So the scene was set, all members had arrived by the required 8.45 am draw time (someone forgot to tell the Wall) so the draw was a bit late but the usual Pot Black format was ignored and our leader picked out who was drawing in which order based on past performance !!.
The least favoured pegs went to Wayne “the don” Moore (that will teach him to drive past our leader in his hour of need) and Steve ( I always get a shit peg here) Moyse, the three top pegs 3,4 and 5 went to Dingit, the Wall and new best mate and angling legend Nigel (I fancy my chances from this peg) Blowers.
From the whistle Banjo was into fish and the other members fishing to the island from the not too windy side of the lake started to pick up the odd fish, “The Wall” fishing from the most favoured peg next to the bridge went on the pole while Dingit and Nigee (I Fancy my chances from this peg) went on the feeder.
The many hours of secret practising put in by our leader and Nigee ( I fancy my chances from this peg) at the venue started to show as slowly but surely the Wall started to catch fish “ up in the water” Dingit fishing next door kept fishing the feeder to the island but was only getting one fish to every two of the Wall’s.
Daddy Bulti the soon to be crowned club champion fishing from the rather drafty peg 1 was kept entertained by Wayne “the don” Moore fishing opposite, who had what only can be described as “a mare of a day” including missing the net Nigee (I fancy my chances from this peg) style with one of the fish he managed to catch, Roy fishing from a equally cold peg 2 remained under his brolly most of the day only venturing out to add encouragement to Wayne in his hour (well 6 hours actually) of need.
King of the feeder fishing Bruce “Mad Dog” (its Roberts by the way, his surname) tried to fish the same swim as Nigee (I fancy my chances from this peg) but this was difficult as Lewis was also alternating between Nigee’s (I fancy my chances from this peg) swim and an aerial assault on the tree.
The last match produced one of the most entertaining sights of the season as Steve Moyse fishing to the Island from peg 13 cast over the tree and did not notice, the fish took the bait Steve struck and a nice small carp of about 1lb was hoisted skywards up the tree, then lowered and raised several more times as Steve tried to retrieve both his gear and the fish. Aaron and Kieran caught a few fish but spent more time throwing ground bait balls at each other and aiming at Steve’s pellet waggler with their feeders than actually fishing.
Knockout Supremo Paul Chilvers was suffering with a bad hangover due to celebrating his BIG 5 - 0 BIRTHDAY the night before but he and Bob Morris spent most of the match feeding one of the “holes” to no avail, but that much feed went in it was only 2 inches (that’s about 50mm to the younger members) deep at the end of the match. Boycee fishing on the Wally “peg by the bush over there” enjoyed the day fishing off Bruce’s box, and was kept well informed of how the fishing was going and tactics to use by big Paul C.
But really the rest of the Blog must be dedicated to the first member of the Pot Black Fresh Water Fishing Club to weigh in the magical 100lb + match weight, we have all tried, several have come close, one or two have come extremely close, but up until Sunday 13th September 2009 nobody had actually managed to break the 100lb barrier.
Our team leader prepares to lift the first net (will it be enough).
The fast response team where brought out to get the weigh in under way, most members where still packing up when Dingit and Bulti weighed in the first pegs then buggered off with food sighted as the main reason for departing, Dingit went that quick he forgot his son and heir and young Kieran was forced to thumb a lift with Nigee (I fancy my chances from that peg) Blowers. But as the scales went round the lake all eyes and the talk was all about the one man with two nets in the water and his “guestimate” of about 80lbs of fish in the nets.
Dingit was in the lead at 5olbs + and several other good weights and lots of interest as our leader had decreed that he was paying down to 6th place in the pools but with the two hot pegs 4 and 5 still to come it was still a “will it be over the 100lbs” question that was on everyone’s lips. Finally peg Five lifted his net from the peg he really fancied and we all realised that the definition of true friendship was giving up your chance of victory and allowing the fish to move out of your swim and into the person who’s friendship and praise you have converted for over 27 years swim next door. Despite Nigee “Fancying his chances from peg 5” he had given up any chance of further glory to ensure his “mate” Mr Michael Wall had the best possible chance of a record catch.
The first net from “The Wall” was put to the scales and this was his “second net” it sent the scales round to 48lbs 12ozs, will his first net have the required 52lbs + to take him over the magic ton mark, the fish where returned and the second net lifted to the scales, round they went to register 52lbs 12ozs, its enough total weight 101lbs 8ozs, it’s there the first in the club to hit the 100lbs mark.
In the words of our Nigee “his little face was a picture” The Wall looked like all his Christmas’s had come at once, it was one dark night many, many moon’s ago he last looked that happy under the south pier and that was another 1st, anyway back to the fishing.
Hopefully many more will follow in the footsteps of our leader but as we will all vouch for, it is always the first one that is remembered and that honour has rightly been achieved by our leader and club Capitarno Mr Michael Wall with a total match weight of 101lbs 8ozs, well done Michael.
Glynnie was phoned with the good news and also told that her and Max would be allowed into the lounge that night as he would be in a better mood than usual, Nigee has gone right to the top and will be Wallys newest and bestess mate for ever and ever. The new car is going to be cleaned at least every other year, if a warning light shows on the dash he will get it looked at within a week but nothing really matters for a least a couple of weeks as “Wally caught over 100 lbs in the last match” is guaranteed to be top of the bar topics for a good while yet.
Despite previous photos being sent into cyber space we have every confidence that the “web master” will manage to display the following of our leader achieving the yet to be surpassed pinnacle of his match fishing career.
Well done again Michael (and by the way if you did not know but Nigel really fancied his chances on peg 5), the end of season bash is to be on Saturday 31st October at the club be there by 8pm or Dingit will have drunk all the bar money, Banjo cannot make it so it’s pretty safe that we will not have to endure Oulton Broad although fixtures will be sorted out later.
Thank you to everyone for the company, camaraderie and friendship it is a pleasure to be a member of the club, long may it continue, till the next season.
May your gear not get to smelly over the long break.
The other bank. (AKA Bob Morris as I was outed by the wall last blog !!)
