No.1 Wed 3rd June

we were not sure of sport tonight, but at least the light wind meant that plenty of fish were showing, including some apparently sizeable specimens. Both Frank and Vinny were sufficiently encouraged to put their first fish back, hoping to contact bigger ones later, but then found that takes dried up. Jim meanwhile persisted with the Charley Farleys, on Intermediate and Floater, and was rewarded with a couple of nice fish, as well as bumps, follows and a couple which came off. Andrew landed another nice one on the washing-line, losing another which opened the hook out on a violent take, while John also got one to weigh in. No5 looked slightly better than No4, but despite the colour, we saw enough decent fish showing to be optimistic for the forthcoming Haven House charity match. 

No.2 Wed 10th June

that we had to put up with a clear bright sky and a strong Easterly hammering down the Causeway of No5. Some of us stayed here for a bit because, from last Sunday. we knew there were good fish here, but others moved to the more sheltered East bank where fish were showing. Both Frank, Tony and Andrew lost fish, but John got a couple to stay on, which put him joint first with Frank on the Leader Board with Andrew just one point behind. As the Haven House match showed, there are some stunning fish to be caught, as long as we have reasonable conditions. Once we get these, and the water clears up, prospects could be excellent.

No.3 Wed 17th June

gone clear again and this, together with less bankside weed, promised good sport on nymphs. Sure enough, some of us had instant takes on deep-fished buzzers not long after starting. Very soon, though, as the sun dropped, we started to see moving fish, so dries and the washing-line began to get takes. Andrew kept his first two fish, only to return a better one he took on nymphs on the washing-line, while both John and Tony weighed in three pounders. Even bigger fish were seen moving, so with five evenings still to go, we are hopeful of exciting sport ahead. John moves into a three point lead, but for how long?

No.4 Wed 24th June

it harder to select the better fish, but despite nice overcast conditions and reasonable water clarity, the fishing wasn’t as hectic as we were expecting. Frank started off on No4, but found the fish pretty well all the same size, later moving onto No5 with much the same results, putting back a few in the search for a specimen that never turned up. Andrew had three on a variety of methods, missing a late one on dries, while John managed to find one three pounder, plus another average-sized fish, to take the 10 points for the third Wednesday on the trot. He now has a four point lead, but we’re still only halfway through the series.

No.5 Wed 1st July

prospects did not look good. Even so, there were enough fish moving in the South East corner of No5 to give us some encouragement. Andrew managed to foul-hook one on a Diawl Bach with his first cast but despite trying various methods, found sport slow after that. John and Pat tried different spots, but the first action came to Tony who landed on on floater and Damsel during a lull in the wind. Andrew lost one not long after but that was it for the evening. Tony’s win puts him just two points behind John who is hanging onto his lead, with Andrew two behind Tony. Despite the recent stocking, there are still some good fish to be had.

No.6 Wed 8th July

either chasing bonefish in Mexico, or wild trout on the River Dee. As a result, Tony found he had the place to himself. Not only that, he reported enjoying the best Wednesday evening sport of the whole series so far, keeping and couple of two-pounders, and releasing a further ten fish caught on buzzers and dries. We knew the place would switch on some time or other, it’s just a shame there weren’t more of down there to appreciate it. Let’s hope we get another evening like this before the series runs out. As it is, Tony has a clear lead at the moment, but with two matches still to go, it could still get very tight. 

No.7 Wed 15th July

overcast conditions and light winds, prospects looked good. But while we were seeing good numbers of fish in No5 rising off the Causeway and the West bank, including some crackers, these proved frustrating. Both Tony and John returned fish, hoping for bigger and better things, but then found that takes slowed up. Andrew lost one to a small Diawl Bach on the washing-line, while Tony got one to stay on, which proved the match-winner. Even though Tony now has a 10-point lead, John could tie this with a win in our final Wednesday Evening, when it would be down to overall weight. As they say, it’s not over, till it’s over.

No.8 Wed 22nd July

same numbers of rising fish, at least not along the West bank of No5. Prospects were a little better in the SW Bay where Barry Shedden (not in the competition) reported catching three fish earlier on small Green Buzzers. Both John and Tony had chances here on dries, hooking fish that eventually slipped the hook, sometimes after energetic battles. Frank also briefly touched a fish he cast to with a Black Minky on the West bank, but that was about it. We’d worked out that John needed just one fish to tie with Tony Fox on points and beat him on weight, as long as Tony finished no better than 3rd, but in the end Tony took the Ken Gunn shield thanks to a string of consistent performances, mostly on dries or nymphs on the floater. Tony reported a great afternoon earlier in the week, getting a dozen fish on dries, so at the moment it does seem to be very much down to the weather. Get this on your side, and there are some very nice grown-on fish to be had.   

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