Hunt is on for the one that got away


READERS of last week’s Guardian may have noticed a piece in the Those Were The Days column about the 1947 All England National Championship winning Worksop and District AA team.
The article was responding to a letter from former Worksop resident Ina Whitlam, who now lives in Manchester.
She had some interesting stories to tell about her father Percy Batty, who was a skilled rodmaker, and often came home minus one of his rods after a big match, such was demand.
Percy and Ina also made hooks, keep nets and landing nets as well as breeding and selling maggots reared in some old pigsties on a farm at the end of Slack Walk.
Ina is trying to trace the whereabouts of a stuffed fish, which was hung over the fireplace in the Old British Legion on Westgate, which she believes was caught by her father Percy or her grandfather George Wilkinson.
Anyone with information can contact Ina at iwhitlam@aol.com.

Lakeside Round-Up
Another busy week at the Ranskill venue with two matches taking place last Wednesday.
The match group 2000 held their event on the Match Lake where Barry Hadenbrook won with a mixed bag of 18lb 14oz from peg 39 using the ground bait feeder with a maggot hook bait.
The second match was on the second strip pond were Dave Inset topped the field in D. J. Angling’s match with a net of carp gold fish and silver fish weighing 40lb 8oz off peg 5 fishing the pole at 5 metres with a maggot hook bait.
On Saturday it was the 8th round of Linda’s Lakeside Winter League where Ben Holmes claimed first place with a silver fish net of 12lb 1oz employing pole fished bloodworm and joker on peg 30.
Pete Tatley used the same method on peg 20 to weigh 8lb 1oz for second with A. McAndrew putting 7lb in the net for third from peg 27 and local angling superstar Sean Storey in fourth with 5lb 9oz.
On Sunday, Paul Donnelly won in the woodseats winter league using the wag and mag on peg 8 with a mixed net of 28lb 1oz on the Match Lake.
On the second strip pond D. J. Angling were the visitors again where 34lbs was needed to make the frame.
Steve Cox won with a bag of gold fish, roach and skimmers weighing 40lb 4oz off peg 7 using pole fished pellet.
Over on the first strip pleasure angler Dale Morris landed 60lb of carp roach and perch, which included a 12lb mirror, all caught on pole-fished sweetcorn and chopped worm.
On the Trout Lake Chris Smith had 10 fish to a personal best of 9lb 10oz rainbow caught on black fritz and cats whiskers. Also on the Trout Lake Dave Lawton caught 15 fish to 3½lb on black Montana and intermediate line.

SHERWOOD Round-Up
The Holmedale Lake saw Sid Whitehouse (Universal Angling) take top rod in the Wednesday Fun league.
Sid drew peg 31 and fished the usual long pole at 14m and corn and pellet hook bait. He had a total of 20 carp on the hook but managed to land 14 with the biggest being 4lb weighing in 31lb 1oz.
Second was Fred Spooner (Brown Baileys), who fished the bomb and corn cast to the spinner for three carp – 7lb.
Next week’s draw is at 10am at the cabin.
Resident angler Craig Brazier (Sherwood Forest Fishery) drew on the bore hole peg 31 fishing pole and pellet long at 14m. he had 10 carp – 4lb in the first hour and then added two carp and two roach to his net in the remainder of the match for a total of 29lb 8oz.
Second was ex-Worksop team captain Steve Shepherd who fished pole and pellet under the willow for four carp – 5lb and a dozen roach – 12oz on the cast.

LODGE FARM
On Saturday the Station Hotel AC were the visitors to Lily Pond with D. Marsh winning with 19lb 15oz caught from peg 94 using the maggot feeder.
Runner-up Paul Mosgrove landed 15lb 14oz of peg 98 with Andy Redfearn third with 13lb 14oz of peg 88.
On Sunday Vale AC also fished Lily Pond where Dave Phantom won with 26lb from peg 73 employing pole fished pellet and corn with M. Hazelhurst in second with 17lb 2oz from peg 71.
Also on Sunday the Hatfield Arms AC of Laughton fished Long Island where J. Evertson was the top rod with a bag weighing 22lb 6oz from peg 94 using the maggot feeder.
A. Day claimed the runner-up position on peg 95 with 21lb 6oz and A. Scott was in third place with a weight of 12lb 5oz off peg 92.
On the Top Pond, the skimmers are now starting to show in the deeper water where anglers are catching on flouro pinkie and maggot.

DAIWA HALLCROFT
Daiwa Hallcroft Tournament League
Sunday – Moat Island (40 pegs).1 K. Stacey (Leegem), 53lb 14oz, peg 2. 2. A. Kinder (Maver) 27lb 14oz, peg 66.
Tuesday – Bridge (11 pegs). 1. J. Masson (Maver BCUK), 15lb 14oz, peg 16 island. 2. G. Bennett (BCUK), 14lb 14oz peg 23 island.
Wednesday – Moat (20 pegs).1 I. Littlewood (Triana), 46lb 10oz, peg 95 outer. 2. K. Pacey (Crooked Billet), 27lb 8oz, peg 5 island.
Friday – Moat (17 pegs). 1. K. Pacey (Crooked Billet), peg 50 outer, 29lb 4oz. 2. D. Oldham (Hallcroft), peg 48 outer, 13lb 15oz.
Saturday Moat (25 pegs) – 1. P. Howard, (Morley Match Anglers), 60lb 11oz, peg 38 island. 2. M. Wilson, Triana North, 20lb 15oz, peg 40 island.
Final league positions: Pete Bagshaw 7pts, Luke Sears 8pts, Paul Howard and Nick Speed 10pts.
Veterans – Bridge (17 pegs). 1. A. Payling (Peg One AC) 15lb 12oz, peg 25 outer. 2. C. Goulder (Peg One AC) 10lb 15oz, peg 19 outer.
Final league positions – 1. Arnie Payling, 5pts, 2. Mick Cooke, 9pts, 3. Harry Barton, 10pts, 4. George Leitch, 12pts.

CLUB RESULTS
Wales and Kiveton Park Colliery AC’s latest open match on their own water on the Chesterfield Canal last Saturday was won by B. Butler on peg 30 weighing 4lb.
A. Mitchell had to make do with second place this week with a weight of 3lb 6oz off peg 28 and B. Goodyear made up the frame with 2lb 5oz off peg 21.

THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
Afternoon open matches at Daiwa Hallcroft will take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays beginning Tuesday 28th March.
The Veterans League starts on Thursday 13th April while the Spring Bank Holiday Festival will take place on 27th, 28th and 29th May. For information call 01777 710448

Sherwood Forest Fishery will be holding a 10-week pairs series starting on Sunday 26th March and ending on Sunday May 28th.
Entry is £50 per pair and £20 each for the first six matches with the last four free. Draw made at the cabin at 9am, fish 10.30am-3.30pm.
With the best seven individual match points counting it is limited to 20 pairs and you must fish at least seven matches.
The top three pairs all win a trip to White Acres, Cornwall, to fish the Maver Festival starting 30th September. Further details from Mick or Brian on 07721316334.

Les Windle landed a 14lb 5oz pike on the Grafton section of the Chesterfield Canal at Rhodesia fishing a lure – so any predator hunters make the most of the last few days of the season.