Two big girls

Yes the fish and not me and mike! This weekend was the Barclays Nationals on Eyebrook and practice day with Ash Cooper was my first trip of the year - wow. We started at Sams Dyke and after interest as expected moved in to mucky bay. All the boats were anchored and quite tricky manouvering between them, I had decided to drift all the time so it was something i was going to have to get used too. As a few others were catching well it was hard going for us and were going to need a few more flies that could work. Mike and Martin had struggled too but when we arrived there seemed to be fish rising everywhere. After throwing dries, wets and nymphs at them without success it was Ash who provided the breakthrough and caught one on a Cormerant. This then accounted for 4 fish for me before we moved off. Mike and Martin returned to the same area later and took 4/5 on a slime and blob. That was it - tactics set!

Competition day and the wind had changed completely. Every boat headed for Sams Dyke and Mucky Bay, chucked out the anchor and sat back for the day. For us we tried the far bank but it was a bit calm and not too many fish about so we set on drifting into the bank along the cabin to the chestnut tree. We had 3 fish on a blob with martin on the Di5 and me on the fast glass, a patern set for the day. It was mid afternoon as we drifted into the bay next to the lodge. There was a line of clear water and orange coloured water and the fish seemed to be running this. Half way in a drift and bang i was in and i tightened up, it headed round the boat and out the back and kept going no matter how much pressure i put on. As it wallowed on top about 20 yards behing the boat i suddenly realized Woooo it was big! After a good number opf hairy moments around the drogue and martin had it in the net -god it was fat, and big - a 9 ponder and my biggest to date, magic. Just to make sure we didn't foget the day the drogue caught in a gust of wind and it was under the motor. Being close to the shore it was inevitable we were heading to beach. We managed to jump ashore and in the wind the boat was banging about and we needed to push it up the shore to secure it and as I thought about it Matin summoned up the effort and pushed like mad - it looked like he was walking on water! As he went to get the bailif I cut the rope, freed off the engine and unwound it from the prop. Back in business. We just kept persevering and ended with 10 fish between us which was impressive as we were the only boat on the drift. Mike and ash had remained on the far bank but fishing at anchor and had bagged 8 fish including an 8lb 1oz rainbow. Combined it was enough for 2nd place behind London Northern.

At the weighin can you beleive it but no best troph for me as ralph painter had a 10-14, what a cracking fish. A great start to the season!!