Well it's time for the final match of The Jinx Series and Clive has wrapped it up with a match to go to retain the title 
. That leaves Tony, Malc, Steve and Dai to fight it out for the placings, while Steve & Dai along with Simon & Webbo battle for The Pairs. So hopefully we can all sit back and rip it out of them offer them encouragement today 
. Now today is also my 28th Wedding Anniversary and to celebrate Maria is coming with me today 
, so with the cats fed and a few extra bits loaded up in the car we set off just before 8am. As usual the first stop was at The Jimmy's Griddle Café in Battersea where I treated her to breakfast 
(never let it be said that I don't know how to treat a Lady 
) before we climbed back into the car and resumed the journey, and after a smooth run down and a quick stop off at Asda for a few bits and bobs, we pulled into the car park at the lake around 10·30am.
Greetings and introductions took place with those that hadn't met Maria before, and the discussions soon turned to the prospects for the day ahead. The final Night Match of the year had taken place last night, but it hard fished hard for most with Chris Lovelock winning from Peg 30 with 104½lbs. 8 of The Jinx Squad were missing today, but with 4 guests there would still be 23 fishing. Section C for me today and I said that I fancied anywhere between 14-16 to Maria prior to the draw.
Just before 11·30am Malc called the Draw. Maria was chatting to Ann in the caravan, so I drew for myself when my turn came. Peg 14 was my reward and I wasn't unhappy with that 
. I took 2 trips round, one with with my gear and the second with a bed chair and the cooker for Maria. It's not a peg I've fished much but it throws up its fair share of decent weights so I was quite keen to give it a go. To my right on Peg 13 
was Paul with his wife Jayne for company, while Webbo was to my left on Peg 16......
Set up today was simply 3 rigs, 2 were 0·3 NG Springer Open Water XT's on 0·20 Ultima Power Match finishing with size 14 Guru MWG's which would be used on the 5mtr line, while the 3rd was a 0.2 NG Edger on 0·20 Ultima Power Match finished off with a size 14 Guru MWG for the margins where I had bushes both sides. Bait today was just 6 and 8mm fishery pellet and some GOT Ghost Pellets for a change bait on the hook.
With a bit of time to spare before the All-In I put the kettle on for a coffee and took a stroll with the camera. Clive was on peg 11 and hoping for a better day than he'd had last weekend on our club match ......
Terry was all alone on Peg 7 as Peg 8 had remained in the draw bag, but he did have The Pink Elephant to keep him company today 
......
As I made my way back Budgie was settling into Peg 9 and Geoff was eager to get going on Peg 10 ......
With the kettle boiling on my return I made myself a coffee 
and settled down to await the off. Well at 1pm the fishery bell was rung signalling the All-In. I fed 2 small pots of pellets onto the 5mtr line and a handful in each margin and then shipped a banded 8mm out to 5mtrs. Within a couple of minutes the float buried, but lifting into it I could tell straight away that it was a carp that was foul hooked 
. Of course Malc on Peg 20 noticed this and was soon instructing me to take care not to loose it 
. Of course this was the cue for the rig to come flying back with just a scale on the hook among a chorus of laughter from those looking on, and Neil's call of "Nobody likes to see that" 
.
Shortly after this Maria appeared having finished chatting to Ann . I settled back to concentrate on the 5mtr line, but it refused to offer up a single bite, but I stuck at it as you know that the fish can turn up at any time. After around an hour I added another couple of sections of pole and went out to 7mtrs. There was only about 4 inches more water there, but I cupped a pot of pellets in and followed it out with the rig which slid away before it really had a chance to settle. This was a carp that came in fairly easily and was gratefully netted. I decided to weigh it just to get some idea, but it only went 8lbs, still I was off the mark .
Paul, a Lake regular was guesting on Peg 32 today and had been catching steadily from the off, helped no doubt by Peg 8 not being drawn, and was already looking like todays winner unless sport dropped off for him. Opposite me on Peg 26 Dave had Chris keeping him company, and he was starting to pick up the odd decent fish from the bush to his right ......
Meanwhile I was starting to get really frustrated as the only fish I could connect with were foul hookers over which I had no control as they trashed my rigs and the swim.
In fact it was a good job that Maria was there as it stopped me throwing my teddies right out of the pram 
. Then just to ratchet up the pressure a few more notches I looked over to see Gem playing a carp, which soon produced the familiar cry of YEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!! so now a Minxing could be on the cards 
.
I decided to take a look down my right hand margin, but it didn't produce anything at all, so I switched to the left. A couple of dips and a tentative strike saw me hook a bream, but as I brought it to the top it shed the hook. Back out and as I lifted the rig it went solid before a carp charged off smashing the rig . A couple of deep breaths and I tied up a new rig and as I took a few minutes to re-plumb I found a small drop off, no more than 6 inches deeper 3 feet off of the bush. Maria provided another cup of coffee 
and even made one for Webbo as I fed the new spot and shipped an 8mm pellet out. A few lift and drops and the float dipped then slid away, and soon a Common of around 9lbs was safely in the net .
This was soon followed by a slightly larger Mirror, Things were finally starting to pick up . Next up came a better fish and it really didn't want to get its head up and I wasn't about to bully it, however Terry appeared wanting a photo of a carp that he'd caught and been weighed and witnessed by Budgie at 25lbs. I explained that I was otherwise occupied but Maria did the honours with the camera ......
I finally managed to net the troublesome carp and when I put it on the scales it went 15½lbs, needless to say Webbo seemed happy for me 
. I then managed to loose another bream, but a couple of smaller commons and another weigher soon made up for that. Dave C had landed a real lump as well, at 20½lbs a new PB and Maria was kind enough to stroll round with my camera to do the honours for him ......
When she returned a final cup of coffee went down rather well as I managed another weigher and a net Mirror before the All-Out was sounded by the fishery bell at 6pm.
Packing the kit away it became apparent how hard some had found it today with Paul suffering a blank on Peg 13 , and I felt I may have around 70lbs if I was lucky. Anyway with the kit back at the car it was time for the Weigh-In.
Simon kicked things off with 53¼lbs from Peg 34. Dai and Jon had suffered with just 23lbs and 26lbs respectively while Chris had 46¾lbs on 2. Simon had 88¾lbs followed By Dave Moore with 69½lbs and Terry with 95lbs . Budgie had a level 50lbs while Geoff's 30¾lbs edged out Clive's 29¼lbs. My fish weighed 76¼ but Webbo could only muster 36¾lbs . Tony had 64½lbs from Peg 18 while Nick had caught in the final 15 minutes to record 15¼lbs. The Jinx had extracted 61¾lbs from peg 20 while Neil's 41¼lbs was just 4ozs short of Steve's 41½lbs. Dave recorded a level 86lbs from 26 Nick W had 38½lbs and Pete T 40lbs. Gem put 42½lbs on the scales and handed out 11 Minxings in the process . Finally Paul weighed 167lbs to take the win on the day , meaning that Terry was second 
and Simon 3rd 
.
By now the dark was drawing in and back at the hut John had fired up the Barbecue and soon had everyone fed as we waited for Malc to sort out todays results and also the Series results. Olly made sure he didn't miss out, helping Paul to finish off his burger 
......
And Beau waited patiently for Ann to share hers as well ......
Finally Malc had things sorted, well as sorted as Malc can be with Terry, Paul and Me taking the sections today with Simon, Dave C and Tony runners up . Then onto the final Series results. As we already knew Clive had won the Series retaining his title from last year . Tony took 2nd place and Malc had managed 3rd place .
In the Pairs Simon and Webbo had triumphed over Steve W and Dai having been neck and neck going into todays match.
So with
