Loadsa2000
Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2021
- Messages
- 36
Bit about me first
During the 80's I used to fish matches every weekend and during the summer evenings as well. Did ok out of it and ended up by being sponsored.
I also ran both the summer and winter leagues in my area.
unfortunately, i had two bad motorbike accidents which ended with numerous operations and lengthy spells in hospital (last one was 10 weeks (8 in traction)). i already had a couple of sons who got into sport and dad ended up travelling around the country while they were either playing or were training. The issue was there was no way i could carry the amount of tackle and bait that i used to, due to my disability, so i eventually gave all my coarse tackle away to Fishing for Forces.
Anyway, last year started to get the bug back and looking around my area there were a few places in my area that were disabled friendly and available disabled pegs ease of access etc. There as one club that also held disabled matches once a month. Unfortunately, they were at their membership limit and not taking on any new members until April 1st but you could apply on the 1st March. So at 12.05am i sent in my application and was accepted. Spent most of March replacing tackle, had a constant stream of delivery drivers knocking on my door and visits to local tackle shops.
Anyway, on to the match. I fished the venue a couple of times prior for 5 hours each time only taking my pole the first time and had a mixed bag of skimmers and roach etc.
Second time i took just a method feeder and a whip Had 21 skimmers to 3lb and had been feeding an inside line with maggot (old habits etc) and fished this for the last 40 minutes on the whip caught 43 roach and perch (great thing these clickers would never remember otherwise) forgot to say there are no keepnets allowed.
So turned up for the match. 12 turned up for it and no pools (they did discuss that the next one they would and decided that it would be a £1) anyway was duly handed a copy of the rules explaining a point system. 1pt per roach and perch then 2pts for 2lb fish etc and it was to be a 4hr match. Any carp to be weighed and anything else to guesstimate by showing it to the person on the next peg. As it turns out i was pegged next to the only other match man (on the other side one of the organisers). as the rest proceeded to get out their carp tackle two rods’ pods etc. Thirty minutes later the whistle went i was no way ready. Anyway, all i could hear was pop pop pop of boilies hitting the water and beeping while they set up their bait alarms.30 minutes after them i started on the method landing a couple of skimmers and a decent roach. Then could see a couple of carp being landed, one went 10lb the other was 7. Then another 6lber was caught. so made a decision to switch to the whip as i though a point per fish that would win it. Sure, enough bite a cast and started to get into a rhythm. 90 minutes in i had over 50 fish including the 3 skimmers. Any way word travelled up the bank and I could hear grumblings up the bank that I was cheating. Next the old guy next to me gets a phone call. He turns round laughing that was the other organiser (not the one on the other side of me) rang him to tell me that they have changed the rules to 10 fish on the whip equates to 1 point as it wasn’t fair. Anyway, long story short couldn’t really be bothered (my mate turned up and let him fish the method feeder for the last half an hour) after that finished up with 91 roach and the skimmers for 11 points. The guy took my sheets down after the match. We were weak laughing when he came back to tell me that I had finished third despite the carp boys accusing me of cheating. I probably could of won it if I had stayed on the method unless they banned bream halfway through the match. I didn’t even get a trophy as one of the organisers forgot it.
Do I fish the next one?
During the 80's I used to fish matches every weekend and during the summer evenings as well. Did ok out of it and ended up by being sponsored.
I also ran both the summer and winter leagues in my area.
unfortunately, i had two bad motorbike accidents which ended with numerous operations and lengthy spells in hospital (last one was 10 weeks (8 in traction)). i already had a couple of sons who got into sport and dad ended up travelling around the country while they were either playing or were training. The issue was there was no way i could carry the amount of tackle and bait that i used to, due to my disability, so i eventually gave all my coarse tackle away to Fishing for Forces.
Anyway, last year started to get the bug back and looking around my area there were a few places in my area that were disabled friendly and available disabled pegs ease of access etc. There as one club that also held disabled matches once a month. Unfortunately, they were at their membership limit and not taking on any new members until April 1st but you could apply on the 1st March. So at 12.05am i sent in my application and was accepted. Spent most of March replacing tackle, had a constant stream of delivery drivers knocking on my door and visits to local tackle shops.
Anyway, on to the match. I fished the venue a couple of times prior for 5 hours each time only taking my pole the first time and had a mixed bag of skimmers and roach etc.
Second time i took just a method feeder and a whip Had 21 skimmers to 3lb and had been feeding an inside line with maggot (old habits etc) and fished this for the last 40 minutes on the whip caught 43 roach and perch (great thing these clickers would never remember otherwise) forgot to say there are no keepnets allowed.
So turned up for the match. 12 turned up for it and no pools (they did discuss that the next one they would and decided that it would be a £1) anyway was duly handed a copy of the rules explaining a point system. 1pt per roach and perch then 2pts for 2lb fish etc and it was to be a 4hr match. Any carp to be weighed and anything else to guesstimate by showing it to the person on the next peg. As it turns out i was pegged next to the only other match man (on the other side one of the organisers). as the rest proceeded to get out their carp tackle two rods’ pods etc. Thirty minutes later the whistle went i was no way ready. Anyway, all i could hear was pop pop pop of boilies hitting the water and beeping while they set up their bait alarms.30 minutes after them i started on the method landing a couple of skimmers and a decent roach. Then could see a couple of carp being landed, one went 10lb the other was 7. Then another 6lber was caught. so made a decision to switch to the whip as i though a point per fish that would win it. Sure, enough bite a cast and started to get into a rhythm. 90 minutes in i had over 50 fish including the 3 skimmers. Any way word travelled up the bank and I could hear grumblings up the bank that I was cheating. Next the old guy next to me gets a phone call. He turns round laughing that was the other organiser (not the one on the other side of me) rang him to tell me that they have changed the rules to 10 fish on the whip equates to 1 point as it wasn’t fair. Anyway, long story short couldn’t really be bothered (my mate turned up and let him fish the method feeder for the last half an hour) after that finished up with 91 roach and the skimmers for 11 points. The guy took my sheets down after the match. We were weak laughing when he came back to tell me that I had finished third despite the carp boys accusing me of cheating. I probably could of won it if I had stayed on the method unless they banned bream halfway through the match. I didn’t even get a trophy as one of the organisers forgot it.
Do I fish the next one?
