Consequently, it was quite tough as the fish had been hammered for four days. All the team practiced hard for 2 days prior to the match and we were able to get a plan together in which the best lines, flies and areas were worked out. 

The day of the match saw a 180 degree shift in the wind direction and a big increase in wind speed. Although, the fish were mainly in the same locations our preferred method of catching them was not viable so we had to adapt our strategy accordingly. It was a day of missed & lost fish for a lot of our team. Usually we expect somebody to have that kind of day, unfortunately quite a few of the team seemed to have this with stories of lost & missed fish common at the post match meeting.

Team captain Bob Jones was 4th top individual, well done Bob!  

With a rod average of only 1.6 and over 20 blanks for the match it shows just how hard the fishing was. Some areas that hadn't held fish during practice worked for competitors during the match. They took a chance to try these areas & it paid off. The top rod for the match only had 12 fish which is the lowest top individual catch since this competition started 

We are competing against teams that have the luxury of being able to put in much more practice than we can & when the fishing was as difficult as it was it makes the advantage gained by them so much more difficult to compensate for. Some teams also brought more than their 8 anglers , one team had 13 anglers out on the water practicing prior to the match.

Although we came a creditable 4th place all the team were very disappointed with the result. In previous years we have won this match twice & came 2nd twice and we all know that with a bit more practice for this event we can give any team a run for their money. Roll on next year when hopefully the fishing wont be as difficult and we can get back up the table where we belong

Team Results

      Team name                                   # fish        Bag lb oz   Bonus lb oz       Total lb oz

1st RAF (Fish Hawks)                          23              49 4            52 0                  101 4
2nd Police                                             23              57 5            12 0                     69 5
3rd Army (Soldier Palmers)               20               46 6            20 0                     66 6
4th Civil Service                                   18              40 1            14 0                     54 1
5th Prison Service                               10               23 10            8 0                    31 10
6th Royal Navy & Marines                  10               22 1             8 0                     30 1
7th Ambulance Services                       11               21 4            4 0                      25 4
8th Fire & Rescue Team                       6                 14 0            0 0                      14 0

Heaviest Bag Weight (Overall)

Anglers name       Team name                          Bag lb oz    Bonus lb oz    Total lb oz

Phil Thomas         RAF (Fish Hawks)                 8 12               18 0              26 12
Paddy Mounter    RAF (Fish Hawks)                 6   9                10 0              16   9
Dave Eames         RAF (Fish Hawks)                 5 10                10 0              15 10
Bob Jones            Civil Service                          5 14                  8 0               13 14
Jamie Thomas      Army (Soldier Palmers)       7   3                  6 0               13   3
Keith Jones          RAF (Fish Hawks)                 6 10                  6 0              12 10
Tony Hoggart       Army (Soldier Palmers)       6   3                   6 0              12   3
Steve Bett             Police                                    6   0                   6 0               12  0
Mick Connor        Prison Service                      5 15                   6 0               11 15
Charlie Bowers    Royal Navy & Marines         7  7                    4 0               11   7

Best Brown Trout

Anglers name    Team name                   Brown lb oz

Alan Riddell     Prison Service                      2 15
Dean Rudd       Army (Soldier Palmers)       2 15

Best Rainbow Trout

Anglers name        Team name             Rainbow lb oz

Phil Thomas          RAF (Fish Hawks)             4 4

Match summary

Number of anglers    # fish caught    Average # fish           Average bag weight lb oz

72                                      121                  1.68                                        5 7

Team Tables

Team name 1st RAF (Fish Hawks)

Angler name          # fish    Bag lb oz     Rbw lb oz     Brn lb oz    Bonus lb oz    Total lb oz

Phil Thomas               3          8 12             4 4                 0 0                18 0             26 12
Paddy Mounter          3          6 9                0 0                0 0                 10 0             16 9
Dave Eames               3          5 10              0 0                 0 0                10 0             15 10
Keith Jones               3          6 10              0 0                 0 0                  6  0             12 10
Rick Aldred               3          6 9                 0 0                 0 0                  4 0             10 9
Allan Gamble            3          5 11              0 0                 0 0                   4 0               9 11
Kerry Richardson     3           5 1               0 0                 0 0                    0 0              5 1
Ian MacGregor         2            4 6              0 0                  0 0                   0 0              4 6

Totals                       23                                                                                                101 4

Team name 2nd Police

Angler name            # fish       Bag lb oz       Rbw lb oz       Brn lb oz       Bonus lb oz   Total lb oz

Steve Bett                    3               6 0                 0 0                 0 0                  6 0                   12 0
Gary Haskins               3              7 14               0 0                 0 0                   2 0                    9 14
Lea Tones                    3               9 7                3 12               0 0                   0 0                    9 7
Chris Reeves               3               5 3                0 0                 0 0                   4 0                    9 3
Russell Logan             3               8 11              3 10               0 0                   0 0                    8 11
Gary Smith                  3               8 8                 3 5                 0 0                   0 0                    8 8
Martin Barrett             3               6 8                 0 0                 0 0                   0 0                    6 8
Doug Skins                  2               5 2                 0 0                 0 0                   0 0                     5 2

Totals                         23                                                                                                               69 5

Team name 3rd Army (Soldier Palmers)

Angler name            # fish        Bag lb oz        Rbw lb oz          Brn lb oz     Bonus lb oz      Total lb oz

Jamie Thomas             3               7 3                   3 12                   0 0                 6 0                   13 3 
Tony Hoggart              3               6 3                   0 0                      0 0                6 0                    12 3
Pete Mumford            3               6 10                 0 0                      0 0                4 0                    10 10
Rob Jackson               3                8 9                   3 2                      0 0                2 0                    10 9
Toby Bunney              3                6 15                 3 2                      0 0                 2 0                     8 15
Paul Calvert                3               4 15                  0 0                     0 0                  0 0                     4 15
Dave Joyce                 1                3 0                   0 0                     0 0                   0 0                      3 0
Dean Rudd                  1                2 15                 0 0                     2 15                0 0                      2 15

Totals                         20                                                                                                                     66 6

Team name 4th Civil Service

Angler name             # fish         Bag lb oz       Rbw lb oz          Brn lb oz    Bonus lb oz            Total lb oz

Bob Jones                     3                5 14                0 0                     0 0               8 0                          13 14
Lee Patten                    3                 6 0                  0 0                     0 0              4 0                           10 0
Jamie Walker               3                5 13                0 0                     0 0               2 0                            7 13
Fraser McConnell       3                 6 7                  0 0                     0 0               0 0                             6 7
Nigel Evans                  2                5 13                 3 4                    0 0                0 0                            5 13
Tony Packer                 2                5 7                   3 6                    0 0                 0 0                            5 7
Kieron Thomas            2                4 11                 0 0                    0 0                 0 0                            4 11
Matt Walker                 0                 0 0                  0 0                    0 0                 0 0                            0 0

Totals                          18                                                                                                                          54 1

Team name 5th Prison Service

Angler name              # fish         Bag lb oz       Rbw lb oz            Brn lb oz     Bonus lb oz            Total lb oz

Mick Connor                 3                5 15               0 0                         0 0                6 0                         11 15
Alan Riddell                   3                8 5                 0 0                         2 15              2 0                         10 5
John Sheridan                2                4 12               0 0                          0 0                0 0                          4 12
Pete Johnson                 1                 2 8                0 0                          0 0                 0 0                          2 8
Gary Hyde                      1                2 2                0 0                           0 0                 0 0                          2 2
Gordon Green                0                0 0                0 0                           0 0                 0 0                          0 0
Malcolm Calladine        0                0 0                0 0                           0 0                 0 0                          0 0
Gary Pearson                  0                0 0                0 0                           0 0                 0 0                          0 0

Totals                             10                                                                                                                         31 10

Team name 6th Royal Navy & Marines

Angler name             # fish            Bag lb oz         Rbw lb oz           Brn lb oz         Bonus lb oz         Total lb oz

Charlie Bowers             3                   7 7                   0 0                       0 0                   4 0                       11 7
Steve Scott                    3                   5 8                   0 0                       0 0                    4 0                        9 8
Neil Jones                     3                   6 7                  2 12                      0 0                    0 0                        6 7
Tony Wilkinson            1                   2 11                 0 0                       2 11                  0 0                        2 11
Chris Anderson             0                   0 0                   0 0                       0 0                    0 0                         0 0
Ed Smith                        0                   0 0                   0 0                       0 0                    0 0                         0 0
Les Sutherland              0                   0 0                   0 0                       0 0                    0 0                         0 0
Martin Duan                  0                   0 0                   0 0                       0 0                    0 0                         0 0

Totals                          10                                                                                                                                 30 1

Team name 7th Ambulance Services

Angler name              # fish             Bag lb oz         Rbw lb oz            Brn lb oz    Bonus lb oz               Total lb oz

Gareth Evans                  3                   6 9                    0 0                      0 0                 2 0                             8 9
Will Lloyd Williams     3                   5 12                 0 0                       0 0                 2 0                             7 12
Derek Duckett               2                    3 12                 0 0                       0 0                 0 0                             3 12
Martin Mulholland        1                    2 0                   0 0                       0 0                 0 0                              2 0
Malcolm Matthews       1                    1 12                 0 0                      0 0                  0 0                             1 12
Eddie Denham                1                   1 7                   0 0                      0 0                  0 0                              1 7
Graham Evans                 0                   0 0                  0 0                       0 0                  0 0                              0 0
Rich Thomas                  0                    0 0                  0 0                       0 0                  0 0                              0 0

Totals                            11                                                                                                                                  25 4

Team name 8th Fire & Rescue Team

Angler name              # fish            Bag lb oz          Rbw lb oz           Brn lb oz     Bonus lb oz                  Total lb oz

Jim Twaddle                  3                   7 11                  0 0                       0 0                0 0                                7 11
Steve Horrocks             1                   2 15                  0 0                      0 0                 0 0                                2 15
David Vose                    1                   1 11                  0 0                      0 0                 0 0                                1 11
Dave Bull                       1                   1 11                  0 0                      0 0                 0 0                                1 11
A.N.O                             0                    0 0                   0 0                      0 0                  0 0                                0 0
Neil Ashworth               0                    0 0                   0 0                      0 0                  0 0                                0 0
Steve Carter                   0                    0 0                   0 0                      0 0                  0 0                                0 0
A.N.O                             0                    0 0                   0 0                      0 0                  0 0                                 0 0

Totals                             6                                                                                                                                      14 0

Angler Placings

Angler name            # fish            Bag lb oz             Rbw lb oz            Brn lb oz    Bonus lb oz                     Total lb oz

Phil Thomas                 3                  8 12                      4 4                      0 0                18 0                                 26 12
Paddy Mounter            3                   6 9                        0 0                     0 0                 10 0                                 16 9
Dave Eames                 3                   5 10                      0 0                     0 0                 10 0                                 15 10
Bob Jones                    3                   5 14                      0 0                     0 0                   8 0                                 13 14
Jamie Thomas             3                    7 3                       3 12                   0 0                    6 0                                 13 3
Keith Jones                 3                   6 10                      0 0                      0 0                   6 0                                 12 10
Tony Hoggart              3                   6 3                        0 0                      0 0                    6 0                                 12 3             
Steve Bett                    3                   6 0                       0 0                       0 0                   6 0                                  12 0
Mick Connor               3                   5 15                     0 0                      0 0                   6 0                                   11 15
Charlie Bowers           3                    7 7                      0 0                       0 0                   4 0                                   11 7
Pete Mumford            3                    6 10                     0 0                      0 0                   4 0                                   10 10
Rick Aldred                 3                    6 9                       0 0                      0 0                   4 0                                   10 9
Rob Jackson                3                    8 9                      3 2                       0 0                   2 0                                  10 9
Alan Riddell                3                     8 5                     0 0                     2 15                   2 0                                  10 5
Lee Patten                   3                    6 0                      0 0                      0 0                    4 0                                  10 0
Gary Haskins              3                   7 14                     0 0                       0 0                   2 0                                    9 14
Allan Gamble              3                   5 11                     0 0                      0 0                    4 0                                    9 11
Steve Scott                  3                   5 8                       0 0                      0 0                    4 0                                    9 8
Lea Tones                    3                   9 7                      3 12                     0 0                    0 0                                    9 7
Chris Reeves               3                   5 3                       0 0                      0 0                    4 0                                    9 3
Toby Bunney               3                   6 15                     3 2                      0 0                     2 0                                   8 15
Russell Logan             3                   8 11                    3 10                     0 0                     0 0                                   8 11
Gareth Evans               3                   6 9                       0 0                      0 0                     2 0                                    8 9
Gary Smith                  3                   8 8                       3 5                      0 0                     0 0                                    8 8
Jamie Walker              3                  5 13                      0 0                      0 0                     2 0                                   7 13
Will Lloyd-Williams  3                  5 12                     0 0                      0 0                      2 0                                   7 12
Jim Twaddle                 3                  7 11                     0 0                      0 0                      0 0                                   7 11
Martin Barrett             3                   6 8                       0 0                      0 0                      0 0                                    6 8
Fraser McConnell       3                   6 7                      0 0                       0 0                      0 0                                    6 7
Neil Jones                   3                   6 7                      2 12                     0 0                       0 0                                    6 7
Nigel Evans                 2                   5 13                     3 4                      0 0                       0 0                                   5 13
Tony Packer                2                   5 7                       3 6                      0 0                       0 0                                    5 7
Doug Skins                  2                   5 2                       0 0                      0 0                       0 0                                    5 2
Kerry Richardson       3                    5 1                      0 0                      0 0                       0 0                                    5 1
Paul Calvert                 3                   4 15                    0 0                      0 0                        0 0                                  4 15
John Sheridan              2                   4 12                    0 0                      0 0                        0 0                                  4 12
Kieron Thomas           2                   4 11                     0 0                     0 0                         0 0                                  4 11
Ian MacGregor           2                    4 6                       0 0                     0 0                        0 0                                    4 6
Derek Duckett            2                   3 12                     0 0                     0 0                        0 0                                   3 12

Next year's event will be at Grafham Water on Tuesday 4th June 2013.

Should you wish to be considered for a place in this team then send your angling CV to Fraser McConnell. Past experience at national or international level is considered almost a prerequisite and please bear in mind that you would be committing yourself to four days fishing, three practise days plus the actual competition. Also this would be at your own expense with very minimal funding from CSSC.