04/08/2026
The M. Hunt Memorial Pairs Match took place on Sunday 2nd August on the South Drain at Catcott Bridge. This annual blind pairs competition is decided on points accumulated across two sections, with each pair consisting of one angler from each section.
The South Drain is a natural venue that can provide exceptional sport throughout the summer months. However, with that comes a considerable amount of vegetation management. The banks are lined with 2 to 3 metres of reeds, which must be cut back each year to create fishable swims. At this time of year, significant aquatic w**d growth within the river also requires extensive raking to ensure anglers can fish effectively.
Before discussing the match itself, it is important to recognise the efforts of the club members who prepared the venue. A total of 22 swims were cut and cleared along the stretch, with extensive w**d raking carried out in advance of the event. A huge thank you goes to Neil Prettejohn, Jamie Stevens, Gordon Curtis, Steve Whatley and Nick Talbot for their hard work and dedication. Without their efforts, the match simply would not have been possible.
With temperatures forecast to reach the high twenties and clear skies throughout the day, conditions appeared set fair for an enjoyable match. However, overnight winds had pushed large quantities of duckw**d onto the venue, and anglers arrived to find approximately 80% of the river covered.
Match Secretary John Ogden got proceedings underway by announcing the blind pairs before anglers drew for their pegs. Seven pairs contested the trophy, creating two sections of seven anglers, split above and below Catcott Bridge.
Upon reaching their pegs, anglers quickly assessed the conditions and immediately set about clearing duckw**d using landing nets. For some, the task proved almost impossible as fresh w**d continually drifted back into their swims. It soon became apparent that success would depend on adapting to the conditions and making the most of the opportunities available.
At the all-in, most competitors targeted the venue's abundant stocks of roach, rudd and perch using whip tactics, aiming to build steady weights throughout the day. Others opted for a more selective approach, targeting resident bream and tench on pole and feeder lines. What nobody anticipated was just how well the venue would fish despite the challenging conditions.
The top weight of the day came from Jamie Stevens, fishing below the bridge in the second field. Jamie produced an outstanding performance on the whip, maintaining a steady flow of bites throughout the match to amass an impressive catch of roach, rudd and perch weighing 30lb 1oz. This excellent net secured both the section win and top weight honours with a maximum seven points.
Above the bridge, Steve Whatley drew the end peg, which offered some of the best conditions on the stretch due to reduced duckw**d coverage. Steve began by targeting the smaller species on the whip while simultaneously feeding a long pole line at 11 metres with groundbait, dead pinkies and liquidised corn in the hope of attracting bream and tench.
After enjoying a solid start catching quality roach and rudd, Steve switched to the long line after 90 minutes, fishing a piece of worm on the hook. The move paid immediate dividends when a substantial bream buried the float. After carefully guiding the fish through the w**d, a specimen of around 6lb was safely netted. Another followed just ten minutes later, convincing Steve to continue on the line. The decision proved correct, with a further two bream added before the finish. All four fish weighed between 5lb and 6lb, helping him record 27lb 10oz and secure victory in Section A with seven points.
One of the closest battles of the day took place on pegs six and seven between father and son John Aldham and Lee Carrol. Both anglers fished the whip effectively and caught steadily throughout the match. At the weigh-in, John recorded 19lb 8oz of roach and rudd, only for Lee to edge him out by a mere 4oz with 19lb 12oz, earning both the section points advantage and family bragging rights.
Not everyone enjoyed favourable conditions. Geoff Berry drew in one of the areas most heavily affected by duckw**d, where very little open water was visible. Undeterred, Geoff adapted his tackle to punch through the surface w**d and reach the fish beneath. His perseverance was rewarded with a late bonus bream, helping him build an excellent total of 16lb 8oz.
Despite the difficult conditions, the South Drain fished exceptionally well. The 14 anglers weighed in a combined total of 246lb 13oz, giving an impressive average catch of over 17lb per angler.
As a result of the extensive work carried out before the match, there are now 22 cleared swims available for G.M.A.A. members to enjoy along this stretch of the South Drain.
Section A Results
1st Steve Whatley 27lb 10oz 7pts
2nd Lee Carrol 19lb 12oz 6pts
3rd John Aldham 19lb 8oz 5pts
4th Geoff Berry 16lb 8oz 4pts
5 Neil Prettejohn 10lb 10oz 3pts
6 Nick Talbot 11lb 0oz 2pts
7 Phil Baskerville 10lb 8oz 1pts
Section B Results
1st Jamie Stevens 30lb 1oz 7pts
2nd Jerry Miller 23lb 2oz 6pts
3rd Nick Hughes 20lb 3oz 5pts
4th Clive Glisson 17lb 6oz 4pts
5th Paul Davis 16lb 0oz 3pts
6th Rob Birch 14lb 15oz 2pts
7th John Ogden 6lb 13oz 1pts
Overall Pairs Results
1st J. Miller & L. Carrol 12pts 42lb 14oz
2nd S. Whatley & P. Davis 10pts 43lb 10oz
3rd J. Stevens & N. Talbot 9pts 41lb 1oz
4th G. Berry & N. Hughes 9pts 39lb 8oz
5th J. Aldham & J. Ogden 6pts 26lb 2oz
6th R. Birch & N. Prettejohn 5pts 27lb 15oz
7th C. Glisson & P. Baskerville 5pts 27lb 14oz
Congratulations to Jerry Miller and Lee Carrol, whose combined 12 points secured victory in the 2026 M. Hunt Memorial Pairs Match. A special mention also goes to Jamie Stevens for recording the top individual weight of the day with a superb 30lb 1oz catch.
