Springwood Fishery - November 15

When this venue near Melbourne was booked at the beginning of the year we all expected to be wearing thermals but global warming worked in our favour as the temperature just nudged in to double figures. This venue has never been prolific but was booked because, with the range of silvers in the bottom lake, we hoped everyone would catch ...and they did, even though Kevin only weighed in 15oz.



The day started well with a range of bacon, sausage, egg etc finding their way into empty stomachs and the odd rising fish brought hope. It seemed like it was going to be a productive day but the fish were not eager to visit the landing net and it was often a good wait between bites. All the usual baits were being used and I had a couple of fish to caster but double fluoro pinkie was doing the business for me towards the end of the session.



Jim claimed top spot with his overall weight of 16lb 10oz which included the biggest of the day at 5lb 2oz. Chris hung on to the species trophy finding 4 different ones. Carp, crucian, barbel, skimmer, roach, rudd, ide, perch, chub all found their way to various keepnets underlining the right decision for a late in the year venue.



Gavin must have spent too much money at the local fair and his non attendance due to lack of funds may have cost him second place in the overall standings for the year.

So that's it for 2008. Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Bonehill Mill - October 18th

Octobers mission saw us return the Bonehill Mill Fishery at Fazely Tamworth. We had fished this the previous summer and the hot weather had dampened its potential. It was a small but perfectly formed turn out of 13 anglers pegged with our backs to the car park from peg 2 onwards.

The match started well for almost everyone except me (Matt walked past and told me everyone had a fish first chuck) - but eventually I managed to get them coming on the T bag at about 60yds - I put 18lbs in the net in the fisrt hour - I know this because I did not have a fish after that hour and weighed in 18lbs!

Gavin to my left seemed to have been catching well (despite losing yet another margin lump after turning down the use of my margin pole) but rumour had already made its way that his brother Gareth had done the business with over 40lbs in the net and Dave Dawe grabbing second place and some coin!!

Arena Challenge - 27th Sept 2008

This year the Arena challenge saw us at the Mill on the Soar fishery and again the team format was used (4 teams of 5) all hoping to snatch the coveted Arena Challenge title (with swish new trophy) and associated bragging rights.

AZ Mixtures (Mix, Jim, Warren, Chris, Mick)
AZ No Hopers (Andy, Graham, Craig, Wag, Mark)
Arena (odds n sods) (Dave, Matt, Wayne, Ringer 1, Ringer 2)
The James Gang. (James *3, honorary James, Kev)

Weights off the lake preceding the challenge had been good and a preview by one of the Arena ringers on the evening before the match (which inspired said ringer to buy a bigger landing net) suggested that a good day was on the cards - However the day started much like the Arena challenge of 2007 in cold cold fog.

After walking the lake and marking out the sections based on the managers suggestions the envelopes were drawn and pegs assigned to each member of the teams (James's drew peg 1s, Mixtures 2s, No Hopers 3s, Arena 4s).

The whistle saw bait flying in all directions (mostly directed at the lake) except from me (I took another 45 mins to get a baited rig in the water but responsibly potted in over my pole lines) but little early action was to be had.

I can only really comment on the section I was in (Section A - James snr aka Simon, Me, Graham and Wayne) - Graham was biteless (despite being on the 'hot peg' and fishing the Method tight to a group of rushes) when I was ready to wet a line, Simon seemed to be catching some silvers on the pole line at about 8m, Wayne had had a tug on the method to the left of Grahams rushes but that was it.

First put in saw my float sail away for a 2lb bream and then nothing - noticing that nobody was really chucking into the bowl of the lake I decided to set up my pellet waggler (another 15 mins out of the water) and eventually pinging out a few pellets - it is not a method I am any good at really (but I do enjoy it) and the next 4 hours saw me stick to the Wag (with the odd look over my pole lines and failing miserably to tempt the carp that were making fun at me and Graham by fishing shallow).

After 4 and a half hours gone it was quite tense in the section - Graham had started to catch regularly after 3 hours (although to be honest he also started to lose a lot of fish) - we knew Wayne had had a 'lump' (and lost an even bigger one that practically swam across the island) and Simon had been bagging silvers and had at least one carp in the bag.

5 mins before the death I hooked into a good fish, only to loose it around a metal post (after it had made a good mess of Simon's swim) and I was devastated - I was convinced it was a section winning fish and without it I was down at 3rd position.

On the whistle the scales came round and it was all very close with me just pipping Graham by 9ozs to win the section (oh how costly those 9oz's were to be).

When all the weighing had been done we retired to the pub for a hearty meal (courtesy of Arena) and awaited the results (which we got twice due to a senior moment by Graham) - in the end it was a tie on pts between the James Gang and the No Hopers - unfortunately that 9ozs came back to haunt Mr Graham as the No Hopers lost out on weight (a few ozs) - so no Arena team Trophy - no Bag of the Day trophy - Nada.

Well done the James on the win - well fished by all, well done Mr Wayne on his lump of 17lb 15ozs - a new club record and thanks yet again to Dave and Matt from Arena for sponsoring and organising another fantastic challenge - roll on 2009.