Grant Gibson's fun day!

Powie rang me up and said he was one short for the MNTFA fun day and would i fish with Grant Gibson? Well I didn't think I had fished with Grant before - although he corrected me that we had once at Draycote a good time ago - how could i say no and was looking forward to it!
It had been miserably wet for the last few days but fishing well on dry's. Here we were sunny and without a cloud in the sky wishing it would cloud over - madness!

We headed off to the dam to find the fish the bankies can't reach and it felt as though it was going to be a tough day. The fish didn't seem to high in the water so we started a drift across the boils. Grant was on a Di7 and tubes - as per normal! and i on a new di5 with booby, blobs and daiwl bachs. The boils were off and the fish didn't seem to be out in the middle so we headed back to the Dam and closer in. The fish were in a few shoals and lines but no more than 100yds off the dam or the sailing club bank. Grant struck first on the tubes but they weren't thick and fast, i then had the first of a number of jammy one's on a daiwl back at speed. The next two were painful, I was just un-doing a tangle and a fish rose for my booby ( nice!), a few swift pulls and I was connected, as i netted it and pulled the fly out of its mouth I realised it was on a daiwl bach and then suddenly realised i had another one on the point as it took off and buried the fly up to the bend in my index figure. A swift removal and with blood pouring down the line I managed a nice hand netting manoeuvre.

This had made me realise that the fish were up in the water (and hooks are painful!) and I switched to a slow and the fishing got decidedly better taking another 4 fish to an orange booby and a daddy long legs.

As we were out catching Dave Marchant and Alan Harding the banter started. Every time we went round for another drift they would shout out how many they had caught, just a few more than us. Alan is catching one of their rare fish below!

Grant was a couple of fish behind but seemed to find what we both thought was the perfect cast of a sparkler booby and a lite brite damsel on a kelly green intermediate. It was almost like muddler fishing years ago with the bow wave behind the fly. Great fishing! He managed to catch up and his last two fish were much better including this 6lbs 6oz rainbow below.

Powie, Clarky and lady's had laid on a fantastic BBQ once more and we sat down to a late lunch with as much alcohol as you could drink and as much Micky take as you could handle.

For me it was probable second again although Ash had 7 too, but can you believe Grant also won the duck race and took the money as well as best bag and best fish, magic!

A great fun day!