Yeah, top days those Trent matches.
Contrary to what a lot think it was basically all roach and you had to sort out the better ones; you really had to turn up on chance to get a peg for the following week!
There was the occasional 20-30 lb in the latter days but in the main the earlier Saturday matches tended to be won with a 'double' of some sorts with 8-9 lb generally framing. It may not sound good by todays weights but the last few in the match (almost 100th) would weigh in around the 5 lb mark.
It was the back up weight that made these matches so good; it was all roach, dace and gudgeon then.
Happy days
I once remember turning up for a Saturday match, setting up and got the shivers because I had left my casters on top of the fridge at home! There was a Goole angler next to me, I think his name was Roy Duckett from memory, he shared his bait with me, casters and hemp and wouldn't dream of taking a penny off me. Would that happen today?
If I remember right that was one of the few matches on BJ I framed in but I did win a few sections and that was a real honour in itself.
More happy days
I met some fantastic characters there too; they were equal to the fishing, top drawer.