RAF Old Lags - Alkmaar 2022
It has taken us 3 years to get back to Alkmaar. The Corona virus has affected many people, and we are all so grateful that we are still here and can go fishing again.
This year we were in Alkmaar from the 8th - 18th April. The weather was warming up nicely and there should be plenty of fish to catch. I can't wait to get started. Sorry for the lack of content, but I was suffering with back pains and didn't take many photos.
The North Holland Canal will be the main venue for us, but hopefully we can also do a trip down to the Voorne Canal - new platforms and loads of Bream!
Fishing this year is:
* Steven 'Doc' Holliday
* Martin Hallford
* Steve Metcalfe
* Mick Dcaccia
* Vince Entwhistle
* Nige Gallaway
* Phil Foster
* Roger Lickfeldt
We had a chance to practice on the Saturday but i decided to sit it out. The first match on the Sunday was on a boat dock and we all managed to fit on, spaced about 15 m apart. It was not a good day, not many fish, and after 3 hours a large boat decided he wanted to dock there so we had to stop the match. The result stood, and Martin Hallford won with just over 3lb.
The second day and we were on the North Holland Canal at Ilpendam. I was expecting a good day and it was terrible. I fed too much and killed any chance of catching the few fish that were interested in feeding in my peg. Roger won the day with 12 lb 13 oz.
On the Tuesday we were on the Windmill stretch of the North Holland Canal in Alkmaar. The bank is a little steeper here and I fell in (just the feet) while I was setting up my new Preston Platform. After the small mishap I managed to have a good days' fishing. I caught fish at 9.5 m in about 3.8 m of water. The bottom was flat and there was a good left to right flow for most of the day. I had to use a 3 g Hydra flat float. Groundbait was Zammataro Turbo Cloud Black and 50/50 Roach/Kanal Mix. I managed to catch 19 lb 11 oz on dead maggots and win the day.
We had a day off on the Wednesday and my back was starting to feel the pain of carrying my gear around so much. We were only allowed one car at the house, so Martin took me and my gear in his van. The loading and unloading was not good for my back.
On Thursday we were back on the North Holland Canal, this time at West Grafdijk. After my fall on Tuesday, I wasn't going down on the rocks so had to stay well back of the water. The pole felt wrong and the water was too deep for the waggler - so one feeder rod it was. I struggled to get bites and fished the day with 10 fish for 6 lb 11 oz and second in the section.
And that was it for me. My back pain got worse and i stayed in the house when the others fished the fifth match on Dirkshorn Lake. I didn't miss much as it was a terrible days' fishing. I was hoping I would be able to fish after a days' rest, but it was not to be. I decided it was time to go home and give my back a good rest.
The others carried on but the fishing was not that good. The very cold weather the week before our arrival had probably put the fish off - we need to come a bit later on next year.
Mick Dcaccia won the six-day event this year - well fished Mick! We'll be back as the Old Lags in Holland next year on a different site, and hopefully we'll have some river fishing mixed in with some canal fishing.
Now is the time for me to lose a lot of weight and take some of the pressure off my back - let's see where we are in 4 months time. Stay safe.
