Angling round-up: John's frost bite proves a winner...

The event followed a hard overnight frost, and the majority of competitors scaled down to light hook lengths and tiny hooks in an effort to counter the conditions.

This resulted in a number of big carp being hooked, although John was the only angler who managed to land one on the light tackle. John was fishing the little bay when he hooked the fish a couple of hours into the match.

After the carp picked up his single red maggot presented on a quivertip, pound and a half hooklength, and tiny size twenty hook, John played it for almost half an hour! He added two small tench to finish more than six pounds clear of the field.

Second place went to Basildon matchman Dave Hemmings with a 10lb 12oz catch of roach. Dave fished the cockle bank where he used pole tactics and pinkies to take fish steadily throughout the match.

Geoff Byatt took third place with a 9lb 10oz canal stretch catch. His seven small carp and a tench all fell to waggler tactics and luncheon meat bait.

Although Geoff finished in third place, he had a disaster of a match. Not only did he miss numerous bites throughout the event, but he had taken a near 100lb haul a couple of swims away the previous day.

Geoff's enormous haul was taken in less than six hours, and consisted of tench, crucians, carp and barbel.

Starting at 7am he took fish from his first cast. and continued to do so until he packed up before 1pm.

His two biggest carp, taken on waggler and luncheon meat, scaled 10lb and 13lb 12oz. As well as numerous other carp and crucians, his haul included 12 tench and five barbel.

The next Gloucester Park Open will take place on Sunday February 27. Anglers should meet at the Western end of the island at 7.15am for a 7.30am sharp walkoff. Fishing time will be 8.30am until 2.30pm.

Match entry will cost £6 with the usual day ticket payable on the bank. Anglers will need two keepnets, one for silver fish, and the other for carp and tench. Bloodworm and joker are both barred.

The event will be a walkoff and will not affect pleasure anglers at the venue. For more information telephone Mick Toomer on 01268 282317.

(Right)John Musson displays his Gloucester Park match-winning carp

(Left) Dave Hemmings took this double figure roach catch from the Gloucester Park cockle bank

(Below right) Geoff Byatt displays his third-placed Gloucester Park catch

Nudd lined up for Chat

Bob Nudd, Dr Barrie Rickards and Andy Little are among the demonstrating stars on display at the 21st Chatsworth Angling Fair in Derbyshire.

This year's event promises to be the biggest yet and has been forced to move to a new site, at Old Deer Park (400 yards to the south), to accomodate all the extra attractions.

Among the new attractions this time is a "contest" between top game and coarse fishermen in which both teams will fish solely with pre-selected flies - they can use whichever techniques they wish but no other baits.

The fair takes place on the weekend of May 6 and May 7, from 8am to 5.30pm daily, and entrance is £7 (£6 if application received before April 26). Children aged 14 and under are admitted free if accompanied by an adult.

Monk finds holy grail

Former Canvey AC member Dave Paulding struck gold when he got his back water grand slam on Friday.

Dave - known locally as the Monk - achieved every angler's holy grail in the Florida Keys, where he had been on a 12-day fishing holiday.

He set off at 5am and caught his tarpon at 7am. Four hours later Dave landed his permit.

Due back ashore at 1pm, Dave was suprised when the boat's skipper said they were staying out so the Tillingham angler could go for his grand slam by catching his bonefish.

"It was a one in a million thing for me," said a delighted Dave. "Everyone wanted to congratulate me when we got back."

Peter pipped by Peck

Peter Wright was the winner of the final leg of Basildon & District Angling Society's winter-all-in competition at the Moat Lake, Basildon, on Sunday.

But he was beaten to the overall title by new town ace Dave Peck, who beat Kevin Rogers into second after accumulating 11 points over the four legs.

The twenty five competing anglers found it difficult to tempt the fish on the day, but Peter - fishing the pole with chopped worms - eventually won with a haul of carp and roach which totalled 9.8lbs.

Second was Rob Sach, who landed a fine carp weighing eight pounds after using the same tactics as Peter.

Tom Shingler came third with a total of 4.9lbs after catching numerous roach and rudd with maggots and pinkies.

Collier mines a rich sea of carp

Dave Collier enjoyed a successful after work session at Billericay's Lake Meadows, landing two carp totalling over 40lb .

Dave arrived at Lake Meadows to find it deserted, giving him the choice of every swim on the lake.

He chose the point, and took advantage of the solitude to present one bait against the island, and two others in open water.

His five-hour session produced three runs. He missed the first, but went on to land a superb mirror of 22lb 3oz and a common of 19lb 6oz.

Both fish fell to homemade Mainline boilies presented on semi-fixed rigs.

There will be a Pike Match at Northlands Park on Sunday February 27.

Anglers should meet at the Northlands Park Caf from 7.30am for an 8.00am walk off. Fishing time will be 8.45am till 3.00pm.

Baits will be restricted to sea dead baits and artificial lures and anglers may use one or two rods.

Prizes will be awarded by total weight and no competitor can take more than one prize.

Entry is £5 with the usual day ticket payable on the bank.

Double cafe haul for Roy

The Northlands Park Cafe Lake produced the goods for pike angler Roy Turner when a short session produced a brace of double figure specimens. In fact he hooked both fish at the same time!

Roy was fishing two rods presenting float-fished sprats on both. After striking into his first pike Roy looked across to his other float to see it being dragged under.

After striking this second fish to ensure that it was not deeply hooked Roy quickly played the other to the net. He left first fish in the water in the landing net and quickly snatched up his second rod.

The fish was still attached and Roy successfully brought this one to the net as well, giving him a total of over 20lbs of pike in his landing net at the same time.

Jenkins thrashes his rivals

John Jenkins overcame heavy frost to lead the field by some considerable way as Hockley Angling Club welcomed Romford Angling Centre to its day ticket water on Sunday.

His carp catch, taken on the pole using red maggot, totalled 51lb 4oz and was some way ahead of second-placed David Williams, whose total haul was 17lb 8oz.

Bob Buckland took third with 15lb 7oz and Ken Watts was fourth with a quality bag of roach and skimmer bream for 10lb 3oz.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.