Three very different days greeted the fourteen anglers taking to the boats for the Heron’s Autumn Festival 2018 on Saturday 6th, Sunday 7th & Monday 8th October.
Saturday was misty and started off calm but the NW wind was slowly building throughout the day. Catch rates were far slower than expected with the usual hoards of whiting proving somewhat absent. Dogfish made up most of the bags along with some whiting and a showing of nice sized dabs up to 10oz. In a slight rarity for Herne Bay waters, an undersized plaice was landed by Tony Morris and was duly returned.
T. Morris led the way with 23 fish for 23lbs 13.8oz whilst junior entrant L. Perry-French was in second with 13lbs 15.6oz. The next 5 spots were separated by little more than a pound so all was to play for on day two.
Sunday came and began with a nasty 20mph N wind. It was only the fact that the forecast predicted the wind to drop steadily throughout the day that it was deemed acceptable to fish. Not all fancied the weather however and just two boats ended up launching.
T. Morris continuing his winning streak with 24lbs of fish whilst D. Neiles came in second with 20lbs 4.6oz. Again, bags were made up of whiting, dogfish and dabs.
Saturday was misty and started off calm but the NW wind was slowly building throughout the day. Catch rates were far slower than expected with the usual hoards of whiting proving somewhat absent. Dogfish made up most of the bags along with some whiting and a showing of nice sized dabs up to 10oz. In a slight rarity for Herne Bay waters, an undersized plaice was landed by Tony Morris and was duly returned.
T. Morris led the way with 23 fish for 23lbs 13.8oz whilst junior entrant L. Perry-French was in second with 13lbs 15.6oz. The next 5 spots were separated by little more than a pound so all was to play for on day two.
Sunday came and began with a nasty 20mph N wind. It was only the fact that the forecast predicted the wind to drop steadily throughout the day that it was deemed acceptable to fish. Not all fancied the weather however and just two boats ended up launching.
T. Morris continuing his winning streak with 24lbs of fish whilst D. Neiles came in second with 20lbs 4.6oz. Again, bags were made up of whiting, dogfish and dabs.
Conditions on Monday were far more conducive and 10 herons avoided the daily grind, taking to the boats again instead. Weights were much better overall, with T. Morris cementing the win easily, adding another 45lbs 3.2oz to his rout.
In addition to the now present whiting, dogfish and dabs however, A. Wood landed a good sized pouting, M. Zacharia bagged a lovely bass of 3lbs 12.2oz and the heaviest fish of the day fell for B. Morris with a ray of 4lbs 6.4oz.
Full individual day results, aggregate and class winners (by elimination rules) as follows;
Saturday 6th;
1st- T. Morris, 23 fish, 23lbs 13.8oz
2nd- L. Perry-French, 12 fish, 13lbs 15.6oz
3rd- P. Gower, 10 fish, 11lbs 9.8oz
4th- K. Morris, 17 fish, 10lbs 15.8oz
5th- B. Morris, 10 fish, 10lbs 14oz
6th- A. Wood, 9 fish, 10lbs 10.4oz
7th- B. Perry-French, 10 fish, 10lbs 7.4oz
8th- D. Morris, 14 fish, 6lbs 15oz
9th- K. Wilton, 4 fish, 5lbs 8.2oz
10th- D. Neiles, 4 fish, 5lbs 0.4oz
Sunday 7th;
1st- T. Morris, 42 fish, 24lbs
2nd- D. Neiles, 33 fish, 20lbs 4.6oz
3rd- B. Morris, 23 fish, 15lbs 3.6oz
4th- A. Wood, 9 fish, 6lbs 9.4oz
Monday 8th;
1st- T. Morris, 88 fish, 45lbs 3.2oz
2nd- B. Morris, 48 fish, 28lbs 12oz
3rd- K. Morris, 47 fish, 25lbs 8.8oz
4th- A. Wood, 39 fish, 20lbs 7.2oz
5th- D. Morris, 34 fish, 20lbs 1.3oz
6th- D. Neiles, 34 fish, 18lbs 2oz
7th- M. Zacharia, 10 fish, 7lbs 5.8oz
8th- S. Mannering, 9 fish, 5lbs 5oz
9th- C. Zacharia, 9 fish, 3lbs 10oz
Class 1- Aggregate;
1st- T. Morris, 93lbs 1oz
2nd- B. Morris, 54lbs 13.6oz
3rd- D. Neiles, 43lbs 7oz
4th- A. Wood, 37lbs 11.2oz
5th- K. Morris, 36lbs 8.6oz
6th- D. Morris, 27lbs 0.3oz
7th- L. Perry-French, 13lbs 15.6oz
8th- P. Gower, 11lbs 9.8oz
9th- B. Perry-French, 10lbs 7.4oz
10th- M. Zacharia, 7lbs 5.8oz
11th- K. Wilton, 5lbs 8.2oz
12th- S. Mannering, 5lbs 5oz
13th- C. Zacharia, 3lbs 10oz
Class 2- Heaviest 1 day catch;
T. Morris, 45lbs 3.4oz
Class 3- Greatest No. (1day);
B. Morris, 48 fish
Class 4- Heaviest 1 day catch round fish;
K. Morris, 25lbs 8.8oz
Class 5- Greatest No. rounds (1day);
A. Wood, 39 fish
Class 6- Heaviest 1 day catch Flatfish;
S. Mannering, 6.2oz
Class 7- Heaviest Fish;
M. Zacharia, 3lbs 12.2oz
Class 8- Greatest No. Varieties (1day);
D. Morris, 3 Varieties
Class 9- Heaviest 1day catch by a Lady;
M. Zacharia, 7lbs 5.8oz
Class 10- Heaviest 1day catch by a senior;
D. Neiles, 20lbs 4.6oz
Class 11- Heaviest 1day catch by a junior;
L. Perry-French, 13lbs 15.6oz
Class 12- Heaviest catch on Monday;
C. Zacharia, 3lbs 10oz
 |
| B Morris 4lbs 6oz Ray |
 |
| M Zacharia 3lbs 12oz Bass |
