Steve is Shaw thing in Somerset success

CARP to nearly 20lb were caught in the first of the weekend’s open matches at Somerset’s Viaduct Fishery with a staggering 369lb 12oz taking first prize.

Lee Werrett, from Ebbw Vale, did best from the South Wales anglers taking part when he finished fifth with 149lb 10oz.

The second match was won with 204lb 3oz; but this time it was a South Wales angler at the top.

Steve Shaw, from Cardiff, made the weight with large carp caught on legered sweetcorn and pellets.

Third payout also came back over the Severn Bridge when Phil Weaver, from Newport, caught 145lb 3 oz of carp.

Carp into double figures were in the Sirhowy AS nets at Mathern Mill where Tredegar’s Mike Yandle added another win to his impressive total this year by catching 111lb 3oz on pole and pellets.

Another of the town’s anglers Joel Worgan came second with 101lb 7oz and Nigel Morris third with 80lb 6oz.

It was Mike Yandle again in first place at the Wednesday match on Penny’s Pond at Redhill Fishery.

He turned unfancied peg 16 into a winner with 176lb 2oz of carp.

Newport competitor Dave Turberville was second with 126lb 6oz and Gordon Perry third with 108lb 12oz.

The Wednesday match at White Springs was on the New Canal and won by Dan Bowen with 124lb 7oz of carp from peg 10. Rob White’s 90lb was second best while 87lb 6oz put Chris Wells in third Place.

It was back on the Canal for the Sunday clash and this time Jim Hart took the honours with 102lb 2oz. Second and third were Alan Godrich and Andy Rogers with 101lb and 98lb 14oz.

First prize in the Wednesday match for the over 50s at Cefn Mably Lakes went to Merthyr when Brian Prothero put a mainly carp 74lb 8oz on the scales.

Robert Michael, from Cardiff, was just four ounces behind and Glamorgan AC member Mick Fraser third with 70lb.

Dennis O’Leary kept up a long run of winning the silver fish pool with 17lb 4oz of roach and bream.

Retired Ebbw Vale steelworker Dennis O’Leary carried on his winning way at Festival Park Lake where his 16lb 2oz of roach and perch was top catch in the Festival AC match.

The next two payouts stayed in the town as Ian Swanson weighed in 13lb 8oz and Larry Salter 12lb 14oz.

It was O’Leary again in the Newport Open at Woodstock Pond.

This time he pole fished maggots from peg 13 and put a 43lb mixture of carp and bream in his net to take first place ahead of Cwmbran’s Rob Skellett with 40lb 4oz and Newport AA match secretary Rob Sims with 27lb 10oz.

Section prizes went to John Mack, from Newport, with 24lb 14oz and Pontypool angler Nick Jones with 24lb 8oz.

A 14lb carp that took a piece of luncheon meat helped local teenager Matt Grindle to an easy win with 29lb 6oz in the Lydney Open on the town’s lake. Adrian Davies was nearest with 15lb 5oz of bream and Roy Wellington third with 11lb 7oz.

Catches over 100lb had been taken earlier in the week but the fish hardly fed when match anglers descended on the Crucian Lake at Holgan Farm for the Sunday fixture and all Chris Wells needed to win was 38lb. Runner-up Andrew Wray’s weight was 29lb 2oz while 25lb put fishery boss Ian Heaps in at number three.

Gary Lewis used pole and pellets to catch 66lb 14oz of carp and win the Aberglais AC match on Penny’s Pond at Redhill Fishery ahead of fellow Merthyr angler Brian Prothero with 59lb 14oz, Abertysswg’s Mark Williams with 45lb 14oz and Cefn Coed member Graham Davies in fourth with 42lb 1oz.

Mark Williams was the winner when the club headed into Gloucestershire and a match at Staunton Court.

He used pellets and sweetcorn as bait and caught 111lb 13oz of carp.

Fochriw member Philip Jones finished in second place with 87lb 7oz and Paddy Payne in third with 86lb 15oz.

Exactly 4lb of small roach put Steve Edwards ahead in the Pontymister AC match on the canal at Cross Keys.

Richard Harley had half that for second place while Kevin Mellish and Rob Simms tied for third with 1lb 15oz.

The Bank Holiday Open at Riverside Fishery was pegged on Meadow Lake and won by Tony Birt, from Blackwood, who used a long pole with maggots as bait and caught 25lb 8oz of bream.

Clive Roberts, from Roath, was hot on his heels with 25lb 4oz and Dennis O’Leary trousered another pool payout by coming third with 15lb.

Carp were waiting for the members of Iffers AC who travelled to Gloucestershire venue Harescombe Lake and Ian Sutton returned with the winner’s purse in his pocket after netting 87lb 10oz.

Bob Williams was next with 82lb 4oz and Dave Nelson third with 70lb 12oz.

The second of the Newport AA evening open matches is on Wednesday at Woodstock Pond with the draw at 5pm and the next Sunday open is on Sunday, June 11 at Morgans Pond.

A good entry is expected at Cefn Mably Lakes on Saturday, June 10 for the Charity Open where the draw is at 10am.

Rhymney AS member Ryan Mahoney fished his club’s Penbrith Pond at Pontlottyn and caught a carp that weighed 11lb when he used bread as bait.

Another of the club’s waters turning up some good fish is Fochriw Feeder Pond.

Luke Duggan landed three carp between 9lb and 13lb when he fished and Richard Lynch caught one of 16lb.

Alan Edwards caught roach, rudd, bream and carp for catches weighing 110lb and then 150lb on the two days he fished on Willow Lake at Trefaldu Fishery.

Stuart Keenor added tench to that mixture of fish when he float fished maggots for a 70lb total.