This year’s boat pairs event was held at Eyebrook, one of the smaller reservoirs but still with plenty of acreage.

Reg Renn and Allen Dixon were defending the title after their last year’s success at Draycote.

This year there were 6 pairs (12 persons) with everything to play for.

The recent dull weather had dispersed leaving a fine bright day with about 60% cloud coverage.

The occasional light breeze broke what was otherwise calm water. However, its direction changed back and forth from westerly to southerly.

Kick off was at 9.00am (Reg & Allen arrived with a few minutes to go) and the word was that the fish were on the far eastern side in an area known as the ‘Willows’. So needless to say most boats headed that way.

There were fish rising and jumping so floating lines (or intermediates) in the light ripples were the orders of the day.

Several persons (Stan & Allen) tried Hi-Di’s when the water calmed and the fish disappeared but to no avail. Fast sinking lines were out although Dave caught all his fish on an intermediate.

Fish came slowly using buzzers, shipmans, etc, and for most it was hard work.

Around 3pm the fishing all but vanished with only the very occasional fish. The morning and early pm had been the time for make or break. The fish were not close into the shore where it was shallow and very weedy but were several hundred yards out where it was deeper although not suitable for Hi-Dis.

Several pairs tried to drift but this proved very difficult because so many boats had anchored up at the spots where drifting was suitable.

Stan & David had set up a drift by the dam and Stan lost one at the net. By the time they had completed that drift and were ready to start drifting again another boat had anchored up in its middle near to where Stan had just lost one. So much for that drift!!

Tim & Ken persevered and continued drifting, albeit by dodging the numerous anchored up boats.

It paid some dividends for them and they caught many fish that way.

However, there were two outstanding pairs being Allen/Reg (last year’s winners) and Mick/Steve.

They had all caught steadily until mid afternoon and they had 12 and 11 fish respectively. Many of the fish were small stockies. So were there any big ones to sway the scales? At the weigh-in there were – Allen had a nice fish of 3lbs-10ozs - and together with Reg and their 1 extra fish it gave them the title for yet another year. Well done Allen & Reg.

Highlights :-

1. Stan was not happy when a boat anchored up in the middle of his drift!!
2. Allen cast out, put his rod down, reached for a sandwich when bzzzzzzzz. The line screamed out and ultimately it was landed as the biggest fish of the day. In a twist the dropper was missing when the fish was finally landed (caught in the net during the first attempted netting!).
3. We were visited by a black swan that looked lonely amongst all its white neighbours.

The Eyebrook weigh-in (in pairs) :-

Allen Dixon 6 fish 12lbs-7ozs 3lbs-10ozs (heaviest) This year’s (2005)

Reg Renn 6 9lbs-15ozs Champions

Mick Hill 6 10lbs-11ozs 2lbs-12ozs

Steve Radcliff 5 8lbs-7ozs

Stan King 2 3lbs-13ozs

Dave Blanchard 4 8lbs-2ozs 2lbs-13ozs

Tim Youngs 2 3lbs-12ozs

Ken Williams 4 6lbs-0ozs

John Weaver 2 3lbs-4ozs

Ray Simpson 2 3lbs-12ozs 2lbs-12ozs

Frank Bailey 1 1lb-5ozs

Keith Jones 1 1lb-13ozs