A two-pound rudd is a career best for most – but Mike Sando had TWO in one session...and some 50 other chunky rudd and roach as well!
Tenching on Towcester’s Astwell Mill early Friday morning, he failed totally on that score – but still ended up with some 20lb of redfins.
Dragging a hole in the weed he floatfished corn and meat on a size 10 without result, until he began over-casting into the jungle beyond.
With his bait only inches sub-surface, he had fish after fish and using beefed up tackle, in roach fishing terms, was landing as much weed as fish.
But it worked, and his best rudd went 2-4: “They really wanted it. It was an incredible day.”
I should have been with him, but had to pull out at the last minute... Anyone have a mobile number for that ‘Lady Luck’ lass?
Barbel hunters bothering Olney’s Ouse for the first week of the season failed dismally.
But Shaun Mynard managed a 10-10 river carp, along with a 5-10 chub. His young bro, Charlie, had a 5-9 while Keith Mitchell bagged 11 bream to 7-1 for 61lb on corn. Phil Lee had a 7-8 slab and Jake Stratton a 6-6-12 tench.
Olney’s opening match went to Gary Spavins with 16-11 (including a 6-1 tench). Paul Caton had 7-6 and Steve Glidewell 5-15.
At Stanwick, Mick Poole had carp to 33-8 from Elsons, and Rob Julian a brace of 20s.
Andy Forbes won Castle’s Canons do with 109-8 of carp with Jeff Rice on 103-12. Alf Gillard made 78lb.
The midweek county vets’ match on the same venue had fallen to ‘ace crumbly’ Bob Spencer with 11 carp for 84lb followed by Joe Roberts 75lb and Paul Lafflin 43lb.
Dog Lane’s carp were moving, too, for Towcester with Kevin Elliot on 61lb, Graham Martin 38lb and Mick Boddilly 30-9.
Their vets had fished there days earlier, when Andy King won with 42-4. John ‘Smiler’ Balhatchett had 32-6 and Terry Robinson 21-13.
WHITE Hart Flore, Bishops Bowl: John Berry 56lb, Dave Chapman 45lb, Steve Bull 41lb.
CASTLE Ashby: Wednesday, brickyard, Keith Bishop 38-8, Phil Wintle 29-14, Mick Hewlett 24-14; Saturday, Brickyard, Gary Millward 49lb, Chris Garrett 48-8, Bob Reed 34-4; Sunday, Grendon, Garrett 37-12 (his fourth Sunday win in a row), Hewlett 32-14, Dick Rogers 25-6.
NENE (points) Bishops Bowl: Dave Gibbins 47-14, Ron Collins 22-11, Gerald Green 22-4.
FINEDON, Rushton lakes: Barry Lawrence 43lb, Jon White 27-7, Sam Corteze 27-2.
FLORE & Brockhall, Stockton: Terry Smith 35-2 (4 carp), Dave Ayres 14-6, Mark Phillips 9-14.
TAKE the grandkids? Sunday, angling festival, Barnwell Country Park, youngsters’ have-a-go sessions with FREE kit and bait provided, coarse and fly, just turn up between 10 and 4. More on 07791 786251.