06.08.2013

BROWNING BAG WINTER LEAGUE ON THE RIVER TRENT

Browning`s, North Eastern sponsored team, Browning Quaker, were crowned Angling Trust Winter League Champions 2013, with a points tally of 82pts, 7pts clear of 2nd place, Leicester Sensas.

Fished on the Tidal River Trent, the North East rods, had 2 anglers in the top 6 with Captain Peter Close taking 4th with 4 kilo 430 grams and Lewis Mackintosh 5th with 3 kilo 740 grams. In addition to this they had section wins from Johnny Maddison and Mala Dunlop, Andy Nelson and Scott Lister with section 3rds, with all the team catching and lowest points score of 3pts saw them over the finish line.

The river was far from being in its best conditions with gin clear water and the lowest tide of the year forecast. However this did not deter the team, as a big powerful river fishing out of sorts was right up the teams’ street. Running up to the big day the team fished all the practice matches, with 10 anglers at a time making the long trip down from County Durham, and this paid dividends as they got to know the pegs and moods of the river.

Team tactics was simple, catch a fish to begin with, on any method you see fit as you saw your peg, whether it be waggler, stick, pole, whip or feeder, the blank needed to be avoided. 8 out of the ten anglers caught in the first hour, with Johnny Maddison winning his section with his first chuck!! It was then a case of staying well up in your section either through big fish on the feeder or small fish on the waggler, pole, and whip.
There’s a saying that the good pegs look after themselves, but the bad pegs looked after the team in this final with special praise going to Neil Nicholson and Mala Dunlop, both drew pegs that had not produced a single fish in the run up to the final. Neil managed 1 chublet and 7 bleak for 4th in his section, whilst Mala managed a bream that won his section.

This win is even more remarkable as Browning Quaker have broken the monopoly on this event that since the 1990`s the winners have come from Dorking, Starlets, Barnsley and Shakespeare.

Team results: 1. Browning Quaker 82pts
2. Leicester Sensas 75
3. Daiwa Dorking 73
4. Kamasan Starlets 69
5. Preston Innovation Thathchers 68
6. Drennan North West 66
7. Garbolino Black Horse 63
8. Preston Innovations Delcac 61 weight
9. Drennan Banbury Gunsmiths 61
10. Chambers Champs 56
11. Maver Midlands 54
12. Garbolino Ossett 48