Ian Young reports back from the Electrical Industries Charity Fishing Day, recently held at Gold Valley Lakes in Hampshire.
Gold Valley Lakes was again the venue for the 15th EIC London region fishing day with 51 anglers taking part. Each angler received a Drennan gift and looked out over the lakes bathed in sunshine while munching on breakfast and considering how they would try to win a share of the £1,900 worth of prizes donated from Electrical suppliers and Drennan.
Once the draw had taken place and the starting hooter sounded, everyone was settled down around Middle and Syndicate lakes… then promptly dived for their waterproofs and umbrellas as the first of three bands of heavy rain passed over!
The unsettled weather did nothing for the fishing and there were very few fish caught early, so everyone was grateful for our multi World Feeder Championship medal winning ‘on the bank advisor’ Dean Barlow walking around the lakes for a chat and advice.
Drinks and doughnuts were also delivered to the pegs by manufacturer representatives who managed to venture out of the club house between showers.
The fishing improved in the last hour and most anglers managed to catch at least one fish but it was hard going to say the least. The last of the rain passed over, accompanied by thunder and lightning, but the smell of the hog roast was wafting across the lakes so no one was too bothered about getting wet again.
At the weigh in things weren’t as bad as feared as there were 17 double-figure weights topped by Bob Jarvis with six carp for 44lb 12oz from peg 113 on Syndicate. He caught on a pellet feeder fished to the rope with a banded 6mm pellet. He had two fish in the first hour then nothing for next three despite trying Pellet Waggler, straight lead and pole before deciding to concentrate on the pellet feeder for the remainder of the match and the fish decided to feed again and he landed four more and lost a couple in the last hour.
Second was Paul Moscrop with 44lb 4oz from peg 89 on Middle Lake and third was Dave Budd with 38lb from peg 103 on Syndicate.
The Biggest fish prize went to Derek Farsythe with a 12lb 2oz Carp from peg 105 on Syndicate.
There was also a prize for the Heaviest Silverfish Net which was disappointingly a mere 1lb 4oz! That only narrowly beat the Wooden Spoon prize of 1lb 2oz, but he could drown his sorrows as it was a bottle of 10-year-old single malt!
The day concluded with a raffle, giving everyone another chance to win something. Everyone went home well fed with an excellent hog roast and happy, but a bit damp.
A big thank you to all who attended, all those who helped, Dean Barlow, John Raison and the staff at Gold Valley and to everyone who helped support the event with donations. We raised a little over £2,500 for the EIC and plans are already in place for next year’s event, probably in July 2017 and back at Gold Valley.