Once again the Junior Section had to endure cold and very windy weather when they met at Springwood Fishery for match 2 of the 2008 series.  At least there was no rain, and this time, several fish were caught.

Top weight on the day (and winner of the 13-16 age group) was taken by 13 year old Jake Hemmings from peg 19, with 4 lb 3 oz..  Jake fished pole, alternated between pellet and maggot bait, and landed tench, skimmer bream and roach.

Runner up, 12 year old Curtis Hodges (winner of the under 13 age group), also fished pole, baiting with big maggot and pinkies, for a crucian carp, skimmer bream and roach catch weighing 2 lb 2 oz.  Adam Brailsford (age 8) took third place with 1 lb 6 oz, with Ashley Collinson (age 10) and Anthony Hanstock (age 13) sharing fourth place, each with exactly 1 lb.

Match 3 will be on the Erewash Canal (Tamworth Road, Long Eaton) on 24 May, meeting at 10am with fishing from 11am to 2pm. To book in, telephone Martin Oakes on 0115 8492737. 

LEVAS members will be pleased to hear that a further consignment of 300 carp went into Grange Pond during March 2008, continuing the Society's planned stocking policy for the sixth consecutive year.

The fish, mainly superb dark coloured common carp, but including several mirror carp, all weighed between 1 lb and 2 lb 8 oz respectively, and are expected to have an immediate impact on catches at the Long Eaton (members only) fishery. 

 Photographs (courtesy John Carver) show samples of Common (top left) and Mirror (bottom left) Carp, and one bin of fish of fish being released. 

 Members are reminded that their subscriptions should be renewed from 1 May, from either Bridge Tackle (Long Eaton) or the Membership Secretary.  New members also accepted.

LEVAS members voted in a number of changes that will come into effect from 1 May 2008.

New General Rule 10: The use of bloodworm and jober is allowed on Society canal fisheries ONLY between 1 October and 31 March.

New General Rule 14: In order to help prevent spread of fish disease, Members MUST ensure that before fishing Society waters ALL nets, unhooking match, weigh slings etc are thoroughly dry. (Existing Fletchers Pond Rule 7 is deleted)

All Society River Fisheries are restricted to LEVAS members only. (Only exception is for block match bookings by other organisations)

There is no closed season at Fletchers' Pond.

2009/10 Membership Subscriptions will be: Adult - £24; Concessionary - £12; Junior - £8.

The Society's Junior Championship for 2008 started off in terrible weather on Saturday 22 March on the Tamworth Road bank of the Erewash Canal in Long Eaton.

In bitter cold and gale force winds, only two of the competitors brought fish to the scales.  Top weight, from peg 34, fell to Jake Hemmings (and top in the under 16 age group) with 2 roach weighing 5 oz, both taken on red maggot fished close to the far bank.  Runner up, from peg 33, was Adam Brailsford (top weight in under 13 age group) who fished pinkie 'down the track', also for two roach, these weighing 2 oz.

The next match will be on Saturday 19 April at Springwood Fishery (Melbourn), draw 10 am and fishing from 11 am to 2 pm.  Contact Martin Oakes on 0115 8492737 as soon as possible to book in.

LEVAS final match of the 2007-2008 season, Championship match 18 for the Last Bash Trophy, fished on the Bridge Pool at Heronbrook (Staffs) was well attended, and in spite of the impending 'great storm' it remained sunny most of the day, with one short light rain shower, and no more than a moderate wind.

Unfortunately, as is often the case at the season's back end, fish were shoaled tightly resulting in poor catches for many, although this was certainly not the case for the match winner, Anthony White.  Drawing peg 31, Anthony fished towards the far bank at 14 metres, and baiting with maggot, hooked and landed a barbel soon after the start.  He continued to catch (all barbel up to around 4 lb in weight) at intervals throughout the match, ending with an excellent 63 lb for a clear win.

    Anthony White, Heronbrook Match Winner

 On peg 15, Brian Leafe, also fishing at around 14m towards the far bank, fed and baited with pellet, and was rewarded with an all carp catch (including F1s) of 35 lb for second place.  Paul Marriott (peg 29) was third with 16 lb 8 oz, Jamie Adcock (peg 21) fourth with 15 lb 12 oz, and Ivan Carrier (peg 24) fifth with 15 lb 8 oz.

The top 5 final points in the LEVAS Senior Club Championship are: Paul Richardson 269; John Adamson 250; Dave Kent 212; Malc Munn 186; Brian Leafe 173.

It is with deep regret that I heard the news that one of our Vice Presidents, Ken Ball, died in hospital after a long illness on Wednesday 20 February 2008.

Ken (in his mid 70s), spent much of his life working for angling.  He served as President of the National Federation of Anglers for 12 years, and, although he lived in Newport Pagnell, he was a valued Vice President of Long Eaton Victoria Angling Society for many years, attending annual our prizegiving and Committee Match.

Many of us considered Ken to be a very dear friend.  He will be sorely missed.

  Ken Ball (Holly Farm, Committee Match, 2007)