Report on the Jim Hemmings Memorial angling match held at Arrow Valley Lake 7.6.14.

Twenty three anglers braved the torrential rain forecast to support this annual contest organised by local angler Mark Hemmings in conjunction with the Arrow Valley Visitor Centre and the Redditch Federation of Anglers, raising over a hundred pounds for the Macmillan Cancer Appeal fund.

Following a night of heavy rain carp showed strongly in catches and method feeder tactics with pellet feed and dead maggot or small boilies the top hook bait.

Match winner Mark Hemming (no relation) from the local Lodge Park club took 5 carp for a 58lb total with his best specimen a fish of 16lb from peg 70, close to the playground and a spot where visitors regularly feed bread to the lake’s duck population which in turn also attracts the carp.

Mark took his fish with poloney on the hook, casting along the bank to his left into the hot spot.

Runner-up Dave Boyle was over on the Shakespeare bank on peg 43 where he took four carp for a 40lb 9oz return.

Third placed Simon Chidler took the best pole caught weight on the day with an excellent all bream bag of over 30lb from peg 56, Simon had a couple of fish to around 3lb with a rake of skimmers to maggot fished at 12 metres.

Joe Roberts took fourth spot with two carp plus skimmers from peg 54 for 29lb ahead of Colin Harvey in fifth with 26lb of mainly bream on peg 55.

Full result lb oz

1st Mark Hemming Lodge Park AC 58 15
2nd Dave Boyle Bimingham 40 9
3rd Simon Chidler Redditch 30 13
4th Joe Roberts Starlets 29 3

In addition section awards went to; A section – Mark Dowery (Bham) 25lb 12oz, B – Mark Carney (Bromsgrove) 20lb 6 oz and C to Colin Harvey.

Next match on the lake is a small Open match on Saturday June 14th contact John Bushell on 07879624248 for details if you fancy a dabble, this will be limited to around twenty anglers maximum so don’t leave it too late.