BASINGSTOKE Railway Piscatorials went to Dandy’s Ford Lake on Saturday last and it was Staceys supremo Keith Brown who sorted it with 88lb 6oz of carp, caught up in the water on pole and pellet.

Trevor Matthews employed the same tactics for his 86lb of carp, as did Les Partridge for 61lb 8oz. Colin Arris used a two plus two approach on pellet for 60lb 8oz.

Sixteen fished and all caught, whilst Rob Carr ‘superstar’ is ruing not checking his keepnet as he discovered a large hole in the bottom of it at the end of the match.

Adventure AS fished at Gold Valley on the Middle Lake last Sunday and Colin Shepherd continued his winning ways, topping out with 96lb 14oz of carp on the bomb and pellet. Jake Gallagher used the same method for his 88lb 8oz, as did Graham Spiller, netting 79lb 12oz. Mick Fordham’s 76lb 8oz of carp fell to the method feeder.

Sixteen fished and all caught.

This coming Sunday, Adventure AS are fishing the club’s All Winners Match at their Willow Pool. Camrose go back to Frobury Farm and Kennet Ospreys will be at Bowsaw Lake, but as I’m fishing at Dandy’s Ford on Wednesday and Longbridge Lake on Friday, I think I might incur the wrath of ‘er indoors’ if I went out on Sunday, so I’ll take the coward’s way out.

Kennet Ospreys’ match at Willow Park Small Lake put Glen Wills on the winners’ rostrum. Alternating between pole and feeder, Wills netted 26lb 2oz of carp and bream.

Gerry Nickells fished the bomb and pellet for his 24lb 14oz of mixed, whilst Pete Rogers fished with the pole and maggot for his 23lb 6oz of mixed. Thirteen fished and caught.

Camrose AC were at Frobury Farm Match Lake One on Sunday last, where Brian Orchard scored with 42lb 5oz of carp on pole and meat. Darren (dodgy) Brown employed the same tactics for his 33lb 6oz of carp. Paul Hunt utilised pole and pellet for 32lb 12oz of carp, with Rob Frost making up the frame on 32lb 2oz of carp, also on the pole and pellet. Twelve fished and all caught.

I was studying some club paperwork from the 1970s and it was interesting to note that the weight cup for the season of 1973-4 was won with a total weight of 123lb 12oz.

When you consider that weight was accrued over 12 matches and last week at Dandy’s Ford Lake a single match was won with 184lb 2oz, it shows how things have changed, for the better. I think not, but that’s my opinion.

I would sooner catch 12lb of roach from a river than mega weights from a commercial fishery, but then I am 72.

Catch me next week.