Holt SAC Ken Brown Cup (Report)

Sunday 20th November 2016 - Kelling

The postponement of the John Lacey Memorial match at Gorleston until Sunday 22nd January 2016 left a few Club members disappointed particularly those with shed loads of bait. With “Angus” hoofing itself towards us the Organisers had no other option than to take this action given the seriousness of the forecast warnings.   Safety has to come first and we support their decision even though “Angus” did not materialise as predicted up our way.

So to placate that disappointment of our hardened Club members the Ken Brown Cup match was rearranged for Kelling to give some shelter with the Shingle Bank. As it happened the winds really did not come and all that rain was dumped in the early hours of the morning resulting in a few doing a bit of “surfing” on the way to the venue. It was a dank morning but the rain held off for most of the match with the wind starting to freshen with a bit of north in it. There was a moderate lump in the sea but even so it had sheared off over the past few days, not a good sign!

Pegging was under the small cliff towards the wreck and fishing over the top down on a small tide meant not too much running up and down the shingle. A healthy dozen Club members contested this match including yet another new member in Bevan Self, welcome aboard Bevan! The weather had given everyone some optimism for a cracking match as it was spot on for fishing the shingle. The previous weekend’s Sea League match at this venue showed that there was plenty of fish around but also showed how fickle this beach can be. One peg producing lots of fish and next door next to nothing and this again happened in this match.

On the day it took a concentrated effort from JAKE COOPER who showed that he does have other skills to find 17 fish for 182 points to do the business. Some good Dabs up to 26cm and a 32cm Flounder worth 40 points helped him to be well ahead of the field. Peg 3 at the end of the small cliff was his spot which is nicknamed “the Hunn spot” in memory of our late good friend Dennis Hunn who used to bag up here. Then you have top angler “Off Duty” or Malcolm as he preferred to be called on the day fishing next peg 4 and not finding a solitary fish, what a beach!

Runner-up on the day and for the second match in a row was young LUKE BRIERLEY with 14 fish for 157 points. Up until his last fish he was in the middle of the pack and then he finds a 33cm Flounder worth 44 points which shot him up the leader board. He was fishing the wreck end on peg 15 and again thrashed those around him as in the previous match. Henry you have worked wonders with this lad, a star of the future.

From one for the future we have one of the past from those heady days at Caister & Gt. Yarmouth in RICHARD JACOBS who is not going to let these youngsters have it all their own way by taking the final podium slot with 11 fish for 140 points. Fishing peg 9 he was able use to his distance skills to find some decent flatties including a stonking 34cm flounder worth 48 points which really did the business for him. This was in contrast to his sparring partner Gary Medler on peg 11, using similar techniques could not find that bonus fish and although he found more fish (13) could only muster 110 points.

Heaviest flat of 35cm (1lb 3oz) went to “KIPPER” COLMAN who is making a habit of this these days and heaviest round a 24cm (5oz!!!) Bass to PAUL KENDRICK, where are these big whiting? Total number of fish recorded was 98 (82 Dabs, 7 Flounders & 9 Whiting) weighing just 21lb 6oz.

An interesting match which left a lot scratching their heads about tactics for the NSL Final next weekend. Numbers of fish were certainly down on what was expected and was certainly lower than on the same stretch the previous week. However, there is still plenty of optimism for plenty of fish with a good blow forecast for Thursday / Friday and easing off for the weekend, let’s hope! Many thanks to Paul Kendrick for getting this show on the road!

Good luck to all those participating in the NSL Finals from Holt SAC!!!

Top 5 Individuals (on the day) …

1   Jake Copper …….. 3lb 12 2/3oz . (17 Fish)
2   Luke Brierley ………3lb 4 1/3oz .. (14 fish)
3   Richard Jacobs ……2lb 14 2/3oz ..(11 fish)
4   Gary Medler……..….2lb 4 2/3oz ….(13 fish)
5   John Carter………….1lb 15 2/3oz ..( 9 fish)

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