An evening at Carterhall

I didn’t fish a match this weekend, although I did go pleasure fishing (supposedly practice for White Acres) on Sunday with Tom and Uncle Nibblet from Woodseats at a place called Thorney, out Lincolnshire way. We had a nice day’s fishing, catching plenty of small carp and some big rudd on the pole with all sorts of baits. Tom used nearly all of mine and Paul’s bait! To be honest, we kept changing boxes, Tom always sat on whoever was catching best’s box, and we probably spent more time doing that than we did fishing ourselves. The bailiff was really confused; it was like musical boxes, but without music! We had a cacking day out, and it made a nice change. We were still fishing at half past eight, and called for a sunday dinner at a pub on the way home too, we didn’t get back until gone half ten!

I also got talked into fishing another Carter Hall evening open by Sir Tom. He told me that it was going to be the last match of the year, and that there would be a good turn out. Well, I won’t tell you how many turned out in the miserable rain, but there were three of us. We has a pick a peg match, so me and Sir Tom decided to have a next peg match, whilst the other lad chose a peg opposite us at he other side of the island.

I was getting battered with an hour to go! Sir Tom as getting an ide a chuck, and I was catching tiny perch. Then, with a full worm on the hook…………..Clunk!!! 4 carp later, it was 24lb odd to the ginger, and 19lb to Sir Tom! He went away sulking, grumbling and miserable….I don’t think he could handle the pressure in such a big competition. We went for a nice beverage afterwards and a chat, so it was all worth while. I also managed to beat the rest of the, well, one competitor, by 3lb, so I was lucky really.

The other week I  got a phone call from Tony Peel, at Maver Barnsley, giving me the chance to join the team. It was an absolute honour to be asked at this age, and was an offer that I could never turn down. Hopefully it will give me a new start, fresh slate, and should be a fantastic experience. Leaving my old team, Triana North, was really hard. I’ve learned so much, and enjoyed the company of everyone in the team, and I have a hell of a lot to thank them for, they have been fantastic, thanks lads. But as with many things, moving on happens, and hopefully there will be loads to be learnt from Barnsley. I’m really excited about the whole new prospect now, and I can’t wait to get into it!!!