Des North - Angler??
Welcome to my web site. This will cover aspects of (my) fishing, including results from the Birkwood Farm (Knacker Tappers) Winter League and any others that anyone wishes me to put up. Other issues will also appear and I may address any subject here, whatever takes my fancy, but I hope to make it amusing (mildly) and informative (but take with a pinch of salt). Why Angler?? ? Well I'm a competent (sort of) angler who can catch a few fish but am readily battered off adjacent pegs. Good job I have a sense of humour!
Sunday 1st December 2013
No match with the regular crew today so fished the Open at Woodhouse Grange with Ryan, Craig and Dave. Before the match Ryan walked us round and gave a run down of the pegs. Hot peg - 46 and guess who drew it. Everybody said it's a flyer and I should win (or I'd need stuffing!!).
Set up my box and prepared to get out a light feeder rod and pellet waggler - as advised by Ryan, when the guy on the next peg wanders down and asks if I know what to do to get the most from the peg. I told him I had an idea but he sat me down on my box and proceeded to put me exactly on the money and told me just where to fish.
It took me a while to sort out exact distance (coming shorter each time I got a liner) and bait (finally double dead red). Paul - the guy from the next peg - brought me some bread to try (I hadn't brought any) but I started to catch on the dead maggot. 5 carp fell in about 45 minutes until one finally dragged me into a big snag, a sunken boat, and I lost all my rig. I hadn't got another very small feeder but Paul lent me one. Unfortunately after losing the brute the peg slowed and I managed one more carp and lost one.
I won the match with just 16lbs 10oz. Paul came second with 3 fish for 14lbs 3oz, all taken in the last 40 minutes on bread - one more and he would have passed me. Many lads never had a bite so I was lucky to draw on the best peg. I was also fortunate to have someone like Paul next to me. He has probably seen one or two more winters and summers than I have but was a true gent and sportsman. How many other anglers would wise up a competitor (and stranger) on the next peg?
Thank you Paul.
Honesty - 2015 Style
In February one of the competitors in the Birkwood Farm Knacker Tappers Winter League, Geoff Crane, had been to the pond for a practise on the Saturday before round 7. The day was cold and he felt frozen. He stopped fishing and hastily loaded his van but forgot to load in his rod bag containing all his rods and his pole. He left this in the car park. It seemed lost forever but a few days later we were contacted by John Beaumont. John had found the holdall and had it for safe keeping and all Geoff had to do was establish his ownership. He did this and the holdall and contents were soon back with their owner.
None of us really believed Geoff would ever see his gear again but thanks heavens there are still some very honest and straight people in this country.
Thankyou John. Your actions were much appreciated.
