Stalham and District AC

Old Stables – Sunday 17th March 2019

So here we go again. The Stalham AC summer series. Round 1 was at The Old Stables, North Walsham. 13 hopefuls turn out for the opening match. Reports from the match on Wednesday were not good so expectations were a little low. With quite strong wind and a few showers forecast it was time to see who would pull the winning number out of the bag. Mark Harmer drew peg 7 out, and caught small carp and roach for the first half, but then he decided to have a look under the willow tree which has been void of fish all winter. But to his surprise they were there and he caught steadily till the end to finish in first place with 42lb 8oz. 2nd place goes to Tony Wilkinson from peg 12. Tony caught 21lb 12oz which was good considering he had the strong wind blowing straight in his face. Well done Tony. Mark Charlwood and Dave Paynter were joint 3rd. Both weighing 18lb 8oz. Overall it fished well, considering the conditions, and it was much better than last year. Hopefully next week the conditions will be much better- we will see.
1st Mark Harmer 42lb 8oz
2nd Tony Wilkinson 21lb 2oz
3= Dave Paynter 18lb 8oz & Mark Charlwood 18lb 8oz
5th Mike Dossena 15lb 12oz
6th Trevor Dodson 15lb
7th Dave Agass 11lb 12oz
8th Dave Edgerton 11lb 8oz
9th Terry Smith 10lb 8oz
10th Dave Gipson 9lb 6oz
11th Dave Dearman 8lb 10oz
12th Jon Burton 7lb 4oz
And there was one D.N.W.
Next week it’s of to Melton Pond 4
See you all there.
Don’t forget to call Dave Agass for a chance to fish the summer matches. Also don’t forget the AGM at The Harnser 8pm Tues 19th March 2019

Don’t forget to attend the AGM
Tues 19th March 2019
8pm
at The Harnser

Rain and more rain was the order of the day this week and, if the rain stopped, the wind was to get up to gale force. Lovely!!! Yet still 14 members turned out to fish in this the last boatyard match of the season. (please note: there were 15 but John Hehir thought better of it and went home – probably a wise move). So after some discussion the match was fished on the Gate and the Crane basins this week as the boatyard is open again and had boats returning today into the Big Basin. Mark Harmer drew peg 3 and had a nice days fishing despite the weather catching all day and putting 12lb 8oz on the scales for a runaway win. He is just getting into gear for the summer I think – watch this space!!! In 2nd spot this week was Jon Burton who was on peg 12, almost opposite Mr Harmer, where he had 7lb 13oz. Then in 3rd was Denny Hammond from peg 14 on the left end of the gate where he caught a processsion of small skimmers throughout the day for 6lb 15oz (hammering me off the next peg in the process). So that is it for another season. Summer series starts next weekend at Old Stables and I will hand the reporting back to Mark Harmer for the summer matches. Thanks again to Colin Jonas for all his organising over the winter and we can look forward to doing it all again come October. ……. Dont forget AGM at the Harnser on Tuesday 19th March 2019 at 8pm………..See you there.

After the last 2 weeks warm and sunny conditions, this Sunday the weather reverted to more normal wind and rain, and it was forecast to last all day (which it did). But, on the plus side, the change of weather definately improved the fishing with no blanks this week! Mark Charlwood drew the 3rd jetty in the big basin and was facing the wind. He was a pre-match doom merchant claiming that the fish had all gone out of the yards. He was pleasantly surprised then, when he caught 4 big skimmers plus perch and roach to put a winning 13lb 14oz on the scales. Dave Gipson was on peg 3 (last weeks winning peg) in the Crane basin where he caught steadily to weigh in 12lb of mainly roach for 2nd place. John Higginson on peg 6, also on the Crane, had 10lb 4oz for 3rd.
Mr. Charlwood’s win returns him to the top of the winter points table giving him the Sutton Cup by 1 point ahead of me. Just wait till October Mark – I’ll be back……. (full winter points table here). Mark also becomes overall (summer & winter) club champion for 2018 -19 and really is the most consistent angler in the club ( you can pay me for all the nice words later Mark) Next week is the last boatyard match – lets hope that we end on a high with good fishing for all. Thanks must go, as always, to Colin Jonas for all his stirling work organising and running the matches (and the club) this past winter I think you will agree it has all gone very smoothly and with some great weights and plenty of laughs. Roll on the summer series…….See you next week

With the weather very similar to last weekend (ie bright sun very warm and light winds) a hard day was expected by most of the 19 competitors fishing this week. There were less blanks than last week, but overall the weights were low with most people scratching for bites. There is always someone who has to spoil the “low weight party” and this week it was Chris Tims (again) who sat on peg 8 on the Crane Basin and had a very nice day, catching throughout the match, to put a winning weight of 11lb 9oz on the scales. In 2nd place was John Hehir from peg 22 in the Big Basin with 6lb 1oz and in 3rd was Alex Watson on the first Jetty with 4lb 13oz . The Singles KO final between Jon Burton and Mark Charlwood became a one fish shoot-out with both catching 1 skimmer and Jon came out the winner with 1lb 3oz against Mark’s 12oz fish. The top of the winter points table changed round once again with Chris’s win taking him into the lead, but it could be any of the top 3 who run out winners after next weeks match, let us hope for a change in the weather which might improve the fishingand get the fish feeding in all areas again. Despite the last two weeks being on the hard side (although last week had the best catch of the season) this winter has seen the Yards bounce back to form after a couple of poor years, with the return of some quality roach, skimmers and perch and very consistent sport around all 3 basins, let’s hope it continues and we are now at the start of a run of “good years” again. Last points match next week – The Ludham Cup – ……………See you there

20 anglers lined up in the very pleasant springlike sunshine to take part in this Sundays match. The pre-match talk was optimistic due to the warm conditions, but there were some doubts as to how it would fish as Jon Burton had been down on Friday and failed to catch in the big basin and Mark Harmer had been on Saturday and had also struggled for bites. So after the draw the story of the match unfolded and it seemed that if you were in the Big Basin it was the kiss of death! (what a turnaround from last week). Pete Sutton must feel like he has served his apprenticeship now as he won this week. On unfancied peg 1 in the Crane Basin, Pete “emptied it” with an oustanding weight of 26lb 8oz of mainly skimmers. He can also claim the highest weight of the winter so far and of course becomes a member of the newly formed elite “20” club. Away from this mega weight the only other reasonable weights were at the end of the Gate Basin where Terry Smith on the right hand side had 9lb 6oz for 2nd place and just round the corner was Dave Agass who had 9lb 2oz for 3rd. Dave Edgerton had the top weight in the Big basin with 7lb 2oz off the 1st jetty and out of 10 anglers in the Big Basin – 7 blanked!
What is occuring? We shall just have to see what happens next weekend. On the “points” front Mr Burton has managed to get back into the top 2 and with only 6 points separating the top 3 the last two points matches will be fun – if it fishes like it did this week there could be some big changes afoot! Single final next week between JB and Mark C, more silverware for someone…………………….See you there.

A wet day was forecast with a strengthening breeze but still 16 hardy souls queued up to draw and spend the next 5 plus hours being rained on. However the fishing was a bit special this Sunday – when you catch 16lb 6oz and don’t even get your section!!!!! ( Sorry Steve Wilkinson – fancy letting your Dad beat you). The 20lb club was formed this week with 2 founding members, Messrs Jon Burton and Tony Wilkinson (2nd for the 2nd week running) both breaking the magic 20lb barrier for the first time this winter. Jon took first place from peg 9 at the top of the Big Basin with a sparkling net of skimmers and roach for 25lb 6oz. He was followed by Tony Wilkinson on peg 16 also on the Big Basin in front of the offices where he had 21lb 8oz of quality skimmers. 3rd place was Denny Hammond on the Gate Basin peg 5 who had 17lb 10oz. Half the field had double figures this week which in the unpleasant conditions was some consolation. Mr Burton is now contemplating a big comeback in the winter points race and, if he continues this weeks form, anything is possible. I would point out that I will be trying my hardest not to let him back to the top as will a certain Mr Charlwood but who knows!!! Next week is forecast to be springlike with warm wind from the south….. See you there

This weeks section winners

pegs 3 -7 Denny Hammond 17lb 10oz

pegs 9 – 16 Jon Burton 25lb 6oz

pegs 17 – 22 Mark Harmer 11lb 12oz

A heavy frost and zero degrees greeted the 14 entrants in this weeks angling fixture. The weather certainly had an effect on the fishing with the sudden drop in temperature and the bright sunshine not conditions you would choose to fish in in the winter. However it was business as usual for Mark Charlwood who put in 6 balls of groundbait into peg 10 at the top of the big basin and then proceeded to catch a procession of skimmers and roach from the off and then pretty steadily though the day with a 2lb plus “skimmer” coming in the last half hour – just to make sure! I know all this because I was on the next peg where I didn’t get a bite until 10.30 – but it was ok because wherever I looked, left or right, either Mark, or last weeks winner Adie Hall, were netting fish!!! My favourite choice of Sunday entertainment!

Mark Charlwood won this week with an excellent 13lb 12oz of quality skimmers and roach. Tony Wilkinson had a good day on the first jetty catching around 90 fish and coming in 2nd with 10lb 12oz and Adie hall had to settle for 3rd this week with 9lb 14oz. So the frame was all in the Big basin but apart from the 1st jetty the other 3 did not produce the weights we have come to expect. There were two 8lb plus weights in the Gate basin but the fish were obviously quite tightly shoaled and if you weren’t on them it was hard going. As to the Singles – Jon Burton beat Dave Edgerton to secure his place against Mark Charlwood who went through atomatically as Dave Agass was unfortunately unwell and not able to fish this week – hope you’re on the mend Dave.
The Singles final is on the 24th February 2019

Section winners this week

Pegs 3 – 7 Dennis Willis 8lb 13oz

Pegs 10 – 16 Mark Charlwood 13lb 12oz

Pegs 19 – 23 Tony Wilkinson 10lb 12oz

One other piece of news I heard this week was the death of that widely known local angling “character” Mick Challen, who for many years was a member of Stalham AC and also North Walsham Kingfishers and East Ruston angling clubs. Mick was always ready to share his “expertise” with anyone and I have lost count of the times he has stood behind me and told me I shouldn’t do it like that, or should be using a bigger float/hook/rod/bait (delete as required) RIP Mick – you will be remembered.

The weather forecast was for strong winds and rain but “luckily” it was just windy and we avoided the rain for the entire match. However, the predicted conditions had a bit of an impact on numbers this week with only the “certified” 15 members of the club braving it. Adie Hall on his second visit to the boatyards drew the left side on the end of the Gate Basin and then proceeded to catch all day and put 14lb 12oz on the scales for 1st place (Mind you, I think his broken No 4 section might cost him more than he won! – the joys of fishing in the wind). Mark Harmer had a return to form after last weeks blank, with 13lb 9oz from the left end of the Crane basin for 2nd just in front of Chris Tims (only 3rd this week!) who had 13lb 3oz from the open water at the top of the Gate Basin. Overall, the yards fished pretty well this week even with the challenging conditions with everyone catching over 5lb. Single KO semi finals next week with Dave Agass taking on Mark Charlwood and John Burton against Dave Edgerton – we shall have to see who prevails on the day? Weather is meant to be a bit quieter next Sunday but who knows, that may all change – will just have to wait and see…………See you there

So, we have had the first proper cold snap of the winter with several hard frosts this week and another one this Sunday morning, it was no surprise that there was ice on the water in all basins with the big basin having the most and the thickest. The general feeling was it was going to be HARD! and it was in some areas but in others the fish fed well. Chris Tims, who has now acquired the nickname “Picasso” due to his legendary drawing performance, pulled out peg 23 which put him on the 1st jetty in the big basin. After breaking the ice out to about 6m Chris had a great days fishing, catching some quality roach perch and hybrids to put 16lb 4oz and take 1st place for the second week running. Jon Burton was on the 4th jetty and had around 170 fish for 11lb 14oz and 2nd place. Then we switch basins to the Gate basin where John Higginson caught steadily and had 11lb 9oz for 3rd. Unfortunately some areas were much harder and there were 6 blanks this week out of the 20 who started the match, surprisingly 3 of these were at the top of the big basin which have been good pegs for the past 6 weeks or more. It’s forecast for more cold weather next week so don’t forget your ice breaker……………….see you there……..