The Charity Carp Match and James Farrow Memorial Trophy 2006Thirteen or so anglers turned up to fish this prestigious annual event with the view to fishing for the James Farrow Memorial Trophy, catching some carp and raising money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. It was Monday morning and people were starting to arrive from far and wide (Scunthorpe!) at this years venue, CEMEX’s Chertsey Fishery. The sun was high in the sky, scorching down on everything below with not a cloud to be seen. Barrows parted and weaved among the nettles as people made their ways to their chosen swims to set out their stall for what was set to be a great craic.  Marker leads and floats flew out, everybody trying to find that all important gravel patch that would, with a little cunning and guile, become the ultimate feeding ground for the next two days fishing. Some people threw out spods, some people lost spods! (mine would be that yellow thing that was drifting around!) After a while most people were settled down, bivvies erected and rods poised in their pods, waiting for that marauding carp to dive and snaffle that precison placed bait while more people turned up throughout the day. The first evening drew in quickly and already people were walking around the lake, introducing themselves to faces old and new. The excuses were already flying as to why nobody had caught anything yet. “Probably too sunny for em…..”, “we’ll have them in the night, water is too clear…” blah blah blah, the usual stuff really. Night time was looming and it was that time where everybody is putting those finishing touches to their swim in order to get ready for that time crouched behind the rods ready and waiting, in a bivvy…..in a sleeping bag…..on a bedchair…..asleep. The cars on the motorway, about three metres away from my head, whizzed by in a night of interrupted sleep. What did help me get to sleep though, was the sound of silent bite alarms, from all around the lake. Morning dawned and everyone quickly became aware that nothing, no carp at least, had been caught. A couple of bream made an appearance, albeit rather annoyingly and Sash had a suprise eel. Even more excuses were flying now, “Nothing in my swim…”, “Line was snagged all night…”, “Couple of line bites…”, banter ensued about what could be done to induce some bites. Mike Lee left, being kept up all night by the motorway took it’s toll and the poor guy was shattered, off to a nice comfy bed he went. More walks around the lake in the again scorching sun, trying to spot fish, only to find them in a little pool at the back of the main lake, all connected of course, meaning carp have free passage both in and out. Opting for the former, rather than the latter. Massive shadows loomed among the extremely snaggy pool, often shying away from the catapulted floaters, only to take them as they drifted under the branches. Myself, Paul, Sash and Paul and Ben(?) watched as the carp merely mocked our futile attempts to cast to them and climb trees to spot them easier. A couple of less than perfect casts from the bankside resulted in some kind of brainwave by someone. “Get in, you’ll be able to cast at them easier…” or something along those lines, meant that Paul was getting stripped down and going in after them.  Alas, try as he might, the carp could not be tempted into taking the baited hook; it’s like they knew what we were up to! Well, that killed a couple of hours. More socialising and it was time for John Huntley to leave, again, not having a good nights sleep didn’t sit well with John and off he went, but not before hooking and landing a nice bream of around 6lb. However, still no carp!  The second night drew in, barbeques and stoves were being lit. My BBQ decided to smoke the place out (it was the sausages!) and everyone again set out their stalls for the last night of the match. All apart from Barry Edney and his mate (sorry!), who couldn’t take the pressure of what was becoming a sudden death match. Another almost bleepless night resulted in more bream falling to Ben or Paul (can’t remember which!), Bryan and Alan, and a few eels for Sash, up to around 3lb. I managed to miss a run during the night and woke up to find my lines crossed and snagged, which was nice. It could have been a carp but i’m sure I would have heard the screaming run. Mind you, I failed to hear the crash on the motorway during the night, good to know, especially as I was sleeping next to it! STILL NO CARP! The match ended with a grand total of about 6 bream and a few eels. Not a carp for anyone! So, the title is still held by last years winner, Alan Strickland, for now that is. A re-match should be on the cards, but you will hear more about this at some point in the not too distant future. Jonny Northmore |
Some photos from the day: