Rob's day

Another Inter club match with Abbey Cross today at Taylor's Top Lake which has recently been de-weeded. The promise today was rain all day and for once the forecasters were right. The day didn’t start well with my glasses snapping even before I got my tackle out of the car (it would only get worse!).

I drew peg 39 – in the corner and not always put in but apparently one of the more fancied pegs. After bending my seat box leg on the way to the peg on a divot, I was all ready to start – pole at 11 meters to the right where it was less weedy, and a short whip to start just to get a few small fish in the net. After rethreading the pole elastic after it snapped at the connector setting up, started on the whip. A few small roach and perch followed by something a lot bigger which only lasted a few seconds on the 2½m whip before departing.

Onto the long line and 5 ¾ hours later just a few small roach and a snapped catapult to show for it – weighted in a disappointing 3lb 11oz, really wanted some of the nice F1s that live here. At the weigh in I wasn’t the only one to struggle in our team, Bill’s 6lb 7oz the only catch on our team to include a bigger fish – in this case a 6lb F1. The rest of us just small fish.

No such problem for Abbey Cross: Peter stormed the match with 26lb 10oz – tench, bream and F1s; Bob Fox next to me on peg 38 had two good F1s for 10lb and second; and one or two other F1s caught. Bill's fourth our only top five finish. The match was one sided, Abbey winning 67 points to 39 – thanks to Alan and Abbey for hosting the match and well done for showing us how it's done at Taylor's – especially Peter. Sorry no photos today as it was so wet.

All I wanted to do was get home after a wet miserable day, but even this was delayed due to punctures to both my front tyres on the way home! Had to wait till late for the RAC ironically just outside the Hall Farm entrance.