Due to the post Christmas form in the boatyards the remaining winter series fixtures are cancelled, apologies for any inconvenience. Pleasure fishing is still available to club members.
Subject to confirmation, the AGM will be on the 15th March, 8pm at the Harnser in Stalham.
Todays match (Bill Davies Cup) was cancelled due to the weather, we’ll try again next week!
January 30th 2022
Seven hardy souls tried again today, all pegged in the gate basin. A decision was made to fish a 3hr match instead of the usual 5 on a lovely morning to sit out.
No bites were registered again though we’ll try again next week.
With six matches left of this winter, I thought it might be interesting to look at the winning weights so far. It’s not been a classic season by any means, though there’s a marked drop off in catches around Christmas and New Year. The only thing that I can think changed was the cold high pressure moving in that’s been here for weeks now, the predators and boat movements have been there all winter, but who knows, we can only hope for better!
3/10 – Dave Dearman – 6-13
10/10 – Trevor Dodson – 11-9
17/10 – Mark Charlwood – 8-8
24/10 – Mark Charlwood – 6-8
31/10 – Denny Hammond – 8-0
7/11 – Dave Gipson – 12-5
14/11 – Chris Tims – 4-6
21/11 – Ian Holmes – 18-8
28/11 – Ian Holmes – 12-3
12/12 – Mark Charlwood – 1-5
9/1 – Tony Wilkinson – 0-1
16/1 – Barry Hawkes – 0-0.5
23/1 – 0-0
30/1 – 0-0
Seven hardy souls tried again today, all pegged in the gate basin. A decision was made to fish a 3hr match instead of the usual 5 on a lovely morning to sit out. No bites were registered again though we’ll try again next week.
With six matches left of this winter, I thought it might be interesting to look at the winning weights so far. It’s not been a classic season by any means, though there’s a marked drop off in catches around Christmas and New Year.
The only thing that I can think changed was the cold high pressure moving in that’s been here for weeks now, the predators and boat movements have been there all winter, but who knows, we can only hope for better!
3/10 – Dave Dearman – 6-13
10/10 – Trevor Dodson – 11-9
17/10 – Mark Charlwood – 8-8
24/10 – Mark Charlwood – 6-8
31/10 – Denny Hammond – 8-0
7/11 – Dave Gipson – 12-5
14/11 – Chris Tims – 4-6
21/11 – Ian Holmes – 18-8
28/11 – Ian Holmes – 12-3
12/12 – Mark Charlwood – 1-5
9/1 – Tony Wilkinson – 0-1
16/1 – Barry Hawkes – 0-0.5
23/1 – 0-0
30/1 – 0-0
Only six turned up in the hope for a few bites in the yards today, the cat ice cap that covered the basins yesterday had melted away overnight leaving a cold grey day for the hopefuls.
Given the poor form in the basins and the low turnout, the match was pegged along the river where cormorants had been working.
The change was made in hope rather than expectation and of course, the inevitable happened.
After thinking it couldn’t get any worse than the two fish caught last week, today was a real low point with all anglers blanking.
Anglers that have fished there for twenty odd years have never known it as tough as it is now, it really is a shame.
The match secretary will run a match next Sunday if there’s the required minimum, hopefully see you there.
10 hardy (daft?) souls turned out for the latest boatyard match, a relatively mild morning with no frost gave high hopes again, but rock bottom expectations. The match was split into 3 smaller sections, a section of 4 in the big basin and two sections of 3 in the gate basin.
I fancied the big basin as it’s carrying a bit of colour, though there’s no form to go on across the yards.Similar to last weeks result, the gate produced the only fish caught,
Barry Hawkes winning from Pete Sutton, both managing solitary small perch. The big basin returned four blanks.It’s fair to say it can’t get much worse than it is, hopefully next week will be different!
High hopes and low expectations pretty much summed up the thoughts of the 11 hardy souls that braved the cold but dry forecast in the yards this week. With little or no recent form to go on it was going to be a bit of a lottery, with a section in the gate basin and another in the big basin.
The last match before Christmas saw the top weights come from the big basin stagings and this basin probably had the most colour in the water, though both basins were on the clear side.Tony Wilkinson drew peg 8 the left hand end of gate, a peg which has been pretty consistent over the years, Ian Holmes for company on peg 7.
Early talk (and walks) confirmed it was tough with nobody registering a bite in the first hour. Tony then snared an ounce roach, followed by Ian with a 1/2oz perch an hour later.
At the whistle, they were the only fish caught with the rest of the field remaining bite-less, such a shame the form of the yards since Christmas, whether it’s predation, disturbance or what, nobody really knows.Still could all be different next week, that’s why it’s called fishing and not catching! Happy New Year!!
17 made up the field for this weeks match and with all basins in everyone was hoping for a draw on the gate basin but actually the fishing was equally dire all round!!
Mark Charlwood drew the left hand end of the Gate Basin and was always going to be a strong contender from that flyer. Mark caught from the off and although the bites petered out after about 3 hours the damage had been done and he ran out winner with a huge 1lb 5oz.
Martin Littlefield had a big perch and 2 tiny roach for 1lb and second place from his peg up the left side of the gate but unfortunately as he only enters the section pool he ended up with no money as he was in the same section as the winner.
Barry Hawkes was in “kiddies corner” on the big basin where he had 12oz of small roach for 3rd place (technically) but picked up 2nd place in the overall pool plus his section – for a nice bonus.
Overall the fishing was absolutely terrible with 11 blanks and only 3 weights above 6oz!!! I know it can be hard in winter but this was a warm day with a SW breeze and nothing to make you think it would be this desperate. Highlight of my day was having sat biteless for 4.5 hrs in the Crane basin I watched Trev Dodson suddenly start catching little roach! It was like someone had flicked a switch. Needles to say the switch remained in the OFF position in my peg and I recorded my first blank of the winter – hopefully I won’t break Jon Burtons record of 4 blanks in a row ……….
Next week is the Christmas Match so bring a bottle or something for the prize table and lets hope the fish turn up to play……………see you there
Todays Stalham Boatyard match got off to a sad start as Club stalwart and winter match organiser, Colin Jonas, was taken ill shortly after the draw.
Once Colin was in the hands of the paramedics the decision was taken to fish for fun with todays pools money going to the east of England ambulance service.
We all wish Colin a full and speedy recovery.
As I packed up and left early, the only person to have registered a bite out of the 20 entrants before I left was Jon Burton, who had a roach first cast.
Arrangements have been made for next Sundays match club match to go ahead as planned, hope to see you there.
Storm Arwen had it’s say with only 13 brave souls prepared to battle the elements.
This at least allowed the Crane basin section to be taken out in lieu of its recent poor form, leaving a section in the Gate basin and two in the big basin.
After last week’s Gate basin results, most were hoping for a draw in there.
The weeks boat movements meant last weeks winning peg was now boats, it didn’t stop Ian Holmes from dishing out another obliteration, this time from further up the right of the basin. His 168 fish went 12-03 for a comfortable win, Dave Dearman finishing second from Gate basin left end with 6-04.
The Big basin continues to be a bit of an enigma, no tench this week though there were several skimmers dotted about, Trev Dodson and Jon Burton claiming those sections with 3-01 and 2-05 respectively.
It’s the Pairs Trophy next week, with hopefully better weather, it’ll be interesting to see if Gate continues its recent form, see you there!
