This extra match, squeezed into the calendar as a result of the "frozen Weston Pools" fiasco, was a result of Weston Pools letting us have their Canal Pool at half price. The weather had warmed up a few days before the 19 February date, so there was no risk of the pool being frozen again! 13 of us were cleverly pegged well apart round this oddly shaped pool and the battle was on. That man, Ken Arnold, proved yet again that practice makes perfect by returning a weight of 46 Lbs dead to the scales. This was made up of mostly F1s taken on the waggler and tip, using corn and hard pellet on the hook. Second was (for a very welcome change!) yours truly with 30 Lbs 14 Ozs consisting of 7 Lbs of small Ide and Roach taken on the whip and 15 F1s taken on the pole at 8 metres. Maggot was the only bait I could get a bite on. Third spot went to Bob Smith with 22 Lbs dead, mostly taken on the long pole and tip. This now means that on 47 points, Ken can't be beaten, but the league second place will go to the wire. I have 30 points in current second place; Clive Biddulph has 29 in third and Kev Nicholls has 26 in fourth. Will Carr and Bob Smith have 25 and Nick Bastock has 23. The next match at Weston Pools will not be on the Canal Pool (Boo!) so it will probably be in our interest to get practicing for it, as it is to be fished on 5 March. The final round will be at Melverley, Birches Pool, on 26 March. Read the result here first! Click on the link to see the full result.

WINTER LEAGUE 6 2017 Weston Pools.xlsx (46.77 kb)

Now I know that those 3 letters usually mean a boring hour or two to most of us, but it would really be appreciated if one or two more members could make it to the AGM this Saturday. If you bothered to read last year's minutes, you will have seen that a suggestion was made that I should put something on this website just before the meeting to remind those that REALLY WANT TO COME. So here it is.

Seriously folks, the meeting rarely lasts for more than an hour and it's your one chance a year to let us hear your views about how the Society is being run. If you come along I can assure you that you will not get pushed into doing any officer's job, or anything else - unless of course you would really like to!

Hope to see a few more faces this year anyway,

Bernie

Sunday 12th February 2017 dawned with a lead laden sky and wintery showers in the strong North East wind. Not the most enticing of weather to go fishing, so some of our number stayed in bed and only 10 of us competed this leg on the Mallard Pool at Spring Lea Fisheries. Proving once again that practice makes perfect, Ken Arnold absolutely trounced the rest of, us putting 28 Lbs 8 Ozs of carp in the net. He mostly used used his favoured waggler, fished over-depth to compensate for the wind and a real tow on the pool, with corn as bait, feeding one grain at a time in the catty and just half a dozen every so often. A brief excursion on the pole in the margin resulted in a lost fish, so he soon went back on the 'wag.' A very good second place went to Kev Nicholls with an excellent mixed bag of Ide, Roach and Carp for 9 Lbs 6 Ozs mostly taken close in on the pole. Third was Clive Bidduph with two good carp for 7 Lbs dead. Everyone caught, which was good considering the conditions.

Ken is now well in front with 37 points, with Clive on 26 and Will Carr on 25. Will Ken slip up at Weston Pools next Sunday? The rest of us can only hope that he will!

For the full result and league positions, click on the link.

WINTER LEAGUE 5 2017 SPRING LEA.xlsx (46.88 kb)

After the fiasco at the last match, Will Carr has confirmed with Spring Lea pools that the Mallard Pool will DEFINITELY not be frozen on Sunday, so our match is ON. Their aerators will ensure the pool remains free of ice. So please turn up (complete with thermals!)

The intended venue for this leg of the winter league series was Weston Pools, but when we arrived we found that all pools were frozen. The owners have a policy never to break ice to fish. So, after much deliberation, it was decided that we would salvage the match and go to Springlea. Because of time lost, the match was restricted to 4 hours. The Orfe Pool was half frozen when we got there, but by the time we started, most of the ice had gone - straight to the bottom, which made it very hard going! But that man again, Ken Arnold, managed to winkle out 3 carp on the waggler with corn, to take another win with a weight of 16 Lbs 0 Ozs. Second was Nick Bastock, with just 6 Lbs 14 Ozs taken on waggler/tip and maggot. Third with a good carp of 4 Lbs 6 Ozs taken on the long pole, was Clive Biddulph. As you will see from the attached result sheet, it was a grim match for the remainder of the field with Brian Tinman and myself blanking without so much as a bite! Let's hope the Mallard Pool we are fishing this coming Sunday will prove to be better.

Ken is starting to pull away now with 27 points, but Will Carr is now second on 22, with Clive and Nick tied in third on 18. With another 3 matches to go, will Ken be caught? Read it here first!

WINTER LEAGUE 4 2017 SPRING LEA.xlsx (46.43 kb)