Final Standings 2007 (9th September)
| 1st |
W. Spooner |
581lb 12oz |
| 2nd |
S. Scarff |
350lb 0oz |
| 3rd |
S. Gooderham |
318lb 14oz |
| 4th |
C. Scarff |
305lb 11oz |
| 5th |
M. Sherwood |
252lb 10oz |
| 6th |
W. Tuttle |
236lb 5oz |
| 7th |
H. Brighty |
229lb 11oz |
| 8th |
A. Scarff |
186lb 6oz |
| 9th |
R. Grimson |
160lb 4oz |
| 10th |
R. Sustins |
153lb 2oz |
| 11th |
S. Nichols |
150lb 4oz |
| 12th |
S. Blowers |
139lb 11oz |
| 13th |
J. Spicer |
138lb 10oz |
| 14th |
B. Watson |
113lb 12oz |
| 15th |
J. Coleby |
58lb 11oz |
| 16th |
B. Blowers |
51lb 15oz |
| 17th |
D. Spooner |
18lb 0oz |
| 18th |
R. Nichols |
6lb 1oz |
| Total Weight |
3450lb 11oz |
Full list of weights
Results 2007
Sunday 13th May - Barford Railway Lake
| 1st |
S. Scarff |
35lb 6oz |
| 2nd |
J. Spicer |
28lb 4oz |
| 3rd |
W. Spooner |
18lb 3oz |
Welcome back! Fifteen members new and old were expecting good things from a venue that had produced 100lb bags during the week. I don't think it needs saying that we were being optimistic if we thought we could get anywhere near those weights. Very optimistic. There were lots of new boxes on show, so at least comfort won't be an excuse this year. One new box owner decided to christen it by winning the match. I suppose if you make it rather than buy it you should expect some reward for your efforts. The island was in range for Stevo, so he concentrated on the feeder with various baits to catch mainly F1's. He lost a few too. Contrary to earlier reports he didn't listen to his brother's suggestion of using worm. There was me thinking I'd told him the winning bait. I didn't even get that right! One of our new members gave warning of his intentions this year by finishing second. J. Spicer had the last island peg and after losing feeders found some fish, including flying skimmers! Wayne edged third place just ahead of Daryl. The rest struggled for bites. One exception was Alan. It hasn't taken long for him to resort to tiddler-bashing. I suppose it keeps him busy. As does setting-up. He started fifteen minutes after everyone else. With all the drawers on his box it's no surprise he can't find anything. Stan was fishing for rats on the small island after taking the advice of Hylton. He couldn't reach the island himself as it was being pulled away. If he could have he might have added to his list of rats, bunnies and a pigeon taken last season. Instead he took the customary beating from Ben and Sam. After drawing the best peg on the lake. Don't believe me? Look here. I know he is no Andy Findlay, but surely Five Bellies should have done better? Even Chief Big Belly had more. The photo on the left shows Five Bellies preparing for the long journey home. The only consolation is knowing we are all ahead of the Buddha. I wonder if he has a new box?
Sunday 20th May - Holly Farm, Upton
| 1st |
S. Nichols |
76lb 8oz |
| 2nd |
W. Spooner |
59lb 2oz |
| 3rd |
W. Tuttle |
56lb 4oz |
Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to Holly Farm we go. Just check out the swag-man on the left as he makes his lonesome way back to the waiting Troll-moblie. There's hardly anything left of him, those midges almost reduced him to a skeleton. They must be the size of sheep now if that's the case! Going down to Three Bellies means an eating spree is in order to build up strength for all those burgers next week. Right, on to the fishing. A whopping seventeen visited this new venue. The prize-presentation had not detered Mr Buddha Grimsdale and Robyn, although the after-effects nearly did. Alan left his after-effects at the masonic hall. Too much information? I thought so too! With maggot supposedly a good bait for the carp there was a chance he might actually avoid another tiddler-bashing session. I think the Stalham boatyard roach disappearance has been solved at least. Time for a new nickname: Ammo! A constant supply of pike bait par excellence! He got to see a winning catch, unfortunately from the next peg. One of our new members, Steve, drew on the island and caught on the pole with maggot for a comfortable win. On the opposite side of the island Will was using a feeder to put together a bag which would claim third place. Wayne didn't have the island to fish to, so he fished in the margins with corn to keep a constant stream of carp heading towards his net. Another new member, Jon, was fishing the lake for the second day running. He didn't quite match his weight from Saturday, but it was a respectable catch for his first match with us. Mark had a corner peg and another respectable haul. Three Bellies doesn't do respectable and resorted to catching boy's fish like Ammo. He needs to brush-up on his catapult aim though. The trees don't need feeding with bait. Ben and Sam caught men's fish for yet another humiliation. Stan couldn't resist the urge to cast a feeder. It persuaded Stevo to do the same. They caught a few, even with Trevor putting a jinx on Stan. The Buddha and Robyn have both overtaken Ammo, Chief Big Belly and Three Bellies in the overall standings. Lucky for them the Buddha is off on a mystery tour next week. It will give Robyn a chance to fumigate. In total nearly 600lbs of fish were caught, about the same weight Three Bellies lost. Spooky or what?
Sunday 27th May - Hinderclay Reed Pool
| 1st |
W. Spooner |
69lb 10oz |
| 2nd |
S. Scarff |
23lb 14oz |
| 3rd |
S. Gooderham |
23lb 13oz |
Give me a chance! I can see you, checking to see if the result is here yet. Some of us are still drying out. Obviously one of those who decided the weather forecast was not worth getting out of bed for. A good choice, we didn't even get our scrag-ends and burgers this time. Three Bellies is severely malnourished. Only twelve showed up for an increasingly wet match which went the way most matches go at Hinderclay when Wayne is in attendance. He drew on the point opposite the car park and fished the pole shallow for mainly carp. Getting soaked by the rain didn't stop him. The odd silverfish crept into the net too, surely not another Ammo in the making?! Speaking of nets, Stuart has become very generous (or very rich) and now provides nets for everyone. Maybe Wayne should have taken two. Can we disqualify him for too many fish in a net? On the far bank Stevo and Stan were on the method feeders. Stevo had more fish and more ounces (one more) at the end. On the other side of Stevo, Ammo was filling his net with more bait. Willy did likewise. Three Bellies caught one once, then another one came along. They're like crabs, they come in pairs. From 2 ounces in one net to 8 pounds in one. Another disqualification? Chris had the wanted end peg, but couldn't get the carp out of the reeds (or his hook). The only other angler to weigh in was Richard with a solitary carp. The results sheet was getting soggy anyway. The lovely conditions can be seen in the photo. Next week is more crap, I mean carp. Wayne...
Sunday 3rd June - Yaxley
| 1st |
W. Spooner |
32lb 10oz |
| 2nd |
C. Scarff |
23lb 7oz |
| 3rd |
S. Gooderham |
17lb 14oz |
Some people have no respect. You find them a new venue to fish and what do they do? They forget their landing net. What? You thought I was going to say something else? They take a dump in the bushes, for example? Yaxley, or Lax-ley as it shall be known from now on, hosted the second return of the Buddha. The Buddha responded with a number two of his own. The lack of toilet roll was no deterrent. Nature provided all that was needed, Three Bellies carryall! Three Bellies later complained of getting his Browning butt-section stuck in a steaming heap in the bushes. Fortunately for the rest of us the gentle breeze was blowing their way. On the other bank the wind was a little stronger, especially around peg 11. Wayne had no time to worry about such things, or to remember his landing net. Lucky for him Mark had a spare which was just about big enough to fit his carp in. With a creaky old handle from Chris he was ready to win his second match in a row. The floating pole caught most of his fish in the first half of the match, then he struggled to catch. Chris caught most of his fish in the first half too. Paste and pellet on the bottom seemed to pick out the carp. Next-door Stan was unhappy with the lack of space to throw his coconut. One 5lb carp later he was glowing like his t-shirt. All the bigger fish were in the reeds spawning, or being dragged out by Stan. Steve tried the floating pole next to Wayne with some success. No-one else tried it, including the Buddha. He doesn't do floaters. Sam found fishing shallow with bread was successful. Ammo had forgotten his bread so stuck to what he does best. Mark resorted to the whip to catch siverfish, until the carp put in an appearance to test his tackle. Stevo would have fished on the surface had he remembered to take some floating bait. He could have used the expanders floating across from the other side! Maybe he was still trying to get through the industrial tin of sweetcorn found in the bin. Chief Big Belly had plenty of time to enjoy the sunshine and pour his coffee, but declined the invitation to be servant for Three Bellies. Three Bellies showed what he thought of that in the photo on the left. Another cup up for grabs next week. Will Team Buddha be last again?
Sunday 10th June - Marsh Farm, Sternfield (Pairs Cup)
| 1st |
S. Scarff |
31lb 4oz |
| 2nd |
S. Nichols |
28lb 0oz |
| 3rd |
H. Brighty |
22lb 2oz |
| Pairs Winners: S. Scarff & R. Sustins |
50lb 14oz |
Firstly an apology to Buddha. He did have toilet roll last week, so does have some respect after all. Now, to answer the question from last week. Yes. Team Buddha will come last in the Ammo pairs cup again. Only just though. After using the facilities Buddha drew peg one, nicely out of the way. The shortest walk for the shortest angler. He found a couple of crucians to go with his silverfish and recorded a respectable catch. His partner for the day was a couple of pegs away. The Chief enjoyed his coffee, especially as Three Bellies was opposite to watch him drink it. There was no chance of him walking all that way to pour Three Bellies one while he had company. Three Bellies was too busy to stop and drink, but that didn't shut him up. His bucket-feeder could be heard all around the lake, but was pulling in bream and islands. His team-mate had to fish next to the Buddha which can't have helped their cause. Sam still managed to beat Ammo, as did everyone else. Surely this venue should be his favourite with all those roach to catch? With Stevo hammering out the skimmers nearby there was no excuse for lack of fish. Chris had no chance defending his title. Stevo did though. Robyn was behind him and putting in his usual display from his usual peg. Their combined weight was over eight pounds clear of Wayne and Steve. Wayne had the bay with Ammo and struggled to find the skimmers (they were all in Stevo's net). Steve drew next to the Chief and took advantage of the coffee breaks to catch his fish too. Jim caught well for his first visit to the venue. It's a full-house at Bergh Apton next week, although who the lucky thirteen are that will join the Troll is yet to be decided. Don't forget the new rules, they're on the fixtures page. Chris is now ready to start fishing, having put out the pegs and boards for the match while forgetting to take a spare bait-box. What time do we start?
Sunday 17th June - Bergh Apton
| 1st |
R. Sustins |
33lb 0oz |
| 2nd |
S. Gooderham |
29lb 13oz |
| 3rd |
M. Sherwood |
27lb 0oz |
Sorry, only just woken up after Sunday. Father's Day, or Jammo Day to us Scarffs, was spent at Bergh Apton. It makes me shudder just typing it. Buddha couldn't wait to get there, probably because Robyn couldn't breathe in the car any longer. I've heard it said that the Buddha has a butt that don't quit. I don't think it was meant as a compliment though. One butt that did quit was the section of Three Bellies' rod. He obviously decided to give the island a sporting chance this year. Shame he left the tow-rope line on his reel. When battle commenced it was the rod that lost. Whip the rod up with some of that line and it will be indestructible. Mark had to pump a few pellets before the start, then he prepared his expanders. We'll have to put in for a portaloo from the club funds if people can't control their bowels on a Sunday morning. Three Bellies can tow it with that line. If Buddha drives behind, Robyn can hang out of the window to get some slightly fresher air. Wayne was looking a little green around the gills and drawing a corner peg didn't make him feel any better. When he tied for weight with Jammo his day was complete. Ammo had a good day by his standards, casting a feeder out with a swmSTIM pellet caught him a personal best carp of 10lb 4oz (picture on the left, if you need reminding). It looks a lot smaller in the photo, but then it had worked off a couple of pounds flipping around on the mat before the photo was taken. By the time the fish was under control the camera batteries had died. A lesson for all carp novices: leave the men's fish to those who can handle them. Robyn was enjoying being free from the Buddha and having a clear cast to the island. Judging where the island finished under the floodwater was a problem though. The Troll was more worried about the island above water, the reeds and the trees above the island. Mark also found a trunk. Ben had the Troll's peg but could only manage to tie with Three Bellies in his last match before heading off to the States. They sell cheap gear over there, maybe you could get Three Bellies a new rod? Better still, take him with you (I know it's too late now, will he fit in a food parcel? Without the food?). Sam had even less luck, a rare family defeat and he is now level on total weight with Three Bellies. Buddha had the reeds to contend with and it took him a while to find the fish, or maybe they could smell him too? Chris had a quick prayer before fishing, it didn't work. Stevo had to copy Jammo to catch anything decent. I've said it before, that is just wrong. The Chief caught a few while dreaming of his strawberries and ice-cream. Will lost more than he caught so might have to borrow some of THAT line. Luckily there is only one more match at Bergh Apton to put up with this year, but like the strawberries I'm not bitter. Oh wait..........
Sunday 24th June - Chapel Barn Farm
| 1st |
W. Spooner |
27lb 8oz |
| 2nd |
A. Scarff |
23lb 2oz |
| 3rd |
S. Scarff |
16lb 4oz |
I'm going to leave these write-ups to the end of every week, just look at our rattling bites go! It's the only way some of us can get a bite. It helps if you actually go fishing, which a lot of people decided against for this match. A new lake was obviously too scary for the Buddha, if he wanted a bbq he could have just joined the Chief after the match. Such a distraction put him off his fishing, even with his personal coach on the scene. Three Bellies and Stan were fine-tuning their casting, after Three Bellies had fixed his rod with a handy scaffold pole. They traded coconut blows between the islands, crossing swords on one occasion. It didn't catch them any more fish. Wayne has been out of the top three recently and was close to not winning this one. That was until he caught the biggest fish in the lake to pip Ammo to victory. Ammo didn't have any bait to fish for so had to try for the carp and tench. Surely not? Being near the aeration pipe must have had something to do with his success. Stevo wasted time fishing to the island when the fish were much closer. He dragged himself up to third by the end. The only other angler fishing was Will. He closed the gap on Stan by a few ounces. Ammo made the biggest move in the standings, which must now convert him to catching fish over two ounces for the rest of the season? For those of us who missed this pivotal moment in history, there are some photos of the lake responsible on the left. Next we go to Hinderclay for the first 100lb bag ever in a match. If I can stay awake long enough :-) The weather sounds like it might be similar to our last visit, so no burgers for us then.
Sunday 1st July - Hinderclay Florence Lake
| 1st |
S. Scarff |
39lb 4oz |
| 2nd |
W. Spooner |
38lb 6oz |
| 3rd |
M. Sherwood |
35lb 0oz |
What is it about Hinderclay and two nets? This time it was the turn of Chris to put his foot in it. No chance of a 100lb bag on this occasion. Especially when most fish were caught on the feeder and Chris didn't set one up until half-way through! Wayne had got there early so he could get home early for a roast. If only Stuart had got up on time, he wouldn't have been busy frying bacon when we arrived. After waiting for our nets (only one) and paying for pellets (no pumping this week), we finally got to go and see Florence. She wasn't in a good mood. Buddha was raring to go after his boat trip. He found Stevo next-door had some secret bait, so had to steal some. He should have stolen some hooks too, the sort that don't look like pins. Stevo caught half his fish on his sweetcorn to win the match. The bagging waggler wasn't working but the method feeder did. Wayne found it was the same at the other end of the lake. No carp shallow on the pole for a change. Stan and Three Bellies were tucked away behind their brollies. It was quiet. Some of the casting was a bit off target again. Just look at the photo of where Three Bellies ended up! Thanks to Buddha for that. Three Bellies did get his bait in the water occasionally to catch a couple. Stan just beat him with some late fish. Sam is losing ground on Three Bellies. He was lucky to get there at all. Some underhand tactics to leave him behind by Three Bellies nearly worked. Mark decided to stick to the pole and fish for Ammo's fish. There were enough of them to claim third place. Ammo got one perch to keep his skills honed. He also got some carp again. Don't worry, two weeks on the river and he'll forget how to catch them. Robyn and Will had a couple of carp each, Buddha lost enough to win and only caught two. Chris only had one (he would have needed another net for a second) and that was caught after throwing his bait in near the end. At least he had a couple of skimmers in preparation for the next match. The groundbait is already mixed.
Sunday 8th July - Cold Harbour (River Cup)
| 1st |
W. Spooner |
7lb 1oz |
| 2nd |
C. Scarff |
6lb 14oz |
| 3rd |
W. Tuttle |
6lb 11oz |
Ahhhh Bisto, I mean rivers. How great they are. Three Bellies had finally come out (no, not like that!) after hiding from the paparazzi all week. He didn't do a very good job, they caught him in the garden sunbathing. If you have a heart condition it might be wise not to look at the photo on the left (Buddha made us do it). We shall be passing it on to National Geographic. I can see the headline now "LOWESTOFT YETI CAUGHT NUDE!". Fortunately there was no such spectacle on the bank, despite the sunshine. Stan arrived in his dented wreck. Another misplaced cast? Buddha arrived in a haze, this time Robyn was responsible for the open windows. Good health indeed! Buddha had a bucket with him just in case of a follow-through. Not sure he could get up onto it though. Toilet roll was also at the ready. Is he like this everywhere he goes? Those mystery coach tours must be interesting for the other passengers. "The mystery of the steaming pile in the aisle". A real whodunnit. Right, now you're all crying (with laughter I hope), we'll get on with the fishing and you'll know how some felt after the match. Wayne had heard good things about Cold Harbour, lots of bream apparently. Strange then that he spent most of the match on the pole! It was soon clear that the bream we had hoped for were not there. You'll be lucky to catch anything if you leave your bait to cook on top of the car like Steve. Ammo was in his element. He tried a new addition to his groundbait which he hoped would be "amaizing". It wasn't. Stevo tried it on the pole line. It ruined his peg too (even a great pole rig couldn't save it) along with Buddha's next-door. So that's why he couldn't catch on his lollipop. Could've gone and got us all a lollipop instead of sitting there blanking. Three Bellies walked so far he was nearly at the pub. Another wasted opportunity. The noise coming from that end was non-stop, but for once Three Bellies wasn't to blame (much to the surprise of Buddha). The pleasure anglers couldn't match their previous day's exploits. We have that affect. The Chief looked like he might spring a shock when he hooked a bream, but then lost it at the net. With no more forthcoming he had to resort to the crab legs to get an eel. Steve was getting bites on the feeder but couldn't hook them. When he did there was an audience. Buddha just wanted to see a fish. Sam had an eel which helped him beat Three Bellies by an ounce. The sweetest of victories. It was close at the top too. Will was leading, then Chris weighed in to edge ahead. Wayne had the River Cup to defend and defend it he did. The pole had retained his trophy, even if he didn't enjoy it. Ammo enjoyed a quick trip to the Buddha Bushes before departing to water the peas. You can't take some people anywhere. More river next week with the Buddha by the mill.
Sunday 15th July - Oby Dyke
| 1st |
S. Scarff |
17lb 8oz |
| 2nd |
R. Grimson? |
12lb 6oz |
| 3rd |
S. Gooderham |
11lb 8oz |
Not many fancied the long walk to Oby. More of that in a minute. First something saved from last week. Three Bellies thought he'd got away with it, but last week had too much to remember in one go. Having finished listening to the pleasure anglers and catching very little, Three Bellies got up off his box, only to stand in a hole and soak his leg right up to his three bellies! Now back to Oby. The Buddha was in a hurry to get there, he wanted to try out a new toilet with a view. Quite a nice, new view going on the photos supplied by Ammo. Having given the car park a quick sprinkling Buddha got his shopping trolley out for the journey. Nearly last in the walk-off, he was lucky no-one else wanted his mill so off he went. Followed by Robyn. What a mistake that was. The Chief was soon catching 5oz slabs, long slimy wriggly ones. Three Bellies was getting jealous so had to borrow some crab legs. He soon had the eels lining up. So many that the ministry turned up in a helicopter to check his bag limit. Robyn was fishing for specimens, 30ft long rope-fish. Maybe Three Bellies had cracked-off? Buddha used Stevo's tactics from last week to attract eels into Robyn's peg. Maggots in the groundbait is a low act, even for Buddha. Not that he'd know, he was off in the mill trying another view. He also attracted yachts. They do like a breeze. Stevo kept away from all the problems to win another match with skimmers. He lost a proper bream at the end. That's 5lb less to catch up. Buddha came second, somehow (4,6,3,3). It's a crossword clue too! Here's a clue to the answer: Leuciscus cephalus want gadus morhua. Don't we all. Brush up your latin, educational and entertaining. Answer next week, with another clue to a more humorous solution (just been given it, but it's too late now). Stan came third at Oby, if you still care. The Chief used his superior knowledge of all things crustacean to beat Three Bellies. Will just beat Ammo by a small roach. If only he kept one in the rolls of his net. Judging by the flies around it in the garden, something has died in it. With Wayne, Chris, Ben, Sam, Steve, Richard, Jim, Daryl, John, Sean, Tom, Dick and Harry all missing the match Three Bellies managed to take eighth place. For some reason his brothers are calling him Orangutan on the golf course. That must be one crazy swing. Buddha dropped his load on the way back. Now he's off on holiday. Look out Turkey, here come the Trotters. Don't forget your piss-pot, errr, passport. Take both. Four hours on a plane, how will he cope? Seriously, has this been taken into account? At least a coach can pull over. The last cup match next week. Tom, Dick and Harry will be back.
Sunday 22nd July - Holly Farm (Challenge Cup)
| 1st |
W. Spooner |
83lb 8oz |
| 2nd |
M. Sherwood |
50lb 14oz |
| 3rd |
J. Spicer |
48lb 6oz |
I've been busy, ok? A wet start to this match saw some interesting footwear on display. Critically-balanced camo wellies anyone? The island was the favourite place to be and with Wayne on it there was only one winner. He didn't catch much on the feeder, but when the pole started floating it was non-stop carp. Fishing 5¾ inches deep with sweetcorn, not that anyone was paying attention, he soon had a commanding lead and another trophy in the bag. Make that two, as his overall lead over Stevo increased by 50lb. Stevo had started well on a small feeder next to Wayne. When he lost the feeder he lost the fish. Mark was on the opposite side of the island, where Steve had won from on the previous visit. His critically-balanced tackle didn't find any monsters this time though. Jim didn't have any feeders with him, so Stan handed one over. Jim repaid Stan by beating him. Three Bellies could be heard at the other end of the lake, where Chris was all alone. Another visit from the ministry found Three Bellies had far too many fish in his net, so will have to start on minus 25lb in the next match. The Chief would have liked just one fish. He went on bailiff duty to get some tips. Unfortunately he went to Ammo, who couldn't wait to get rid of some mouldy bread. Passing it off as the best bait ever didn't fool the Chief. His critically-balanced crab legs smelled better. Ammo was finding fish in the reeds, as was Will. Sam tried to catch off the surface. The fish were there but not taking the bait. Chris had fish on the surface in his swim too, when they could get through the layer of pellets. His home water is next, shame all the fish have moved out. One last chance to savour the calm before the Buddha.
Sunday 29th July - Topcroft
| 1st |
S. Gooderham |
39lb 6oz |
| 2nd |
M. Sherwood |
34lb 4oz |
| 3rd |
S. Scarff |
20lb 2oz |
Chub demands sea cod. A week late I know. The answer that is, not the write-up. Apologies to those abroad, but we're back in business now. The trip to Topcroft nearly took a wrong turn. Lucky it was a home water. Then we headed for the V.I.P. car park, where the arrival of Buddha must have been anticipated. Or maybe he'd been and gone and had left the toilet door open to spread his scent? Either way we didn't miss him. Once we'd parked up it was time to get to the pegs. Obviously not the V.I.P. pegs as they were at the opposite end of the lake! Right next to the other car park which we had driven past! Sometimes it's better not to be a V.I.P. Wayne had been up all night searching for soles. After the walk he probably found them aching, along with his head. The Chief had to walk even further. He walked right past the fish, which were hanging in the middle of the lake as usual. Right in front of the Coconut-Chucker. His usual method had carp coming in on a regular basis. Next to the Chucker was Mark. He also found the fish, when not casting onto the stagings on the far bank. Stevo started well, but then had to watch as the other two caught from wherever they chose to cast. Wayne was having one of his least successful mornings. After trying the pole he had to admit defeat and get the feeder rod out. When he did connect with fish he lost them! Four in a row. New hooks were to blame. Will was not getting much, apart from a lesson from the home-boy on how to miss bites. Chris had fish in front of him, but couldn't hook them. Sam had them swirling on the surface, Three-Bellies didn't have much at all. Nor Ammo. The Chief had the end of the lake to fish to, but that didn't work. Mark celebrated his second place by not using the toilet. The rest of us took the short walk to the peasants' car park. At least it wasn't as bad as first feared. Speaking of fear, the Buddha is back next week at the place of which we do not speak. Duty-free bog roll anyone?
Sunday 5th August - Bergh Apton
| 1st |
W. Spooner |
72lb 12oz |
| 2nd |
S. Gooderham |
45lb 12oz |
| 3rd |
R. Grimson |
37lb 8oz |
Oh joy. The Buddha was back and we were at Bergh Apton. Can I end the write-up now? Maybe even my life? The sun was shining and glistening off the Buddha's varnished toe-nails. Pink is soooo his colour. Chris had a different colour in mind. Off. The alcohol numbed the pain of being there, but it also numbed his hands as the first two fish he caught fell back into the lake! Cue much abuse from either side. A Three Bellies/Buddha sandwich is not recommended. They soon talked themselves out of any bbq invite at the Scarff household while Ammo is on holiday. There will be plenty of them too. Three Bellies should know better, he had to turn down breakfast after a wine-bender. Turn down breakfast??!! That is what you call drunk! He soon shutup when his tutors turned up. They missed his first cast onto the tree-trunk. Then the cast that went over the branch of the tree. There was some skill in flicking the feeder back over the branch, but to catch his biggest fish of the day where it landed was disgusting. Like a man having a pedicure. The Chief was doing so well he had to get a second net in! We thought that net was only used to catch crabs for bait? On the other side of the shed the Pied-Piper of Ammo was "having a bad day by his standards". A very bad day by anyone else's. There were more rats than fish in his peg. He should have asked Three Bellies to fish for them. With hardly a bite all morning he thought it was safe to pay for the lake while leaving his bait out. Foolish, like having your toe-nails painted on holiday. You can guess what happened next. No fish, but a good hook-hold in the reeds. He even lost a fish while trying to blow the whistle to end the match. Nuts. Coconuts. Flying everywhere once again. The Troll wasn't by the bridge, but that didn't stop him fishing there. Will had the bridge, with Sam also having the island to cast to. The Troll pulled the fish away from them to take second place. On the other side of the bridge Stevo had to turn to the drunk for "the cruncher". It didn't make much difference. Wayne started slowly on the pole, caught a few on the feeder, then proceeded to empty his corner of the lake. Another victory by a mile. Buddha was happy to launch another feeder at the island. No wonder it's sinking. Those nails must have attracted the fish like sequins, as he got another podium place. No Ammo next week, so get your shower in early. The Chief will be showing all how to fish his home water.
Sunday 12th August - Chapel Barn Farm
| 1st |
H. Brighty |
23lb 8oz |
| 2nd |
W. Tuttle |
22lb 10oz |
| 3rd |
S. Gooderham |
21lb 8oz |
With no showers needed it was an early get-away from Oulton Broad. The Chief led the way to his second home. On arrival we heard of the weights caught by juniors the day before. No pressure. Only 28lb won their match, surely we could top that? It was a new venue for some, so extra rigs needed to be readied just in case. Well they would have been had someone not had to look for the whistle. The Buddha was not to blame, but would have been had Robbin' Robyn had his way. Four who had fished the lake before all drew on the same side again, in the same order! Just shuffled down the bank a peg. This gave Will and the Chucker a gap in the islands to cast at. Heaven help the gap. Wayne had one end of the lake, while Robyn tagged on the other next to The Chief. He only had to fall out of his car to get to his peg. The kettle was soon whistling. So that's where it got to. The Buddha got a nice long walk to sit with Three Bellies. Who would have thought he'd be sitting next to the winner? Stevo got to sit the other side of the broken tip and had the wake from the gap to contend with. Chris had been told it would be all about small fish so got out the Ammo baits. Then carp appeared around the island and all the plans went out the window. Sam likes getting the fish on the surface where he can see them. He only had a handful of fish at the end, but they were decent ones. Three Bellies had forgotten how to count above two, so told the Chief that was how many he'd caught. Liar. The Chief and Robyn both had a visit to the Buddha to find out what bait he was using. So they could avoid it! Chris tried to drag the island nearer to catch some carp, with his pole! Stevo resorted to the feeder even though he was on the winning peg from the day before. The fish weren't down the edge where they had been. The Ammo baits were working for the Chucker in the gap. Will just managed to beat him with some late fish. Wayne couldn't find his bonus fish and had to settle for fourth place. It was Three Bellies who shocked everyone to take victory. News spread fast and by the time he got home Mrs Three Bellies was in hospital recovering from the shock! With Ammo returning for Oby Dyke the stories should be flowing.
Sunday 19th August - Oby Dyke
| 1st |
S. Scarff |
15lb 0oz |
| 2nd |
B. Watson |
11lb 8oz |
| 3rd |
R. Sustins |
9lb 8oz |
The last of the river matches. Buddha waited to draw the last number and got number one. One guess on where he was headed, closely followed by Ammo and Robyn. The Chief sat on the first peg, while Wayne went on the second. Will, Chris and Stevo spread out in-between. Buddha wasn't catching anything, probably too busy listening to Ammo's stories of fish he could have caught on holiday. They sounded far too big for him. Robyn couldn't find a spot in front of the mill, so headed out-of-bounds to fish. There was no bbq as promised by Buddha. Did Three Bellies have the sausages? The early running was made by the Chief, who was bagging roach. No-one else had much at all. Then Stevo started catching skimmers as the rain came. Chris was trying the pole-feeder, but only eels seemed interested. It was the same on the feeder. Will was fishing down the edge, obviously forgetting we weren't fishing for carp. Wayne was on walkabout to see who else was struggling. Those at the mill started catching, but not enough to oust Stevo from the double at Oby. The Chief took an amazing second place ahead of Robyn. Buddha was more interested in the frisky cows. There will be no Chief at the Water Park, so who will attack the Big Breakfast?
Sunday 26th August - Suffolk Water Park
| 1st |
S. Gooderham |
40lb 15oz |
| 2nd |
W. Tuttle |
37lb 10oz |
| 3rd |
S. Blowers |
37lb 4oz |
Were you there? If not, you missed out. After waiting for Ammo to arrive it was off to the Water Park via Yoxford. Three Bellies must have had a rumbling tummy, so eager was he to get there. He left the rest behind and took a quick turn that Ammo missed. Luckily Three Bellies was spotted disappearing up the hill. When we finally caught up with Three Bellies he was taking a leak on a footpath! The Big Breakfast wasn't taken on this time. We need the Buddha! Stan had to wait for his while everyone else tucked in. He said we could go and start the fishing without him and at the end of the day we wished we had! After all stocking up on Voodoo groundbait it was a short ride to the lake. The end peg looked inviting and Sam pulled it out of the bag. The feeder was the favoured method for all to begin with. Stan was on fire, with six fish straight away. The carp got their revenge later on when he lost some. Three Bellies was also losing fish in the middle of a Scarff sandwich. It was a dangerous thing to do, his feeder kept hitting him as it flew back! With no trees to visit the feeder probably just wanted some company. For others it was not so easy. The carp weren't taking the bait with much confidence. Chris switched to the pole but could only get the odd carp when the roach left the bait alone long enough. Stevo caught a couple on the feeder before it got hard. Ammo was told his end wouldn't be any good. He found sweetcorn worked for a while. Sam couldn't keep the fish out of reeds when he hooked them. He thought he'd beaten Will, but Will found an extra fish in his net to just sneak ahead. He also had a tench of nearly 5lbs. A contender for the specimen cup, if we had one. The fish came back at the end. Chris thought he might catch Stan with a late run, but Stan was still pulling them in too. Stevo couldn't buy a bite, lucky this one didn't count. The Scarff brothers were saving themselves for Creeting anyway. The journey home took a different route and must have been quicker 'cos we caught Stan up in Oulton Broad. Two matches left to decide who finishes where and no more Salvesens to interrupt sleep. A birthday might though. There are photos on the left (of the fishing, not the birthday).
Sunday 2nd September - Creeting Lakes
| 1st |
W. Spooner |
56lb 8oz |
| 2nd |
C. Scarff |
46lb 10oz |
| 3rd |
M. Sherwood |
27lb 12oz |
What's this? A write-up for Creeting? In December? The reasons shall become clear after the Hinderclay write-up. A Hinderclay write-up? In December? In a minute, this one isn't finished yet! With the Chief off chasing cod (see, lucky I waited) there was a round ten of us at Creeting. Especially round was the Buddha (the old ones are the best, jokes that is, not Buddhas), who was back after missing more food at SWP. With the wind blowing to the far end of the lake we didn't mind too much when instructed to bunch together towards that end. Surely the fish would all be there? No, no they wouldn't. Stevo got a corner peg, one away from where he won on our last visit. What a difference one peg makes. Blame Buddha for being on it last year. Buddha was two pegs away and started slowly. Towards the end he picked up and was catching well. He needed to with Mark on one side beating him and Chris (trying to catch Euro-tripping Stan) on the other. Mark finished third with the Buddha one place back. Chris was making an effort after some average performances and was trying to keep pace with Wayne, who was opposite. The pole didn't produce much and it was again the feeder which had small carp coming to both their nets. Wayne was catching closer in and did enough to take yet another victory. Chris closed the gap on Stan to one big carp at Hinderclay. As for the rest of those fishing, it wasn't as good as last year. Will drew the other corner peg and had a similar weight to Stevo. Three Bellies had a quiet day all round and was beaten by Sam. Robyn just beat Sam, but was then beaten by Ammo. No lunkers this time for him though. They were all cruising at the other end of the lake, spotted by pleasure anglers. The only lunkers Ammo saw were in the car park, when he pooped, I mean popped, in on Buddha before leaving. With one match left it was all about second, third and fourth places in the standings. Stan would be back to battle with the bacon rolls.
Sunday 9th September - Hinderclay Reed Pool
| 1st |
W. Spooner |
40lb 0oz |
| 2nd |
M. Sherwood |
21lb 10oz |
| 3rd |
S. Scarff |
15lb 10oz |
There's nothing like the Reed Pool to end a season. Ben made his return from the USA to get one final victory over Three Bellies. Wayne drew his usual peg and got the usual result. A win. Even he struggled for a while though. With no breeze on the water the fish were not interested. Chris and Stevo still had a supply of maize to use up, so that was the bait sorted. For Wayne, who took most of it home to feed the carp in Oulton Broad. Mark drew on the walkway, not a favoured area. Somehow he managed to find some fish on the pole and take second place. For others it was a feeder approach. Chris hooked one fish on the waggler, but got snapped off. After that it was a feeder in the pads, of which there were many. One bite and one more lost fish later the match was over and so was his chance of overtaking Stan. He must remember next year not to drink so much on his birthday. Or cut his hair. Coconut-chucker had to wait a long time for his solitary fish. It was when the wind started blowing he found it. Stevo made sure he couldn't be caught by claiming third place with a couple of fish. The Buddha resorted to Ammo tactics just to get a weigh-in. Ammo showed him how to do it by doubling his weight. Sam, Robyn and Will all suffered the same fate as Chris to end the season on a low note. At least the burgers turned up this time. The Chucker enjoyed his food, fish and overall third place finish a little too much. Three Bellies and Buddha knew it wasn't a good idea to mock the blankers, but the challenge was set. So now its on to the beach and Chris is looking for revenge. Three Bellies knew he couldn't win so went on holiday and left his brother to do the dirty work. Not even a superior Brighty could stand in the way and now it is down to Chris versus the Chucker (and Mr Randlesome) in a Christmas Fare grudge match. Will Chris get justice? You'll soon know if he does. Merry Christmas!
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