RESULTS IVAN MARKS MEMORIAL EVENT MAY 21,22

SATURDAY

The second memorial event was fished at the Glebe and the Foundation Lake in appalling conditions.  Saturday was cold, with a strong northwest wind and heavy showers.  112 Anglers supported this event, many of which were not match anglers but friends who wanted to show their support.  These pleasure anglers may not have been so used to inclement weather but battled on anyway.

Last year’s winner of the event, Alex Bones, had a good draw on Glebe Pool 1 and was soon catching steady on the feeder.  If it had not been for a snag in his feeder swim then 200lbs would have been on the cards.  Constantly having to set up made it hard work for him but nevertheless a brilliant performance with a final weight of 113lbs to take day 1.

Not far behind Alex Bones was the old Norfolk legend Jimmy Randle, who has been fine-tuning his paste techniques.  He weighed in 105lbs to win zone 2 on Glebe Pool 4.

The Foundation Lake was hard work and regular Mallory member Steve Slater just won with 55lbs.  The supporting weights were not bad considering the conditions.  Several of the non-match anglers were pegged in Pretty Fish pond and had a wonderful time catching carp and crucians all day.

SUNDAY

Another very wet day, the only good thing was that the wind had switched to southwest, which the complex is more suited to, and 120 Anglers were out to brave the conditions.

After the draw it looked is if Alex Bones was in contention again; he drew a potential flier, the first peg on Glebe Pool 7. This was black with fish but would they be happy in the bad conditions?  It was hard going but Alex winkled out 90lbs in atrocious conditions, to win the zone, but it was not the highest weight on the day.

Mallory regular ‘end peg’ Andy Towers was on form and drew peg 1 at the Glebe, storming away to win the zone with 154lbs, a good catch on the pole.  The Foundation fished a lot better than on Saturday and Leicester’s professional angler Steve Porter won a close battle with 82lbs.

Linda Marks presented the special Ivan Marks solid silver trophy to the overall winner, Andy Towers.

Overall the complex fished much better on Sunday with several 100lbs weights.

A first ton came out of Pretty Fish Pool when Keith Hovis Hudson weighed 104lbs.

Only the silver fish have spawned, the carp are moody. We desperately need some good warm weather.

Special thanks to all of the helpers and sponsors

The season opens on June 1^st and membership to the club is available.

Full details on the Mallory Park Fisheries website:  www.malloryparkfisheries.co.uk

SNIDE RUMOURS AND DIRTY LIES.

Behind the scenes there was a lot of friction developing. Event organiser’s bait boy, Graham Barry, drew a flier on Sunday, peg 7 on Glebe 1.  Tony Morton drew it on Saturday and had 108lbs.  After briefing Graham it sounded like a chimp could catch a ton on Sunday.  To make matters worse John Corpse Wright from Enderby drew next to him on peg 6.  The Corpse’s record, and I am not trying to be unkind, is not good.  In fact for most of the events he fishes he is not there at the weigh in. With that in mind Graham should have been confident.

However serious pressure from Marlow was raising the stakes and the blood pressure.

In reality the memorial event was not important for Graham regardless of what he will say.  John was raising the stakes even more with coin being mentioned.  It was publicly stated that if Graham did not batter the Corpse he would be disowned and banned from the fishery.  Further more Marlow would not speak to him again and would only deal with his partner Helen.  Possible final end of friendship photographs were taken and a shotgun cartridge was left with Graham in case the worst happened.

With only 30 minutes of the match remaining it did not look good. The chimp that has been mentioned was required on Graham’s peg and it was going to be a close thing with both John and Graham claiming so.

Then the fishy gods must have smiled on Graham.  The Corpse, who had claimed at the start that he did not need a brolley because he had the best waterproofs in the world, including a new style of waterproof shoes that imitated white trainers, cracked.

That was his back not his clothes.  John now did look like a corpse, in fact a very wet cold one. The wet weather had no respect for his latest waterproofs and his white fully waterproofed trainers.  A broken man was forced to pack up, with the help of his wife, and had to be bundled into a waiting car to prevent hyperthermia setting in.

Graham was now chirpier, the gun was not required, and a not so stunning performance (the chimp would have fished better) resulted in a second in the section.