GOLD Valley Lakes played host to this year’s Basingstoke Championships, and Ray Shepherd cracked the venue for the second year running, winning the event with 95lb 4oz of carp using the bomb, method and pellet waggler whilst feeding pellets.

Anthony Thomas took second spot with 84lb 12oz of carp on the method feeder and pellet. Graham Spiller also employed the method for his 74lb of carp, as did Steve Telford on 73lb 12oz, while Andy Leith made up the frame with 68lb 12oz.

The team winners, chosen at random, were Steve Telford, Jake Gallagher, Mick Biles and Brian Swindle. Forty-eight fished and caught.

Kennet Ospreys’ recent match, at Gold Valley saw Graham King top out with 105lb 12oz of carp on the method. Glen Wills also employed the method feeder for his 104lb 4oz. Steve Hunt did likewise for his 103lb of carp, while Simon Couling completed a method sweep with 92lb. Twenty-one fished and caught.

Staceys match group went to Whitehouse Lake last Sunday, where Tadley Angling’s Kevin Roberts drew yet another flyer and duly won with 41lb 3oz of carp and bream on worm over groundbait. Kevin Smith put his blinkers on and came second with 27lb 8oz of mixed on pole corn and pellet. Steve Davis caught a carp and perch bag on pole and worm totalling 27lb 4oz, while Scott Butler made up the frame with 21lb 14oz. Thirteen fished and caught.

Adventure AS did proper fishing last week on the River Kennet, at Hambridge Lane, where Trevor Thornton included a 5lb 10oz barbel in his stick float, hemp and caster-caught 9lb 14oz.

Venue ace Lionel Cook caught three perch and a chub on stick float and maggot for his 8lb 4oz. Bob Smethurst caught two chub and bits for his even 5lb, while Sean Barrington used stick float and caster (what else?) for his 31lb 12oz of bits. Fourteen fished and all caught.

Camrose AC went to Soke Road Lake for their most recent match, and Brian Orchard topped out with 29lb 4oz of carp on pole and pellet. Danny Williams took second place with 16lb 2oz of mixed on pole and paste. Bill Atkinson made third spot with 15lb 8oz of mixed on pole and pellet, while match secretary Pip Seeny made up the frame with 11lb 12oz of mixed. Ten fished and caught.

The Barrington Memorial match takes place at Beale Parke, Pangbourne, this Sunday. The draw will be in the main car park at 8am.

With no angler representing their club at team level, the Basingstoke Championships are a far cry from their original concept, where the kudos of fishing for your club meant everything to the lesser talented anglers, and it was reflected in the turnouts. This year’s attendance of 48 anglers is the lowest ever recorded.

Last year, with one club boycotting the event, we saw a far bigger attendance. Let’s hope the organiser, who does a very good job, has a re-think on the modus operandi.

Catch me next week.