The Ladies National this year was held at Packington Somers Fishery in Coventry and was split between Geary and Little Geary lakes.

Julie Abbott reports on her match:

I was hoping for a good day’s fishing and I was rewarded by drawing peg 11 on Little Geary. My plan was pretty simple; pellet feeder to the island, a shallow line and a margin swim for later on in the match.

I started on pellet feeder swapping between wafters, pellets and dead maggots on the hook. It was a slow start, with just three F1s in the opening 50 minutes, all falling to banded pellet. I didn’t want to go shallow too early, but I decided to give it a go and caught a couple more on banded caster on a size 18 eyed B911, in-between the hoards of roach and small skimmers.

Back on the pellet feeder, I had a couple more, but I wasn’t going anywhere fast. At this point I fed the margins with groundbait and pellet and switched back to the long pole and an In-line Crystal Dibber , feeding caster shallow. Bites came out of the blue with no need to strike as the F1s hooked themselves against the pole. Alternating between big pouches of caster and starving them onto the hook by slapping kept the bites coming. Until an hour and a half to go when I couldn’t get a bite.

I looked on my margin line and quickly picked up two carp in as many casts, then this line also came to a halt. I then committed to fishing shallow for the remainder of the match and managed to land five big F1s in the last 40 minutes, including one right on the whistle. I knew the lake had fished a little patchy and estimated that I had 35 to 40lb.

At the weigh in I recorded 24.450kg, which in old money is 54lb – a bit out on my estimation!

Sandra Scotthorne and Emma Pickering had been catching all match so I knew I wouldn’t beat them, but I was surprised when I found out that I had beaten all the anglers on Gearys Lake and I was 3rd overall! Even better, and perhaps more pleasing, my Starlets team of Helen Dagnall, Sophie Hill, Sandra and myself won the team event for the 3rd year in succession – something no other team has done before.  I think I’m more proud of this team medal than my individual one as all 4 anglers have to produce on the day in order to do well.

Even better, and perhaps more pleasing, my Starlets team consisting of Helen Dagnall, Sophie Hill, Sandra Scotthorne and myself won the team event for the 3rd year in a row. Something no other team has done before. I think I’m more proud of this team medal than my individual one as all 4 anglers have to produce on the day in order to do well.

Thanks to the Angling Trust for organising the event, all the ladies who fished it and to Sandra Scotthorne who has won the event for the second time.