Water Temperature shot up to a year high of 50F and the overcast but mild day promised to be a good one. Prior to the draw a lot of fish seemed to be moving in pegs 2-4 and also 21 where the wind was pushing into. A Few fish seemed to be on the cards.

Drawn on Peg 24 was Hackbridge angler Mark Fryer and a few pegs away on 27 was Team Mate R Alexander. But it was N Youlden on Peg 14 who made the early running with a number of small carp in the first hour.  Unfortunately, the fish backed away and he ended with a creditable 59lb and fourth place.  Pegs 35 to 7 struggled for fish - it was Peg 7 that caused much amusement for those nearby as carp continuously took his float and not his bait!! Next door on Peg 8, Gary Acock made the best of the draw with a respectable 84lb for third place. Gary took a number of good fish and fished tight over with corn 15cm deep.

Back with the two Hackbridge anglers on pegs 27 and 24, both were taking fish up in the water with corn over sprayed pellet. To my guessing it was game set and match to R Alexander on Peg 27 who seemed to catch just a few extra fish than his team mate Mark Fryer. How wrong you can be! it was Mark who took a few larger fish in the 4th and last hour that recorded 131-00-0 to push his team mate into second place with 112-00-0.  Both anglers fished 15/16m all day and worked hard for their fish and deserved the two ton-up bags. Great Credit to the winner who took fish quietly and consitantly - something I've yet to master!

I was drawn on Peg 30 next to John Weedon (Image Sensas) and like those around me, spent the best part of the day as a spectator to Peg 27!! Having had two line bites at the off, I switched to up in the water and on reflection I am sure this was the right thing to do.  I must admit that I was a little disappointed with the draw! As this was my first match in 10 months since contracting Fybro-Myralgia Syndrome (FMS,) (& Dyslexia!) I was praying for a peg that I could fish an easy 13m's all day and compete (8 maybe?) I also decided that I would not fish past 13m as I wouldn't be able to hold the long pole in the later hours. To compensate, I attempted to double the feed rate of those either side of me and draw a few 'Mug' fish into the peg. To a degree this worked well as I had Chub to 6lb!!! but the carp failed to show in any numbers. I did manage to 'Mug' a few for 25lb and 11th place behind John on next peg. I Had earlier weighed a 5lb 12oz Chub and later caught one that was bigger - but in the last hour I was too buggered to get up and weigh it! The size and quality of the fish are a credit to the care that Rolf takes of his fish! - And to some degree the rules that are sensibly enforced.

Once again I must thank Rob Field (Tek-Neek Trabucco) for driving from London-Bristol-Oxford and back in order to get me to the draw! Hopefully, This can be the start of getting my Match Fishing life back in order - Think I'll give the Div 1 a miss though....or shall I? Lloyd Rush - Trabucco

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