Match Report

Fortunately the strong wind that was present on Saturday had dropped for the match on Sunday and the stretch picked was relatively calm although there was a strong tow. The sunny weather had brought out a lot runners, a few cyclists, rowing boats, canoeists and the canal boat. The boat went up and down three times which tended to put the fish down for some time. This is the opposite to winter when the boat going up and down is an asset, being required to get the fish to feed.

The last time we fished this stretch Keith had problems with cows coming into his far bank swim – this time it was a rowing boat with three Americans who did not seem to have any idea how to row and ploughed through his far and near bank swims. They also meandered through the other anglers’ swims. There also seemed to be a lot of novice canoeists who made a good job of messing up the far side swims.

We walked down from the Hunston car park and noted that the canal was clear near to the bankside although looked cloudy in the main track. The water level was low and in parts it may have been possible to set up a seatbox in the water if you had wellingtons with you. There were also several good sized bream in the area, although these moved out and only returned when the match had finished. There were also several carp in the lily pads.

In first place was Keith Hughes who had a mixed bag of roach, rudd and perch mainly caught on the waggler using maggot from the far side of the canal. The bag weighed 2 – 1 – 4.

Mick Greenway was in second place with 1 – 9 – 4 consisting of rudd, roach and hybrids caught on bread punch or pinkie over liquidised bread. He lost something larger, probably a bream, from the edge of the lilies on the far side where he had been feeding chopped worm.

Vince Herringshaw was in third place with a catch of 1 – 5 – 12 caught on his normal whip and bread punch.

After 6 matches Kitch is leading in the Clubman (50 points), Matchman (255 points) and Weight (53-10-8) competitions from Keith with 48 points, 228 points and 47-10-4 respectively.