On a bright, fresh windy morning seventeen anglers congregated at Swanmead in sanguine mood to fish the Chairman and Committee peg down match. The Medway in sluggish mood and with clear water was not going to offer up its bounty with ease and the strong westerly wind put a ripple on the water but offered no comfort to pole anglers who struggled to present a bait nor the float anglers to maintain steady control of their lines.
For those who toughed it out the rewards were hard come by and last week’s victor Ray Berry could only muster 2lb 3oz of mixed silvers but did manage to take best fish of the day with a Bream of only 1lb. His South London colleague Colin Fowler took honours on the day with an impressive 7lb 2oz bag of mainly Roach and mixed silvers. Hot on his heals and finding his form was last year’s reigning match champion Martyn Hill with a 5lb 11oz bag of quality Roach.  Third place with 4lb 4oz of Roach and mixed silvers went to Pat Galpin who, like Colin, had to contend with a steady flow of dogs paddling and disturbing his swim.  The rest of the field struggled for some hard won mixed silvers with the larger fish in the area failing to put in an appearance, a tough days fishing indeed.

Photo 1 Ray Berry with best fish of the day a bream of 1lb

Photo 2 Ditch Howard with his hard won catch of mixed silvers.