CDAA Junior Carp Match
The Caerphilly & District Angling Association annual junior carp match is a fantastic day for all and is brilliant at getting youngsters involved...
This year’s junior event got underway on a very muggy and warm Sunday morning at 6.30am, the young competitors arriving full of enthusiasm, determination, energy and a big, big dose of expectation and anticipation!!
After an introductory chat and run through of the rules, hands anxiously dipped into the hat as the juniors drew their pegs for the day.
Weather wise it was a bit of a strange old day to be honest, ranging from cloudy and overcast conditions to begin with, and improving to bright sunshine and warmth as the day progressed.
Club Bailiffs, Committee members and volunteers were quick to help and assist the competitors in tying up some zigs as the fish became more and more active in the upper layers of the water, the youngsters benefiting enormously from watching and listening as our team of helpers explained how, why, where and when these rigs should be used to best effect.
Some stuck with the zigs all day given the warm conditions, while others alternated between bottom baits, pop ups and wafters in a bid to outwit the lake’s resident Carp population.
Despite plenty of fish showing themselves throughout the day, the actual fishing itself proved to be pretty tough and tricky, although in total seven fish were unfortunately lost either at the net or through hook pulls, but two crackers were successfully landed.
At the end of 12 hours fishing, Callum Anderson took first place and the title with a lovely, clean 23lb 2oz PB Common taken from the long wall on the North Lake. This beauty secured Callum top spot and an absolute mountain of prizes he could barely carry!!
Securing second place on the day was Alfie Thomas, fishing the treeline on the inside bank of the North Lake Alfie connected with a beautiful zip linear Mirror late in the day that pulled the scales around to 22lb, a new PB for Alfie also!!
As news of these catches spread around the lake our young competitors did not become disheartened, used them as motivation and continued to fish hard and to the very best of their ability right up until the final hooter sounded for the end of the match at 7pm.
At the end of the match each and every competitor gathered near North Lake gate for a chat, debrief and to receive their prizes (ALL competitors received a bag of goodies) as well as for a bit of a social!!
The Moat is certainly not an ‘easy’ venue to fish and is definitely not a ‘runs’ water so we would like to applaud and recognise each competitor’s skill, discipline and perseverance in keeping on going till the very end and never giving up, we very much hope that these young
Anglers have gained some knowledge, watercraft and insight that will hold them all in good stead later on in their angling careers!!
From all at CDAA thank you to the parents/guardians and children for attending and being so polite, courteous and such a pleasure to have spent the day with.
A huge thanks especially to Simon Ursell for arranging the prizes and organising the event so well!!
Tight lines and wet nets to you all, until next time.
