AMFC Round 4

Well the weather forecasters weren't wrong with the expected constant rain from start to finish on the day of the races!

Thanks to the guys going out for a practice day previously we were aware of a couple of good fish taking methods and areas, mainly around Q, I and G bouys.

It's funny how standing in as Captain really focuses the mind on the job in hand rather than the usual messing around I am capable of.. I actually got my line back in the water within seconds of killing each fish, that's a first!

A really big thank you to all the team for turning out in particular the associate members who have given their own free time, fuel money and commitment, it's really appreciated by myself, Mark and of course the serving members.

At the start of the day most boats headed in one direction and quickly got down to business. My boat partner and I both on floaters (me with Midge tip) him without, he lost a fish and boated two others before I had a fish

1 hour in I decide to go to a sinker as another boat 100 yrds away was stripping lures on a sinker and one of the guys in their boat had 3 fish in 10 mins.

I switched straight to a Cortland 444 X Fast sinker (about Di6) and removed my team of 4 nymphs in favour of the gruesome twosome. 1st cast I had one of just over 2lb, 2nd cast same again! 3rd cast I hooked one on the hang which run under the boat and came off! I had another two fish an hour later, my boat partner persevering on floater still had 2.

We continued a long drift down the far bank and spotted slabs near the surface at some distance, I changed to a Di 3 and removed the point fly in favour of a cocktail blob which landed well on the first cast and was immediately engulfed by a 3lb 8 oz bar of pristine overwintered silver! It's flesh is salmon red as it rests in the fridge for tonight's dinner. (my colleagues weren't getting that one).

My boat partner by this time changed to my rig and had two fish and I another 1 before we moved up into Q bouy area for the last 90 mins. I managed the only other fish in our boat to finish on 7 with another 2lb plus fish on the booby on the hang at the boat's side. Boat partner (Crawley finished with 4). A thousand curses on my fish that escaped! It cost me an hours time bonus .

By all accounts it was a harder day than that previous but a brilliant team effort means that we managed our 3rd first place of the season by 9lbs!! The Invicta team had sat on the shoals of rank stockies bagging up whilst we had managed much better quality fish. I think I heard 8 fish for 11lb from one of their team!!!! minnows I tell thee!

This leaves us 3 points clear at the top of the group and looking good touch wood!

PS. I haven't got the best fish figures for the rest so if you can post them I'll amend the above!