My Top Ten Match Wins

I haven’t done a ‘Hit Parade’ for a while and as I seem to be having a bad run at the moment I thought I’d list some of the matches when I actually caught some fish! I’ve been fishing competitions for 34 years and during that time I’ve experienced plenty of highs and lows and that’s what makes it so addictive. For weeks on end you can catch next to nothing or finish just out of the frame and then you have a great result and all those bad days are forgotten (well until the following week anyway!).

Match wins can come in a variety of ways, a low weight affair after a scratching match, a bonus fish making all the difference or a proper bagging session. Very often winning matches is easy, you draw a good peg, the fish are feeding and you fill your net before collecting your winnings. Of course days like this don’t come along that often, some days you draw the flier and the fish aren’t feeding or you cock it up, you lose that match winning fish at the net or another angler fishes a blinder and takes the glory, it’s all part and parcel of match fishing and that’s why I love it!

So read on for my top ten match wins

10 – Stathe Drain
My first (and only) win at Stathe thanks to a couple of late bonus fish

http://www.againstmenandfish.com/2006/08/langport-league-stathe-drain-6.html/

9 – Perry St Pond
I’ve only ever won four matches at Perry St, this time I drew the flier and made no mistakes and also set a new personal best match weight

http://www.againstmenandfish.com/2012/05/perry-st-pond-spring-league-5-27th-may.html/

8 – Chard Reservoir
Another match win thanks to a bonus fish but what a bonus!

http://www.againstmenandfish.com/2008/10/chard-reservoir-6th-october-2008.html/

7 – River Isle
Another flier and still my biggest match weight on the river

http://www.againstmenandfish.com/2007/02/river-isle-crown-league-18th-february.html/

6 – Dillington Pond
After winning the previous match with 1lb 5oz, I was expecting another struggle and couldn’t have been more wrong!

http://www.againstmenandfish.com/2012/12/dillington-pond-ves-precision-league-4-3.html/

5 – Ilminster Canal
I love fishing the canal and had a cracking days fishing for this win

http://www.againstmenandfish.com/2011/03/ilminster-canal-13th-march-2011.html/

4 – Chard Reservoir
This win has featured in previous ‘Hit Parades’ but still remains one of my favourites so I make no apology

http://www.againstmenandfish.com/2007/12/chard-reservoir-chris-patten-memoria.html/

3 – River Isle
Another of my all time favourite match wins

http://www.againstmenandfish.com/2009/01/river-isle-barney-crockett-pairs-open-4.html/

2 – Summerhayes
This match was a strong contender for the number one spot, a lovely days fishing and my first win at the venue

http://www.againstmenandfish.com/2013/04/summerhayes-open-7th-april-2013.html/

1 – Chris Haines’s Pond
A day when everything went right and I had a lovely mixed bag to win my first match at Clivey and on my birthday too! – a perfect day.

http://www.againstmenandfish.com/2010/05/chriss-pond-9th-may-2010.html/

So there you have it, my favourite match wins. I’m on the Isle tomorrow so come back tomorrow night to see if my bad run continues or if I can get back to catching some fish.