Unfortunately there were nowhere near enough to go around and for those fishing Middleholme and the North Bank, 2lb was a very good weight.

I really hope this poor form of the lower end of the Nene is just down to no colour or flow – lack of fish is not an option worth thinking about!

Top rod was Daiwa Dorking star Des Shipp, who was drawn in the 580s on the Railworld section. He fished a long pole line with bloodworm over joker to catch small roach steadily all day for 8lb 8oz.

Further downstream Shakespeare rod Michael Buchwalder took the runner-up spot.

He caught roach and perch doubling up on a short pole and long pole line finishing with 6lb 10oz.

Best of our small local contingent was Rob Hewison, who came in third with a creditable 6lb 9oz.

The final practice match is this weekend and I am expecting a very big turnout. So fingers crossed for some midweek rain and a few more fish.

Result: 1 D. Shipp, Daiwa Dorking, 8lb 8oz; 2 M. Buchwalder, Shakespeare, 6lb 10oz; 3 R. Hewison, Sensas Mark One, 6lb 9oz; 4 D. Field, Image, 6lb 2oz; 5 S. Wilsmore Daiwa Dorking, 6lb 1oz; 6 B. Clark, Maver Barnsley, 5lb 12oz.




THE unpredictable form of a slow and clear River Nene continues, even the usually prolific bream and tench sections did not fish well in the Upper Nene Individual Championship.

Fished on the Oundle sections this match produced several good leading weights but with few roach showing quite a number of the field struggled for bites.

Well out in front with an excellent 24lb 9oz was Bourne Match Group rod Daniel Hardy. He fished in the noted bream pegs in the Rugby Club section.

His main line of attack was a chopped worm and caster line on the long pole where he caught skimmers to 12oz throughout the day.

Runner-up with five bream taken on the tip with red maggot was Desborough lady angler Diane Woolley, who bagged 18lb 12oz.

Result: 1 D. Hardy, Bourne MG, 24lb 9oz; 2 D. Woolley, Desborough, 18lb 12oz; 3 P. Hill, Corby, 15lb 3oz; 4 T. Halfpenny, Corby, 12lb 7oz; 5 S. Brooks, Wannabees, 8lb 11oz.




AT long last there is better news to report from Ferry Meadows.
It has been in the doldrums for several weeks now but with a good wind on it the bream decided to feed.

Top rod in the Steel City match was Steve Ringer with an excellent 91lb 11oz catch taken at long range with a groundbait feeder from peg 71 on the Gunwade Lake.

Second place went to Mick Smith on 69lb 6oz followed by Jimmy Leach with 41lb 1oz.

There are open matches run on the lakes every Sunday. If you are into big water bream fishing get down there and give it a go.




IT was a runaway victory for George Bates when Deeping St James AC fished Haddon Lake last Sunday.

The club decided to move away from the rivers after a poor showing on the River Nene at Wansford.

Bates was well out in front on a day when everyone struggled for fish.
Drawn at permanent peg 12, he carefully placed his pellet-baited hook through a six-inch gap in the reeds on the far bank to record a winning weight of 18lb 14oz.

That more than doubled the weight of joint second-placed anglers Russell Hole and Des Dalton who both weighed 7lb 5oz, Hole with a catch of skimmers and Dalton with a 6lb carp and skimmers.




FISHING at Butlers Mill the Whittlesey members found the venue with good colour and flow but presentation was made difficult by the wind and flow with a lot of underwater lilies hampering sport.

Bob Thornton landed a tench to 4lb on the worm with the rest of his 6lb 3oz made up of small fish taken on the pole with pinkie.

Runner-up Dave Jarrett tempted three eels and a few small fish on the pole to weigh in 2lb 12oz followed by Mark Chesters with 2lb 10oz – a net of small fish taken on the pole with pinkie.

Earlier in the week the juniors fished the Whittlesey Dyke and Curtis Warner came out the winner with a net of small fish taken on the pole with pinkie to record 1lb 12oz. Sam Boon came second with 1lb 9oz followed by Nick Ilsley on 14oz.




IT was those on the more sheltered low numbered pegs that had the advantage in the Fenland Rods match on Magpie Lake at Pidley.

Top rod with an excellent 127lb 4oz was young Matthew Lutkin. He drew peg four which in fact was the golden peg and fished paste over pellet on a short pole line to go home with match pools and he also collected the £100 Golden Peg award.

Kev Lee was second with 107lb 8oz from peg eight, followed by Mac Campbell with 104lb 8oz and John Smith with a level 102lb.




I am pleased to report that two of the area's top commercial carp water experts, Lee Thornton and Pete Goodman, won through to the final of the Maver Pairs event.

They took top spot on the prolific Barford Lakes at Norwich and I now feel they have an outstanding chance of winning this prestigious event as the final is on the Maver Larford Lakes, Kidderminster – an ideal venue for their carp fishing skills.