February 23rd and the scheduled round 9 is upon us. This must be the first time we have fished at Birkwood as a winter series or as the league and no matches have been cancelled due to bad weather. In fact we have now gone nine matches (ten if we include the Christmas Knack-up) when the worst the weather has thrown at us has been some cold and some blustery winds. No snow, no ice (apart from a little cat ice in peg 28 on 29th December) and very little rain. Can I just say that running matches is not just about taking the money, doing the draw, weighing in, dealing with pay-out and results etc., but also about making sure the weather is as good as it can be on the day! Dates are already booked for next year – anyone fancy running a book on similar weather conditions next year! If it happens then I am a god – one that can’t catch fish mind but a god nonetheless!!!
8.30 and everybody ready to draw, apart from honoured guest MH who thought the draw was at 9!! 3TT sets the ball rolling and draws 6 for me and 1 for Eric. Then, what a shock, 3TT draws 28 for himself – what, no carp?? Interestingly three of the other top six protagonists all draw in A section, Paul B on 2, Chippie on 16 and Ryan (bless him, wouldn’t you guess it) on 22. Andy Scott draws 7. Those with an outside chance of finishing in the top six drew 21 (2E), 15A (Big Martin) and 3 (what a crap peg, I’m not happy, I want to go home, I want my mum) went to Byron. Two other prizes were up for grabs – best combined weight of silvers (between Byron and 2E) and best carp. As the Knacker Tapper cannot fish again due to work commitments he cannot finish in the top six but should take the carp prize – the closest to him, Alan and Geoff, will need 70lbs plus to threaten his position.
Kick-off at 10 and everybody just waits for Ryan to catch the first carp. 10.10 and, surprise, surprise, my tip hurtles round and I get the first carp of the match; a decent fish that weighs 4lbs 6oz. Sadly this was to be my only carp but I did spend most of the match hoping for a few more so I could cover myself in glory but just ended up covering myself in something much akin to dog s..t!
The rest of my match was totally uninteresting. I didn’t fall in, didn’t drop any tackle, bait or anything else in the pond. My carers have been pleased with my progress through the last week and have said that the electric shock treatment has worked well (they did use the latest electric shock methods, i.e. showing me my most recent bill as plugging people into the national grid has been outlawed since the 1970’s). Humour on the day was provided by Byron and 3TT. Both were wind affected; not Dave’s usual issues but by the blustery south westerly that deposited most of Dave’s bait over Eric (peg 1) and his glasses somewhere in the pond, and managed to assist Byron by breaking a no.4 and no.8 (we were party to an outburst from peg 3 that echoed around Birkwood – and most of the Wakefield area – that went something like f**k it, b******d f*****g wind and the minor expletive “bollocks” as most of the diminutive dynamo’s gear was scattered around the rear of his peg).
As the match progressed Ryan, bless him, was pulling the odd carp from 22 but a very quiet Geoff was sneaking a few in from a very short pole line from peg 17. The usual silver stars, 2E, Craig, Webby and MH were steadily putting good weights together. Paul was getting a few from peg 2 and young Scotty on 7 was quietly putting a few quality roach in his net. Byron was admitting to less than a pound!
3.00 arrives and time is up for the 2013-14 league. Now for the weigh in; in first place and first in A section is Ryan, bless him, with 33lbs of carp. Second in A is Mick Webb who manages more than 20lbs of silvers from peg 4. B section is won by Geoff with over 26lbs of carp. Second in B is Gary with a superb 24lbs net of silvers from 18. Gary ends up 4th overall but only 12oz off second and 9oz from third. MH wins C section with 24lbs 12oz of silvers with 2E taking second spot with 24lbs 9oz (mainly silvers but including one 4lbs plus carp) from peg 21 (the worst peg on the pond – MB!!).
Team winners on the day were Mick Webb, Geoff and Andy Scott with a return of just 6 points!
Now the league is done and was won in fine style by Craig Thomson with just 8 points. Ryan was second, also scoring 8 points but losing out on count-back. Paul Brown took third and 3TT finished in 4th. 5th spot was taken by Chippie with Andy Scott taking the last white envelope in 6th (I didn’t have any brown ones available!). As predicted the default prize for best cumulative carp weight went to Dave “Knacker Tapper” Parker while the silver prize was taken by G2E – from Spod God to King of the Silvers!
Well that’s my first league over as organiser. I have enjoyed it but couldn’t have managed without Craig, Big Martin and my nubile draw assistant Eric. Thanks for your valued support guys.
I will also value input from any of you as to how we could progress and make the league better, more open, more interesting, so please let me know your thoughts – you fish it, I run it, but it’s your league. Please give me your ideas.
We still have one match left on 9th March. Draw will be at the usual time of 8.30 but we will fish 9.45 to 4.00. Any ideas as to how you would like this one to be managed?
Finally, thank you for fishing and supporting the league. It wouldn’t happen without you! (b…..y hell, I have got serious!!)
See you on 9th March
Des
