Carp galore in season’s finale

Angling

The 2016-17 coarse fishing season finished last week with the usual rush to local waters before the three-month break,

Several big carp were caught at Fordwich Lake, including Lee White’s haul of commons weighing 16lb, 18lb, 27lb and a mirror carp of 23lb. Brian Gaymer had a great end to his season with several 20lb-plus fish, topped by a superb common carp brace of 31lb and 35lb. Three more anglers recorded tremendous carp catches from Fordwich. Stuart White’s common carp brace of 14lb and 16lb were bettered by a superb mirror carp of 36lb 8oz, while John Collins tussled with a 28lb common and Don Sedgwick a mirror of 22lb. The last competition of the season for the Bateman Cup was fished in spring-like conditions at Trenley Lake and at Stour Lake’s south bank. The temperature rose to 15 degrees and with no wind and a little overcast, conditions were good. This season’s cup was lifted by Andy King with a great 37lb 14oz total from Stour Lake that included eight good sized bream taken on his feeder rod. Fishing from the Trenley Lake shallows on the south bank, Dan West feeder-fished worm to weigh-in 24lb 8oz for second. Dan’s tally included seven bream and a few rudd. Tony Eversfield secured 21lb and third spot, ahead of another fine weight of 17lb 12oz caught by Mick Wilson for fourth. Away from the competition there have been several good bags of bream and some tench landed from Stour Lake. The Canterbury & District Angling Association have several waters that remain unaffected and open throughout the traditional closed season. Stonar Lake is one of those and recent catch reports suggest that the angling is improving weekly. Chris Harnett recently enjoyed a superb trip with three rudd to 13oz and 25 roach including four over 2lb. Harnett’s best roach was a specimen of 2lb 4oz. Ten bream to 6lb and five carp to 15lb fell to Steve Harris while Jim Covus hooked eight more carp to similar weights. Ian Gandon and Mike Chandler had a carp each with a 16lb mirror and an 18lb 3oz common respectively, Tony Cox three more to 13lb and Brian Mills reeled-in a lively 16lb 3oz common carp. For details of the Canterbury & District Angling Association membership vacancies, call 01227 710830 (office hours).