Matt Surmacz looks back on one of his fishing trips last summer:

My dad was with me and my nephew, Charlie, but we'd all struggled for a bite throughout the day. This was, I think, our 4th and final move before we called it a day. We were just setting up and casting in when my dad realised he'd left his cap in the last peg we'd fished, so he went back to get it saying not to catch all the barbel while he was gone! Within minutes of him leaving Charlie's rod went with what was, no doubt, a barbel on the end, hugging the bottom and plodding down stream. I went up the bank to try and shout my dad, but he was out of sight. So I went back down to the peg to offer some advice to Charlie to make sure he didn't lose the only fish of the day, when my rod nearly got dragged in by what could only be another barbel bite. After myself and Charlie eventually managed to stop laughing and prevented the fish from crossing each other, I netted my barbel of around 5 or 6lb. Charlie got his fish in 5 or 10 minutes afterwards, a nice 8 pounder. Then, true to form, my dad reappeared having missed all the mahem and couldn't believe it when we told him we had 2 barbel in the net. We weighed the fish and did the photos (see below) and cast the rods out again in anticipation of a bite for my dad to complete the treble, but unfortunately it didn't happen and we packed away at dusk and walked back to the car with myself and my dad having to listen to Charlie reminding us he had caught the biggest barbel of the day!

One of those days that will always be remembered and I'm sure a story told many more times and exactly why we do it.

Please click the link below to see Matt and Charile's fish.

received_10210276179837229.jpeg (82.45 kb)

Just 16 anglers turned out for this final match of the Summer League series, our Wines & Spirits match, and saw one old face return, Martin Whittaker, who has been absent for a few years due to health issues. It was also good to see our lady match angler, Lynn Baker, back for another match too. The river looked good, but by midday had changed colour, due to Welsh Compensation Water and this killed sport off. So weights were low, but that man, Graham Jones, opted for a stick float and maggot approach from peg 77 to put another winning weight of 11 Lbs 12 Ozs on the scales to clinch the Angler of the Year trophy once again. Well done Graham. Second, with a weight of 9 Lbs 8 Ozs that included a 9 Lbs barbel, from peg 24 was Colin Morris and third was Craig Cope from peg 80 with a weight of 6 Lbs 6 Ozs. For the full year's result, click on the link.

Match 10 - 23 Oct 16 Sheet1.pdf (45.63 kb)

With about 2m of rain water on the river, the first round of the Summer League was never going to be easy. Although the day kept dry right to the end of the match, the river was highly coloured and going through like an express train, but dropped about a foot during the 5 hour match. Eventual winner was our Match Secretary, Will Carr from Peg 113 on the Buildwas water. Taken on feeder, Will put 5 barbel on the scales for a respectable 29 Lbs 15 Ozs, given the conditions. Second, from peg 13 in Cressage Meadow was Gary Stinton with 17 Lbs 8 Ozs consisting of 3 barbel and a roach taken on similar tackle. Third from peg 114 was Jason Owen with 16 Lbs 15 Ozs also taken on the feeder. Early days yet, but let's hope the rain Gods see fit to let the river drop to nearer normal Summer levels for round 2! For the full resuly, click on the link.

Summer League - 1 - 2016 Sheet1.pdf (34.86 kb)