07/06/2026
The Todber weather goods were unkind to us again yesterday, and where as the adults were baked 2 weeks ago, the juniors got to experience Todber rain, if you've fished Todber in the rain you know what I mean. It comes down in sheets and the constant wind drives it into every crack and crevice! It's near impossible to use an umbrella 🙄.
The kids themselves didn't seem to mind and after the usual scrabble to get started they set off with their groundbait, maggots, pellets and borrowed tackle in hand.
By this time it was lashing down and blowing a hooley. It was so rough I had to move Alfie Gibbs and his grandad from peg 54 (one of the better pegs) to peg 40 (not so good) so they didn't get blown away. If Alfie or your grandad read this, if you want to I will take you for a day (school holidays) on peg 54 using my set up and hopefully we can learn from each other. I can teach you to cast, and I can learn grandads' patience and Alfie's resilience.
The fishing was hard, made harder by the weather, but the kids were all brilliant, so polite, and great ambassadors for the club, their parents must be very proud of them. I certainly am.
The full results are below 👇 but I have to mention a few outstanding achievements.
Teddy Bush obviously, what an amazing weight for a 9 year old lad. To put it in context Teddy a 9 year old lad, in 3 and half hour, caught almost as much as the semi professional adults did in 5 hours! I say to Preston and all the big boys if you're looking for the next Des Shipp or Steve Ringer Teddy is your man.
Jessica Naylor for the under 10 years old best fish of 9lb 8ozs, fantastic fishing in difficult conditions well done!
Ollie Griffiths for the 11years + best fish of 8lb 9ozs. It was only his second time fishing and he was borrowing kit from Alan Cross well done Ollie!
Well done to everyone one who fished.
Special thank you to all the parents and helpers, I hope you have dried out.
All the people that have donated their unwanted kit or given via the junior fund we thank you.
To John Candy and his amazing team at Todber Manor Fisheries from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for supplying the bait and supporting the club all year, thank you.
Lakeside kitchen, thank you for letting us do the prize giving in your marvellous facility, it was absolute bliss to be out of the wind and rain with a hot coffee.
To the other clubs in the area
I urge you to do a similar thing. Yes it's a pain, yes it's hard work, yes its time consuming, but yes it is 100%
worth it. To get these kids outside away from the screens. To see a six year old lad land his first carp. To see their face light up when they get a prize. Or how proud the parents look, priceless and 100% worth it.
These kids are the future of our sport and the greater the investment, the greater the return.
