Grueller 10/3/12 - one fish makes all the diff

#1

Well we moved off our normal haunt of the Extension Canal as it was prebooked by OBI and Snowie for start of their club matches the following morning.......

So it was onto the Fingerpost section as 8 anglers plucked sufficient courage for this last battle with the

Now just to whet your appetatie as to how we faired, for a change I'm gunna fast forward to OBI and Snowies match the following morning (this morning)

I popped down before the off - well that wasn't really intentional cuss I thought they kicked off at 9am - and caught up and exchanged pleasantries with OBI, Snowie and a few of their guys........

Rumour had it that one of their members had fished the section the day before and tipped 8lb on the scales, so they were expecting a few fish.

Plus the guy had drawn just a few yards away from where he'd practised, first peg in the boatyard, with Snowie who OBI refered to as 'juicy Lucy', on the next peg.

The whistle went - well it was a shout really

for the all in and I headed to the boatyard as usually a few skimmers put in an early appearance down there.

The guys were still feeding their lickie when I got there and first put in, the float buried and skimmer no 1 was on its way for the 'Raiway Tavern crack'.............(click on the photos to blow em up)

Snowie clocked this early netter, but obviously held his composure as a minute or two he was netting one as well

Second put in for angler no 1 resulted in another lackie stretcher, but it was bumped and came off

'That's probably spooked em' I said as he went a few minutes without another bite before he wheedled out a roach

Looking along, Snowie followed suit with a silver. Looked like an epic peg to peg battle was going to unfold as I decided to head back and see whether OBI had snared his customary early skimmers...........

On the way this guy had a netter too......

Arriving at OBI I enquired how he was fairing less than 15 minutes into the match......

Contrary to expectations, he hadnt found a skimmer yet but had a 4ozer roach. He'd got fish in his peg aok as his dotted down float burried on a couple of occasions without him connecting..........

But on the third bite I witnessed, the lackie came out and he was into one of his usual skimmers.........

So 20 mins in and encouragingly a few fish were showing as I had to shoot off............

#2

My whistle is whetted

snowie · #3

thanks for the visit tk it was nice to see you again,the tail of the tape was as follows

peg 1 the gaffer 2oz
peg 2 snowie 1lb 1oz
peg 3 buzza 2lb 6oz
peg 5 flynny 10oz
peg 7 steve p 7oz
peg 8 alan c 1lb 5oz
peg 9 shane d 1lb
peg 10 john l d n w
peg 11 obi 14oz
peg 12 gibbo 1oz
peg 13 speedy seedy 2oz
peg 14oz robi 1 1/2 oz

good start for the reigning champ buzza, robi had a carp on for what seemed forever from the bank talk but unfortunately he got snapped, rumour was it was about 5lb, lots of the fish caught on the punch and some on the pinkie and the odd one on the caster, thankfully the weather stayed nice apart from the wind tunnel in the boatyard at times which is unusual for the tavern.

#4

Hiya Snowie - I had a phone call from Gaz our bailiff about 1.15pm to tell me that he watched one of the guys play a carp for about 40 mins............pole sections off, pole sections back on............

before he finally lost it

The way you guys started I thought you was gunna empty it today............

Or at least see Buzza shove another 8lb on the scales.............but there again, the canal can be an enigma at times and dead 'moody'

Josh1337 · #5

Nice title

Glad to see a few people had some fish on the extension.. Roll on the write up for our grueller

#6

All should be revealed tomorrow Josh

- when I've finished licking all those envelopes........

But just for Simps

How critical would the Stalking Heron technique prove on the day.......

or could there be a new 'in method' to take the water apart

#7

The mind boggles

MrV · #8

The mind boggles

After Saturday, Simps, my mind is well and truly boggled ::) ::)

#9

But on the third bite I witnessed, the lackie came out and he was into one of his usual skimmers...

ye..dead on the 20 minute mark..and that was it until a couple of teenies in the last 10 mins

Now..who mentioned my 20 mins were up TK...

#10

what no part 2 yet TK

#11

Been dead busy licking all those envelopes Tricast62

Chapter two is 'taking shape'...........

First we had the Stalking Heron Technique

But Saturday saw the introduction of the 'Praying Mantis' method

#12

praying mantis method

brill

#13

Envelope licking over, so onto the next part of this enthralling encounter that I just know you are all waiting with baited breath for…………..

Whilst on the way to the cut, Tricast62 had texted asking to slip him a peg in - he was a late addition and just setting out

Arriving and it was big decision time.

Fish the W&E or fish The Extension

. There was a ‘fair’ ripple on the W&E with a bit of ‘moisture’ in the air, but checking the Extension with Cotti soon made up our minds - its was gin down that southern end, so we’d do battle with the wind instead.

The draw was soon made with two pegs left in MrV’s cap - secretly fancied peg1 nearest the walkover bridge and 2 which usually throws up a few fish as well. With Tricast62 still not in sight, MrV ‘did the honours’ for me and pulled out 2, leaving Tricast62 on the end peg.

The line up for this battle therefore looked like……….

PEG
1 Tricast62
2 TK
3 Blues4eva
4 Josh
5 Big Col T
6 MrV
7 Cotti
8 The Hunter

Having completed setting up I wandered over to Tricast62 who was putting the finishing touches to his Stalking Heron rig

as we discussed the likelihood of this being the killer method today……….there had been loads of roach in the area (Mark O won with 7lb odd on a rare previous sortie down there a year or so ago) but they could possibly be out of reach today of the killer S H technique

Then a sally down to Cotti - he fancied it for a few too - just depended how long he could keep his favoured white stuff going…………..

The off. White stuff fed with some chop in reserve for when those lines started to fade……….

Fade???

Well to be honest I hardly set the world alight in that first hour…………those expected regular bites on the punch were somewhat difficult to come by to say the least.

Looking up the field I suspected I was miles behind when I spotted a rare event……….

A ‘boot’ was coming through……..

Getting the camera out to record this rarity for posterity I thought ‘Yippee - this will liven things up’ and might also push a few fish down the cut away from punch masters The Hunter and Cotti

(Click on em to blow em up)

Before putting the camera away I also snapped the scene to my left and right, flanked by cracks either side of me………….

But sad to say, the boat did little to liven things up

………..before reverting to plan B, there was one variation to plan A to try

as I topped up those lines and decided - cuss Joffie likes a pickie or two

- to take a few snaps from a different ‘angle’…………well from the opposite site of the cut to be precise.

Instead of ‘stalking’ today, Tricast62 was waving his Excalibur

Whilst the geezer on two was missing………..

Alongside Blues4eva was trying to make the most of the temporarily vacated peg

Whilst next door Josh was putting all of his Coseley Cut Craft to use…………

Big Col T was looking to better his last framing place on a Grueller

No sign of MrVs 4 mtr whip at this moment

Cotti always dangerous on his white stuff

Finally the ever dangerous Hunter on end peg

Back to base and head down to snare one or more of those big bronze slabs that would now have moved onto my feed……………..
Only they hadn’t - and what was worse, those silvers were not coming as quickly as I would have liked.

In fact it seemed like most the field were struggling until news came down the towpath, courtesy of Big Col T, who advised that the Hunter had had his lackie well and truly stretched

by a big black beastie that lurked below and what’s more, after an epic fight The Hunter had managed to net it

After that battle, The Hunter now adopted the 'new' Praying Mantis method. In fact it wasn’t long after that the rest of the field followed suit, all possibly looking for a ‘bonus’ as Praying Mantis

With no big bronzes showing on peg two it was now time to also put the praying mantis into operation…………and low and behold, 10 mins later the juicy luicy (well I think that’s all they called me)

on peg 2 latched into what could prove to be a match winning beastie as it wiped out The Hunters black beastie……….

Time marched on and with 20 mins left, unbeknown to all Blues4eva had his opportunity, but a few choice Anglo Saxon words echoing along the bank advised that ‘it had crappity smacking come off’

The threatening rain had held off, so a call to enquire if anyone wanted to do the extra hour - 5 instead of 4 was surprising met with a negative response.

All out at 2pm without any more eventful moments it was time for the tale of the scales………….

First to weigh was yours truly with this nice Kinver Tiger…………

#14

brill TK, some pole float that is behind thy head

#15

for got to say thats a beltin perch that

well done

#16

Three chapters for this one TK

Brill so far

#17

Just before concluding with part 3 (which will be dead short)

As one or two may know, Gaz Shep the bailiff had a grueller down there last week and dried - which is most unusual for him...........

Well the text read 'Had 5 bream n a tench m8 off the common on pellets'

Just knew I should have stuck a throw away pellet line in

#18

Pellet, it's the future TK.

Now be a good lad and get a shuffle on with the final bit of the report.

#19

get a shuffle on with the final bit of the report

I'm shuffling with how to conclude it Mugger

thats a beltin perch that

Why do they always look smaller in photo's Tricast62 ?

olly · #20

Great read and a bostin Perch!

When taking pictures of fish like that is best to push the fish out towards the camera rather than keeping it in your body so to speak. Regardless, a lovely fish! How much did it weigh? It looks quite solid.