Dennes Farm
25.6.23
This usually prolific venue turned out to be a tougher than usual nut to crack for those anglers taking part, with many struggling to catch the lake’s resident carp.
The early running was taken up by Mark ‘lofty’ Haines, drawn halfway along the spit, who took some early fish ‘slapping and mugging’, (which is no reference to his past life), before catching a few fish close to the near bank under the willow tree to his right on meat. It wasn’t until he changed tactics and fished meat and pellets in slightly deeper water on the edge of the willow that his catch rate improved to give him a final weight of 93lb 8oz and second place.
Winning his 3rd West Ewell match in a row was in form Nick Furniaux. Nick, like many others, had a slow start putting only an estimated weight of 25b in his net in the first two thirds of the match, mainly caught on the long pole. It was the last hour and a half that saw Nick’s fortunes change with a switch to feeding groundbait, with paste on the hook fished in the margins, to end with a ton-up weight of 102lb 12oz and victory.
3rd placed angler, Ian Farmer, also had a slow start having just one carp in the first two hours, but by swapping between meat and paste, fished at both 6m and down the edge, finishing with an ounce short of 74lb.
Drawn in ‘the Willow’, new member Dean ‘Deano’ Vick, fishing his first match with the club and the first time on this venue, came in 4th with 57lb 10oz. Included in his catch was Deano’s first ever Sturgeon.
Finally, one bad, one good.
Steve Parkin was the unluckiest angler on the day when, after landing a 16lb 11oz specimen with it still in the net, the fish decided to slap Steve’s pole with its tail and smash a section.
Meanwhile, Ray Smee won £1 side bet off of John ‘Catfish’ Beard after Ray caught a small catfish and possibly take John’s nick name away from him.
1st N. Furniaux 102lb 12oz
2nd M. Haine 93lb 08oz
3rd I. Farmer 73lb 15oz
4th D.Vick 57lb 10oz