Farlows
A BCAC classic venue that is so good it has been with us from the start. Always a brilliant atmosphere this 27 acre water has plenty of features with open water at one end and bars and bays at the other. Doubles and twenties are the target with a good head of thirties as bonus fish.
| CAPTAIN |
VICE CAPTAIN |
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Martin Stoneman |
Craig Antiss |
George Avery |
Andrezej Budda |
Wayne Mansford |
Phil Bevan |
John Tai |
Matt Bennett |
Barry O’Cconnor |
Ben O'connor |
Alan Grainger |
Martin Starkey |
Co Schygs |
Irene Schygs |
Robert Garaway |
Graham Outterside |
Tony Kirrage |
Mick Hinson |
Chris Martin |
G Blunden |
Peter Leakey |
Adrian Fautley |
Ryan Bettell |
Chris Cummins |
www.boyer.co.uk
Pre-Match Round Up
Is traditionally a carp anglers dream. What with gravel bars and many islands this lake has held a round of the Championships from the start. Always throwing up some surprises and some very big carp. With loads of very big carp to go out Farlows is without doubt the most traditional carp water in the competition. All tactics work, but check catch reports and look back at articles which could help you get a place in the semi. If you have entered the championships you would of thought about entering at Farlows.
Farlows Round Up
Results
1st - Barry O'connor and Ben O'connor - Carp Talk - 328lb 03oz
2nd - Tony Kirrage and Mick Hinson - Tony’s Tackle - 188lb 02oz
3rd - Martin Stoneman and Craig Antiss - 174lb 05oz
 Once again this year the BCAC returned to Farlows, and once again it didn’t disappoint… Even the hot weather couldn’t stop the action here, and virtually from the moment the hooter sounded the fish started to feed. It was 37 minutes into the match when Irene Schyf netted the first fish of the tournament at 6lb 12 oz. Having travelled all the way from Holland with husband Co, this was just the start they were looking for. However up the other end of the lake it didn’t take much longer for the runs to start coming, and the marshals were kept busy with a string of captures through the afternoon. At the 6pm check it was the pairing that many feared, Barry and Ben O’Connor fishing this year for Team Carp Talk who were in the lead with 64lb 6oz, and this was after coming last out of the draw bag and having to settle for an un-favoured swim on the smelly bank. Just behind them were Wayne Mansford and Phil Bevan on 61lb 6oz in the ramp bay, and in third Ryan Bettell and Chris Cummins had racked up 41lb 9oz from the Bodge It swim. Going into the night it was clear there would be a few fish caught, and they were showing in numbers out in the central area of the lake. Anticipating that the carp would head for the shallow bays with the hot weather forecast for the next day, the lads in the open water swims reached for the spod rods to try and hold the fish for as long as possible, but what would the night bring?
After a cool night and plenty of action, the leaderboard stayed much the same and the O’Connors still held the lead. Bettell and Cummins were hot on their tails though, having overtaken Mansford and Bevan during the night. As the day wore on it was clear the fish were not going to follow the plan, and it was the open water pegs that stayed consistent, with more fish falling to Zigs. The fish that had been in front of the Factory bank before the match just weren’t there anymore either, but towards the evening the central group of fish looked like they were spreading out a bit, and at last the lads down towards the clubhouse began to catch a few, but there was still a lot of catching up to do.
 It really was all to play for on the final night, the O’Connors had a lead of 70lb, but 5 swims were now chasing them, so a flurry of action could swing things right around. Despite the clear skies and scorching sunshine the fish kept feeding. Tony Kirrage and Mick Hinson had made a charge from peg 5 to take second on 141lb 15oz, and Mansford and Bevan were clinging on to third with 114lb 5oz. With a few fish being lost here and there too there were a lot of anxious looking carp anglers at Farlows! By morning the battle for third was in full flow; the O’Connors were well ahead on 323lb 3oz, and Kirrage and Hinson were in second with 170lb 13oz. Chasing the leaders were Bettell and Cummins on 156lb 3oz after a productive night, and also Martin Stoneman and Craig Anstiss, who were helped by a 29lb 6oz mirror on the Saturday evening which bumped up their score. The sun soon burnt through the clouds, and almost immediately fish were being spotted moving through to the bay areas of the lake. At 10.45 peg 6 were in, and as Matt Bennett, fishing with John Tai, landed the fish it looked like this could be the biggest fish of the weekend. 35lb 15oz was the verdict, and this was also a new PB for Matt. The battle for third went down to the final few minutes, and unfortunately the last fish for Bettell and Cummins was not quite enough for a qualifying position. The O’Connors finished with a new venue match record of 328lb 3oz, with Kirrage and Hinson in second on 188lb 2oz, and third place went to Stoneman and Anstiss with 174lb 5oz.
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