Last-Gasp Victories

[Guest Wordbender]

Being touchingly sad, I always leave my rods out until the last possible second of any fishing trip. Last Sunday (and not for the first time)it paid off large stylie.

 

I'd been at the lake since Friday evening, with nary a bleep save a snotty little live-bait bream in the early hours of Sunday morning.

 

My promised hometime of mid-day loomed and I'd been doing my usual 'rolling pack-up' since 10 a.m., when all was packed and stacked bar the rods, which lay in line on the bank. I reeled in the left-hand rod and was just pinching off the boilie prior to packing away, when the middle rod swung round and the Baitrunner began to buzz wildly.

 

Lifting the rod, I pulled into a thumping presence around 130 yards out, which immediately weeded itself, forcing me to complete the sacred angling ritual with the use of a boat, and minimal nautical skill.

 

Anyway, after a shamefully inept performance afloat, I finally netted a chunky 21 lb. mirror who seriously imagined it was a catfish with marlin tendencies.

 

Great end to a wonderful week-end, only slightly marred by my wife's refusal to believe my tale of last-gasp success. Still, I was only an hour and a half late - dunno what she was complaining about, really. :-)

 

So, give us your own last-gaspers and one- more-cast'ers, then.

 

Cheers,

 

Terry.

[Guest davidP]

First ever open match, on the Severn about a week after I moved to Telford (and only 2nd time on the river). August Bank Holiday - big charity match, 7am draw at the Station. I remember thinking that this was a rather strange place to hold a draw but I assumed it was just a central location for getting to all the sections. Unfortunately I was right about it being an odd place - it was deserted. A quick scan of the telephone directory at the station revealed a pub in Ironbridge called 'The Station'. I was a young inexperienced non-drinking angler at the time and I hadn't cottoned on to the fact that all match anglers give directions based on pub locations. I know better now!

Anyway, I eventually reached the correct draw just as they were all leaving and managed to draw one of the few remaining pegs, a peg just upstream of the Ironbridge and not far from the car park, which was probably a bloody good job as I had no idea where the other sections were and there was nobody left to follow. Anyway, to cut a long story short, about 10 minutes before the all-in it started to rain. It continued to rain for the full 5 hours and the only bites I saw all day were from the tourists on the opposite bank eating their sandwiches whilst making inane comments about fishing in the rain. Eventually, with 5 minutes to go I gave in and started to pack up. As usual I left the rod to the last and with literally 20 seconds to go I was just packing away the landing net when I heard the rod rattle in the rest and turned round to see the handle churning. Lifted into the fish and played it towards the bank extremely carefully. I saw it was my first ever barbel and was just getting excited when it hit me I had no landing net and I was at least 5 feet above river level. So I'm now holding the rod with a still lively barbel and trying to screw the landing net back on the handle with the other hand. After what seemed like an age however I got it fastened and managed to get it under the fish. Having unhooked it I then realised 'no keepnet' - it's up the bank behind me 'drying' in the rain. So another juggling masterclass while I try and climb up the slippery bank carrying the landing net with fish in to try and get the keepnet. After so nearly sliding down into the river I eventually got the fish in the keepnet, and the keepnet in the river and relaxed a little. Literally 15 seconds after this the scales arrived and I had to get it straight back out and weigh in. Anyway, the end result - first ever barbel of 5lb 1oz and a default section win cos 1st & 2nd in the match were the two pegs below me but on the other side of the Ironbridge.

I think it counted as a good day in the end, and I learnt to start noticing pub names!

[Guest Martin Salisbury]

I didn't get quite the same result as Wordbender (21lb carp) but on my first pike fishing trip to a new water I fished from 11am to 5pm. I was just winding in the first rod when I had a bite on the other and a 3lb pike (see a little smaller - but all the same still same experience!) I quickly cast the other rod back in (the one I was winding in) and had another fish! (even smaller) so two fish in 20 minutes after 6 biteless hours.

 

When carp fishing I always pack away tackle boxes, landing net, rod pod etc etc and leave rods on the floor. (and set up rods first) It's amazing how many last gasp - or first minut - fish you get. Its always a pain remaking the landing net with a fish on though!

 

I went through a spell of catching last gasp fish but I've not had as many recently, am I like a Michael Owen or Andy Cole - goalscorers hit purple patches sometimes and when your lucks in, your lucks in!

 

Cheers martin

 

[This message has been edited by Martin Salisbury (edited 11 April 2000).]

[Guest badger (at home)]

Tel,

A couple of years ago, me and jimmer were fishing the end swim at Coxes Mill pond early in the season. Everything was packed away bar the rods and jimmer was shouting about some weird and wonderful many-legged monster that was in the margins, the best tactic as you know tel is to ignore jimmer when he starts ranting but curiosity got the better of me and i went to take a peek. the monster had gone unfortunately, jimmer said i scared it off, but just as i was turned round i noticed one of the rods moving to the left and then the baitrunner started up. Result! the fish was one whose acquaintance (sp?) you have made.... Gary linear at 13.10

cheers

Dave.

[Guest David]

You mean you stayed out over the week-end fishing, I love fishing but ill tell you I would not stay out over night fishing to beat the world record. But im pleased you finnished on a high note, its always good to end the day with a winner.