Ashford Cup.

Attendance : 14
Venue : Weybread Club Pit
Total weight : 124lb 5oz
Average weight : 7lb 5oz
D.N.W : 2

Saturday 23rd July, Harleston Junior Angling Club hosted the annual Ashford Cup; this three-hour competition was held in the Club Pit at Weybread and is open to any angler under seventeen on the day. Weather conditions were good for a close contest with overcast skies keeping the temperatures down and a complete lack of wind ensuring the fish were spread out well. A host of quality tackle prizes and a prize for every entrant attracted eighteen young anglers all keen to walk away with the top prize on the day, a Grandeslam seat box worth £150.

Spectators were treated to a thrilling three hours of fishing with four anglers battling away all competition for the top spot and with only two pounds separating the top three at the final whistle the result was never certain until the final weigh in of the day.

Top rod Gavin Woodward made the most of his good draw and experience to land the top prize for the second time in three years with an excellent performance from peg seven to weigh 17lb 4oz. Gavin fished the pole at thirteen metres tight to the island to land four carp and some valuable silver fish on corn and maggot presented over pellet before the fish backed off, a change to the method feeder added one more carp late in the match to pip four times club champion Daniel Elliott by just twelve ounces.

Daniel Elliott came agonisingly close to his first Ashford win landing five carp from peg twelve alternating between the cigar rig and floaters to keep fish coming steadily all match, Daniel's luck finally deserting him in the final seconds as a big carp broke him leaving him just short with 16lb 8oz.

Club Champion Ricky Leggett finished third from peg 30 with three big carp and some silver fish alternating between pole and surface baits for his 15lb 4oz catch.

Rob King done well on his first visit to the lake landing 13lb 4oz of small carp and silver fish on pole and pellet from peg 28 to keep the pressure on the locals most of the match until he lost three big fish in the lilies to kill his hopes of victory.

Andrew Clifford finished fifth with a mixed catch of 9lb from peg 14.

1. Peg 7 Gavin Woodward 17lb 4oz
2. Peg 12 Daniel Elliott 16lb 8oz
3. Peg 30 Ricky Leggett 15lb 4oz
4. Peg 28 Rob King 13lb 4oz
5. Peg 14 Andrew Clifford 9lb
6. Peg 8 Edward Howman 7lb 4oz
7. Peg 15 Reece Clayton 7lb 3oz
8. Peg 29 Travis Woodward 6lb 6oz
9. Peg 11 Aiden Collett 6lb 1oz
10. Peg 3 Jack Weatherley 5lb 7oz
11. Peg 16 Shane Riches 5lb 3oz
12. Peg 26 James Collings 4lb 15oz
13. Peg 9 Callam Regan 3lb 4oz
14. Peg 5 Samuel Clifford 3lb 3oz
15. Peg 13 Philip Shulver 1lb 12oz
16. Peg 17 Declan Nicole 1lb 8oz
17. Peg 18 Arron Beaumont 1lb 5oz