Total-Fishing Midlands Team B just missed out on a place in the next round in the Builder Centre NFA Knockout match on the River Soar at Normanton.
Despite never having seen the venue before, Geepster, One out of the Frame, Pebisit, Lee Pullen and Brummie Dave Mason put up a sterling performance against Rutlanders, who had practised several times on the water in the run up to this year’s Division Two National.
However, not having the downstream end peg of the match length cost them as they missed out by an agonising 2.5oz, weighing in 8-5-8 to Rutlander’s 8-8-0.
It was made worse because bank runner Aberdeen Angus had been pretty certain that the team had done enough until the final weigh in, when the end peg angler conjured up over 4lb of perch. Ouch.
And to add insult to injury, Phil Stone, who had already easily beaten the anglers both side of him, lost a match winning 2lb tench at the net in the final 15 minutes. Here are a few pics from the match from AA.
Total-Fishing Midlands B
Gareth Purnell; 1-0-0
Mark Barnes; 1-4-8
Phil Stone; 1-11-0
Lee Pullen; 0-7-0
Dave Mason; 3-14-8
Total Weight; 8-5-0
Rutlanders Blue
Denis Dalby; 1-2-0
Ron Dalby; 0-11-0
Bob Browett: 4-2-8
Will Carter; 1-3-0
Russ Parsons; 1-5-0
Left, skipper Geepster at least had Enya to listen to from the house opposite as he led his team to, er, failure. Mark Barnes, aka One Out of the Frame, was too busy laughing at everything to fish much.
Be afraid. Be very afraid. Bank runner George, aka Aberdeen Angus, had Total Fishing B 1-4 on to win the heat as the weigh in started. Which is why he’s not a professional gambler..
Left, ‘Brummie’ Dave Mason thought he was on a shedful when he landed a 10oz roach first chuck. He was the team’s top weight with nearly 4lb, but sadly the swim died on him in the last two hours. Right, Lee Pullen stepped boldly into the fold despite not having fished a river since he was one and a half.
You can’t hide behind that pole section Pebisit, we know it was you who lost the 2lb tench. Actually Andy Findlay lookalike Phil Stone was the only one of us who kept roach coming all match and finished with a respectible 1lb 11oz. Apparently we have someone on the site who is the spit of Alan Scotthorne, which raises the prospect of the celebrity lookalike team….
Northern success
The good news was victory for Total-Fishing.Com (North) Team on a hard (but reasonably fair) Trent and Mersey Canal in Northwich, Cheshire.
The team beat Edgerley Sports Meircats by 9-0-13 to 55-9-14 with canal newcomer James Charters leading the side home with an impressive 3-9-4, which included two bonus skimmers taken on the 3 m whip line. His performance was ably supported by Kev (Sneaky) Hartley with 1-14-12 and Mike (Chopper) Wild with 1-10-3.
Anwyay well done to all who fished and many thanks to all for turning out for Total-Fishing.
If someone can send me a report of the above match and the result and a report of the Southern heat I will be happy to upload it.
Geepster.
