HLS Angling Dad's Army Wednesday 4th July Shiplate Hawthorns

Fourteen of Dad's Army finest were on parade today, to contest the fifteen pegs on Hawthorns Shiplate.   It was cooler today, with a promise of showers, which was quite a change from recent weeks, but a drop of rain is much needed.

Steve, Carole and Reggie were taking care of our various requirements;  Reggie with abuse and misleading information, and Steve and Carole with the pegging, drinks etc.   There was much talk about which peg to leave out?  The answer was, leave them all in and take your chance.   This proved to be a bad decision for me.    When the draw was made there were two left in the hat, one and nine!!! which of these have I fished for three of the last four visits here??   You might guess, when Ninja put his gert paw in out came number one, which was also the Golden Peg.    I was not surprised when all my mates?? started to laugh and giving me advise on how I could spend the rest of the day;  not nice.

It was off to the start line to prepare for the attack.    Thankfully I could not see any other of my men, but I could still hear them!!    I had Ballcock to my right, and Boy George next, who reckoned he was not moaning?  he sure was making a lot of noise.

I had brought corn and castor for the hook, and a mix of ground bait.   Just the two swims, the first down to the right, where I knew that on a good day one can catch roach and crucians.   The other in front, halfway across, this was more in hope than expectation of catching a few skimmers.   There is generally a huge carp population in this area, bullying everything else that can swim, but I had to give it a try.

I shouted all in, and after feeding both swims with very small quantities I tried my luck.    In the first hour I managed about a pound of silvers and one carp.   There was a lot of chat and splashing going on, which meant plenty of carp action, which made for a little bad language, as sixty percent of the lads fish for silvers.

The rain started, and slowly but surely my right hand swim disappeared,   the weight of the water bent the rushes to cover four foot of water.   My silvers dried up, but nothing could distract from the pleasure of fishing with my mates at this great fishery.

At the all out, Danny and I made our way to peg fifteen where Mustard waited, for silvers he had two chub, and twenty pounds of carp.   Next was Ninja, who pleaded poverty after loosing two elastics, plus rigs, but he managed 46lbs 10ozs.  It was then on to Tivi, who got just two pounds of silvers and 27lbs 8ozs of carp.    Tonto was next, he wanted us not to smirk! we didn't, we laughed our nuts off!! Sorry Roger.    Wo2 Bill had 26lbs 4ozs, then our guest Alan abused his invitation by winning the overall with 70lbs 14ozs.  Well done you rascal.

Big Bird on peg 8 won top silvers with 26lbs 11ozs which were caught on paste, he had a total of 56lbs 7ozs.   Next was the Sheriff with 14lbs 8ozs of silvers for second place, AND my nugget.   Kev our professor, fishing with a hangover, had a respectable  33lbs 14lzs, after which the only man yet to mention is Tungsten with 58lbs of carp for second overall,

         Thanks to everyone for the laughs and the blagging, another day another dollar, I hope! I have                         taken some names!!

            Next week we visit Sedges, where we will be joined by George's strange friends from the
                     north west,    So get on the phone and let's give them a thrashing, in a friendly way
                           of course.

                                             There's plenty of fish for everyone!

                                                           Bob