Inter Centre Fishing 2025

 Rally No 44 : 12-14th September 2025 : Little Walden

Once again the months ticked around to the Inter Centre fishing competition, the summer has started to fade and the

welcome cooler air had begun to arrive. 

It was our turn to host this event on behalf of the Anglia Division and once again Little Walden was the chosen venue.  Central to all centres it is a popular choice and has been used extensively for quite a few years in a row. 

This venue continues to mature with previous areas cordoned off for private use released to make the camping area even bigger.  A new washroom facility and even dry waste bins shows improvements to this venue in many areas.

While the field has a slight slope, the grass is nicely cut and the slope allows for some great views across the two lakes and in sight of the rolling farmland in the near distance.

Our marshals this weekend where Tanya & Steve with Sue and Barry stepping in the assistant roll.

On arrival Steve sprinted up the field to show us to our pitch while Sue who followed closely behind produced a plate of home cooked bread pudding!  What a welcome!

Once we had settled, Tanya presented us with our welcome letter, venue plaque and an interesting picture quiz. 

I guess most of us have seen rear of the year in the glamour magazines, well this quiz was guess the rear of a … deer!

A variety of well known animals rear ends to guess.  Unusual but good fun.

Friday evening was a light social get together in the event tents for a natter, tea was available for those wanting some refreshment's. 

The draw for the fishing ’pegs’ took place,  teams from North Essex, South Essex, Mid Anglia and a representation from the Suffolk centre all entered the competition.

By early evening most people retired to their caravan or motorhome to relax. 

It turned out to be quite chilly over night and one where it was nice to snuggle down under the quilt for a bit of warmth.  It made a change from all those uncomfortable warm evenings we had through the heat waves of summer.

Fishing started a 9am on Saturday morning with members arriving by the lake from 8ish as they prepared their equipment for the 6 hour match that was to follow. 

9am Steve blew his whistle to start the match.  Now there are two lakes here that cover a good few acres.  Steve had to blow that whistle hard enough for both to hear. 

Not one to avoid a challenge he blew the whistle so hard it made his head spin and he almost fell over!  He didn't, so all was okay, every one certainly received the message to start loud and clear!

Fishing was slow, the cold snap overnight had upset the fish and they were reluctant to emerge from under their own duvets.  Slowly as the sun came out to warm the water a few fish started feeding.

Meanwhile back in the caravans & motorhomes BBQ’s were fired up and the smell of cooking bacon wafted across the lake on the breeze that has started up. Sue popped up out of nowhere to give me a very welcome bacon roll, how lovely!

Thunder rumbled in the distance then light rain started, just as I thought I could get away without an umbrella the heavens opened! I scrambled to get my brolly and managed to put it up just as the rain stopped, typical!

Any way the match was just about finished so being a bit damp was not to difficult to manage.

Steve and the weighing in team recorded the fish caught and took the details away to be calculated.

Saturday evening we once again met over at the event tents for a social get together and another quiz. 

40 random fun questions were posed as people teamed up to answer.  Apparently the answer to the question ’what is the capital of Norway’ is not ’N’ ? Neither is the capital of Belgium ’B’ strangely, however we did know that pirates are pirates because they ‘RRRRR’.

Great quiz with some funny moments.

Sunday morning was flag where marshals were thanked for their hard work on arranging and keeping us entertained over the weekend.

Steve then read out the results of the fishing which showed that Mid Anglia had won, North Essex 2nd, South Essex 3rd and a sterling effort from the small Suffolk team with a 4th place.

Our Anglia Division Chairman Paul thanked all those that attended and supported this long running event.  It was great to see the various centres mixing and socialising together and generally having fun, after all that what it all about.

Finally Mid Anglia announced that they would be hosting this event next year, it would be at this venue once again.

Another great rally well done.

Rob R