Rose tinted Calvo

How the past can affect the memory. Warm summer evenings, a bite a chuck from small stuff, bream, chub, carp and fanatic tench. Ug at your arm asking for £4, monkey tennis and captain were born.

Year later probably our second to worst session this year, with Butterley blank first, however its a close run thing with Cudmore Royal wedding and a windy Lakeview.

Anyway to cut a long story short. Queued to get in, yes can you believe it, queued to get in, picked pegs, optimism draining every step. Same pictures of catfish, carp and moby dick from what must be 10 years since we fished it regularly and the photos were old then. The bloke who runs it now has a side kick who cleans up - should try stocking it and sorting the pegs. Mercedes Benz car and fishery, but hair a la Robinsons jam. A few bits and skimmers. Nico fished the waggler like a whip? Poor, poor, and yet again poor - come on fishing gods help!

A thesis in Butterley Blanks

A series of blanks, under the trees peg 50 something, on the viaduct etc etc. Warm weather spreads the fish around the venue, as Ringer pointed out better to fish May and Oct when fish shoal in deeper water. Lost with no where to fish. Need help and can;t touch EBAY. Obi Wan Nicobi you are our last hope!

Fish-o-minima

You've watched in on TV, you've see it in magazines and you've heard the fishermans tales.

The National Angling Centre, home of fish-a-mania, Andy May and many a Stoke angler.

Yes we finally got to fish the mighty arena. An early start, pegs selected, method feeder or cage to the island and pole for close in. Pellet, corn, meat and red maggot - the usual bait a plenty. Wait for it ....................... two tench, a few skimmer and the odd bit between us. Makes Spring Lea look like the universe fishing centre.

Some caught around us but for £10 a ticket and with the option of other lakes arena is a gamble.

Jury is clearly out along with this season which started so well.

After an Evening of Fine Wine, Women and Song....

After an evening reflecting on Johns mammoth inroad into the Festival target it was time to reconvene on the banks of Orfe for Day 2.

After a comfy evening in a Shrewsbury B&B the Notts lads were strangely refreshed and even had a cooked breakfast and shower.....times have changed.



Today was all about who could catch up, who might struggle, and who could hold their nerve. Pegs were selected with Nicholson taking the ' piper alpha' peg of a year or so ago. John to his left on centre peg and Derek on the end. With boxes set up and legs tightened it was whistle time and the all in.

The weather seemed a recurrence of two years previous with breeze / cloud / downpours all in the mix....so it was to prove.

Nicholson was considered in approach an plumbed at 9 metres with gentle cupping, Derek hitting the shallows and ' anything swims', John opting for feeder with pole as back up.

Derek started like a man possessed with approx 6/7lb on fish before anyone else had caught. John looked right nervously but had a good lead.

As the hours progressed it was clear the Nicos 9m line wasnt going to produce....with only random skimmers and a rudd taking corn!!

Derek ploughed on but John took the odd fish that kept a little distance between him and the pursuer......the rain came and went making conditions difficult

Nico reverted and got going the same Ide line that had served so well previously.....the only Carp being taken close in on pellet / corn with no pattern....feeding wasnt doing much...

As the epic drew to a close it was going to be tight. Nico had ruled himself out mid morning as the carp didnt show and already had a mountain to climb. It was a father and son Slam down!!!!

The fish were weighed and weighed again. It was absolutely equal over the two days. Derek and John were the Joint Holders of the 2011 Shrewsbury Classic.



Again - Good Banter / Company / Weather contributed to a good weekend - The Curry also helped Sat Night.

Thanks Gents - See you next year.