Match Results 2008

Match Results:

Match Resuts 2007

Results 2007:

Saturday 20/07/1996 - National Angling Championship - Division One - River Witham - Avon Angling Masterclass

Similar team different name. We had previously been sponsored by Sensas (the best sponsorship a team could wish for) and for reasons I either don't know or wouldn't understand anyway we switched to Masterclass who were manufacturers of Grounds Baits and for some reason there was always copious amounts available to us.

I was fishing in a teams of four match at Durleigh Reservoir and had drawn on the far bank and found myself next to Gary Etheridge. As we know Gary is not adverse in accepting a freebee, so my skullduggery kicked in and gave Gary a couple of bags of Masterclass GB - all I had with me. The current form on our bank was to fish waggler over GB and maggot for small Skimmers and Roach. Of course I knew the GB was absolutely crap and I wouldn't be using it, preferring the Sensas GB's. Anyway Gary and I had a bit of a waggler-off. Of course Gary tried the GB which gave me the edge with me beating him in the section. After the weigh in Gary ask what the hell was in the GB as it smelled like cough mixture. I said all the Masterclass Ground Baits smelled like that and suggested he shouldn't use it. I think my team came fourth overall that day. So there's more than one way to use a GB to your advantage. A good test of GB's is if the Mice won't eat it the fish won't either. The GB became a laughing stock amongst our team.

A few minor changes to the team for this National with some some late changes with Dave Micklewright, Bob Shephard  and Paul Whittaker filling in. 

The Team:

84 teams of 12 - 1,008 anglers would line the banks of the Witham.

Team wise we drew peg 82 and I was given section H which was just down from Tattershall Bridge an a bend . Bathampton AA our local rivalry team had drawn peg 69, finding myself on the same coach as Derek Coles who had draw H 69. The coach stopped on the road running along the bank between our pegs as Derek walked one way I the other. I arrived at the peg (pictured right with red dot) with the first thing I noticed was that judging from the condition of the bank the peg had been well fished as was most along the roadside. The road ran each way

as far as I could see which wasn't far as I was on the point of a bend. Set up the pole for Eels at 11.5 metres and the GB feeder. It wasn't long before I had my first 4 oz Eel which always settles the nerves on these big matches. I appeared to be doing ok around me, when a guy stopped behind me and asked how I was doing - no answer from me. He then went on to tell me he had caught two Bream form my peg the day before - great. After he left I fished the feeder with caster and Sensas Bream for a while catching only small Bootlaces. Finally gave this up choosing to go went back on the pole catching a few more better Eels. I felt I shouldn't have wasted time on the feeder, especially that late in the match, which cost a few team points I think.

I put 2 lb 12 oz on the scales for 50 points and a - could have done better.

The team did really well amassing 675 points for 12th overall. I reckon had we not had a team blank we could have got a in a medal position again - but that's fishing. Ian Spriggs did his usual winning his section. We beat a lot of good teams this day but more importantly we thrashed Bathampton AA.

This was to be our last National team match as very few fancied fishing the Stainforth and Keadby Canal planned for the following year.

The match was won by Rob Mitchell from peg D64 with a good weight of Bream of 52 lb 8 oz. 

Scunthorpe and District won the team title.

Result:

Saturday 01/07/1995 - National Angling Championship - Division One - Gloucester Canal - Team Bristol

This write up is more about memories rather than results as I don't have them.

In addition to fishing matches Andy Floyd and me had been regularly pleasure fishing the Canal. One such visit ended early when a swan frightened by a boat flew into Andy's pole snapping the number 5 section. Luckily he did retrieve the rest of the pole. No Swan was injured.

The next memory was a strange request from an unnamed angler whom had travelled with me. He was unpacking his kit outside his house when I was asked if I minded reversing over his pole which he had placed half in the road and half on the pavement. I finally obliged and on inspection found I had only managed to split the butt section! Drennan Team England if I remember correctly.

There were the usual big pre-national practice matches. On one such match I arrived at my peg (I cant remember where it was) and couldn't believe the state of the Canal in the area. Even though it was 14 foot deep It was covered in weed and gin clear. I didn't fancy it at all. I walked the section up stream finding the further I went the more colour and less weed I found, so a section win was out of the question. As I had given Andy a lift I decided to fish the peg. When I got back to the peg found on my right Tom Pickering, who I think just won £6,000 in Denmark and on my left Dave Thomas - two World Champions. After a chat I had soon put them in no doubt we wouldn't catch much - if anything. Fishing between the weeds I managed to catch two bootlace Eels before throwing the towel in and going off to find Andy. Dave Thomas had also packed up but Tom was still trying to catch more Bootlaces. Thankfully I don't think this section was to be put in the forthcoming National.

The team had been doing well in both matches and pleasure sessions, so had a strong team and thus all were looking forward to the National.

The Team:

On the day of the National as per usual I was handed my peg which I think was somewhere near Cambridge. Coaches weren't provided driving to our sections instead. Again team wise were were all left to fish our own match and I had been doing OK on Joker feed with Bloodworm/s hook bait. I fed the usual GB laced with Joker at 13 metres and fished either red maggot or Bloodworm or a combo of both on the hook. The lad to my right decided to fish the feeder all match at halfway he was blanking whilst I was regularly putting small fish in the net. He then caught a Bream and did say he was starting to worry he was going to blank. I had a feeder set up and had a chuck and whilst watching the motionless tip I realised that if there were any Bream in my peg I would catch them on the pole with what I was doing, however, in between would catch small fish thus adding to the team points. So the feeder was soon abandoned. The upshot was I did keep catching small fish - mainly Ruffe, alas no Bream. However, the lad next to me had I think five more Bream late on and I do believe he made it in the top 10 overall. I don't know what I weighed but believe I had good team points.

The team finished up a disappointing 32nd at least staying in the first division for the next years National on the River Witham.

Picture below of Glenn Bailey landing a Skimmer on his way to 4 lb 13 oz and 68 points.

Match Results 2006

 Results 2006: