Way back in the very early 1990’s, 1993 to be exact yours truly was residing down in Plymouth. I was, believe it or not a mature student at the city’s university. I was living in student digs which was shared by 5 other students. It was a rather large house and thus accommodated all 6 of us students quite comfortably. Plus there was a sizable common room with a telly. Now being university students and thus in theory would of reached a certain level of decorum, a roster was set up for the purpose of who had charge over what TV channel to watch on each day. It was a Saturday the 15th of May 1993. The time was roughly 7:30pm and according to the roster I had command of the channels. There was only two of us in the house that day, being a weekend most of the occupants went home or stayed some where else. But this particular day the only 2 inhabitants was me and a Cypriot student called Photus Paranados.
Dear old Photos was a intelligent complex, polite decent chap but his character was some what tainted by the way he was easily agitated. This said day yours truly is sat in the common room getting ready to watch a programe on ITV called The Bill. Enters Photus who one could say was in a state of excitement.
“pete don’t forget at 8 is the eurovision song contest”
“so”
“Well you’re going to watch it”
“Photus people in this country would rather watch the bloody test card then watch that crap”
Photus now started to show symptons of stress
“pete you can’t be serious everyone watches the eurovision song contest”
“well I don’t and I am going to watch The Bill”
Photus went into great detail that the eurovision song contest was part of the fabric of cypriot and greek culture and as a consequence he had invited about 15 of his mates around. (hence the stress)
“photus the only way you’re going to get me to turn over channels is for you to go and get me fish and chips”
“promise”
” I promise, you get me my fish and chips and I will relinquish the control of the TV over to you”
He just stared at me for a bit and within an instant of he went and a few seconds later he was closing the front door behind him.
Minutes had passed the door bell rang, it had started, in they came the Cypriot Greek society were turning up in their twos and threes. Each one had brought food and drink and made their way to the common room( where I hasten to add the TV was now showing the appropriate channel ). The invites had nestle down on the sofa, chairs, puffies and even the floor ready for Eurovision 93.
Photus arrived back, entered the room looked at the TV, acknowledged the fact that the correct channel was now showing and duly gave me my fish and chips. The next few hours for me was a time time of intrigue and bewilderment. The food and spirit bottles was a plenty and so was pen and paper for each one saw the need to take notes on each act. They spoke in their native tongue which to me sounded like a mixture of Russian, someone gargling boiling water and bird song. The strange language was interrupted every so often by English when one would ask me my opinion of the present performance. My answer was duly noted then written down. I lasted as long as I could and decided to have an enforced early night. I got up and made for the door.
“pete don’t you want to see the results”
“no not really”
The next day being Sunday I decided to go for a stroll to Plymouth Hoe and try to make sense of the previous evening. Photus decided to join me. We took a short cut through Beaumont Park. This is a park like any other park, a play area in one corner for the kiddies, trees through out which got the odd visit by a squirrel, people sat in small groups chatting laughing and chilling. In all Beaumont park is just a normal park by any means.
So there we are just walking through this nondescript park, without warning Photus places his hand on my shoulder which was an indication to stop. I looked at Photus who was looking all around in a completely baffled state. He had all the characteristics of some one who was totally dumbfounded.
I kept looking at him and trying to comprehend Photus’es strange behaviour. He looked at the trees and all around in a 360 movement looking mainly at the ground.
“Pete the grass”
“what about the grass”
“were does it come from?”
(Oh bloody hell eurovision and now this)
“Photus it is natually occurring”
“NO NO NO some one must of put it there”
“okay God”
“Don’t be blasphemous”
“all right mother nature”
“what do you mean mother nature whose that”
Yes the conversation for me was becoming rather painful. Photus after a short while had calmed down and returned to a less flustered state. He gained his composure and started to explain that in his native Cyprus owing to the semi arid climate that the only grass there was, was in front of posh hotels and important buildings and it was put there by some one ie landscapers and gardeners etc.
Images of what Cyprus could be like started to appear in my mind like the mid west dust bowl of America in the 1930’s and the planet Mars.
But I wonder what dear old Photus would of made of todays venue fished by the mish mash of the angling world, Watchet angling club. The canal Lake at The Sedges. It is a place where greenery takes centre stage and is pleasing to the eye. Nature has taken on itself to daub it with reeds, bushes and grass banks, this is a complete contradiction of your typical muddy carp puddle. It’s a place where one can go fishing and enjoy the idyllic surroundings and not really care about the catch. Well that’s my humble opinion and after the match views of other anglers might be some what contrasting.
The weather had changed from previous days. It had become much cooler and there was a few rain showers. A good turnout of 16 anglers saw a mixed bag of results.
Alan bland our beloved match secretary found himself at number one with an all carp net of 33 lb 14 oz. Mr Bland who occupied the corner swim opposite the car park peg 64, fished paste to his left. Good on yer Alan it’s about time you got top spot.
Second went to Ian Grabham who from peg 45 used mostly corn, pellet and paste and managed an haul of 28 lb 03 oz.
In third was, man about the local match scene Rob Dodd. He fished mostly to his left margin with maggot and pellet over ground bait for a weight of 26 lb 01 oz. Peg 61 was the one he pulled out the hat.
Fourth was yours truly on corner peg 53. It was one big struggle until I had a golden period with two hours to go and caught five carp. Maggot was the bait over pellet. Most fish came from fishing at 10 o’clock to the Island. It was a weight of 19 lb 01 oz for me. Not last brilliant!
Eric Searle with a net of 18 lb 04 oz got 5th from peg 43. He used pellet both on pole and feeder.
Veteran Tony Richards on car park peg 41 put 17 lb on the scales for 6th, double maggot at 2 plus 3 straight out on the pole was employed.
Another veteran Bob Pascoe who found himself on peg 58 used maggot only on the pole to tempt a weight of 12 lb 05 oz. Bob was 7th.
Number 8 was Dave Nash who fished opposite me on peg 52. Dave had an all total weight of 11 lb but congrats to him for bagging the top silvers weight of 8 lb. Caster and maggot on the pole was the method.
9th place was Mike Griffiths this gentleman on peg 60 managed a total of 10 lb 12 oz. Mike used pole maggot and caster.
At number 10 was Ian Ricketts who just managed to get into double figures with 10 lb 09 oz from peg 63. Hard pellet and maggot on the pole was used.
11th spot was happy go lucky Alan Jenkins. Alan on peg 59 eeked out a net of 9 lb 10 oz. Alan employed a variety of baits on the pole.
Paul Smith in at 12 struggled of of the golden peg 47 and did not have his first bite until three and a half hours in to the match. Pole and worm got him out of trouble for a weight of 7 lb 03 oz.
Laid back Phil Dodd from Car park swim number 42 caught 6 lb 09 oz. Phil used the good old waggler and maggot for 13th place.
Dave Colley in at 14th really struggled and just had 2 fish for 5 lb 07 oz, both caught on corn. Peg 49 was his home for the day.
15th spot was Stuart Frampton from peg 62 for a weight of 3 lb 14 oz. It was a bit of alsorts in terms of bait to try and get them going.
Poor Nigel Coram had a torrid time and got the wooden spoon from peg 51. Nigel ended up with 2 lb 02 oz. One has to feel sorry for this guy as the last match saw his swim ruined by some twat (see last post) and as a consequence came 2nd last. But mate there is always next time.
A word of note, some of us before the match had breakfeast at the cafe on site and I must say and this was not just my opinion but the food was fantastic. Trust me it was well worth the money. So it’s hats of to Denise and Jamie. A big well done.
In other developments Bridgwater Angling Association has decided to close Dunwear and Combwich ponds for the time being because of fish spawning. I will keep you guys up dated.
The next match is at Shiplate main lake on July 2nd so see you there.
All the best Pete C.
