Monday 16 April 2012

RA34 - Oxfordshire April Meeting

The regions final talk of the 2011-12 season and trophy night will take place this Thursday (19th April 2012) at the usual venue of the Red Lion pub, Eynsham, 7.30pm start.

We are pleased to advise that the trophy winners are:
Biggest Stillwater pike = 33lb 3oz (Marc Dibsdall) group record
Biggest river pike = 25lb 6oz (Eamonn Deeley)
Veterans trophy (over 60) = 27lb 11oz (Tony Hallatt)
Junior Trophy (under 18) = 16lb (Ryan Styles)

Guest speaker on the night will be Dilip Sarkar MBE:
Joined the PAC upon foundation, aged 16, back in 1977, soon succeeding Des Taylor as RO for Worcestershire. Fished very seriously for pike on the Severn and Wye, and a couple of Cotswold trout waters until the mid-80s, taking a number of fish to 26+. Re-visited Severn piking and PAC in the early 90s, taking more good fish, but work and family commitments once more dictated a return to carping. Became a deep ship-wreck diver in 1999, so for the next seven years didn't fish at all. He did, however, dive with pike, which was fascinating. Dilip who was a single-parent with son James then met Karen, who became hooked on fishing and the three continue to fish together. At that time, Dilip's friend Chris Fowles took a Wye 31.06, so that capture, together with Karen and James's enthusiasm for predators, saw him start serious piking again in 2009. Living in Worcester he is lucky to have the Severn on his doorstep, so of course has the opportunity to fish for big zander. Last season, however, a prime stretch of the Severn near Worcester became available and so Dilip took over the fishing rights, putting together a very small syndicate of trusted, long-standing, friends. On 12 March 2011 Dilip caught a river Severn pike of 25.01, making up for the various pike of 19.15 he has caught over the years. Dilip has been lucky enough to take ten of the 25 double-figure zander from his water, including three doubles in a sitting, although his biggest is 'only' 12.07. On the pike front Dilip has had 45 doubles from the Severn this season, including three twenties, the best two being absolutely awesome pike of 26.08 and 27.02. Dilip has also recently taken over as editor of Pikelines magazine.
Karen is an angling artist, now specialising in not only fish prints but also angling portraits and will have some paintings on display on the night and one print will be in the raffle.
So, his talk is really about what has been a journey, in addition to having a strong message regarding both pike conservation, environmental problems and his approach to both running his syndicate and resolving problems on the stretch, so a bit of all sorts, not your typical piking talk, and so far well received.


Hope to see you all on Thursday.


Vince Williams
Regional Organiser
Oxfordshire PAC (RA 34)

No comments:

Post a Comment