Mixed fortunes for our pike anglers

Pike anglers have been in action across our area with mixed fortunes. When conditions have allowed, the River Stour has been productive with Grove Ferry and Plucks Gutter seeing the best of catches.

Junior Canterbury and District Angling Association member Henry Weir tempted six small (jack) pike to 7lb from Fordwich Lake before the conditions improved on the river and he and his father Jon tackled up there to catch even more pike.

Henry caught seven to 9lb while Jon banked five pike including sizeable fish of 14lb 4oz and 15lb 8oz.

Carp anglers at Fordwich Lake have struggled with only a few carp seen which is unusual for this time of year. Kevin Ostirich hooked a 24lb mirror carp while Ben Johnson caught one of the lake’s linear carp – a mirror carp with a continuous line of scales along the lateral line. Johnson’s fish tipped the scales to 20lb 8oz. In contrast, the fine hauls of fish from Stonar Lake in Sandwich have remained with all swims proving fruitful. Nigel Woodcock fished two sessions and in one landed rudd to 1lb, bream to 5lb and a brace of commons to 14lb, while earlier he had targeted roach and caught numerous with his best fish to 1lb. Carp angler Dan Bean tackled up to catch six good fish to 29lb and went on to land ‘Big Girl’ a mirror carp, at 38lb 12oz, while his previous trip produced three smaller carp to 17lb.

Junior anglers have done well at Stonar with ten-yearold Phoenix Minter catching a 20lb 1oz mirror carp and eight-year-old Felicity Wilson common carp of 9lb and 18lb 8oz.

Hugh Molloy found the going harder during his most recent trip and had to settle for two commons to 12lb.

His previous visit produced 13 small commons and 19 bigger fish to 20lb 4oz.

There have been some fine rudd and roach catches with Neil Harrop continuing his great season with plenty more roach to 8oz.

Most recently good bream catches have been reported with Shane Beeching taking several heavy fish to 7lb. Barry Shaw enjoyed more bream to 5lb and eight of the water’s smaller carp to 12lb.

Other notable carp hauls were taken by four anglers. Mitchell Thornby bagged a 21lb 1oz common carp and John Martin a 23lb 8oz mirror as well as a much smaller 9lb common carp.

With 11 commons to 15lb, Kevin Hopkins also banked mirrors of 15lb, 15lb 2oz and finally a ‘plus 20’ with a great mirror of 25lb. Dave Kemp coaxed nine good carp, mostly doubles, as well as a 20lb common and a 26lb fully-scaled mirror.

Dip tanks remain in place on all Canterbury and District Angling Association still waters due to the recent outbreak of KHV. Nets, mats and slings must be dipped (fully immersed) for a minimum of 15 minutes. Thank you for your continued help and understanding in complying with this instruction.

Although angling is allowed in the current lockdown, competitions are banned and therefore the CDAA’S annual Match Group Cup did not go ahead as planned. All other matches are cancelled on Association waters until further notice.