The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Winter League win for Spriggs as Matrix Image edge team battle
The Angling Trust East Midlands Winter League was back on the Old Nene at Benwick using the same sections as the previous round.
Despite the rain and a sharp frost, the venue once again produced a fine result and, although some had to wait longer for the fish to arrive, our fenland drains are back to their very best.
Individual match winner on the day from the Benwick village end peg A1 was Paul Spriggs. He fished with worm and a few casters on the pole catching everything from skimmers, little perch, roach and bonus tench.
The real bonus of the day for him though was winning the Alan Lemmon Shield in memory of the main man, his mate and team mate ‘Jockey’.
The Little London section saw most of the leading weights with Matrix Image rod Gary Miller runner-up with 15lb 7oz followed by Stanjay Gold’s Graham Welton on 14lb 10 ½ oz.
It was close at the top on the team front. Matrix Image, after a poor start, claimed another with another win with 29 points followed by Tackle and Bates with 31 points and Browning Hotrods on 32.
The other team results were: 4th Stanjay Gold, 40; 5th Sensas Mk1 White, 43; 6th Sensas Mk1 Black, 49; 7th Stanjay Silver, 55.
It’s tight at the top of the league after four rounds, Tackle and Bates still lead with 10 points and Hotrods and Matrix Image Team are equal second with 11 points, fourth are Sensas Mk1 White, 16; fifth Stanjay Gold, 17; and sixth Sensas Mk1 Black, 22.
The first of 10 winter • matches run by the Cock Inn club was on the Four Islands Pool on the Decoy complex.
It was very patchy to say the least. Getting off to a flying start and winning off peg eightwas Gary Sell. He had 44lb 14oz of carp, barbel and f1s, catching on dead maggots.
Second was Larry Robertson from peg four, with 38lb 4oz with banded pellet and corn close in. Bob Mills was third with 34lb 11oz from peg six fishing corn over micro pellet.
City based Castaways AC
• fished the Forty Foot Drain on Sunday. Alan Jopling on peg five took the honours fishing a long pole line with maggot and pinkie over groundbait for a good weight of 12lb 13oz.
Runner-up was Peter Molesworth with 9lb 7oz, catching roach and perch on maggot and worm from peg two. Mike Smith came in third with a weight of of 8lb 4oz.
•JVAC are regulars to the Decoy Fishery and know all the lakes very well, but were not prepared for the difficult conditions and the form of the usually productive Elm Pool.
The leading weights are respectable though, with Chris Saunders leading the way from peg eight catching carp and F1s on the pole with maggot for 63lb 5oz.
Runner-up with 59lb 11oz from peg 17 was Paul Irons fishing close in with sweetcorn and pellet, followed by Mick King with 53lb 2oz.