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The Soldier Palmers
Spring Match 2011 Report by Lindsay Simpson
I fished the Alan West with Jock Royan who had been out the previous day, he did not seem particularly bothered about where we went he assured me there were fish all over. He was not wrong we started at the church circumvented the bank anglers and were both on seven fish by the time we reached fantasy. We either fished nymphs or buzzers, once we had killed our eight fish the bags were zipped up and we went for a look around. The Monument was reported to have a few fish in it and we saw a few break the surface. After little success at the Monument we moved round to Barnsdale Creek, there That evening the three wise monkeys’ tried to arrange the boat draw for the next day, this was an emotional experience and took some time to get right much to the amusement of the assembled group. Mick Angel steped over as the official adjudicator and the draw finally went ahead. I lucked right in and got the pleasure of fishing with Steve Cranston, a former Army team captain. I decided that too many boats were going to Belgrano which was my first choice so opted for the large expanse of the Normanton bank. We were into fish very quickly and I had one after two or three casts. Down the bank slightly I saw Dave Hussein and his partner take three fish so moved down to join the party the fishing was great with lots of takes’, lost fish, and generally a good time was had by all. I finished around 1040 and Steve was hot on my heals a short time later. After we had finished we fished the nymphs and buzzers for a while then cam in around 1500hrs. We were not alone as many of our peers were starting to return to the dock. Gaz Cullen finished at 1005hrs including motoring time to Old Hall a very good effort. Top bag for the day though was the newly appointed Army captain Tony Hoggart.
Again it was a day where most people managed to get their fish and all the anglers were on good form. The match was fished in the friendliest of spirits and the banter was flowing freely. I think anyone who attended would agree that it was a great start to the season.
Army Spring Match Champion Paul Kitchen 44lb 13oz The full gallery of images for this weekend can be found here.
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news
Four of our members are involved in International events this year. Congratulations to Andy Croucher, Paul Kitchen (England) and Jock Kettles (Scotland) on their Loch Style Caps. Also for the first time in the club's history we have a member of the English National Rivers team in our ranks, well done Graham Lumsden. |
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I always look forward to the spring match meeting up with friends old and new and this year was no exception. I nearly managed to sneak an extra days fishing in but alas I had to pick up Graham and Rob from Arborfield on the Friday morning. I had tracked the weather forecast and the previous day in the office was interrupted with text messages from individuals that shall remain nameless complaining of sore arms! I have heard it all before and fully expected to turn up to a furnace with no fish. Many of the anglers were to take part in the Alan West memorial match for those not involved the Army captain paired novices with experienced rods’. I watched the current Army Champion, Paul Kitchen work down the Normanton bank not fishing but devoting all his attention to bringing on the chap in the boat with him. This kind of behaviour was typical of the assistance offered to novice fly fishers over the weekend and has become one of the many attractions of attending this match.
was a lot of fish here we were both still fishing nymphs and buzzers and the fish were coming steady away. We heard Alec Mcewan and his partner Steve Cullen they had switched to nymphs after rattling out their fish on lures. I am not averse to fishing lures so thought I would have a change. I did not think it was possible for the fish to come any quicker but it was great to be wrong. We had moved from Barnsdale to Belgrano and we took fish steady I had six in half an hour here and they were a better stamp of fish than I had killed earlier hey ho that’s the way the cookie crumbles. We had a bumber day and this went some way to making up for our last trip on day one of the Championships last year, where neither of us even managed a follow.
The AGM was a very swift affair with the whole thing being completed within thirty minutes well done to the secretary Si Elson for sticking with the agenda and covering all the points swiftly and accurately. The draw in the pub went a lot smoother I fear much of this was owed to the fact that no DE Officers were involved in the process. Andy Croucher had got into some shady company in the guise of Derek Sibson and was soon to regret his decision to drink with a Scotsman. Anyway to the fishing, I had drawn Greg Kendal. Greg had fished an Army Championship with me on Rutland a couple of years ago but then was deployed the season after. This was his first trip back with the Fed, Graham Lumsden had given him a big confidence boost the day before getting him his eight fish in good time. I decided to go back up the Normanton bank, if it’s not broke why fix it. I had a bit of a heed on me myself as Jock Royan had kindly brought an 18 year old bottle of Glenlivet which he shared with Bob, Graham and I. To make matters worse Kitch cut me right up when I turned to start my drift. I moved fifty yards in front of the young upstart and proceeded to extract fish at quite a scary rate considering my fragile condition. My young friend on the point was not to shabby either and at one point was five four up. I had hooked seven fish on my first drift but only managed four to the boat. I was confident that I would be finished on the next drift. As we came round to re-drift it was difficult getting in but once we managed that normal service was resumed. Greg took a very nice Zander of around 2lb which was returned safely to the water. I got to seven in about ten minutes but after dropping a number of fish I waited almost half an hour to get my last one. A 1030hrs finish and Greg not far behind, I thought we were going to be in with a shout. Greg had several opportunities but the fishing gods were not with him. We toiled away and tried a couple of different areas. At about 1300hrs we got Greg fishing straight line buzzers as this seemed to be what the fish were on, low and behold first cast and Greg lands No7. A short while later he bangs another one out for a 1330hrs finish not to shabby. We chewed the fat spooled up his new reel with a floater then had a go at the bung. Again Greg grasped the technique very quickly and was soon into fish. 
