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The Soldier Palmers
AMFC 22/23 APRIL 2011 GP 2 SPRING MATCH REPORT
By Del Spry
PRACTICE DAY 22 APRIL
We all arrived early at the lodge raring to get a good practice day in and beat the rush of Lexus Team heat, the weather was far from ideal – bright sunshine, no clouds and hardly any wind. After a sound brief from Tony we were shortly on the water, I was partnered with Dave Hussain and together with Kitch and his boat partner Toby B we were going to check the South arm by Old Hall, Stones and then Hideaway bay after some hot int from Lindsey from the Anglian Water heat the previous week. We eventually got up there (after kitch’s boat decided to pack up) and discovered the water was pretty much unfishable due to murky, algae coloured water, with a lot of floating weed and debris, after a Short drift at Old Hall point, then the stones we decided it was a waste of time due to water quality and headed of f to Hideaway bay to see if the water was better over on the other side, on arrival in the bay the water was much the same then Dave had a small disaster and managed to snap his rod – so all in all a pretty bad morning so far.
We then moved back towards the lodge to see when the bad water started, we trekked pretty much back to New Zealand point for the water to start getting better and had a quick drift for nothing.
Back at the lodge for a spot of lunch, it was clear that both arms were not fishing due to the water which narrowed things down a bit. The Lexus teams on the water seemed to split between Sykes Lane and Fantasy down to blue pipes with tactics ranging from the bung to DI7.
Eager to get back on the water to check these areas out, we went to Belgrano and Barnsdale creek first off, I got one fish in Barnsdale using a DI7 with a single booby on a 10ft leader and other boats had apparently taken fish in there. We then moved around the corner to Belgrano, no fish but a couple of pulls which can boost your confidence on hard day, a couple of boats from the Lexus had taken fish there. We then moved up to Sykes Lane where there was still a lot of boats, we instantly saw fish getting caught, then Dave got one on a DI7 using a short leader and single booby. I watched one boat take 3 fish in 10 mins, he shouted to his team mate fish your booby like your nymphing, a good bit of int – thanks.
After a short meeting, back at the lodge at the end of a hard day we retired to the ‘bench’ to talk about the day’s findings and try and come up with a game plan.
MATCH DAY 23 APRIL
We were greeted with similar weather to the previous day (Flat calm and bright sunshine), we knew this was going to be a grinder. The Lexus team heat was won by the Rio lads and tactics were DI5 using a 12ft leader with two boobies spaced 6ft apart. Using all the information we had gained, we had a reasonably clear plan, we knew the fish were deep and there were fish at Fantasy, Sykes, Monument, Belgrano and Barnsdale. Although I didn’t have a brilliant practice day I was fairly confident with methods, tactics and areas due to what other team members brought to the party, Its sometimes just as important NOT to catch a boat load of fish on a practice day.
When the gun went off, I was heading for Fantasy along with ten other boats, around 10 boats were heading for Sykes Lane and a handful were heading for Belgrano and Armley Wood. I was fishing a DI7 with a 12ft leader and two boobies my boat partner was fishing buzzers on a floating line. After 30 mins I hooked a fish deep down only to lose it at the net as I lost it my boat partner struck into a fish on buzzers. Confident on my method I decided to stick to it and try and grind some fish out, I could see other boats catching around me using similar tactics which gave me confidence to stick to it. After another hour and still no fish to the boat, plenty of chances and feeling pretty frustrated it was time for a move, all the boats that had gone to Sykes Lane had moved out. A lot of boats were now in Whitwell, I took a slow drive past and didn’t see any rods bending, may of been a case of boats attracting boats so I carried onto Belgrano where I saw Tony and Col, both had a couple of fish to the boat. After 30 mins in Belgrano I had two fish, two hours later and nothing else, lack of wind meant we weren’t covering much water but it was just a case of slogging it out in the heat, staying focused and sticking to the method we knew worked. Tony was steadily taking fish and was unlucky not to have finished - a cracking effort.
In conclusion, not the best two days I’ve had on Rutland however it was a good team effort in difficult conditions, we are starting to learn more about how other team members fish and what flies individuals use, this only comes from time on the water and practice. Communication is always hard, I saw Rob Edmunds make a large detour only to pass on some critical information to a fellow team member; this proactive approach to passing on crucial information may suit us come the Interservices. It was also good to see the last few boats in harbour were all soldier palmers, fishing to last minute is essential and that bonus fish can win competitions.
It was a tough days fishing and total contrast to the Army spring match when the fish were crawling up your line. Tony getting 7 fish, Paul lee 2 fish, Rob Jackson 1 fish and I got 3, this was enough for the team to get 2nd place.
Spring AMFC Group 4 Match report Rutland Water by Colin Pennington
Practice Day
Arrived at 0700 just as they were opening the gates. Weather, its already hot, no breeze and the forecast is HOT HOT HOT! I was soon followed by Toby (thanks for the help making up full boats on practice day). Once we had all arrived and done the usual catching up Tony split us down Into 2 lots of 2 boats and gave us the areas to fish in the morning.
I was partnered up with Rob and we started up the north arm. When we arrived at the first area we both took one look at it and decided the same thing, very dirty water this doesn’t look good, and however that’s not what practice is about so I started on the nymphs with Rob pulling. Two drifts later with no luck we gets the phone call from Tony, “What’s it like?” “Dirty and no joy so far!” “Sack it and head up towards Belgrano and the damn!” “Roger that!” So we moved up.
Area two, quick chat with Tony and Paul Lee has had two but random fish, no shoal. Me and Rob tuck in behind and start a new drift, half way across my line pulls tight, fish on. As per Instructions don’t lift and play any fish In with your rod down so I did, my top dropper Is at the tip ring and we still haven’t seen the fish, we need to see what It has taken In case this turns out to be an area we can use and a method for tomorrow. Eventually with my rod having been bent double on more than one occasion I get the fish up, It’s taken my point fly, a red plain buzzer (Plain red no cheeks, nothing just thread on the hook and varnished over). It’s an over wintered fish of about 3 ½ pound. Is this the start of something? NO that’s our luck for the morning.
A spot of lunch and some discussion about our Int....we don’t really have much!
After lunch we are heading back out, change ends and methods in the boat...OH this could be Interesting, I’ve never been on the engine!
We head out and start fishing in the areas for the afternoon. Nothing all afternoon, however I manage to be on the engine and not mess up any drifts or catch Rob with my casting so a lot of valuable experience for me, shame we never got any fish but it was a hard day!! Many thanks to Rob for not getting a bag on the couple of times I got it slightly wrong and explaining how not to do things!
Evening scoff and back to the accommodation for a team brief and some tying to sort out the top 10 box for tomorrow. Int is nymphing on a DI7 with two booby’s, I have most of the top ten but I still need to tie some sparklers, buzzers because mine just are not up to scratch (thanks for that Kitch! But he did give me a couple of his and these are like night and day compared to mine, more time at the vice required!) And some candy booby’s. I start tying and then after about an hour and only 3 tied Kitch kindly stepped in and tied my candies for me...Very important off the hand comment was now made about how good they will be on the point, right I have made up my mind for tomorrow, candy on the point and tequila on the dropper! This turns out to be the only setup I require for tomorrows match. It’s all I fish all day and out fish both my boat partner and the rod average.
MATCH DAY
We arrived in true military fashion, 0730 for a 1000 start. First things first, banjo and a brew, that’s us all set for the day. Weather hotter than yesterday, with the chance of thunder.
I look at the draw and I’m on the point with a member of Grafham A on the engine, I’m fairly glad as I think I require more practice on the engine before I take it for a comp day.
I’m setup with my DI7 and the afore mentioned fly’s, 5ft to the dropper and then another 7ft to the point.
The match starts and we are off, half of the fleet to Belgrano, the other half up to the left hand side of the damn and the monument. I’m in one of the first boats to arrive and with the fact there is no wind I don’t need to worry about the drogue. As soon as we stop my fly’s land on the water and we are fishing, second cast half way through my retrieve and my line locks up, fish on and in the boat. As far as I can see I’ve got the first fish of the boats around us but I’m soon followed by at least another two people with fish on.
Kitch is in the boat next to me and asks what fly my fish was on, the reply come “The one you tied for me last night and it’s on the point” “Roger” the int and method we have is looking good. Very next cast fish on and halfway to the boat it’s off. The last cast of the drift another on and again it comes off, check hook point and all is good and sharp. Throughout the whole day I lost 10 fish and should have finished at 1300.
The rest of the day is spent with almost all the fleet grinding out the fish from the same spot, the only exception was the last 2 ½ hrs in which we try the blue pipes and eventually settle on the church which is where I get my fourth and final fish of the day with only ½ hr left.
Well what did I learn from the match? Once you have the method don’t change unless everyone else has changed and you are not catching (I had a bad habit last year of changing to soon and possibly losing out on some fish). Having faith in the flies you have on is half the battle, just get Kitch to give you some or tie them for you, anything he gives you WILL work...FACT! Anything else learned...I need to invest in some different fluro, thanks Tony...when it is such a hard day you need to concentrate even harder to keep yourself focused and not miss those takes...Don’t as a novice in the competition scene be afraid to ask for help or advice when you need it from the more experienced members and finally I can fish with the best I just need to improve in lots of little areas rather than one specific thing and I need more time off work to get out with the more experienced and pick up on what they are doing different from me.
Finally a big thanks to all for a great couple of days fishing and the experience I gained was probably the most I ever have from a single competition. |
news
Both Soldier Palmers teams in action in the opening round of the AMFC. Match reports by Del Spry (Gp2) and Colin Pennington (Gp4).
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