Match Report

This 1st leg of the Canal Evening series of matches was fished on the section just upstream of Hunston bridge back towards the city. The water was slightly coloured and all the anglers thought the canal would fish rather well but with none of the Bream or Tench making an apearance it was going to be a question of quantity and not quality that decided the match.

Steve Jeffery drew end peg No 1 which was situated by the first bench along the towpath. Steve opted for the pole fished at eight metres over groundbait. Loose feeding hemp and caster over the top via a catapult, Steve caught mainly small skimmers of a few ounces and small roach from this line, these together with a single bonus roach of approximately 8 ounces were enough for first place.

In second spot was Vince Herringshaw who drew peg 3 which on the night was on the third platform from the bridge, Vince employed similar tactics, but with no groundbait, for a very similar result of small roach and skimmers with a bonus eel. Vince lost a larger eel half way through the match which snagged him in some weed and ruined his swim for a while.

Third was Rab Butler who drew peg 5, by the large tree on the towpath. This is normally a favoured peg on the stretch as the tree gives some cover to the west bank of the canal, but the peg did not live up to its potential with none of the resident Tench showing and Rab once again had to rely on small roach and a couple of skimmers.

The second and third legs of the M Sampson Cup will be fished in the next two weeks on the same stretch of the canal.