Sports report

Pat MaGroyne, Famous Sports Reporter was sent off to that there Suffolk to cover a cup game today, He seems to have been kidnapped but managed to get a few garbled  lines out which I can't really enlarge  on what with not being a NUJ card holder or anything but he did get some hastily shot reportage out which might be OK without causing  a pens down all out strike. 

The Theatre of Dreams, masquerading as the Team Lauren Lou 3G Arena. Not a bad surface to play football on but not one for a 20 yard knee slide to the corner flag  celebration.

Which is probably why Little 'Un made do with a run to the half way line, finger raised in a Shearer style emotion fest. The goal?  A nice ball over the top beating the offside trap for Little' Un to run on to, drop her shoulder and rifle home  a fierce left foot first timer across the keeper's despairing dive and bulging the onion bag with a satisfying plasticy rustle to silence the home crowd of 16. But no man with a dog.  A physical encounter with plenty of corner argy bargy and one full on slap and a  stern talking to from the Man in Black. Youngest Boi, formally known as on Ton Ton (Macoute) who climbs out of his non-job seeking pit once a week to run the line needed his wits about him but stood firm and resolute.  A draw would have been a fair result but the home team dealt a late killer blow with a well worked goal.

I think that's what Pat said. No ransom demands yet, I think the Bureboyville Chronicle will have to send out a different reporter to cover Little 'Un turning out for the Sunday Team up the Fine City of Norwich. The Commander in Chief is sharpening her pencil as I type. No 3G pitch, more a mud bath with a 1:10  slope at one corner. And 50mph Storm Isha winds. 

Opening up the account

First session of 2024 and thought piking might just do it. River is now behaving itself, well as long as the sluice masters leave it be. Down to a row of features: bushes, with a straight section with old reed cover and a distinct shelf.  Sardines were at the top of the deadbait pic'n'mix bag at the bottom of the freezer so that would be the bait choice today. Walking down the feeder stream to the stretch I'd seen this cold dead killer's eye staring back at me.  One that won't be terrorising the dace shoals when it grows up.

I've had those poplars as an angling backdrop now for over 30 years now, marching purposefully along the flood plain.

Lunch was missed so this hot, thick tomato soup was called for, thick enough to hold the freshly cracked black pepper in suspension for every small cup full, little bursts of heat which were needed as the cold began to settle over the plain, a change in the weather was beginning to have effect. 

Sardines, halved of course were poked into likely looking spots as  I worked down the stretch, willing the rod tips to nod or the orange domed floats to bob. 

It wasn't a nod or a bob but something grabbing the sardine head as I picked the rod up to make another cast. Must have only just managed it as one treble was visible in the top jaw once I'd got the fish  near the net. Leeched up on one flank only, the pike was  fat as butter but not fat enough to get the scales out for.

No more action and I contented myself  watching a pair of buzzards over the ridge whilst the magpies bickered and an earnest looking chubber passed me for a few hours into dark. The wet mat by this time beginning to stiffen up and a frost felt imminent. Back to the charabanc time.

 

A shining light

We did have the New Years Day fireworks at Cromer, the rain held off and not too windy and I got a few half decent shots, in the end just went 100 ISO and F14 AP with remote release and hope, need to try without view next time as it took as age for the Nikon to process image before next shot was available.

Rods were put in the Charabanc  fora  trip down to see Pops the next day but it rained all day, the A140 was like a river in places so they never came out.

The FA Cup failed to serve up any magic at Carrow Road as Wagner's woebegone rabble  couldn't even dispatch the Gas, currently  a  mighty 10th in League One. I pity any brave souls considering heading down to Bristol for an evening replay. The pre match pub was the best bit, it's our tradition now to go to the Murderers for this. 

 

Little 'Un wants to sample the heady delights of the JobServe Stadium before Col U slide into the National League, think we'll go for the Clash of the Titans vs Newport County on Good Friday for that one as its a 3pm kick-off.

No fireworks to end off 2023

Squeezed in  a couple of short river sessions on my days off but didn't pull up any trees. Or bushes which was surprising given my gumby technique anywhere near tackle snagging features.

The tidal pool looked ok  but bites were few on trotting gear but the ever reliable brownies didn't let me down. First  up was a game little thing with  an usual silvery appearance. A wild spawned fish. 

His/her/they bigger cousin gave me a right tussle in the main push, it had a healed wound on its abdomen but also a fresher lump out of its tail. Could have been a washed down stockie as a few go in further up and more on the exclusive beats round Ingworth.

Had  a dabble in the aquarium but lots of tiny roach in residence, Two blokes were trotting, doing better than me size wise until we all ran out of light so that swim earmarked for the future. 

My ancient cheese paste,  though ripe and pungent was binned as  it was hell to use, super sticky so anything and everything got covered except the hook as it wouldn't stay on. The Loafer had given me a small  lump of his breadcrumb based paste last week which was much more user friendly so armed with some freshly made crumb based paste headed off to a stretch of my local river which has been reluctant of late to yield many fish but those that have come out  have been quite decent.

A few samples of paste in 4 likely swims and 20 mins in each and a bit longer in one more was the plan.

The paste stayed on till struck off,  on, no trees were cast into and the oxtail soup was hot. A bit thin so the added fresh cracked black pepper sank to the last cup (back to the thicker tomato next time).

One half pull that didn't develop was my lot. Looks more pikey than it has for a while so another plan for 2024. Toodle pip. Or toot toot from the Noddy Train.