July off to slow start

Angling

The changeable weather with prolonged spells of rainfall has seemingly dampened the great start to the season with a notable drop in catches in early July. Fordwich Lake produced a 24lb mirror carp for Brian Gaemar while Dan Boden reeled in a 10lb fully-scaled mirror carp and an 8lb 8oz tench. Adjacent at Trenley Lake, Gareth Jones fished with his friend Keith Bell and the pair had lots of excellent quality tench to 5lb, bream to 6lb and numerous smaller roach. Also fishing at Trenley, George Brabham hooked two tench to 5lb 8oz on his first night trip while Dan Boden beat his first night of 70lb with an amazing 204lb of fish including 73 bream and two tench. Fishing at Grove Lake, junior Canterbury & District Angling Association member Harley Collins reeled-in a scrappy 4lb 8oz tench and several good carp during a most successful evening session with his dad. Ahead of this weekend’s Charity Shield, Stonar remains a firstclass water with plenty of fish coming to the net including some big carp. Jeremy Walker landed nine weighty carp culminating in a common of 19lb 4oz and a mirror of 25lb 10oz. Stonar Bailiff Jock White has reported three personal-bests caught including Mick Squire with a mirror of 23lb. Mick also caught a 14lb mirror and several bream to 6lb in a very memorable visit. Richard Cross landed a 4lb bream and a rod-bending personalbest mirror carp of 24lb 8oz while Ewan Galligan tussled with another big mirror which tipped his scales to a super 21lb personal best weight. Les Lennell is no stranger to Stonar and his latest session produced nine more superb carp with four of these over 20lb with mirrors of 20lb 4oz, 20lb 8oz, 23lb 12oz and 24lb 4oz. This year’s Stonar Charity Shield will be fished from Friday to Sunday at Stonar Lake. This competition is open to members and non members of the CDAA and this year’s donations are in aid of the ‘Caring for Connor’ charity. Anglers should meet at Jock’s shed at 2pm tomorrow (Friday) for the draw with fishing from 4pm until 10am on Sunday. The largest fish over the weekend wins the match. The Goldsmith Cup for junior anglers will be fished at Trenley Lake on Sunday with the draw at 8.30am at the lake. Fishing will be from 9.30am to 1pm.