It was a bitter sweet occasion for the ardent Manchester City fan, who had to endure listening to his team take a heavy defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday while fishing.

But thankfully at the end of the day he scooped a match win from the Golden Peg on the Button Hole Fishery, just outside of Wisbech.

Garner alternated his baits throughout the day between pellet, paste and meat to finish with 76lb 8oz.

Runner-up was Tim Bates from peg 11 with 71lb 8oz followed by Matthew Lutkin on 60lb 12oz,


ONE or two of our local senior citizens seem to have lost none of their angling skills if results from the OAPs match at Pidley is anything to go by.

Former city tackle dealer Martin Parker has been in great form, but just couldn't quite get that all elusive match win here.

Pete Norris from Huntingdon once again put a cracking weight to the scales. He took the top spot with a net of small carp from the Jay Lake weighing in 79lb 9oz. Parker on 58lb came second followed by Dave Farragua on 39lb.


I went over to Stretton Lakes at the weekend to see how the fishery has progressed since it was opened up to pleasure and match anglers a few years ago.

And I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. I fished one of the older more established pools and caught plenty of small silvers on maggot together with carp to 5lb on sweetcorn.

Just across the farm-track was the match pool and there seemed to be anglers into fish right along both sides.

The vegetation has now grown and it could well be worth a visit. It seems ideal for small club bookings.