Sunday 12th May 2024 saw Ken Hayes set a new match weight record on Island pool with a weight of 179-10-00.
Ken drew peg 17 close to the point of the island during a club match with Wordsley Lions and fished pellet up in the water managing to find small carp in numbers for the full five hours. What's even more impressive is that Ken managed to achieve this whilst not being allowed to fish down his edges or over to the island!
With the resident carp in full spawning mode on account of the weather, anglers were not allowed to fish their edges, including far side margins such as islands, in an effort to protect vulnerable fish either spawning or resting in the warmer shallower water. With these restrictions in place, Ken certainly had his work cut out for him, with very little water to go at besides. However, despite this, Ken fished a superb match confirming a comfortable victory nearly doubling the weight of second placed Ray Moss on neighbouring peg 15.
Speaking to Ken before the weigh in, he said "I've had a few. I think I've done 200lb"and upon the scales arriving behind his peg, it was evident he was serious with six keepnets in the water.
Fishery Manager Ben said "it was obvious Ken would be confirming a big weight when I saw his keepnets, but as to how big a weight was unknown because I had asked anglers to split their fish evenly from the off, rather than nearing the limit on each net before starting another. I was also praying he hadn't gone over on any of his nets"!
The previous match weight record on Island pool was 128-10-00 set by Dan Hart back in May of 2022.
Well done Ken!
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