Does the Nene now hold barbel to rival the British record busters of the neighbouring Upper Ouse in its heyday?
Duncan Kay has just landed a 16-8 from the river – following a 13-8 on his first cast of the season – and reckons he has seen one around the 22lb mark!
Once best known for big carp captures, the specimen hunter extraordinaire has had tench to 10lb this summer...and has banked an amazing 99 double figure barbel during his career – so far.
“I’m trying for the extra one to make the hundred, but it is proving very hard,” said the Northants specimen group member whose latest captures have been made using a 15 foot rod and float to work pellet down the edge of the current.
Gilders’ staffer Dan Todd had three tench to 4lb on corn from the town’s Nene, then moved to Napton reservoir where he netted 28 to 5-4 for more than 100lb. His mate Paul Bond had 10 tincas, and roach to 1-14.
Paul Yorke caught Stanwick’s biggest of the week, a 27lb common, while ‘Keith’ had two low 20s.
Last week saw the 50th anniversary of the late, great, Billy Lane’s 1963 world championship win, with a sell-out 79 peg Coombe Abbey open marking the occasion.
Sadly it was a dour do and Adam Rooney won with a three-bream 18-12 as Andy Wheildon had 11-4 of roach and Gary Davies 10-4.
Small carp and barbel were feeding for White Hart Flore at Bishops Bowl as John ‘rockin’ Berry rocked in with 85lb. Steve Bull had 51-8 and Trevor Griffiths 44-8.
Mobbs Miller’s Canons jaunt saw Mick Dudley win with 84lb, mostly carp. Jim Broadbent had 67lb and Chris Jones 44-12.
TOWCESTER, Flecknoe: Phil Wintle 80lb (carp), Dave Martin 70lb, Mick Goodridge 55-10.
COUNTY vets, Canons: Nick Antonacci 68lb, Paul Lafflin 67-12, Alf Gillard 65-8.
CASTLE Ashby: midweek, Brickyard, Dave Bowler 38-12, Pete Gibson 38lb, Courtney Hewlett 29-14; Saturday, Brickyard, Chris Garrett 68lb, Keith Garrett 52-8, Hewlett 25-12; Sunday, Grendon, K Garrett 66-4, John Kent 56-4, Darren Driver 44-12.
BUCKO charity sweep, Shearsby Valley: ‘Forrest’ 42-5, Mark Greenway 39lb, Luke Downing 32-10.
MK vets, Clattercote: Paul Barnes 38-15 (bream), Austin Maddock 20-11, Ted Brown 16-4.
FLORE & Brockhall, Silver lake: Rob Rawlins 26-8 (bream) Mark Phillips 15-12, Terry Smith 15-4.
NEWPORT, Abbeys pits: Dave Tebbutt 7-13, Barry Glidewell 3-8, Roger Tebbutt 3-4.
RUSHDEN, Cranford Hall: Steve Tuffnell 6-12, Steve Dunnel 6-4, Paul Moore 5-8.
CASTLE, silverfish, Crescent lake: Alf Gillard 6-4, Geoff Lewis 6lb, Bob Spencer (framed AGAIN) 5-6.
TROUT: Rutland’s 20 year-old brownie record obliterated with a 17-6-4 as 1,586 fish were caught (3.7 per rod); Elinor 209 (2.4); Pitsford 263 (2.4); Ravensthorpe 164 (5.2); Grafham 655 (3.54).