Nicholls Snr, Nicholls, and Nicholson had all made preparations for what was to be a classic encounter.
The adventure started at 5.08am to Nicholls reminding him to get his jacksie out of bed. 6am pick time agreed.Upon arrival it was clear that the axles of the Mondeo were going to work a bit, Edmund Hilary probably taking less on his jaunt to chilly climes some years earlier. Packed to the rafters we set off 6.15am. Making good time on a quiet, cloudy Sunday morning we arrived at Springlea around 8.45 ready to fish.
Nicholls Snr rolled in around the same time and the job of unloading kit seemed daunting, bib and braces were immediately donned as the rain began to fall. It was looking like White Acres all over again.
Quickly it was decided that Horseshoe lake would be sensbile. An unknown quantity in terms of previous form, but shelter and banter dictated the selection. It was to prove wise.
Setting up to fish from around 9.30 Nicholls Jnr declared ' match on' when he was ready...no change there then. Nicholson and Nicholls Snr enjoying banter and optimistic about the day....
Poles x2 and Snr choosing Waggler to begin the opening exchanges.
On the Journey it had been discussed when the phrase " its not normally this bad" or " its slow" would be thrown into the banter.....true to form it surfaced around 10.30am....all anglers having a slow start taking silvers and the odd skimmer into the nets....
The pole boys began to pull away.....John caught an Oak Tree and the catapult in the branches was no longer quite the amusement it had been earlier.
By lunchtime it was tight. The heavens had opened approx 12 times by then, with excess kit being saved ' panzer division' style to keep the rain off. Where were the carp?
By 11.30am fresh cups ot tea had been delivered to pegs and we moved into phase 2 .....
It was tight throughout the day in terms of fish, but Nicholls Jnr began to hit decent skimmers while Nicholsons peg went dead....meat, pellet, maggot, and corn resulting in nothing....worrying...
Fishing at 11m and 4m resulted only in small silvers....The margin by now had resulted in two small stockies on meat, but it too died.
Nicholls Jnr peg slowed and he moved into the margin spraying pellet / maggots that resulted in two quality fish...blue hydro saved the day and Nicholson was now a good three fish behind. They had to be carp....
Nicholls margin went dead, and by this stage John had been given a " how to pole fish in 30 easy seconds" ....Total Angling must have though he said 'North Pole Fishing" in the shop as one rig carried 7lb line....we were safe if a caravan needed towing.
To his credit John began to catch fish with regularity and maybe find an elusive carp or six from his peg.....meanwhile Nicholls was having a red letter couple of hours with 'sneaky skimmers' being landed quietly every few minutes.
Nicholson knew he needed something and quickly. as if by magic the peg became alive again after a pole cup of pellet, meat and corn and the biggest fish of the day ( around 5lb) took off ...white hydro piling out of the top kit all over the lake... there was a groan from Nicholls....
Seconds later Mr Dog Carp took the hydro for a wander all over the lake but the hook pulled and sighs all round....it was going to be close....
Nicholls stuck to the skimmers with double red fished at dead depth taking fish....Nicholson took another carp 2lb and skimmer 1lb and the gap was closing....
John landed a stockie or two on the pole and was seeing the advantages ( catching fish)....good perforance from the newbie to the carbon stick world...
In between the action a rather attractive lady turned up to take some photos for the local rag...word had spread that the Classic was on....( ahem)
Finally after tons of banter, wet kit, totty, carp, monkey tennis and seeing monsters leap of out the lake all day it was time to weigh in....
Unbelievably Nicholls and Nicholson weighed in exactly the same weight. John weighed in a respectable bag of silvers and stockies....
It was to be a rollover to day two.
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