| What an eventful week I had leading up to the Jack Purchase Ultimate final weekend, fished at Shakespeare Moorlands farm. Steve Sanders, the Daiwa Dorking captain, had qualified via Gold Valley and came to stay with me in the preceding week for a few days practise.
We travelled to Moorlands for the Wednesday open match. I drew Bank pool peg 21, which fished hard, but I managed 2nd in section with 33llb. Thursday saw my hand in the draw bag again, pulling out ........Bank pool 21! I couldn't believe it how often does that happen? Anyway things were a little better and I won the match with 68llb...and better still the bonus peg money of £500! That was it, I thought all my luck had gone for the week.
Friday saw me sitting at Bank pool 7. Talk about practise on different pools, I finished with a section win with 42llb.
On all three days I caught fish on the deck using Sensas meat and corn. ( see How Do I Page.)
Saturday arrived and Steve and I were up early and down to Moorlands for 6.30am to register. Two four-hour matches were to be tackled, the first starting at 9am and the second at 4pm. At 7.30 I drew meadow peg 3. (What not Bank, after all that practise?. . . Ed) Peg 3 is not a noted peg but I was fortunate to know the water better than the travelling lads so I had a little optimism. Out of the five pegs, 3 anglers were on end pegs, which were 2, 5 and 7. Nine o'clock came and I offered meat and corn on the deck at 13metres. I caught from the off for the first 90 minutes but not after! Fortunately for me I had enough in the net to claim the section with 43llb.
A couple of hour's rest (you had 2 1/2 Hours in the match. . .Ed) then saw me sitting at Moors pool 13. I must admit I fancied this peg to do some damage, and it did. I won the match with over 91llb, after offering corn and meat on the deck at 11metres.
I now had two section points after the two matches, along with eight other anglers. Kieron Rich; Des Ship; Steve Potts; Mick Cook; Andy Oldam; Andy Sellars; Rich Morley and Dave Jordan. I had a good backing weight as a bonus and the pressure was on. I went home for a good nights sleep.....well I had a couple of hours anyway.
Bright and early Sunday morning and we were down at the venue again. The final match was to take place between 11 x 4. Was I nervous or what...the thought of winning £10,000 never crossed my mind! Talk about pressure we put ourselves under. Anyway Moors 18 came out the draw bag. Not brilliant but an even money chance I thought.
Eleven came with the all in. I had a straw bale in front slightly to my right at about 16 metres. I decided to fish out at 13 metres again using corn and meat on the deck. I had two local lads in my section Mick Henshall and Dave Hill; both know the venue very well having qualified there for this event. Dave was on peg 19 and Mick end peg 21. I got off to a good start catching fish from the off for the first 90 minutes then just the odd fish after. As the match went on Mick started to catch but also losing some big fish. I knew that it was going to be close at the weigh in.
The final whistle came and people started to congratulate me but I was not convinced I had won the section. As it happened we were the final section to be weighed and I knew Des ship had won his section and was on 3 points, along with Steve Potts. The scales reached us and I weighed 51llb. The scales then went to Mick who weighed 46llb. I had won it.
The feeling was absolutely brilliant. Mind you I came down to earth with a bump or should I say a splash when the lads insisted I see where the fish live!
The tackle I used was a Milo 4x16 float, 0.15 pro micron line and a Preston Innovations 12 elastic and PR 21 size 14 hook.
The weekend was a tremendous experience and one that I will live with me forever.
Grant With His
Winning Net of Fish.
I would like to say thank you to my sponsors Leeda, Sensas, Preston Innovations and MAP Garbolino also to Ken Giles who has been an inspiration to me over the years.
Grant Albutt.
Return to top |
