Having mulled things over during week, the intended plan for this one was to drop 3 sections in to accommodate the possible 18 expected to turn out for this opening Grueller of the winter 2012 series – basically 3 sections of 6 – one in the boatyard, one in the pound between the new road bridge and the Grove Marina with the last being behind ‘the kennels’ .
But before implementing the plan, come Friday night I had far more serious things to sort out
...................... like how to stop Heinzer picking me up too early.
I finally managed to cajole him over a few beers on Fri night into picking me up at 8.10am
instead of 8am............I had pressed for an 8.15am pick up but he wouldn’t budge, so I had to settle on the compromise of 5 mins earlier.
7am and the alarm goes off ...........I just aint used to getting up at that ungodly hour
– made even worse as it was still dark.
And talking of ungodly hours, just as I was tipping 1.5 pints of chicken and leek soup into my flask, the mobile went off in my pocket at 7.50am. it was Mike E – already at the venue
– just checking out he was at the right place. After assuring him that he was, it was on with the kettle for a last brew.........
Arriving around 8.20am there was already a few parked up – and the banter commenced.
On with the gear and off I traipsed with Heinzer and the pegs down to the boatyard. But that best laid plan was thwarted as the colour dropped out the cut a tad earlier than I would have wanted it, :( coupled with Heinzer not ‘fancying it’ (although that was where I secretly wanted to draw
– those early pegs down there are always good for a few skimmers – just ask OBI)
So instead, pegs 1 – 9 went in from the new road bridge with 9 opposite the Marina and 10 to 16 past the ‘broken bridge’ the scene of Manny’s victory in the SMF Cut Championship earlier this year.
With the boatyard excluded I really wanted to draw 10 to 16, although it entailed a bit of a walk, but that was where I expected a few more skimmers along with a rogue bonus breme or two to put in an appearance
With Tricast62 conned into assuming the treasurers duties
– mind he needed reminding that he wasn’t fishing with the big boys this week and it was only a fiver instead of the £12 that he’d got used to shelving out at the draw bag over the last couple of weeks
– the draw commenced.
New gruellerites Marko MBC and Trevor B were both assured that they’d drawn flyers
as hands soon dipped into the bag. With it nearly all over, I finally dipped in with a choice of 2 pegs left and ended up with end peg 1 whilst Heinzer had the last disc in the bag – peg 7
Ah well – couldn’t be any further away from pegs 10 to 16,
but it was a peg I’d never ever fished before so it might be interesting.
I also knew that Marko MBC had snared 76 small silvers from nearby on a local club match he’d fished a fortnight earlier so I was expecting a few bites, although I secretly knew that to compete with the cracks in attendance today I need a bonus fish or two – just couldn’t see me getting anywhere with small silvers today.
Main attack was to be the white stuff, backed up with some chop that would surely bag me a bonus fish or two.................wouldn’t it????
The off...........lickie fed along with some g/b and squatt across in a couple of places hard up against the sedges.
A look on the punch and.............
5 mins went by and no bite
Aghhhhhhh – whats happening?
10 mins went by.......
And the float finally buried. A light and softly set no 4 lackie shoots out. Fish no 1 – a 4ozer skimmer is gratefully netter. DNW avoided.
They weren’t really queuing up though and it was another 5 mins before bite no 2 which resulted in another similar sized skimmer in the net
5 mins later no 3 bite and no 3 fish............that’s 12oz in 20 mins – aok it’s slow but I’ll settle for that as KOD nearby was still waiting for fish no 1 .
But the cut showed it’s cruel side and that was the last of the action on the punch apart from a couple of micro roach later on. Spose it’s confession time now
– my lickie was too stodgy
and was prepared with too fresh a loaf only purchased the day before
...........knew I should had shoved it in the over to dry it out a bit.
Looking longer, a few micro roach were wheedled out across and time was rolling on so I decided it was time for a look on the chop, and potted some in down the track.
Then KOD shouted up ‘Got ya camera?’
To be continued............
– blow the pickie up to note the technique 
has been with me ever since.. 
