Funtley Pit.

[Wallyboy Rob]

Jock will ban you if you keep catching more than the regulars Moley especially getting them lumpy Carps that the campers try for with their black broomsticks and you take on proper tackle

[GarryProcter]

Well done indeed Moley, you are certainly putting the fun into Funtley

[Dave Burr]

Well done Your Moleyness. Thirty minutes of fighting a fish without refreshments must have made you feel like Santiago. I'm glad you were victorious and that the marauding sharks let you be.

One question. This waggling lark seems to confuse some so, would you please explain "waggler fished deep shallow on the drop". That made my brain hurt.

[Moley]

One question. This waggling lark seems to confuse some so, would you please explain "waggler fished deep shallow on the drop". That made my brain hurt.

Fatty knew this would cause confusion amongst those who don't match fish

So to put it simply imagine a swim with a depth of say 6ft......most quite rightly will fish a float to depth or slightly deeper but Fatty being the perverse little so and so will fish the waggler, usually a weighted one, at say 3-4ft deep with only the locking shot on the line. This allows the bait to drop gently and naturally through the water column.

The reason for not fishing to depth is mainly because of weed, so in a 6ft swim and fishing at 3-4ft you are fishing shallow but if you match fish you will know that when they say shallow fishing they mean a drop of one or two foot. Thus to avoid confusing the two techniques anything over this drop length but not at full depth is termed deep shallow. Because there is no shot down the line the bait drops at a similar speed to the free offerings, enough to fool most of the fish up in the water column, bites are frequent though hard to hit 100%. Therefore the term deep, shallow on the drop describes how Fatty fishes most pits in the Summer.

One other tip that the Pie Meister will pass on is to undershot the float so at least an inch of tip stands proud of the surface. The reason for this is because bites are frequent but often just the fish, mainly roach, pecking at the bait as it passes downwards, seemingly indicating a good take on a properly shotted down float but impossible to hit. Striking at these pecks will disturb the water a lot, very often putting the fish off eventually, limiting the catch from the swim, leaving the angler frustrated and having the choice of moving swim or building up confidence again in the fish. This is a slow process once the fish are suspicious and if achieved will still result in the same problem of false bites. Fatty has thunk this problem through whilst scoffing on a good pie and slurping tea, so the vacant look clearly demonstrated by him, belies the fact that sometimes there are thoughts going on in his head.....sometimes. Therfore by coming to the conclusion that life is too short to be constantly building up a swim, by leaving the inch of float standing proud easily distinguishing whether you have got a proper bite or just a peck, with the bonus that other anglers seeing the float, in their eyes, undershotted must mean the clod holding the rod is a Noddy and clearly not worth their time to speak to. Leaving Fatty undisturbed to get on and fish and not have to share any pies whatsoever until too late, the EXPERTS realise the Fat little Git has caught all the fish, barging into the swim to find out what he's doing just as he is packing.....

'Never Judge a book by it's cover' is an apt saying in this case but being anti social suits Fatty to a tee

Hope this clears the confusion in your Vice Presidential Head, Dave.

As ever,.....

Moley

[Dave Burr]

Moley

An excellent description of an oddly named method. You match guys eh?

I agree about the long float tip. Dithering bites are a pain to hit but, a long, thin float tip can give you lots of information and, my days of staring at a dimpled float are numbered.

You are a true genius and I expect that on the 25th, the gudgeon will be queued in your swim for that morsel of pie on a size 20.

[Moley]

Jock will ban you if you keep catching more than the regulars Moley especially getting them lumpy Carps that the campers try for with their black broomsticks and you take on proper tackle

Don't joke about banning Rob as this has been the story of my fishing life.....regulars don't believe that I'm just using normal bait and techniques, spreading their interesting facts to the Club Officials and before you know it having to explain why Fatty catches fish when others don't/can't to the Club Committee. Usually sense prevails but still leaves an unpleasant feeling about the water and dome dwelling residents. So much so, Fatty decides toeither leave the club or go to another of their waters, where the fun begins again. Maybe it's singing, slurping and scoffing that causes such jealousy.....who knows?

It's only fishing but sometimes the reactions of others is not good and has in the past, when Fatty was not so old and fat, resulted in downright Pugilism to make a point.

Well done indeed Moley, you are certainly putting the fun into Funtley

And let's hope it continues Garry. Funtley is a nice water nearby with decent fish in it and not too busy during the week!

Not hearing much about your fishing though, anything to report from darkest Wiltshire?

As ever,....

Moley

[Wallyboy Rob]

Don't joke about banning Rob as this has been the story of my fishing life.....regulars don't believe that I'm just using normal bait and techniques, spreading their interesting facts to the Club Officials and before you know it having to explain why Fatty catches fish when others don't/can't to the Club Committee. Usually sense prevails but still leaves an unpleasant feeling about the water and dome dwelling residents. So much so, Fatty decides toeither leave the club or go to another of their waters, where the fun begins again. Maybe it's singing, slurping and scoffing that causes such jealousy.....who knows?

It's only fishing but sometimes the reactions of others is not good and has in the past, when Fatty was not so old and fat, resulted in downright Pugilism to make a point.

As ever,....

Moley
[/quote]


Jock is a sensible man Moley and as with the other wardens the club has tries to get to know the regulars, I think the wardens and committee will be more concerned with the instant angler variety and there are quite a few of them since lockdown rather than thems wot knows wot they're doing

[Dave Burr]

Ahh, the true spirit of angling. 'That bloke's caught more than me, he must be cheating

[Moley]

The Funtley Funster

Matron is in the Canaries, no doubt scaring the day lights out of the locals as is her wont......you guessed it, leaving a certain Fatty the opportunity to fish

Therefore not being too slow on the uptake, Fatty went to Funtley to catch some more decent fish before Winter sets in. Armed with a F J Taylor Roach Rod and a brain the size of a pea, what could possibly go wrong?

The roach were being difficult, not taking the bait but just pecking at it, producing sail away bites that came to nowt. The deep shallow waggler was not working as it should. This impasse went on for a couple of hours....literally a bite a chuck but only half a dozen small roach hanging on just a bit too long.

Hmmm, the single brain cell needed rocket fuel, which handily came in the form of some decent home made pies and a flask of slurpin' tea. Thinkng for Fatty is a time consuming business. However, a solution did emerge from the quagmire of random memories installed over the years in the tiny brain contained within his fat head.

Microshot down the line spread in a tidy manner.....hmmm yes could work.........



Not quite the intended outcome but a start and certainly got the attention of the carpies surrounding the pit.

Some smallish roach did succumb to the tactics, another six or so putting the tally of redfins up to a respectable dozen; yes Fatty would take that but none big enough to warrant a mug shot!

Just before packing up time:



The pet Tench showed up and dropped yet another rickett.....either this fish is not the sharpest one in the pit or it just loves seeing me on the bank!

Whilst sorting this fellow out the special rig was dropped in the margins to get it out of the way:



Fatty can claim no angling prowess here but they all count and this one is the biggest from Funtley he has caught

When yer luck's in, yer luck is in!

Chalk up another 2lb roach to Fatty....oh yes.....he,he,he

As ever,....

Moley

[Wallyboy Rob]

Another cap doffed to the exploits of Mr Mole them thar Wally inhabitants stand no chance on Saturday after a show like that