Shirley takes the honours at Lychgate

AFTER a slow start to the New Year, sport improved for Sunday’s Lychgate Fisheries Open. With fish hard to catch but feeding, a good last hour put Ian Shirley in pole position, as he took the honours with a 33lb 4oz catch of mainly carp from peg 41. Colin Chapman finished second with a bream and carp catch weighing 25lb 7ozs. Graham Backhouse was third with a 21lb 14oz catch.

Dave Hurlston scored a convincing win in Thursday’s Higham Lane Open. Drawn on peg 13, Dave fished “bomb and corn” to land 30lb 9ozs of carp. Alan Grewcock finished second with 18lb 12ozs with John Varley a close third with 18lb 4ozs.

Despite what looked like perfect winter conditions, the “silver” fish refused to feed in Shackerstone’s Sunday Open match. Pegged along Gopsall Wharfe, just 2ozs separated the top three! Phil Hicks needed just 1lb of small perch to win. Phil Baker came second with 15ozs, while a single 14oz perch was enough to give Andy Morton third place.

There was a good turn out on Wednesday for the first match of the year at Lychgate Fisheries. With no one catching a fish for the first three hours every bite was vital. Robin Duffy stuck it out on the tip, landing four carp to win with 24lb 10ozs. Paul Bates caught bream and one carp to take second place with 20lb 4ozs. Ian Shirley finished third with 19lb 8ozs.

Martin Checkley found a few feeding fish on a rock hard Maynes Lakes, to win the first match of the year with just 14lb 11ozs. Result; Pool One: Winner; Martin Checkley peg 28. Pool Two, Winner; Malc Harvey 7lb 6ozs peg 1.

Saturdays Higham Lane Fishery Open was won by Dean Hughes from peg 25 with a 25lb 7oz catch. Dave Lynch came second with 22lb 2ozs with Kev Milne finishing third with 18lb 11ozs.

Brookfield’s last match of the year fished hard, but it was a close finish with less than a pound splitting the top three. Danny Ross took the honours with a 11lb 14oz catch from peg 21. Steve Brindley and Alby Biehl tied for second place, both weighing 11lb 1oz.

Maynes Lakes final match of the year was won by Darryl Moore with a 20lb 11oz catch. The biggest fish series ran last year through out the Wednesday Open’s was won by Jamie Horler. With the target fish being a Carp, Jamie’s fish of 9lb 1oz was the biggest weighed. Result; Pool One, Winner: Dave Cleaver 13lb 1ozs peg 38. Pool Two, Winner: Darryl Moore, peg 7.

Kev Milne used “bomb and corn” tactic’s to win Higham Lane’s final match of the year, landing 35lb 11ozs from peg 8. Alan Grewcock weighed 32lb 11ozs to finish second with John Varley finishing third with 24lb.

Higham Lane Fishery have an Open match every Thursday and Saturday, draw 9am.

Lychgate Fisheries have Open matches every Saturday and Sunday, draw for both at 9.15am.

Shackerstone have an Open match this Sunday, draw 7.45am at the Rising Sun.

Brookfield have an Open match this Sunday at Stoke Golding, draw 9am.

Maynes Lake’s have an Open match every Wednesday, draw 10am.

Lychgate Fisheries have an Open match every Wednesday, draw 9am.