Devizes pair win River Yare prize

Kevin Rowles and James Carty, both members of the Devizes match group in Wiltshire, set off on their early morning journey to draw pegs to fish a venue where never before had they cast in competition.

And thanks to modern communication technology they delivered the old 1-2, out fishing the top local talent bidding for success at the precursory piscatorial prize fight staged on one of Britain's top tidal waters.

Rowles, the 1997 Fish O Mania champion and a huge earner in Ireland pulled peg 26 while Carty drew 82.

Just to recap this was a feeder only competition with bream the main quarry. However, conditions were tricky, the skimmers and better quality slabs were reluctant to feed leaving the best intentions of deep water technicians struggling.

It took an exploratory cast close to the bank by Carty to delivery a quality roach that turned out the key species of the day.

A mobile text to peg 26 resulted in its resident putting together a make weight roach and perch catch which added to his half dozen skimmers gave Rowles an unusually low River Yare winner of 12lbs 6oz. His reward was the East of England Feeder title, substantial tackle items from the sponsors and a cash prize of £170.

Carty was runner up with a mostly roach catch of 11lbs 12oz and he too collected tackle and £145.

Match organiser Andy Wilson-Sutter who applauded the sponsors for donating prizes to the top five and every section winner, summed up the day. 'For once bream tactics failed. The two Wiltshire lads came through because they were versatile and were prepared to try alternatives'

On the same Beauchamp Arms venue the second round of the Saturday Nisa Feeder League produced a runaway winner Mark Haverson with 31lbs 8oz.

The Daiwa Angling Direct squad man offered worm and gozzers on a feeder rig at peg 62 leaving the remainder of the field way behind and struggling to make runner up.

He was Will Freeman (Preston Innovations) with 16lbs 12oz at peg 28 then Simon Hailey (Daiwa AD) with 16lbs 10oz from 29.

On the River Bure the renovated bank upstream of Upton Dyke is proving most popular. Latest visitors were the EAPS club whose Paul Cooper weighed in a catch of 21lbs 12oz.

Match secretary Alan Crabb as well as Nigel Jarmy of the George Prior and Shaun James of the Dukes were unanimous in their verdict that the Environment Agency Upton work was in a word 'Fabulous'

Elsewhere on the match circuit none of our local hopefuls including reigning champion Warren Martin managed to qualify for the Fish O Mania final.

There remain eight qualifiers for the Maver Match This extravaganza. Details of venues and ticket deadlines on the Maver website.

Entry for the Riverfest 2013 first round on the River Yare, July 20, is still available. Apply online to the Angling Trust.

On the home match lakes. carp catches rose to three figures, the heavist of the week weighed in by Codgers' Charlie King with 179lb 4oz on Abbey Waters, while the top three of the Romany visiting Bartles Lodge all beat the ton, headed by Terry Smith with 150lb 4oz.

No angler puts in more quality time at Taswood lakes than bailiff Kevin Smith of Lingwood. And all those hundreds of hours invested in searching for that special big one paid off last week when he winched out his personal best common carp at 37lbs 15oz, which is also the venue best of the year so far.

The 38 year old specialist caught his prize on a cell boilie at 2am and it took 15 minutes to land.

And his reaction? 'Absolutely thrilled to bits'

Other Taswood carp up to the 30lbs mark fell to regulars Karl Wright, Shaun Youngman, Julian Miller, Matt Ireland, Glenn Hardwick and Mike Clarke.

At Swangey 13-year-old Tim Bridges from East Harling netted his PB, 20lbs 2oz mirror.

Tench are also feeding everywhere and the best so far is a 12-pounder for local rod Steve Nunn, fishing the famous Bawburgh Lakes.

Other fish in the 20s were recorded by permit holders Shaun Geary, Tony Pointer and Richard Hogg.