2016 Championship: Round 2

2016 Championship: Round 2

Conditions were near perfect for this week's match and expectations were high as practice sessions during the week had yielded tench to nearly 4 lb, bream to 3 lb and plenty of good rudd. After much heavy raking and weed clearance there was a slightly staggered start to the match as although Trevor had managed to keep his rake he had lost his watch, and whistle! 1^st cast for many resulted in a fish and the first hour seemed to be going well for most of us.  Word then arrived that Ken had landed a good eel and someone had lost a tench so it was time to go for the 'bonus' fish.  These did show for the lucky few, the biggest a 4½ lb tench going to Simon Deal, but not until after a very slow few hours.  Kevin Sanders found a near 4 lb bream, he gave it no chance on black hydro, 8 lb line and a size 12 hook, on that tackle he could have swung it in! Credit though has to go to Trevor O'Dell, he found a cheese sandwich from last season growing in his bag and after deciding not to eat it used what he thought must have been the cheese to hook three tench.  Unfortunately two of them passed out on the way to the net, slipping the hook and leaving him with just one of around 3 lb.  It did recover by the finish and was no worse for the cheese experience. Chris Whitehall had returned after a long absence, and I believe enjoyed himself catching reasonably well for most of the match.  However, he then hooked a nice 4 lb bream and after a good tussle carefully steered it around the swim to his net.  Whether he had had lessons from Trevor isn't known but disaster struck when his home tied hook came undone, leaving the telltale squiggle of line where a fish should have been. The rest of us had to settle for just silvers, which were very few and far between because once the flow had virtually stopped 2 hours into the match the colour dropped and bites were hard to find.  Add to that the very lively pike which many swims had and it was quite a challenge.  Good job Dave Keedy wasn't present, we all know how he fears a predator. The next match on The Cam above Baits Bite lock will hopefully confirm the bream are still there, rumour has it that some have been caught the past few days together with good roach, book on with Trevor if you haven't already.