The Autumn Shield

Weybread Ocean Pit
Saturday September 29th 2001

Harleston and Wortwell Angling Clubs hard work on the junior side over the season, was again rewarded with an excellent turn out of sixteen keen young anglers aged between seven and fifteen. All eager to battle it out for a new shield donated to the club by P.M.Pegg Angling Supplies of Diss. The Match was fished on Saturday 29th of September along the roadside of the huge Ocean Pit at Weybread, and all the youngsters coped extremely well with the new tactics, needed to catch the roach and bream from these deep waters.

Attacking Approach Pays off

At the final whistle it was James Bygrave, from Chedgrave near Lodden fishing peg sixteen who finished out in front. His attacking approach of "balling it in" at the start was rewarded with a three and half pound bream in the first half hour, caught on waggler fished worm, he added two small perch for a match winning 3lb 10oz. James received the shield, a new four meter whip and a selection of tackle for his efforts.

Battle for second place.

The battle for the runners up position was a close fought contest between Thomas Sage fishing peg 10 and Ricky Leggett on peg 7. Ricky taking the honour with 2lb 15.5oz of roach, he caught small roach steadily all match on pole fished maggot, then added some quality fish late after a change to the feeder. He also received a whip and tackle selection, as did Thomas Sage for his third place catch of small roach and quality perch. Thomas took the advice of the club coach Martin Riches and fished the waggler with loose fed maggots. With maggot hookbait presented on a size 20 tied to 1.5lb bottom he caught well from the start, then suffered a slow last half hour to finish agonisingly short with 2lb 10.5oz.

There was a tie for fourth between Selina Sillett and Daniel Elliott, both anglers balling it and fishing long pole over the top for 1lb 11oz of roach.

James with his 3.5lb match winning bream

Thomas Sage with his catch
Third placed Thomas Sage.

Competitors from the Autumn shield 2001, no one leaves without a prize.

Autumn shield winners pose with their prizes