A Match Anglers Dream

[MALC]

Part 1

From a helpers point of view

As everyone is already aware one of our MaggotDrowners (Dirk) has been asked to attend and fish in the Trials for this years ENGLAND DISABLED TEAM and he has kindly asked myself to be his helper for the occasion and to also help with the preparation that is needed
prior to the trial.

The trial this year is to be on the same venue as the actual WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, which this year is in the UK, and the venue is THE MILLENIUM COMPLEX nr Swansea in Wales.

So i thought that you may find it interesting to follow us on our journey as we try to sort out what is required of Dirk to fish in the trial and maybe the Team (fingers crossed).

Dirk was given just 2 weeks notification that he was to fish in the trial so we had our work cut out as neither of us had even heard of the venue.

When Dirk received all his paperwork regards the trial there was a brief guide to the venue as follows :
Maximum depth 6'
Contains Skimmers, Bream, Roach, Rudd, Perch, Eels, Flatfish and Carp to 2lb.
So not really a lot to go on but at least a start.

There was also a brief idea of what the selectors will be looking for on the day some of these points were as follows :
17 ltrs groundbait required low feed but high attract.
Waggler with Sticky mag and or groundbait at 30plus yds.
Bloodworm & Joker required.
Acuracy with all the above.

Also as far as we can find out the trial is fished to the same rules as the actual Champs which means fishing is only for 3 hour's as well as a lot of other rule's which are totaly different to normal match rule's.

So when you think that 90% of the fishing that Dirk has done for the past few years has been with the Pole and normal quantities of groundbait as well as normal baits it looked like we had our work cut out to sort out the tactics that would be needed for success.

THE PREPARATION

First job was to try to find out what we could about the venue, thanks to Dai & Geoff P who both live near the venue for help with contact's and offers of help.

After much trying all we could really find out about the venue was that it is mainly Roach and Skimmers and it's not been fishing very well with average weights being around 4 to 6lb.
It's very open with wind being a problem, it's very clear and has a sand bottom.

So it was with this vague information that we started to sort out the tactics and bait that Dirk would need on the day of the trial.

Firstly we tried every normal source to arrange Bloodworm & Joker which proved a hard job as there appears to be a shortage of it at the moment but eventually a supplier was found.

Then it was on to tactic's.

The first was to play with the Sticky Maggot and to practise this we spent a couple of hours at Drayton casting into a strong wind with 10 & 15 grm wagglers and feeding sticky mag at 30 plus yards.

After 2 hour's spent casting out and fireing balls of Sticky maggot Dirk was happy with the tactic and i was happy with mixing them (one of my job's as helper).

Then it was what i think is the hardest part which is sorting out the groundbait and to do this we spent 6 hour's at Stockton Res trying out different mixes to get the right texture.

The groundbait needs to be able to carry joker (without killing it) and other freebies and has to be catapulted 30 plus yds and can only be formed with 1 hand, it also has to be thrown by hand on to the pole line at 11 mtrs.

And remember we need 17 ltrs for what is in effect a 3 hour match
(mixing the groundbait is also 1 of my jobs).

Well after 6 hours of playing we were both very happy with the mix and Dirks accuracy.

Thanks must go to Lewis Murawski of Drennen England Youth for some suggestions on groundbait mixes.

That just leaves Dirk with the job of making up rigs for the pole line which he'll need about 5 top kit's made up and to set up the waggler rod's as he'll need 4 of them set up to cover the different
weather conditions that may arise on the day and these will be carried already rigged up on the day.

Dirk is not sponsored in any way and has had to pay for everything out of his own pocket and as you can imagine with the types and quantitys of bait required it will by the end of the trial cost him a small fortune but we are both looking forward to the event no matter what the out come.

Hopefully the above has given a little insite into the preparation that has gone into Dirks effort to fish for his country.

We are due to leave Rugby in the early hours of Tuesday morning to arrive at the Millenium Complex around 9am so part 2 of this thread will appear after the trials.


Malc
Fish with Friends @ MaggotDrowning.com and take s from Dirk

Edited by - MALC on 15 June 2002 1:45:59 PM

 

[Dai Fish]

I would like to wish you both the best of luck, Dirk with his big chance and you Malc with your Gophering, should see you on the day.

once again good luck

Dai Fish

 

[Dave]

Hi Malc and Dirk,

That's a helluva training session, hope it pays off for you and if there's anything I can do to help please let me know.

Regards, Dave

 

[dazalio]

hey,
Good luck Dirk!

ALIO,

 

[Newt]

Dirk - luck to you. IMO you have one hell of a helper. Nice going Malc.

Since I have only the foggiest notion what most of your post meant, could you take a liberal amount of photos and post after the event?

I'm assuming "Joker" isn't that fella who is always trying to do in Batman. I'm hoping that with all the anglers required to chunk out 17L of ground bait, that the water doesn't go from it's current max. depth of 6ft to 5ft after the match is over.

Newt Vail

 

[waxlion1]

DIRK

The very best of luck to you! sounds like a tricky venue.

Waxlion1

 

[Geoff P]

Over the last couple of days i have spoken to a couple of guys who have fished what they called "the Cess Pit".

Nobody has a really good word to say about it, mind you it can't have helped when some idiots opened a sluice and let in sea water last year. Killed a lot of fish.

Good luck, Dirk. I have to work so I will not be able to get down to Llanelli, unless I take a sickie.

My offer is still open for August when you make the team.

Geoff

RSSG member - are you?
Clean Banks Campaign member

 

[keith]

Good luck Dirk and all the best for the trials.Malc as you know is well equipped with most things fishing wise(apart from some coins)wonder where they went.

Together working as a team I am hoping you both achieve your goals.

All the best again.

Keith

Golfs a game for people who can't catch fish

 

[Larry]

GOOD LUCK DIRK,Hope all the hard work you put practasing&training come's fruition.

Cheer's Larry

 

[Ray Owen]

Good luck

Hope all goes well (I know it will) it might be a bit late in the day now but instead of using sticky mag use normal Horlicks it works exactly the same but gives u a little more weight any way good luck

tight lines

Ray

Where there is one Bream there are many more

 

[darryl]

good luck dirk and malc all you can do is your best and enjoy your self

work`s for them who can`t fish

 

[teepee]

Good Luck as if you need it. PURE SKILL thats what you got!
All The Best Dirk & Malc look forward to the after match/trials report.

p.s. Where's Red?

teepee.

 

[dirk]

Thanks lads, for all your support, fingers crossed, Malc and myself can do it? I can tell you now that if it wasn't for Malc, I would have stood no chance. It will be a true team effort. Thanks Malc, your a good lad!!!!
The poor old lad lost his pound again today, as for (Red)he is being held Hostage, and will not be released untill Malc wins a 1.00 of yours trully!

 

[Peter]

Good luck Dirk,
As i'm sure Malc will tell you,You can only give it your best shot.
Rest assured all of us at Maggotdrowning are right behind you.

Peter.

Make Friends,Go Maggotdrowning.

 

[MALC]

Part 2

Unfortunetly Dirk was not selected for the Squad as the management stayed with the experience of anglers that had fished to international rules in previous years.

The Trial

Well instead of leaving on Tuesday morning we left Rugby at around 8.15pm on Monday with the intension of getting a few hours on the water from first light to fine tune the rigs and things.

We arrived at Llanelli around 11.30pm and then set about finding the venue and that is a story on it's own.

Firstly we came to a lake that was infested with idiots racing car's around the car park.
The next car park we came to had been invaded by around 100 Gypsis (so we did not hang around there) and after over an hour of trying to find the right venue we said sod it and found a 24 hour Tesco and parked up to wait for first light.

Well we eventually found the venue at 7am but there was no way we could get to it to have a practise as the gate was locked and it would have taken at least half hour to walk down to it so it was off to McDonalds for something to eat and a coffee.

We met up with several other Trialist's in the Mcdonalds and we found out the gate would be opened at 9am.

We arrived at the lake side at 9.15 and all that can be said about the venue is it's not finished yet and nothing like what we were under the impression it would be like!!

To look at it is a BARREN Carp puddle BUT without the Carp or much else.

When you think that in August the World Disabled Championships are going to be held there and at the moment it is not possible to even get a wheelchair to most of it and the platforms are still being built.

Anyway enougth moaning on with the day.

There were 10 anglers there for the trial's and 5 were to be picked for the squad but those 5 are not picked soley for their angling ability but more on a point's system for their disability which is very confuseing so i wont try to explain it as i don't fully understand it.

From the lads that had fished the trials before we understood that it would run very simular to the actual Champs with a draw and around 2 hours to set up and then 3 hour's of fishing with the Manager and Coach watching each angler fish the styles mentioned in Part 1.

But as is always the case it did not run like that at all and in all honesty the tactics and styles we had practised on were no good and would not come into play.

As most of the access to the platforms were not wheelchair friendly every one was to fish on a central arm as these were the only pegs that had the access (ish).
Each angler was told which peg to fish from and were given 1 hour to set up.

Now as any matchangler knows it can take that long to set up just the normal kit so to set up 6 top kits (pole) and 4 Wagglers and sort out all the bait we knew from the off that we would struggle in that time to be ready.


Dirk plumbing up on the pole line

So as Dirk sorted his gear and pole kits i started on mixing the groundbait and seperating the kilo of Joker so it would be ready for the 5 minute balling in.


The groundbait mixing area (covered by towels to stop the rain getting in.

Now if anybody has ever tried to mix 17ltr of groundbait to the right texture so that it can be squeezed and thrown by 1 hand and still have the right consistancy to breakup between 4 and 5ft in a 6 ft swim youll know it's not easy with only 1 hour to do it in and i will admit that it was not right or ready for the 5 minute baiting session (sorry Dirk but as we said i needed 1hours to get it just right).

Sadley due to us both trying to rush we were not ready when the % min baiting session started and instead of the 12 Jaffa balls on the pole line and 10 smaller balls on the waggler line @ 20 yds Dirk was only able to get 7 on the pole and 3 on the waggler line.

Due to rushing Dirk had already been dealt a severe confidence blow as we both tend to take a long time normally to set up and make sure every thing is just right and we just never got the time.
But Dirk set about trying to winkle out a few fish from the pole line.


Dirk netting a Skimmer off the 10mtr pole line



A view from the last angler (Stefan) down the line of anglers
The picture is rough as it was raining at the time.

Well i know it did not go the way Dirk or my self would have liked it to but it was an experience that i think we are both glad that we got envolved in although i know that Dirk will not try again for the England squad as there were a few things that did tarnish the event but i will not mention them here as it will not be anybody any favours in the future.

But one point that i will moan about and i think that most will agree to being out of order is the fact that at the end of the Trial the Manager asked every angler for 5 to cover the cost of the peg fee,
Now bear in mind that all the anglers were disabled and all were paid up members of the NFA and had been asked to attend the Trial at their own exspense (which in petrol alone was a lot) to then be asked for a full 5 peg fee i found staggering.
So what exactly does an angler pay the NFA for.

Also it was nice to se this man (Dai) come down for a natter


It was an experience i was glad to be invited to join in but must admit it was not a style of fishing that myself or Dirk is likley to try again.






Malc
Fish with Friends @ MaggotDrowning.com and take s from Dirk

 

[keith]

Well done Dirk and Malc.

It was a shame the day did not go quite according to plan but at least you can say that you tried.Many others never get the chance.How did Dirk fare against the other anglers.

If nothing else has come out of it you had a days fishing on a water you have never fished before and caught.Says something about the quality you both have.

Congratulations are in order Well done again.

Keith.

Golfs a game for people who can't catch fish

 

[Geoff P]

Quote

Well i know it did not go the way Dirk or my self would have liked it to but it was an experience that i think we are both glad that we got envolved in although i know that Dirk will not try again for the England squad as there were a few things that did tarnish the event but i will not mention them here as it will not be anybody any favours in the future.

But one point that i will moan about and i think that most will agree to being out of order is the fact that at the end of the Trial the Manager asked every angler for 5 to cover the cost of the peg fee,
Now bear in mind that all the anglers were disabled and all were paid up members of the NFA and had been asked to attend the Trial at their own exspense (which in petrol alone was a lot) to then be asked for a full 5 peg fee i found staggering.
So what exactly does an angler pay the NFA for.

Malc, If you have something to say get it off your chest.

I am disgusted that Dirk was charged 5 to fish "The Cesspit". They should be paying him or at least reimbursing you both for travelling expenses. I get the feeling it was a foregone conclusion as to who would be picked for the team. I would not mind betting that the anglers picked have sponsorship arranged.

You should have let us know what time you were arriving cos a warm flat would have been better than the car, and I live only 10 miles from Llanelli.

(Just a warning Malc, Margaret is not happy.)

After the way you were treated I am not surprised that over the last few years I have seen it reported that the NFA has said is has been struggling to find good disbled anglers to try and get in the team.



Geoff

RSSG member - are you?
Clean Banks Campaign member

 

[Dave]

Malc,

You both gave it your all even though it sounds as though it was stacked against you from the start but as said it was an experience

It's a shame that the trial was marred, the 5 seems to be a bit inconsiderate bearing in mind Dirk was invited in the first place you didn't say if you paid it though - I wouldn't have

But it was a day to remember and a great report for us all,

Regards to you both,

Dave

 

[Peter]

To Malc & Dirk,
Well done to the two of you,at least you can say you gave it your best shot.
I have to say that i find it disgusting that on arrival the goalposts were obviously moved,indeed the whole thing smacks of a hastily thrown together shambles,not an uncommon occurance when the NFA gets involved i'm afraid.
To ask for a 5 peg fee on top of the obvious expense incurred by the trialists is just beyond belief.
Still all in all,a day to remember.
Dirk,
at least you can say that you've fished an England Trial,There aren't many that can say that,
and Malc at least you didn't lose another pound to Dirk.

Peter.

Make Friends,Go Maggotdrowning.

 

[Dai Fish]

Hi Malc and Dirk.

It was a plesure to come and have a chat with you both, I could not let you come to my part of the world without me saying hello. The venue what a joke I certainly would not have paid to fish there, as a Welsh man watching a trial for the English team, I feel that I can say if the England team organise the actual match the way thay organised the trial then I do not think the rest of the oposition have very much to worry about, and that is not a reflection of the anglers that were at the trial as you could see that thay were all damned fine anglers, and I wish those that were lucky enough to be selected all the very best of luck.

Malc you started this thread from a helpers point of view and have done a good job of it, can I from a disabled anglers point of view say a very big thank you to yourself and to all the people like you, for without your suport a lot of disabled anglers would not get the chance to do the sport that thay love, Thank you.

Dirk I hope the decision not to select you dose not leave to nasty a taste in your mouth, from what I saw you did not do any thing to discredit your self in any way in the way you fished, and I hope that if asked again you will change your mind and try again because you certainly are good enough.



Dai Fish