Yesterday saw the culmination of the 2010 Stocks Pairs competition, on a wet, windy and steadily rising Stocks. Four heats throughout the summer, served up 20 pairs of canny anglers to contest the 2010 title, and battle it out for the £1000 cash first prize. Heavy, constant overnight rain, and more of the same for the duration of the match made poor old Stocks resemble a flooded field, more than a premier trout lake, with the river Hodder and several feeder streams dumping several zillion gallons of muck, drinking chocolate, Newcastle Brown, twigs and leaves into the lake. The lake rose 2 feet during the match alone, which was always gonna put the fish out of kilter, and tight into the margins... maybe having a lunge at dark wets/mini lures, if you were lucky enough to pull your flies past a fish that wasn't sulking too much.

Well done to all the pairs who sat it out for the full 8 hours... I don't think anyone's waterproofs held out completely. My love of fishing only just held out! Rod average was 2 and bit fish, which, as Ben Dobson said at the weigh-in, was testament to the quality of the anglers out there on such a God-forsaken day. A few pairs managed to laugh at the conditions, and the averages, and returned to the jetty with bulging bags and high spirits...

Many congratulations to the new Stocks Pairs champions Mike Laycock & John Calvert

I believe Mike and John were blanking until early afternoon, then put a burst of three quick fish together and settled into a groove of sorts and completed their 10 fish bag at 17:35 The only complete bag of the day.

Another two pairs came close, both taking 9 fish to the boat, and a chance of the £500 second prize. The fishing Gods deemed, by a few ounces, that it was Steve Bland and Steven Lind who were to have their tackle-funds boosted, and share the £500, leaving last weeks England skipper Paul Davison, and partner, Ospreys team mate, and a very hung-over Steve Smalley with 3rd place and a tackle prize.

Winners - Mike Laycock & John Calvert - 10 fish Limit + 15 mins time bonus

Runners-Up - Steve Bland & Stephen Lind - 9 fish and a bit

Third Place - Paul Davison & Steve Smalley - 9 fish

Many congratulations from me to the prizewinners, for putting together a bag on what was probably the toughest, and longest days fishing I've endured all season! Well done, and thanks to Ben, his mam, Paul, Pete and Matt for putting together such a great event and prizes.

Rob.

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Too much Saturn, not enough Moon.

Buzzers 2012


Fly Clips & Stands

Christ on a bike, it was as grim a day afloat as I've had. As we discussed, when it comes to a serious decision whether to unzip the jacket and lower the waders...or just **** yerself for that nice warm feeling, you know it's a bad day.

I'm only a novice stillwater angler, but I can still see that immense respect is due to the lads who caught. Mike C worked the dirty margins hard for a basketful of fish and Rob did a proper mon's job on the oar to keep me in the same sort of zone, and I caught...........cack all. There's a long long way to go before anything like competency is gained

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The sun pushed dark spokes of melt and sparkle
Across the fields of hoar. And the river steamed -
Flint-olive.


http://northcountryangler.blogspot.com

Hard luck lads.......... sounds like a grewler.

Was it fishery rules ? or international ?

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www.te-ff.org/
Trout Fisherman Magazine.
Hardy/Greys. Fulling Mill.

I fished Stocks on sat the day before the comp and any pair who bagged up the day before deserves around of applause. It was really hard on sat but we some of my club found fish behind gull island down to what i would call the outflow. Well done to the winners and the rest of the competitors who fished on sunday. I will go back to stocks as i know every place has its bad days and the guys who run were really good with us.

Graeme.

You caught 2 mate. More than some hardened Stockites did


Twas fishery Fred. Speaking of gruelers, when are you two gonna tackle the Skirfare?

__________________
Too much Saturn, not enough Moon.

Buzzers 2012


Fly Clips & Stands

Proberbly a week Saturday / Sunday mate....... that'l be the only time i have before brownie end. See if Trad. boy's playing out..............

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www.te-ff.org/
Trout Fisherman Magazine.
Hardy/Greys. Fulling Mill.

Well done lads in those conditions!



Mike, I know your getting on a bit, but really, you could have waited for the end of the presentation! Paul you look like you have a directional problem! Good lad John, let it all out! LOL

Al
LB

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Peregrine Team Esthwaite.

Thats a funny photo, looks like big reds colostomy bag has burst!!

It's nice to see though eh Nick? Old comp campaigners like Mike, John and Paul still wetting themselves with excitement. Awwww bless.

__________________
Too much Saturn, not enough Moon.

Buzzers 2012


Fly Clips & Stands

you should have seen what the back of my trousers looked like!!!!

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GREYS TEAM STOCKS