The club’s first £500 winners prize match was held last weekend on Bircliffe, the Bridge, the Kingfisher and the Gt. Pond on a cold windy day which resembled March more than June. Fifty six anglers took part, regrettably 10 who had taken tickets did not turn up meaning that others who wanted to fish had to be turned away!

It took just 12 minutes for the assembled party to pay their pools, make their draw and move off to their pegs.

Everyone wanted to draw on the Gt. Pond and it did provide the eventual winner, but only just, the second and third placed anglers coming from the Bridge and Kingfisher ponds. Mark Glossop was the angler with a huge smile on his face at the end as he collected not only the £500 top prize but also £147 in pools money too for a weight of 20lbs 8ozs. Geoff Rutter was second with 16lbs 3ozs and collected £107 pools money with Ray Pinder third with 14lbs 10ozs and Paul Bletcher fourth with 14lbs 8ozs.

Section winners were Andy Pounder, 7lbs, Mick Bostock, 6lbs 13ozs, Neil Gabbitas, 13lbs 11ozs, Paul Hunt, 13lbs 4ozs and Stuart Senior, 9lbs 10ozs.

Winner Mark Glossop being presented with a ‘cheque’ by Dave Hawkridge.

Mark with his catch

Geoff Rutter lands a bream