Holt SAC West Norfolk Challenge 2016 - Round 4 (Report)

Sunday 17th July 2016 - Kings Lynn Estuary

 

 

The Final round of the 2016 West Norfolk Challenge Series was fished on the West Bank of the river Ouse at Kings Lynn just south of the Treatment Works and Pylons. Turn out for this match was always going to questionable with the Sole match the previous evening but when the howl of Hounds from Skeggie was heard along with a certain nameless individual being attacked by his dish washer it certainly ended up rather poor. However, the usual loyal bunch of West Norfolk Challengers did make it from the depths of Suffolk , the high peaks of north Lincs and a small smattering of Norfolkians did make it for a very competitive match. This may well be the Club’s last West Norfolk Challenge Series ever which is a pity as it Kings Lynn is a cracking summer venue but there is so much competition these days for the dwindling numbers of match anglers and unfortunately Kings Lynn tends to be in the middle of nowhere.

 

Anyway a delayed start for this one to take advantage of the flood rather than fishing over the bottom. Far more practical and comfortable to have the water lapping over the top of the mud at the end rather than half way down the sticky bank. With the heifers being rather elusive it was like a trip through the Serengeti to get to the draw. Pegging was just as bad and Peter Loke who did his stint pegging, many thanks Peter had difficulty finding the ground let alone negotiating his way back to the gathering. For a change an interesting draw, if you can say a draw is ever interesting pitting the title contenders on almost adjacent pegs. Finding the pegs was another challenge but Richard Ling had a novel way of achieving this as because of his smashed leg he was allowed to drive to his peg 16 which left a track for all those in Zone B, thanks Richard!

 

After plenty of pre-match debate particularly about the Homes and distribution of crab all were soon fighting their way through the undergrowth to their respective pegs so better mention something about the match. There were 3 distinct parts to this one, the start , the middle and the end. At the start the tide had begun to flood but not seriously allowing everyone to comfortably fish in mid-stream. Rods soon started to bang as some good eels were coming ashore. This did not last long as the tide pushed harder the eels switched off although we probably had had our share of eels coming back upstream. As the tide eased over top and to the end the Flounders came on stream and replaced the eels.

 

This pattern was played out by title contender Mark Sharman (peg 1) who had 4 good eels up to 61cm at the start with 4 flounders up to 28cm at the end to finish on 218 points. Non-title contender George Smith on next peg 2 was here ‘course he loves this river had 6 good eels at the start up to 56cm followed by 3 cracking flounders up to 32cm for 256 points and a match winning total. A regular competitor in the Series is Ed Driver (peg 3) but fish were not too prolific for him this time with just 3 eels and a flounder although one of the eels was 68cm and biggest fish of the day for 124 points. Title contender Simon Drayton (peg 5) was also following the match pattern with 5 eels up to 54cm and 3 flounders with a stonking one of 35cm for 232 but was this enough for the title. Final peg 6 in Zone A was rookie Paul Kendrick who was relying on his tried and tested worm baits of lug, rag and maddies resulting in 2 flounders and an eel of 51cm for 66 points.

 

On Zone B end peg 16 was motorman Richard Ling who still has to come to terms with the river but was more than happy to find a small flounder near the end for 7 points. Hidden on the edge of the mud was Peter Loke (peg 17) who had upped his stakes on the river sporting his new “king prawn” viper rod which helped him to find 4 eels up to 58cm but unusually flounders eluded him with 117 points on his card at the end. Keeping an eye on Peter (couldn’t miss him with that rod) was David Read (peg 18) finding just a couple of eels and 3 flounders up to 29cm for 145cm. Tony Thomas’s (peg 19) day kicked off ok with a nice 52cm eel but could only find 3 more smaller eels for 69 points realising at the end that the Homes small hooks and small baits at Sutton Bridge were not the tactics for Kings Lynn on the flood. In contrast, Richard Burt was using his traditional methods to find a good flounder at the off followed by 4 eels up to 58cm and 4 flounders up to 26cm at the end for 215 points. End peg man Albert Randlesome (peg 21) also likes this venue but could not repeat his successes of previous matches finding an eel and 2 flounders although one was 32cm for 84 points.

 

In the end it was George Smith who won the day with 5lb 5 1/3oz from 9 fish. Runner-up was his travelling partner Simon Drayton with 4lb 13 1/3oz from 8 fish with final podium slot taken by Mark Sharman with 4llb 9oz from 8 fish. Heaviest fish on the day was taken by Ed Driver with his 1lb 2 2/3oz eel. In the Club match Dave Read took the honours with 3lb 1/3oz from 5 fish followed by Peter Loke with 2lb 7oz from 4 fish and Albert Randlesome with 1lb 12oz from 3 fish. Heaviest club flat was Albert with his 32cm (13oz) flounder and heaviest round Peter with his 58cm (14oz) eel. Altogether 58 fish (34 eels and 24 flounders) were recorded weighing 32lb.

 

 

The 2016 West Norfolk Challenge Champion was SIMON DRAYTON with 4 penalty points. Runner up was MARK SHARMAN with 5 pps and RICHARD BURT with 6 pps. The winners of the Mystery Pairs were SIMON DRAYTON & PETER LOKE with 23lb 1 2/3oz and the runners up were RICHARD BURT & TONY THOMAS with 15lb 2 2/3oz. Winners of the Free Pair were SIMON DRAYTON & GEORGE SMITH with 29lb 13oz and the runners up were RICHARD BURT & ED DRIVER.

 

An interesting match and series but the poor turn outs in the last 3 rounds have put the running of the series by the Club into jeopardy. Fish numbers have also been particular low this year although the eels made an appearance in the last 2 rounds. Fishing south of the bridge this year showed there is a lot of potential in that direction on the river but we’ll have to see what happens next year.

 

Next club match is the Mackeral Bash at Cley on Friday 22nd July fishing 6:00-9:30 HW 9:18 4.7m. The Club is then having a rest during August with the next match then the Charity Open at Kelling on Sunday 4th September fishing 10:30-3:30 LW 4:00 5m.

 

Top 5 Results on the day …

1…George Smith …..……..5lb…5 1/3oz………..(9 fish)

2… Simon Drayton..………4lb…13 1/3oz……...(8 fish)

3…Mark Sharman …………4lb…9oz…………….…(8 fish)

4…Richard Burt.…………….4lb…7 2/3oz…….….(9 fish)

5…David Read….………..….3lb…1/3oz……….….(5 fish)

 

Final League Top 5 …

1…Simon Drayton………..4pts

2…Mark Sharman..……… 5pts

3…Richard Burt……………6pts

4…Ed Driver…..……………8pts

5… George Smith………..9pts

 

Final Mystery Pairs Top 5 …

1…Simon Drayton & Peter Loke………23lb…1 2/3oz

2…Tony Thomas & Richard Burt………15lb…2 2/3oz

3…George Smith & Matt Frost ………..12lb…15 1/3oz

4…Ed Driver & Phil Read ………….……..10lb…11 1/3oz

5…Luke Pearson & Dave Read………....6lb…2 1/3oz

 

Final Free Pairs Top 5 …

1…Simon Drayton & George Smith…...29lb…13oz  

2…Richard Burt & Ed Driver……………….21lb…2 1/3oz

3…Mark Sharman & Mark Gooch ……..19lb…15 2/3oz

4… John Carter & Albert Randlesome…8lb 8 1/3oz

5… Mike Watts & Tony Thomas …….….7lb…11oz

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