Well I would say what a difference a week makes since I wrote my last blog, but in reality as we know normality has been turned upside down now due to covid 19. I began working from home on Tuesday, and my wife from Monday, we are in separate rooms as we spend a lot of time talking to our work colleagues. There's not much point me saying much more as we are all having to do the same to keep safe, though it is sad to see and hear people seemingly ignoring advice and going out in groups, I despair.
Let's try to keep sane. Back in 2001 there was another outbreak, foot and mouth, and this meant fishing on farmland was in some cases not allowed, and if it was you drove through a disinfectant pool. With my fishing team qualified for the ATWL semi final we were off practising on the venue, the Warwickshire Avon. On my only practice open match I found myself drawn on a part called West Hillborough, the river was pacey with a bit of colour but it had been freezing, and it didn't fish well at all. All I had was 5 roach and 1 perch and it was a rubbish start for me. I fished a gbait feeder, but most anglers who caught on the day did so on a maggot feeder.
Sunday 25th February and it was the semi final itself, the team captain did the draw and put me on peg 29 at Twyford Farm. I was told by the regulars who fished it that waggler down the middle and stick float in close should be best. It was a strange peg as there was a cut of water to my right which was slack, but in front of me the river was going through fast and clear. The waggler looked a no go but I did give it a go and it was a waste. A stick float in close was also really hard and after 2 hours all I had was 1 tiny roach and 2 perch. A bank walker told me sometimes bream were caught in the cut when the river was up, so I gave it some gbait and tried the feeder for noting. Back on the stick float and I hooked a good fish which after 10 seconds came off, it felt like a decent perch, and 15 minutes later I had an exact repeat performance, I was gutted. I hooked another couple of small perch on this and lost a fish when a pike took it. I spent the last hour on the feeder, for just 1 perch, but twice the rod tip went right round slowly, but the bait was never touched so I assume a liner. My disaster day was over and I weighed 15oz to come 12th in the 17 peg section, but to make me feel worse we came 4th and the top 3 qualified for the final. I looked back on that day for a long time wishing I had landed those two better perch and spent more time on the feeder, and my lack of worm fishing certainly cost me as I just fed maggots and casters on the stick float.
I didn't go fishing for a long time after this match, not because I was fed up, just spending time with my young family. Here we are 19 years later and I am not fishing and am spending time with my family again.
Since those two matches were both poor for me I'm chucking in a bit of something...
There's lots of people posting of Facebook now with some great photos and images of times gone by which I am really enjoying. Also a few more people putting on some memorable stories of fishing tales, also Gary Etheridge is video blogging again which is interesting viewing. I expect most people reading this are on Facebook, but if you're not, now might be a good time to get a fishing fix of some sort. Catch More Media (Tom Scholey) has also done some regular videos this week of his tactics and rigs, again very good viewing.
During the early part of this week when the sun was out I saw a few nice butterflies, and returning migrant birds on my "once a day exercise" but the winter has returned it seems and that will put spring back. I hope it warms up soon again as looking and listening to the wildlife is one thing I can do and enjoy if only for a few brief moments, or from my garden. I'm not sure my diary entries will last this lockdown, so I will have to think about what else I could write about...
Stay safe stay at home.
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