Probus triumph to end jinx

FELL ENDS SEASON WITH VICTORY IN BATEMAN CUP, WRITES MERCER Indoor bowls

Mick Fell recorded a convincing win in the season finale, the Bateman Cup.

The 2015-16 coarse fishing season drew to a close last week with the usual flurry of activity at our local lakes and on the River Stour.

The Bateman Cup was fished at Trenley Lake with Canterbury’s Fell hooking five bream and two roach for a winning weight of 22lb using a feeder rod from the Deeps.

Second- placed Steve West hooked three bream, four smaller skimmer-bream and two roach for 16lb 8oz ahead of Brian Malyn with 12lb 12oz and third position.

Malyn was unable to emulate his win in February’s Saunders Cup but it was enough to beat Anthony Lavender into fourth with his hard-earned 12lb 2oz. Trevor Baker weighed-in 9lb 1oz for fifth.

Maggot baits and feeders loaded with groundbait were the most productive tactics on the day. No tench were landed and fewer than normal small roach were taken, with the bigger fish only feeding in the chilly conditions.

Plenty of Fordwich Lake’s carp have been landed. Stuart White’s mirror carp of 28lb 8oz was a fine specimen as was Brian Gaymar’s 25lb mirror and a common carp weighing 18lb 4oz hooked by Chris Knight.

In the final few days of the season at Fordwich, two anglers enjoyed superb sport with a brace of carp each. Ady Minter weighed-in mirrors of 27lb 3oz and 20lb while Lee White a fine 23lb mirror and another good common carp of 18lb.

At Stonar Lake, the fish continue to come to the net with numerous mid-size common and mirror carp as well as good bags of bream being caught.

Les Lennell hooked bream to 3lb while Bradley Lennell concentrated on carp and finished his session with five lively fish to 15lb.

David Hills hedged his bets and landed both bream to 4lb and carp to 10lb, as did Shaun Haynes with fantastic specimen bream to 9lb 2oz and two weighty common carp in more memorable sessions at Stonar.

Yet more bream to 4lb fell to Stephen Hardwidge-webb while Simon Shears tussled with a 12lb 2oz mirror carp and good sized common carp were landed by Tom Day, Michael Scott, Sean Marsh, Mike Chandler, Dean Baldock and Mick Sharpe.

The Canterbury & District Angl ing Associat ion are organising working parties throughout the closed season at the Fordwich lakes complex. Meet at 8.30am in the car park.

The CDAA has extensive coarse fishing and fly fishing waters that remain open through the traditional closed season.

With membership vacancies available for the 2016-17 season, new and existing members can join by contacting 01227 710830 during office hours and visiting www.cdaa.co.uk for membership details including cost and an application form. Herne Bay Probus overcame bogey team Ashford Probus by 13 shots at the Ashford Indoor Bowling club.

Bay president Ray Sidders was in attendance and presented the Ray Pearce cup to Terry Taunton as captain of the Herne Bay team, who ended a long winless streak against Ashford. Ashford 31 Herne Bay Probus 44 Brian Silk, Terry Taunton, Clive Vurnum won 15-8; Marion Algar, Tony Ackland, Richard Remmington won 15-14; Stan Miller, John Manicom, Tony Bailey won 14-9.

Chislet Cavaliers enjoyed mixed fortunes as they played their home-andaway Short Mat League fixture with Aylesham.

Short-handed Chislet went down by 31 shots away but won by nine at home to claim six points each. Aylesham 42 Chislet 11 Michael Holmes, Wilf Laughton lost 20-3; John Rains, Jim Harlow lost 22-8. Chislet 32 Aylesham 23 John Rains, Jim Bellingham, John Court won 169; Jack Cramp, Michael Holmes, Wilf Laughton won 16-14.

Chislet’s outdoor bowlers suffered a 32-shot defeat in their annual indoor challenge at Betteshanger, losing on three of the four rinks played. Betteshanger 78 Chislet 46 Jonathan Goddard, Bob Eslea, Derek Walker won 18-10; Colin Rogers, Den Thayre, Bob Hill lost 21-6; Michael Holmes, Tony Bailey, Wilf Laughton lost 22-14; Jim Harlow, Michael Tomassi, Charlie Prentice lost 25-8.