By Roy Dainty
The inaugural Preston Innovations sponsored ‘Feeder Fishing Festival’ took place on the weekend of 23rd and 24th May at the El Bosquet fishing complex near Catral. The match was organised by NTT Baits & Tackle of San Fulgencio.
The venue lived up to its usual pattern with, especially, its carp moving along the canal-like channels so that a hot peg one day could be quite the opposite the next. That said, skill and experience very much played its part. The overall winner was Bill Reade, ex Stockport, who won his section on both days (not bad for an eighty year old but then he was one of England’s very top anglers).
On the Saturday he drew ‘hot peg’ 2 to weigh in around 30 kgs then on the Sunday he was awarded with peg 38 which did not produce on the Saturday, its angler not having weighed in. Bill coaxed over 10 kgs of fish for a total 2 day weight of 43.74 kgs. He used predominantly 12mm pellets and maggots. His prize, apart from his winnings, included a Preston Innovations carp feeder rod.
In second place overall was Colin Gowers, ex Guildford. On peg 37, Colin had a dismal day on the Saturday but on the Sunday was rewarded with peg 2, the same peg that Bill won from on the Saturday.
Colin’s combined weight was 30.66 kgs. In third place, fishing pegs 33 and 25, was Belgian feeder specialist Willy Moons with 29.96 kgs. Peg 25 had produced 22.46 kgs for Alan Smith on the Saturday but, disappointingly for him, peg 38 proved a blank for the second day running.
Following the Sunday match, Alan Bolwell of NTT distributed the monies, prizes and trophies to the overall top three as well as to the section winners and runners up of each day whilst everyone was enjoying the sumptuous buffet provided by Sue’s Kitchen of San Fulgencio.
[The attached photo is of winner Bill Reade receiving his trophy and rod from Alan Bolwell, NTT Baits and Tackle].
