon occupied. Feeders & pellet to the island chosen by all. Brollies and keeping warm the two main concerns for the session. The Carp Crew behind us had the right idea. Like an Afrika Corp Panzer division with camo waterproof cover and a TV in the Bivvy !! Derek taking the honours on the first afternoon from 12-4 or so. No Carp showed at all. Roach and Skimmers making up a 6lb weight or so. White Acres was already proving harder than we thought!!

Showers, Beers and a meal in a pseudo italian sorted out the human condition. All anglers retiring to Van 88's comforts before 10pm. ( Little did we know Pappa Chav had picked up an admirer in the Fishermans Arms - Was it the shared white wine? or the bitter drinking?)

Tuesday promised to be glorious according to the news. It had a shakey start, but by 7.30am when the van pulled into the car park nearest Trelawny and pegs 23,24, and 25 where chosen - The Sun finally showed itself and began to dry out the previous days soddened kit.

By 8.30am it was a scorcher. Derek started the day has he ended the previous, early Stockies and Mirrors falling to Pole and Pellet. Nicholson took a rogue Mirror about 7lb, and then it went dead for all . John had followed the advice to the letter, and fished waggler early on with the occasional Roach being tempted by pellet and later Corn. With a rumble along the bank a loud northern person with spikey sid hair turned up and talked for 75 minutes without a breath....the words pellet & shallow being picked from the barrage of expletives and the whey eye , like, you knarrw.

'Feeder in the bay' had delivered a couple more for Del, before another quality item of Maver tackle bit the bullet. This time it was a Jurassic landing net pole creaking after a 3lb mirror £30 to whiteacres. Corn only produced one decent Crucian for Nicholson before the Roach took over the Margins and any combination of Corn or Pellet produced Roach after Roach. Pellet and Ringers Dark at 11m on pole didnt produce a bite for three hours, - you guessed it when it happened - Roach.

The shallow wags went out and Del produced a couple before his swim went quiet. Nicholson upped the pace and took 5 Carp in an hour to claw back the gap. Pellets raining in around the float with depth around 18 inch or so.

At this stage fears for Johns sanity were becoming a reality. After an initial feeding regime that Bob Geldof would have approved, his swim wasnt producing anything - apart from (drumroll)...Roach. Carp were the target but as the hours ticked by it was looking less likely. Del worked hard and pulled a fish from 'here', and a fish from 'there', Nicholson stuck with Wag and managed a couple more, one fish almost pulling the rod from the rest.

Packed up at 5pm with red necks and arms. The midges had also had a field day on the sweet northern arms. 10 hours in 22 degrees was enough. Plans were made to have a final go on Sycamore in the morning over a few beers, it wasnt to be. The weather forecast suggested rain. They got it right. Rain driving down on the van roof by 5.30am....it wasnt to be.

Van 88 was clear by 10am and the long journey home began. It was a longer journey for some of the party than they could have ever realised. Another story....not one i can do justice to.

Overall impressions. Good Facilities. Plenty of pegs. Fishing only ok.

John, Rich and Del prepare to fly South....

As the weeks have rolled by White Acres has crept up on the Mansfield angling nut. As I write this at 17.49 on Sunday the 18th I begin to realise the sum of my preparation is the addition of line onto a feeder reel, and consideration (no action) given to getting the WA postcode for the old TOM TOM. Worrying times.

Gentlemen the time has come to load up the kit, theres a journey with paradise beckoning next week. I wish you well and look forward to seeing you at the Angling Mecca.

Operation Pellett is go.

Utter Butterley Bollox

Saturday 10th May Peg 100

Fished 4.30pm until 7.30pm. One bream 3lb lost a large carp at the end after 10 minute battle. Nothing else to report except calm, hot - dam hot.

Foul Hookers & Pheasants

Sherwood
Maundale
Peg 1

Arrived at 3.15pm with all ponds very still and temperature a 'close' 24 degrees. Mainly due to time limit fished Maundale & close to the car to save the walk of 'sweats' in the heat.
Pole / Pellet / Maggot in three swims. To my left edge of lillies, straight across far side, and margin to my right. 16 / 18 hook. Hair Rigged pellet on 1 x rig.
It became evident early on that the breeze had impacted the lakes with all the pegs only producing where the wind was blowing into. I wasnt in this area. Bailiff reported Holmedale had almost turned into 'two' lakes with catches being split into before the island and after. All weights coming 'after'. Fish were spawning / crashing everywhere.

After 45 minutes i'd lost one carp ( Sherwood losses are high?) with only two bites. two other anglers reporting 'bits' but never saw them catch. Constant feeding bringing bubbles / activity, but no confident takes. The bailiff set up in the distance and within 20 minutes he'd had a least three carp...I was doing it wrong.

The lillie swim on my left produced nothing. The far side produced 3 x roach and a stockie of a 1lb or so. The margin with hair rigged pellet produced a further 2 x carp 2lb max, however 3x fish lost to pellet. maybe foul hooked?

Frustrating session. Work on phone at start. Hot. Spawning fish. Basking fish everywhere. Theres a good day on this lake, but its a few weeks away and need to understand the method...packed up 6.30 - 2 Roach / 3 Carp / 4 lost.

Need a break.

Nicholls Senior Sticks at it and proves a point

BH Monday May 5th 2008 - Spring Lea fishery - Shrewsbury - Orfe Pool

As is traditional an early start was called for as Father and Son headed off for the first White Acres practice session of the season. Nicholls senior after only one cup out of the usual 5 cups of morning tea finally kick started into action at 6.00am. A large sword and pair of scissors suggested that shark fishing was on the agenda. The convoy arrived as the first few campers were emerging. A tour of the lakes showed plenty of options even with the match lakes closed. Orfe was selected. Nicholls senior proved a bit rusty as he fought with his new Switz army box and waggler set up. Hook size = large fish being the mentality. Nicholls junior went for small hook = small fish - confidently throwing his keep net in from the off. Small roach, rudd and bream followed for the next five hours on maggot. Nicholls senior claimed largest fish of the day with a 1lb carp and 3 x half pound tench, after first testing out striking into jaws - at least the reactions were good! Not the same as learning to ride a bicycle but the watercraft remains. Roll on White Acres!

"They go down hill quick, Crazy Paving, and Realising Distance with Rose Tinteds on..."

The Butterley reservoir sessions continue, with Derek & Dick increasingly confident with the methods required and the distance needed to gain a few knocks. On 6am arrival Del took up his customary stance of moaning about the time, life, and all its complexities whilst dressed in his great grandfathers moccasins. He then sped off like a man possessed to the 'Rocks'.

The previous session ( See" Which ones Thomas") had highlighted that 1. The fish were seemingly all on the Swanwick side this time of year, and 2. They weren't feeding but spawning some fry for the pike. Quiz: Where do we sit? .....on the Ripley Side. The rocks pegs had proved productive before, but the conditions were still, & 18 degrees at 6am not a hint of ripple. Could have been any ones victory....

Approx 15 feeders of bait each were deposited at between 30-40yards and the wait began. Ringers Dark, Gold, Pellets, and Corn in the mix with Ringers / Richworth match boilies hair rigged on 16/18 feeder match.

By 9.15 it was clear it was going to be slow. Both flasks taking the hit, as well as a ginsters sausage roll apiece. Del hung on to previous sessions awaiting the big arrival, it was to prove a long wait.

Del secured a nice Bream of around 3.5/4lb then the swims went back to silent. I haven't mentioned my own swim at this stage....here's why. Despite fishing well for almost all of the 6 hours my tip never moved...not ..nil...zilch..diddly...non...nein..zero..A call to a feeder support line is imminent...

Over the next couple hours Del took 2 x more Bream of a similar stamp for a deserved victory. It was a strange session, with Butterley never having been as still & lifeless. With the last hour looming and the defeat realistically confirmed Nicholson focused on increasing distance to good effect but the bite never came.

Today's food for thought was the sighting of two good Tench rolling just off the rock pegs and confirmation that two had been caught on the Swanwick side at 3m on corn.
A Tench assault will prove irresistible...

I am a member of the committee, its shit here and which one of you is Thomas?

Sunday 27th April 2008 - Butterley Res

Fishing and watercraft come so naturally to a true angler and are the required skills on any natural venue, hence faced with a true fishing competition Nicholson was left wanting. Distance, accuracy and perseverance proved decisive as the Super G turned Nicholls into the Super A(ngler). A few issues in the number of line bites and miss opportunities, but the touches were still there! The other bloke sat, moaned and looked at the end of a long stick for signs of movement. After a lack of movement he appeared to then turn his attentions to making a shorter stick move. Baliff arrived and acted as the best fish attracter of the day - could the Super G throw him out on the end of the line? 3 fish versus 2 fish won the day with Nicholls taking the biggest at 4 lbs. All to boille and 4 to shellfish. Fish in strange mood as they appeared to be trying to eat the lake, don't cross the track and roll on more than 7 fish. All good things come to those who bait!

" They're like small pigs...."

Friday 25th / Sherwood Park / Cavendish / End Peg / Inlet Pipe.

With the temperature slowly increasing over the last couple of weeks the promise of warmer fishing and 'T-Shirt weather' isnt the distant dream of a month ago. The temperature was reading a balmy 14.5 degrees as i pulled in to the Cavendish car park.

A short evening session just to test out the new elastics and Sensas Pole, hopeful of a few silvers or anything that comes along. The depth was approx 2 ft maximum after plumbing up, and despite its lack of depth the peg had produced decent nets of skimmers and roach in the past. The Cavendish Carp seemed more interested in Sex with the reeds and weeds being bashed all over the place to my left. Spawning time.

The 12 Elastic was set very loose just in case and produced 3 decent skimmers within 20 minutes of arriving. Red Maggots, Pellet, and Ringers Dark being fed sparingly.

The brolly was needed for about an hour as the rain drizzled down, - on this occasion unlike Makins it was only accompanied by a very light breeze, and remained warm enough for 'jumper only' despite the rain. ( See Umbrella ella ella)

The sensas pole was holding up well, certainly capable of Carp, but light enough for silvers and lighter work. Impressive. Over the next couple of hours the Skimmers kept coming and at one point the swim was absolutely alive with bubbles and movement.

Inevitably the swim did die little later on, with the shallow swim and constant disturbance created as they came out. Finished up with approx 15 skimmers and 2 Roach. Biggest fish maybe a pound max.

Friday night is certainly the time to go to Sherwood with no anglers at all on Cavendish and very few cars / people about all evening. The peace only interrupted by Derek comparing umbrellas to things he shouldnt, and his potential Koi project

in the brick zone

Roll on Sunday for ' Butterley Dreams' - Feeders at the Ready

Carry on Carping

Makins 14th April 2008. Set off at 7am after defrosting the car which wasn't a good sign. Arrived just after 8am fishing peg 28 on Lizard. No one else there until a mini bus of kids arrived, who fished opposite. Busmans holiday. Luckily they knew what they were doing, saw one or two carp come out but that was all. Fished straight lead with corn seven carp all around 3lb plus a few roach. Lost one fish. Tried maggot feeder at the end for half an hour but heart not in it. Weather windy, mostly dry but yet again cold max 10 degrees at any point. Come on summer, or should that be spring! Need some stable and consistent weather. CC

Umbrella ella ella ....

Well …where do we begin for this epic ….?
6.45am. We hit the M1 in plenty of time for what was to turn out to be a Monkey Tennis classic. Right up there with the ‘Cable Car’.

The Credit Crunch put pay to an M1 Services breakfast, with interest rates on Sausages seemingly out of control. As is now customary Derek read the marketing blurb from the fishery website...the words ‘wall to wall’ and abound’ describing the Lizzard Lake, our destination at Makins. It didn’t bode well.

Pegs 27 & 28 were selected with Pole and Bomb Rods set up. The bailiff turned up and collared us , but dispensed advice that was taken on board…a first.
With both anglers comfy and rigs tuned to perfection. Pole cups were unloaded and the promise of two areas of attack were mouth watering. Pellets, Maggots, Ringers Dark and Corn all contributing to the bait being laid for later. Bomb rods were hitting the mark everytime…..It was all going very well. Little did we know.

First fish to Nico with a Mirror Carp of around 3lb falling for corn tight to the island on the tip. Nicholls followed with one of a similar stamp. It was going to be interesting. Banter was at a minimum and focus reigned supreme. Nicholls wanting to level the series and Nicholson wanting that away goal.

Nicholson banked another two Carp with Nicholls looking on, it was going to be tight.
The focus levels had seemingly drained both anglers of the ability to look at the sky and read the signs. It was DARK, and getting closer.

The first spots of rain hit the lake at 11.23.46.2 am and by 11.23.46.7am the lake was submerged in a torrential downpour with an obligatory force 57 gale from the Artic its bedfellow…Brollies went up…but it was Scuds against Tomohawks with both anglers hanging on to keep themselves and their kit from the drink.

Del’s brolly and its handle decided to part company at 11.36 at the height of the storm, its bracket holding it in place having surrended much earlier …. A 50" brolly in a Force 10 with no support…it should be a spectator sport. Del was beavering away with lashing of rope and managed to secure the brolly ….for 45 seconds……..the wind then picked up the brolly and his seatbox in one go clean off the floor .… it was better than Utd V Roma.

Nicholson hung on to the slim lead, with no action on the bomb since the rain started. A sudden change in temperature, and Nicholson hooked and landed a lovely Barbel of around 4.5lb a personal best.. Del was cursing missed bites and three lost fish, despite using two quivertips, his rod, and a 20ft beech tree for bite indication.

The final scores were 6-5 to Nicholson. Remember the tactics? Pole and Bomb. The poles were packed away with more C words and F words than is reasonable for a public place. But then the Sun came out!!!…..both anglers lured in a trance into a rash and regretted decision of once again withdrawing £1500 worth of carbon from the holdall….

45 seconds later the heavens really opened. With a final curse and £90 worth of carbon gliding beautifully into the Lizzard depths out of Nicholsons hand that was it….finito...

Fish=11
Cost in kit=£160
Ticket =£7
Resilience and Banter = Priceless.

PB Barbel for Nico as he secures 2nd Victory

I think the Barbel is at least smiling.

Stockies and floatless

Sherwood Forest Park Farm - Peg 31 Holmedale - Fished pole at 11 metres - corn and pellet - fed pellets and corn but not a great deal. Still cold however warmer than over previous sessions about 9/10 degrees. Ended up with 6 stockies. Largest 3/4 pound, smallest 5 oz. Still hard going, fished from 10.30am until 2.30pm. Fished 3 inches over depth, wind started to pick up and rain approaching so packed up. Didn't see anyone else catch anything except on Maunside which was packed and saw fish coming out on the way in and on the way out. Session there next week calls. Match yesterday won with 26kg? I'll pack some floats next time. Roll on summer the suspense is killed me! Coot Catcher

Why does it always...

rain on me? Another epic at Codnor. Started bright and mild. Peg 40 selected. Fished feeder at 35 yards with ringers dark and red maggot for bait. Baliff ambushed me before I'd even set up for the £4 fee, perhaps fearing I'd wake up to the fact that I would be wasting my time. First hour rained like a winter monsoon. Most of the time spent trying to keep dry and warm. Next hour a few bites resulting in a small skimmer. More rain and more wind. Very cold despite arctic kit being deployed. Fished steady with red maggot throughout. Nothing. 1.30pm had enough. Packed up during lull in rain. Temp must have been 5 degrees. Wet, muddy and moody. Off home. Rubbish yet again! Must replace rain dance for sun dance. Coot Catcher OAO.

Tinca Tailor Soldier Spy

Codnor 29th March 2008. Bright. Cold. Sizzling sausages avoided. Peg 42. Feeder. 25 yards. Maggot = 3oz roach. Bollie = Sweet FA. Maggot = 2oz roach. Red bollie = nothing. Licence check. Maggot = 3 pound tinca. Audience of bailiff. Deja Vu. Rain. Wet. Rain. Wet. Umbrella = spinning round = monkey tennis. Rain. Wet. Rain. Stop. Pack Up. Quick. Car. Warm. Home. 3 hours = 3 fish = 3lb 5 oz. No one doing anything. Angling Times lies. Matches won with 20lb. Going Sat. Praying to weather gods. Codnor still has potential. Tinca perfect condition. Need some weather. Then fish. Build up swim. See what happens. Rain stopped play. Umbrella Ape. In Spain they eat them. http://www.mondodelgusto.it/2007/06/14/la-tinca-gobba-dorata-del-pianalto-di-poirino/ Weirdos.

Casting to the Island

After the previous few days of high gales / snow / sleet and freezing temperatures, it was time for the 2008 Monkey Tennis Cup to again kick into life. Today was admittedly more of a slow grind although the inital glance through the curtains revealed none of the white stuff.
6.30am driving to Dels with the outside temp reading showing -1 degree did nothing to bolster confidence for the first decent match of the season. Initial signs showed Del more concerned about an all day breakfast cob / nosebag- a quick stop on the M1 Leicester Forest and leaving £14 lighter soon remedied. Makins awaited.

A quick look around on arrival at Phase 1 revealed few anglers, and a Snack van ( same gig as services but £11 cheaper). A healthy east to west wind kicked in although the outside temperature was now a Tench Teasingly Tropical 5 degrees - anything was possible.

Arriving at Pegs 8 & 9B the tactics were as follows: Feeder 1oz tip / 6lb main / small cage feeder & bomb / Hair rigged Corn on a 14/16 cast to the island around 30 yards away. The gusting wind went from left to right making casting a challenge although both anglers were reasonably accurate once range and confidence were gained.

Swim Stim pellets and Corn were the feed. The first few casts revealed approximate depth of 10feet or so and a few encouraging liners soon followed. 45 minutes in and the tip went and stayed - a Ghostie of around 3lb braving the cold for corn. Dels tip remained motionless for this time and confidence of a ' few fish' was taking a knock. Another Ghostie of a better stamp joined its mate in falling for Corn. The feeder having to be within a couple of feet of the island to get bites. No mean feat in the conditions.

Del snared his first fish in over 9 hours fishing a few minutes later, following a unproductive practice session at Butterley, and a first blank for anyone at Lakeview since it opened in 1946. A prime Skimmer of around a 1lb or so again falling to Corn.

A further mirror of around 4lb to Nico and its brother to Del sealed the catches, with the weather continuing to vary from Snow to glimmers of sunshine on a very cold lake.

Red Maggot and Mini Boilie got a run out but even with ' land it on a sixpence' casting bites dried up.. and with that it was time for the ' how many Rives can you get in a Mini' time of packing the kit into the wagon.

The sat nav insisted we turn right ...we ignored it.

Madness at Makins - As cold as ice ......

The Head to Head season kicked off at Makins in very tough conditions with Dick getting just in front to gain the first victory of the season. Full match report to follow.

Dick's new Rive Box - Will it make any difference?

A new season awaits of the Monkey Tennis Cup

A new season awaits for the dynamic duo. First session Makins Tuesday 25th March 2008. Full match report to follow!