VERULAM ANGLING CLUB

MATCH RESULT

 DATE:           30^th September 2007

VENUE:         Entire Farm

TROPHY:        Championship # 8

 

Commentary by Stan:

Another new venue for the club and another new individual and aggregate record both beating that of Rolfs lake in 2004 when 1,699lb was weighed in by 24 anglers. Bob Scott was the tearaway winner with 269lb 14oz  beating Steve Burfoot’s previous record of 168lb, three other weights also beating the previous record.

The day started with near frost conditions and bright sunshine, due to the expected high weights it was agreed that the match would consist of 2 x 3 hour sessions with larger fish i.e. over 6lb were weighed and immediately returned. At that point Bob, fishing close in, had 112lb with Ben, who by contrast was shallow at fishing at 14m with banded pellet had, just behind on 92lb. The second half proved to be the better session with six returning over 100lb. It could be argued that, as this was not a five hour match, this is not a true club match record. Regardless of your view, this was still one hell of a match at this 4 acre, 46 peg lake in Essex.

This water is so full of fish that it was really more a question of having the right method, skill and experience than the right peg. And certainly Bob Scott had these on the day and made no mistake going for carp close in by a small bush, fishing just a yard or so from the bank.

Different Styles : From left to right. Malcolm Jefferies leans into a carp on the floating feeder, Ben Williams concentrates on the long pole, Brian Lakin feeds his short line and Kevin Hawes tries the tip. Further back you can see winner Bob Scott playing a fish with his pole tip low

Having made the mistake of fishing on the surface for the first three hours I came in close on paste for the second half, feeding heavily with pellet. Big fish to over 9lb came regularly and I had 120lb+ in the second half to finish just ahead of Ray in 3rd. But Bob had continued where he left off to walk the match adding 150lb in the second half to make for 2oz under 270lb and Ben continued until the last hour fishing long then a final 60 minutes under his feet to add 120lb to his earlier weight.

With so many fish in close and often in shallow water, foul hooking was a problem and many hooked and lost more than they landed. Ash even got broke up with heavy hooks being snapped by unseen monsters. He also had 40lb of rudd and roach in the first half just to show the silver fish potential. The trick, it seemed, was to get the big carp in close and feeding freely and then landing them quickly. Brian Lakin, to the left of Ben clicked it in the second half fishing pellet in close to record over 100lb in the second half, a weight that any of the guys, in my opinion, could have achieved along that bank if they had the confidence to very heavily a foot from the bank and to fish big baits.

Next year (if we return), maybe 300lb will be needed. Certainly some of us will not make the same mistakes.

  

POSITION	NAME	WEIGHT	POINTS	COMMENTS
1	Bob Scott	269.14.0	100	New Club match record and match personal best
2	Ben Williams	217.03.0	95	match personal best
3	Stan Kiddle	186.03.0	90	match personal best
4	Ray McCormack	183.09.0	85	match personal best ?
5	Brian Lakin	161.15.0	80	match personal best
6	Andy Capp	134.06.0	75	match personal best
7	Ash Adams	94.08.0	70
8	Paul Bangs	89.01.0	65
9	Richard Sadler	83.02.0	60	match personal best
10	Roga Smiff	75.15.0	55
11	Malcolm Jeffries	65.04.0	50
12	Steve Burfoot	62.03.0	45
13	Ivan Coleman	56.04.0	40
14	Lee Stacey	54.14.0	35
15	Stewart Pooley	49.10.0	30
16	John Cowling	42.01.0	25
17	Kevin Hawes	40.11.0	20
18	Graham Holt	39.01.0	15
19	Mick Johnson	38.10.0	10
20	Mick Swallow	38.02.0	5
21	Brian Bangs	25.12.0	1
22	Cliff Myers	21.00.0	1
	Total Weight	2029lb 3oz		New match record
				Average 92lb per angler
Total Fished	22