2002

 I promised myself I would keep the blog going through lockdown, whether I fished or not, and so far I have kept  my promise and don't feel like it is a chore. An update on my post from last week first. The South West Rivers group on Facebook goes from strength to strength, with some great stories and memories shared, and it now has 600 members. I finally got round to opening the bottle of Deanston single malt, by just adding a teaspoon of water it opened up the whisky and it smelled and tasted absolutely great. I just had a couple of small glasses, and I will have this as a treat just every now again as I want this bottle last and see if the flavours change over some months. My feeling is if you are paying for a great single malt then savour it and don't get pissed on it... if you want to get pissed do it on something cheaper. (Note be drink aware) By the way I am not planning on becoming a whisky reviewer, not unless somebody gives me the odd bottle to try ;-)

Back in 2001 I was getting over the disaster of the ATWL final on the Nene, no time to feel sorry for myself as team matches came thick and fast and it was a Superleague on the K&A canal at Horton for me next. As i recall the area I was drawn in was not noted for big fish and so it was a squatt and pinkie affair with some groundbait thrown in. I used 4x10 and 4x8 rigs mostly in the match as I found most of the tiny roach I caught came on the drop. After catching some roach a metre off the far bank I then had to go over more where the over spray of squatts went. A lot of fish for not much weight, 2lb 13oz, worth 7 out of 11 points, OK for the team. I didn't record the team position in my diary unfortunately.

Sunday 21st July and I fished an open on Campbell Lake at Viaduct Fishery. I'm not sure if this was one of my early forays, or even my first, using paste. I recorded that I fed groundbait and pellets, and fished with pellet or paste on the hook, back then it would have been a fishmeal gbait made paste. I had 50lb 11oz which was enough to win the section that day.

The following week and another superleague on the K&A, this time I was drawn at Hilperton and really didn't know much about this part of the canal but was told there were some skimmers to be caught. I didn't have a great day in that I didn't get in amongst many or any decent skimmers, most likely as I did not fish positive enough. I did lose a tench which unluckily I pulled out of and ultimately was to cost me a top three section place. 3lb 14oz was only worth 5 points, so a poor result.

A change of scenery and off to Hillview Fishery for my first match of August 2002, drew on one of the canals and fished luncheon meat right across to the reeds and in my margins. It was a tough old day, one of those when you think you must be getting it wrong but then realise everyone else is struggling. I caught both on the deck and shallow, though not many lol. I had just 24lb 7oz but got last in the frame and came 3rd. I had a bit of break after this for a few weeks as I had to go on a long business trip to Hong Kong, and so I wanted to spend some time with my family before and after. Never had to go back to Hong Kong again but still do a lot of business there with my company. It was a fantastic experience, one I will never forget, and I was well looked after by customers and my HK co workers. The only downside was waking up in the middle of the night wide awake as my body clock took a few days to get used to the time difference.

Thank goodness that cold snap seems to be over, a week of warmer windier weather will surely wake the fish up in the lakes, sadly the rivers my go back to being flooded, but fingers crossed they don't.