Recent match results/event info

Gary's day

After a very cold week all the local lakes were frozen so it was a trip to the Backwater. Even that had a few sheets of ice in slower sections. With a -7c at the draw pulling out peg 14 was welcome as it can be good for a few perch.

It was the usual start on bread punch to get a few fish in the net but the bites were very delicate and the fish small. At least though I was getting a few bites and the odd fish. Mark a couple of pegs up was also getting bites and having the same issue with hitting them. After 90 mins or so the bites disappeared and then a big flash near the float revealed why as the first of many pike strikes occurred. 30 seconds later the float went under l and the strike was met with firmer than expected resistance which then started moving. After an exciting minute or so the line went slack as the poor roach that must have been grabbed by a hungry pike came off.

After that I struggled to get a few fish together with them being very unhappy about the pike in the area. A couple of fish further down the peg on maggot proved a false start and the float never wobbled whilst trying for perch. Above me Tony was struggling with only a couple of fish but below, on 14, Phil was getting some better quality roach. Fred on 18 was also having pike problems but managed to get a small jack of about 2lb in the net. Mark was having a strong finish with a few better roach on pinkies. With a steady dripping of melting ice from the trees and not being able to see the float in the failing light the final whistle was welcome today.

After a very cold but thankfully dry day it was going to be close and all down to whether you managed to catch a better quality of fish. 1st Mark Halverson 2lbs 12oz, 2nd Phil Whitmill 2lbs 8oz and 3rd Gary Pickard 1lb 7oz. Photo today is Mark and Tony at the very cold and misty start of the day.

Gary's day

It was a cold and snowy start to the year at Beggars Hall with a day of rain forecast. At least though it was going to be a feeder dominated match so hiding under an umbrella would be easier. Out of the draw bag came peg 20 for me and a long way from the island pegs I wanted to draw.

Set up was quick and it was time to settle in for the day with a flask of hot coffee. Steve in peg 18 got off to a flying start with a decent carp within the first 10 minutes or so. Rob next to me on peg 19 then had a liner and the day was looking better than expected. When my tip went round after 30 mins and a carp of 10lb was in the net the day was looking hopeful for a few fish.

We were not the only crazy people out and about today as, about this time, the first of what must have been a hundred ramblers started walking / running past in little groups.

With no more fish on the feeder it was time to try casting a single hookbait around with a bit of luncheon meat to start. No luck on this. Time for a try on the feeder again with micros and a small wafter and round the tip went again at about 11. This time a smaller but angrier common. With 2 fish in the net it was looking promising. By 1 there had been no more signs for me and word came down the bank that Phil had a couple of good carp and Tony had 1. Then Rob had a good carp and it was getting very close.

The clock was ticking down and I could not get another bite. With 20 mins to go it was decision time for the last couple of casts. I flicked the feeder about 2 metres further and started packing up some bits now the rain had stopped. A big liner soon into the cast was a good sign but had it moved the feeder? If it had the carp did not mind and a minute later another smaller common was in the net. A quick recast on the same spot brought another quick bite and another carp. It was all going to depend on how many more Tony and Phil had caught.

Thankfully the rain stopped for the weigh in and it was close with that last fish making all the difference. 1st Gary Pickard 25lbs, 2nd Phil Whitmill 22lbs 7oz and 3rd Steve Foster 10lbs 10oz. Today's photo is a very soggy line of anglers huddled under their brollies.

Gary's day

It was a very foggy start at Wickham Hall with the far side of the lake just about visible. With just a few of us out today we did a walk off / rover and I decided on a short walk and chose peg 20 as this seems to get a few people fishing it and I hoped that the fish are associating it with some food now. With a few more bream having just been stocked we were all looking for a few silvers in the net today.

As the pole does not seem to be working very well, despite plenty of water over their heads, I decided on 3 rods: a traditional cage feeder rod for out long; a method feeder; and, my secret weapon, an old Sigma Wand feeder/bomb rod with a very fine tip for trying to get a bite closer in. The first 3 hours were uneventful with only Phil admitting to possibly having had something nudge his bait. This was whilst the odd fish could be seen cruising on the top and Mark and Phil having seen a couple of carp swim by off their rod tips.

Finally, after 3 hours, my rod tip went round as one of the small but slightly crazy carp took a liking to my maggot hookbait. After carefully playing it in as I was fishing quite a light hooklength by this time I had something in the net. I quickly cast back out ready for the next fish but nothing. An hour later Phil had a bite and small carp and we were neck and neck. By this time I had pretty much exhausted my options with trying different hookbait combinations of maggot, worm and pinkie but could not get a bite. Tony then had a carp with 10 mins or so to go and it was going to be down to size of fish as they are all a pretty similar size in Wickham at the moment. Tony was first to weigh with 3lbs 1oz and then it was me - the scales flickered up to 3lbs 1oz but then settled back to 2lbs 13oz with Phil also weighing in 2lbs 13oz with his one carp. 20 man hours of fishing today for 3 bites - roll on Spring.

1st Tony Cruci 3lbs 1oz, Jt 2nd Phil Whitmill 2lbs 13oz and Jt 2nd Gary Pickard 2lbs 13oz. Picture is my peg 20 in a less foggy moment with Mark in the distance.

Gary's day

It was back to the Stort for round 2 of the Jarvis Cup this weekend with the river low but with some colour and flow. Again it was going to be a stormy day with 40+mph winds.

Out of the draw bag came peg 13 for me and I had hopes of a few fish as it always looks good in this corner. A start on breadpunch went well with a few small roach going in the net but, as is usual, the bites slowed and the fish got smaller and smaller. At this point Phil below me on 12 was struggling to get bites on punch but with some perch talking a liking to it. Above on 14 Steve was having a good run of perch over by the boats and looked to be heading for a good weight. Time for a refeed on the punch line and a try for perch whilst this settled - no bites.

After a few more ever smaller roach and dace on punch it was time to try for perch again and this time a 6oz fish obliged. That was it though so back to the main swim. As the afternoon went on the fishing became harder and harder with the river's flow being all over the place as the wind pushed it back and forth. The last 90 mins was almost biteless with Phil and Steve also struggling. At the all out 5 hours of effort translated to just over 2lbs and nowhere in the match for me. Time for a rethink on the Backwater as we have a couple more matches on this before the season's end.

1st Tony Cruci 3lbs 14oz, 2nd Phil Whitmill 3lbs 12oz and 3rd Mark Halverson 3lbs 10oz. Picture today is me desperately trying to find a perch in the gap between the boats.

Phil's day

Good morning to all, today was my last day as the Weds club captain and Rob takes over from the first match in the new year and I wish him well for the future, now back to the match. I drew peg 8 again and based on the last time I didn't have a lot to beat. Made up two lines on pole and, of course, a feeder rod for distance. Started off on feeder at 20 meters hoping for an early catch but not so lucky but at quarter past 10 the tip went round and I landed my first carp of about 5lbs. I spent the next 2 hours waiting for my next bite but nothing so onto the pole close in as it was blowing quite hard and made it very difficult to get any presentation. I did manage a couple of small perch and a very decent roach of 10oz then it just died so back onto the feeder for my last carp with half an hour to go. I weighed in 10lbs 3oz

Results are: High Bank 1st Tony Cruci with 53lbs 1oz 2nd Stephen Foster with 35lbs 2oz and 3rd Bill Beeston with 19lb 3oz; and Low Bank 1st Gary Pickard with 11lbs 10oz, 2nd Jeff Pearson with 10lbs 11oz and 3rd Phil Whitmill with 10lbs 3oz. I would like to thank all our team members for my gift it was truly appreciated thanks mates. Pic is John Carter (not Santa) getting set up on the opposite bank.

Gary's day

The mild weather continued this weekend for our trip to Home Farm's small lake; a little breezy at times but thankfully dry. We were all looked forward to getting a few bites after a tough few weeks of fishing.

It was peg 6 for me today at the other end of the lake from where I seem to keep drawing. Rob and Tony were in pegs 1 and 3 again with Steve opposite me on 5 and Fred and Phil completing my bank.

A quick try with with bread punch out in the middle in case any carp were cruising around with the high pressure proved fruitless. Steve then had a carp and it was time to feed some bait and be patient. The next hour disappeared as I tried micros and expanders. A couple of lightning quick bites gave me just enough to keep trying. Steve was also suffering from unhittable bites. The rest of the lake was very quiet with only Rob having a fish and even the silvers not feeding. We could also hear the big lake behind was fishing hard.

A swap to maggot finally got a couple of hittable bites with a small roach and then a carp that started like roach and ended like a steam train whilst playing it in. One more small carp then led to a long quiet spell.

Tony was starting to hook but not land fish and Steve was also having a run of foulhookers. A bit after the midpoint I had another small carp on bomb and bread and then my last carp and pretty much last bite of the day at 1pm. With Tony getting a couple of carp to the net and Steve another it was going to be close.

It was tight again with the quality of fish and keeping them on the hook making all the difference. 1st Gary Pickard 23lbs 9oz, 2nd Tony Cruci 14lbs 1oz and 3rd Steve Foster 10lbs 15oz and Phil had a couple of good quality roach including one at 11oz. Picture today is me with by efforts of 5 hours.