What a weekend

4th/5th April 2009

Due to my disability (Multiple Sclerosis) it is very rare that I manage to fish two days on the run but at the weekend I did, and am now still paying for it.

Saturday saw me at Lindholme lakes for the second round of the maggotdrowners spring series to be fished on Oasis Lake. A horseshoe shaped lake with between 13 and 16 meters to the far bank. After the usual banter in the café and a quick chat to one of the venue regulars I thought I was ready. I had drawn peg 67, peg 68 the end peg was empty so I had the end peg.

I set up two rigs one at 13meter to the far bank and one at 7 down the track. The wind was blowing across, but at the time it wasn’t too bad so that was where I was going to start with maggot to just pick up what ever swam past my hook. I had two small roach early on then the wind picked up and holding the pole became impossible so I came short. I did pick up the odd fish but they just weren’t there as I had hoped.

I noticed a few carp splashing at the end of the lake and so threw out a hair rigged pellet on the bomb. I picked up a few small carp but not as many as I would of hoped. That’s fishing for you. I ended up with just 11lb11oz to show for my hard work and finished about 18th from 24, not a good day.

So it was home to prepare for Sunday on the canal and a trial for the England disabled team. Once home I had a drink and a little rest before sorting the car out ready for the morning.
I was up at 6 had a coffee and left about half-hour later for the Delves café. Here I met up with two other lads for breakfast before heading back the way I’d come and the trial. I had a slight detour back home as I had forgotten some joker. Lucky for me the Bramwith stretch of the canal is less than 5 minutes from my house.

Once there we had a chat with Joe Roberts the England manager while waiting for the others to arrive, 14 of us in total. Joe placed us on pegs and off we went to set up once the bait we had had been split between the four of us who had chipped in for it.

We had 2 hours to set up and I had none to spare, as I wanted everything as near perfect as possible. I made up 5 balls of leam with joker and a few squatts. I started with bloodworm on the hook but soon tried the pinkie, which brought me a small perch. We fished for 4hours and I have never felt so much pressure knowing what was at stake. I ended up with a mixed bag of perch, roach, gudgeon, ruff and a skimmer late on. I wished I had gone with the groundbait but to late for that now.

I was well down the field on weight, but I new I was in a bad area in the middle. Dick Clegg had been down for a couple of hours to see how we were going and left early. After the session Joe decided we had all fished well enough to earn a second chance on a second trial on Molem’s mere at Packington summers on the 30th May.

I came home to tell the wife how thing had gone to which the reply was so that’s another Saturday without the car and me stuck at home with the kids, I got much the same response from my mum and dad but stuff them.