Boys’ Fishing Trip 2006

Quicklink to 2006 Photos

Fishing Scores

Phil won best fish with a 6lb Bream (including net weight) from Ranworth and then ensured first place by completely ruining the swim by letting the Bream go everywhere. He also had a good Perch out of the St Benets stretch.

Jon got most species (tied with Phil) for Bream, Roach, Perch and Gudgeon. However, Phil forgot to bring this trophy back from last year.

Dunk won most fish.

Tim was a conscientious objector, but did make a damn good cup of tea.

Ranworth shows it has the big Bream again but it is difficult to fish from the boat. Dunk suggests we try the entrance of the board next year as the bream are meant to move in from the river at night.

The stretch past Thurne Dyke towards Potter Heigham (by the “Nutall” sign and farm buildings) fished well. All the fish coming out night and morning were a good size. The bream fought well for their size. We were advised by locals that it is better when the tide is going out, that the bream can be caught using worm at slack water and to fish 2/3 out. It is used for matches during the day.

Going back past Horning towards Wroxham on Sunday morning was a waste of time and the fishing was rubbish.

Looked like lots of good places to moor and fish between Horning and St Benets that we had not noticed before. Again the bottom part of St Benets fished very well.

Cake competition

I am sure I can speak for all of us in thanking the wives for their entrances (except Jude!). [Due to a minor oversight, amongst others(!), by Phil - see team profile]. Christine has seen the scores and has confirmed that she will not be entering next year.

A remarkably high score this year from Wendy’s cake.

Cake 1 = Laura’s Tea cake

Cake 2 = Christine’s flapjack (debate continues as to the cakeiness of this entry but variety is indeed the spice of life!)

Cake 3 = Wendy’s Ginger cake

Things to remember for next time

· 1/8” to 1/8” inch jack plug for the iPOD

· HP sauce

· Washing up liquid (I have from this year)

. Boat starts better when Kill Switch has not been engaged

. Listen to John's advice regarding holes in the river bank to avoid getting wet foot

· A ready prepared real meal so we are not reliant on the pub

. Potters Heigham is a seriously crap place to shop for food

· Cake trophy

. 3 pints of maggots is enough for the weekend

· Salt and pepper (makes maggots taste better)

· Success at spoof is no guarantee of a decent bunk

· Don't let Phil navigate on the Broads - much safer at sea

. Red worms for the Bream and Perch

· 1-1 ½ oz swim feeders are ideal for the flow

· Lots of ground bait

· Decanter for Phil’s port

· Shopping list so we remember everything

· Nige

Phil suggested a cost benefit exercise on a bigger boat next year.

Not having a plan for fishing on Sunday morning was a bad idea and wasted a lot of time. It was the second time Dunk has fished between Wroxham and Horning and blanked. In his view above and below St Benets looked good.

If we are really going from the Bream I believe we need 4kg of ground bait per night (2kg of crumb and 2x 1kg of the various mixers). And much less tarting about getting the fish out of the water!

Things not needed

· Keepnets

· Not so many clothes (this is entirely unrelated to Tim's role as a Gay Icon)

· Jon’s suitcase

. Baked beans

· Toilet roll

· Black bin liners (Tim)!

In conclusion

A very enjoyable weekend. Nige very much missed.

The fishing nutter at Wroxham Angling did not fail to disappoint and was very critical of Tim’s convertible Mercedes as an appropriate fishing vehicle.

Team Profile 2006

Tim

Also known as the ‘Gay Icon’. It must be hard to keep it up, if you pardon the pun, but the artificially distressed leather jacket and pirate bandana did go a long way to completing the look. Doesn’t fish and naturally owns a non-fishing car, according to the ‘Fishing Nutter’, but it must be said in all other respects the little blue M-B is quite outstanding.

Key characteristics: production of tea at all hours of day and night, very tidy and has a wife who can bake; amongst other things: apparently.

John

A little morose at first – largely due to the antics of other team members particularly in the ‘phaffing about at shopping without a list’ department. Demonstrated exceptional skill at manoeuvring the floating caravan through a densely raced stretch of river surrounded by ancient yachts and also prevailed as team cook despite a challenging list of unavailable ingredients however, gaseous consequences are best left undiscussed.

Key characteristics: Flapjack abuse through its use as groundbait (as if!!! Oh sorry Chris!) and proposing its use to weigh down the TV aerial.

Phil

Didn’t start well having failed to return last year’s trophy, bring a torch or remember to get wife to bake a cake. Continued poorly by producing bottle of ancient port with disintegrating cork, ignoring advice of John which resulted in inadvertent entry into water of starboard leg and consequent display of slightly gay leather boots.

Key characteristic: Inability to navigate in the correct direction despite having spent twenty years at sea – well, its different on a river…..

Dunk

Keen and proficient fisherman (sorry – who got the biggest fish, hum, hum? Oh, and while we’re at it who scored ‘nil point’ as the French say on Sunday morning? Hum hum). Yes, well, details details. Keen video diary creator but quite fortunate the batteries ran out – it was a bit mean of John to hide the charger but never mind. Aversion to baked beans and lists balanced by strange attraction to ‘Boatyard Wench’

Key characteristic: Energy stealing [No, no one else knew what he was on about either].

Other players

The Fishing Nutter

Resident of the Wroxham Fishing Shop.

Abundant advice on where to fish; such as ‘in the river’ which while technically correct is of course utterly useless. Can even provide culinary advice on cooking Bream – Oven bake in oak for 2 hours then throw away Bream and eat wood – yes, thank you for that!

Boatyard Wench