Spanish Catfish Trip

John has arranged a trip to the Mighty River Ebro in Spain, for a long weekends catfishing. A few of the chaps have expressed an interest in sampling the delights of getting slimed and sunburnt, so nows your chance!
The trip will be from Friday 3rd-Monday 6th October 2008.
We will be flying from Stansted to Reus airport at 06.10am on the Friday and returning on the 22.45pm flight on the Monday night.
This gives us 3 full days fishing. The fishing will be done from a boat, with one of the local guides, using the full array of predator tactics (none of this pellet nonsense!) Accomodation will be self catering apartments within close proximity to the river and boats.The whole weekend inc flights, fishing/tackle/bait, accomodation/food and hire cars will cost around £500 per person. There are 10 places, 7 of which have already been secured, if you would like to catch fish like the one pictured then contact either John or myself, or bring a deposit of £150 and your passport (for flight and licence info) to the next meeting to secure a place.

Come and be a part of RA19's first foreign expedition, you won't regret it!

May Meeting

Mays meeting will be on Tuesday 6th May at the Papermakers Arms
For this month I have put a pike based quiz together for your delectation, this can be done in teams of two or on your own if you wish.
For the most pike knowledgeable team or individual, the first prize will be a days pike angling at the now infamous Ski Lake....home of very big pike. This days angling will be in the company of Mr John Synnuck.
For the runners up, there will be prizes of tackle....

We'll meet at 7.15-7.30 for an 8 o/c start

Members £2.50 : Non members £3.50....inc resplendant buffet!

End of Season Fish In : Darenth Big Lake

Checking the weather forecast for the couple of days previous to our fish in on the 30th March at Darenth Big Lake, I was convinced only the hardiest of souls would make an appearance, as the forecast was for 30mph winds and torrential rain. So, I was happily surprised when I arrived at the lake Sunday to find a couple of the lads already waiting by the gate, and the further appearance of another 20 or so of the Thames Gateway pikers. With the lads chomping at the bit we drew for swims and off we wandered to do battle with the Big Lakes head of resident toothy critters.
First cast of the day produced a 5lb jack for yours truly, and although a bit battle scarred from obvious spawning activity, it was a welcome sight none the less.
The expected flurry of activity from the dawn feeding spell never materialised and the next fish was landed by Tony Skeet at around 11a.m., a nice double of 13 3/4lb. Next in on the action was one of our guests from RA 70, Mark Skinner, opening his account with a 11lb 15 oz fish, quickly followed by Pete Fish capturing a plump 12 1/2 lber. Things quietend down for a few hours, than a flurry of activity around Paul Sharman and Tony Skeets' swim saw the pair finish the day with a tally of 9 fish between them including 4 doubles up to just under 15lb.

Top Left and Bottom Left : Tony Skeet : 13 3/4lb & 14 3/4lb
Top Right : Paul Sharman : 11lb 12oz
Bottom Middle : Mark Skinner : 11lb 15oz
Bottom Right : Pete Fish : 12lb 8oz


Michael Fish must have been on forecasting duty that day, as the predicated inclement weather never showed its face , and by mid afternoon.......the sun even came out!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Thanks to all the guys that showed up and supported the region, and thanks again to Warren for allowing us access to the lake for the day, no doubt some of us will be back this winter to take on the bigger pike than are known to inhabit the lake.

April Meeting

Aprils meeting was a chance for the members of the Thames Gateway region to put their questions to our panel of piking experts.
The plethora of experience contained within the members of the panel was put under scrutiny for a couple of hours with a whole range of subjects being covered from red letter days to moon phases and a couple of other subjects that are best left between the members and not broadcast on a public website ( you little tinkers you!!)
The panel of experts: BILL PALMER : DAVE HORTON : JOHN SYNNUCK

After the beer and fag break, and trying to prise Mike Kelly away from the buffet...


....we continued precedings with a tackle bring and buy sale, where the barter ethic was in full swing and some of us came home with more stuff than we turned up with!!( I just had to have that big wiggly lure!!!)

This was the last of the speaker meetings for the winter, for the next few months we will still be meeting up for a social and a beer, no doubt to regale each other with tales of catfish and the such like.........see you on the first Tuesday of each month.