Holt SAC North Norfolk National Sea League Round 3 (Report)

Sunday 13th December 2015 - Cley

 

 

Before reporting this match it is worth mentioning that Holt SAC has recently returned from organising an extremely successful National Sea League Final in Eastbourne with the assistance of the local organisers, Anglers Den. In total 30 teams (150 anglers) from around the country participated in the event in rather challenging and atrocious weather conditions and winds up to 50mph. Even so, over 6000 fish were recorded on the first day and just under 3000 on the second which presented its own challenge for the results system. Not so, the whole process worked like a dream with Day 1 results available at 6:00 on Day 1 after a 3:00 match finish. The Day 2 process worked even better with results and prize table monies of more than £10k available by 5:30 with the same match times. We were commended by many teams for our professionalism which we have demonstrated time and time again over the past few years which disappointingly is being ignored in certain quarters of our match scene.

 

Anyway Holt SAC will have the opportunity to once again demonstrate this skill as the 2016 National Sea League Final will be run in North Norfolk in late November or early December. This means that all the teams that have so far participated in the first 3 rounds of the North Norfolk National Sea League will be eligible to fish the Final provided they meet the qualification criteria in the final 3 rounds next year. This will mean that 8 teams from our league will be qualifying including new TEAM MAVER under the stewardship of England Youth International Henry Randell who managed to enter a strong team in round 3 to meet this qualification criteria. Holt SAC will also have another first by having its HOLT SAC YOUTHS team fishing in the 2016 Final and this was down to young Jack Toppings vain attempt to catch a fish in this match but none the less kept alive his teams chance of qualify by actually fishing the match, well done Jack.

 

Now on to the match for real which was being contested at Cley with all 5 sections of 7 anglers fishing west from the car park. A very strong northerly over-night had put a slight swell in the water but the wind had thankfully abated to next to nothing. Overcast skies certainly helped to bring the fish inshore along with a good colour in the water but weed in the gutter was more of a nuisance rather than a problem for some. Fishing a good ebbing tide from near the top meant a hard slog for the lower order pegs but with the water receding by the end meant an easy hike back.

 

From the off the dabs were there in numbers albeit small and surprisingly a lot of undersize of around the 17cm mark were frustratingly found. The challenge in this match was either try and target the bigger dabs or to locate the large points earning flounders or to encourage the decent whiting to take the bait. Unfortunately, the latter two options failed to materialise for most and the majority had to slog it out with small dabs. Even so, competition was very healthy and it turned out to be a tussle between the “old” experienced warriors of AVENUE ANGLING NORWICH and that of Henry’s young International and local knowledge TEAM MAVER. At the end these two teams could not be separated with both accumulating 6 penalty points with both having 2 section wins and 2 section 2nds and even the dropped score could not separate them as they were both section 3rds.

 

The Individuals scoring was like turning the clock back 30+ years to the good old Caister days with MIKE WATTS of North Norfolk Lads taking the honours with 6lb 8oz from 24 fish and RICHARD JACOBS of Avenue Angling Norwich taking the runners up spot with 5lb 2oz from 22 fish. In total 424 fish (22 flounders, 344 dabs and 58 whiting) were recorded weighing a total of just under 91 lb. The heaviest flat fish was a flounder of 36cm (1lb 3oz) to Richard Jacobs (Avenue Angling Norwich) and the heaviest round a whiting of 37cm (12oz) to John Bower (Avenue Angling Norwich).

 

In the sections, HENRY RANDELL (Peg 5) of Team Maver did his usual trick of taking top spot in Zone A with 5lb 1oz from 26 fish. Runners-up slot was shared by LUKE PEARSON (Peg 1) of Holt Crack Offs and ANDY GALLACHER (Peg 6) of Avenue Angling Norwich both with 4lb 8oz from 24 fish for Luke and 23 fish for John. Zone B was taken by Team Maver’s PETE SIMMONS (Peg 13) with 4lb 6oz from 23 fish with GARY MEDLER (Peg 14) of Avenue Angling Norwich runner-up with 4lb 0oz from 16 fish.

 

Zone C was taken by some of that “old” experience in JOHN BOWER (Peg 22) of Avenue Angling Norwich with 4lb 3oz from 16 fish and runner-up was CHRISTIAN BULCH (Peg 21) of Team Maver with 3lb 14oz from 19 fish. Old experience (not quite so Olde) helped MIKE WATTS (Peg 27) of North Norfolk Lads to take Zone D with 6lb 8oz from 24 fish and BILLY TEMPLE (Peg 29) (a little more Olde) runner-up with 2lb 11oz from 13 fish. Final Zone E was taken by RICHARD JACOBS (Peg 38) of Avenue Angling Norwich with 5lb 2oz from 22 fish and MIKE TOPPING (Peg 34) of Avenue Angling Beccles runner-up with 4lb 12oz from 22 fish.

 

As mentioned it was a tight battle at the top with AVENUE ANGLING NORWICH and TEAM MAVER tieing with 6 penalty points. Final Team podium slot went to a recovering NORTH NORFOLK LADS with 13 points and 4th was HOLT CRACK OFFS with 15 points. 5th place was taken by TEAM KIPPER on 17 points followed by AVENUE ANGLING BECCLES in 6th place with 19 points although they did have a reduced squad. 7th place went to HOLT SAC YOUTHS with 24 points even though their single man failed to catch a fish. CHARLIES ANGELS failed to field any members so must fish the remaining 3 rounds to qualify for the 2016 Final. The HOLT SAC team also failed to field any members but as they had also not done so in the previous two rounds they are not able to qualify for the Final and the team has been withdrawn from the league.

 

This sterling performance on the day has enabled AVENUE ANGLING NORWICH to take a commanding lead in the League with just 23 points after 3 rounds. A poor performance by AVENUE ANGLING BECCLES has brought them closer to the pack but are still 2nd with 35 points. A continued steady performance from HOLT CRACK OFFS has enabled them to sneak into 3rd place with 38 points. All of this may be academic as the worst team match result will be dropped at the end so a poor performance here could be dropped at the end.

 

The next ROUND 4 of the North Norfolk National Sea League is at SALTHOUSE on SUNDAY 10TH JANUARY 2016 fishing 10:00-3:00.

 

Individual Result Top 5

1st Mike Watts              5lb 8oz         (24 Fish)   - North Norfolk Lads

2nd Richard Jacobs        5lb 1 2/3oz   (23 Fish)   - Avenue Angling Norwich

3rd Henry Randell          5lb 1oz         (26 Fish)   - Team Maver

4th Mike Topping           4lb 12oz        (22 Fish)   - Avenue Angling Beccles

5th Jake Cooperb           4lb 9 2/3oz   (19 Fish)   - Team Maver

 

Teams Result

1st= Avenue Angling Norwich   6 points

1st= Team Maver                    6 points

3rd   North Norfolk Lads         13 points

4th   Holt Crack Offs              15 points

5th   Team Kipper                  17 points

6th   Avenue Angling Beccles  19 points

7th   Holt SAC Youths             24 points

 

Teams to date

1st  Avenue Angling Norwich   23 points

2nd Avenue Angling Beccles    35 points

3rd  Holt Crack Offs                38 points

4th  Team Kipper                    39 points

5th  North Norfolk Lads            52 points

6th   Team Maver                    63 points

7th   Charlies Angels                80 points

8th   Holt SAC Youths              92 points

 

Please note team’s worst score is yet to be dropped.

 

Full Team Results                    Team Results Round 3

Full Individual Results              Individual Results Round 3

 

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