Angling round-up: Top pike sport at Chew

Despite some awful weather during the first week with severe cold and heavy snow the water temperature plummeting towards zero, the Bristol Water fishery produced some excellent results with at least six fish taken weighing in at more than thirty pounds.

The top fish weighing a superb 38 lb 8 oz taken by Alan Buckingham was the best fish taken in England this season.

He took his fish from the East Shore region on a dead bait.

The same day Richard Ford took s fine specimen weighing 36 lb 4 oz from the bank at Herons Green.

Fishing with his brother they also took fish of 28 lb 6 oz and 23 lb 4 oz, all taken on smelt dead bait.

Two days later Tony Rideout took a fine fish weighing 38 lb 6 oz from behind Denny Island on half mackerel. Chris Tarrant took another good fish weighing 30 lb 2 oz.

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Local anglers will be able to enjoy an evening with big fish star Martin Bowler when Bathampton AA sponsor the event to be held on Monday 16 March at Fry Club, Keynsham commencing at 7.30 p.m.

The famous angling journalist and big fish specialist will be talking about the widely acclaimed film ‘Catching the Impossible’, and book and how they were achieved.

Martin will be selling and autographing copies of the book and the DVD also on sale.

The entry is open to anyone at only £3 each and all the proceeds from the entry fees will be donated to the cancer group CLIC.

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The mid week Open match at Ivy House Lakes produced reasonable sport.

Phil Weaver made the journey from Cwmbran to carry off top prize with a mixed catch of carp, trout and silver fish weighing 37 lb 12 oz taken alternating with pole fished red maggots and sweetcorn.

Ian Millichip of Ivy House took second spot with another mixed catch of carp, trout and silvers weighing 26 lb 11 oz taken on pole fished sweetcorn.

Alan Mann from Cwmbran took third prize with a mixed catch weighing 17 lb 10 oz with Mick Gale of Devizes in fourth spot with a weight of 16 lb 13 oz.

The Wednesday Open match at Landsend Fishery produced fairly even catches making for and exciting result.

Alan Oram of Dynamite Baits kept up his good form with another fine win with an all carp catch weighing 38 lb 4 oz taken on long pole fished sweetcorn.

Mark Lenaghon of Avon Angling took second prize with another carp catch weighing 37 lb 10 oz taken on pole fished sweetcorn. He was followed by Chris Edmunds of Avon Angling with a carp catch weighing 37 lb 5 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

The silver fish prize went to Nick Collier of Sarfix SW with a fine net of fish weighing 34 lb 4 oz taken on pole fished red maggots.

Other placings: 4. Dave Housen Landsend 35 lb 7 oz; 5. Nick Collier Sarfix SW & Nigel Duckett Landsend 34 lb 4 oz.

The fifth round of the Landsend Winter League produced good sport with carp feeding well.

In form Alan Oram of Dynamite baits again stole the show with a carp catch weighing 64 lb 5 oz taken on long pole fished sweetcorn.

Anton Page of Avon Angling pushed the winner all the way to finish a close runner up with a carp catch weighing 59 lb 14 oz taken on long pole fished sweetcorn.

Adrian Clarke of Bristol Flooring clinched third prize with a carp catch weighing 48 lb 8 oz to retain his top placing by a single point.

Other placings: 4. Gary Wall Landsend 39 lb 9 oz; 5. Lee Burns Carps AC 32 lb 12 oz; 6. Nick Collier Sarfix SW 32 lb 8 oz. League Table; 1. Adrian Clarke Bristol Flooring 29 points; 2. Nick Collier Sarfix SW 28; 3. Mark Duckett Landsend 24.

The third round of the Dynamite Individual Series was fished at Bullocks Farm where competitors enjoyed good sport.

Mosella star Tony Rixon again hit the top with an all carp catch weighing 37 lb 6 oz taken alternating with long pole fished sweetcorn and red maggots. Paul Ratcliffe of Dynamite Frys MG took runner up prize with a carp catch weighing 34 lb 0 oz, topped by a fine specimen of 14 lb 0 oz, taken on pole fished soft pellets.

Dean Malin of Dynamite Baits clinched third prize with a carp catch weighing 24 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Other placings: 4. Mark Alexander Avon Angling 21 lb 4 oz; 5. Steve Foale Westerleigh 18 lb 12 oz; 6. Nigel Ratcliffe Dynamite Frys MG 15 lb 13 oz; The top silver fish catch went to Ray Cooper of Dynamite Baits with a weight of 5 lb 10 oz.

The third round in the Sensas Viaduct Teams of Five Winter League produced excellent weights in the milder conditions.

Top honours went to Simon Jones of Maver Veals Blue with an all carp catch weighing 108 lb 15 oz taken on legered red maggots.

Runner up spot went to Jamie Smith of Frome Haines Angling Centre with another carp catch weighing 93 lb 12 oz taken on waggler fished red maggots. He was followed by Steve Mayo of Maver Veals Blue with another carp catch weighing 77 lb 10 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Other placings: 4. Frank Roberts Maver Veals Red 76 lb 1 oz; 5. Paul Garrett Maver Veals Red 56 lb 10 oz; 6. Ron Lucas Haines AC 53 lb 4 oz.

Teams: 1. Maver Veals Blue 71; 2. Avon Angling 66; 3. Enterprise Angling 65; 4. Westerleigh Blue 64.

League Table: 1. Somerset Angling 207; 2. Westerleigh Blue 187; 3. Sensas Thyers 181; 4. Viaduct Select 176.

Competitors enjoyed mixed sport in the Wilts Angling Open match fished on Wednesday on the Bristol Avon at Scotland Road.

Top honours went to Vic Abbott of Trowbridge with a mixed catch of carp and roach weighing 7 lb 4 oz taken on feeder fished red maggots.

Tony Gilbert from Melksham pushed him all the way to finish a close runner up with a bream catch weighing 7 lb 2 oz taken on stick floated red maggots.

Ian Willetts from Bradford took third prize with a mixed catch of tench and skimmers weighing 4 lb 6 oz taken on feeder fished red maggots.

Other placings: 4. Pete Neate Holt 3 lb 10 oz; 5. Jim Escott Melksham 3 lb 4 oz; 6. Gerry Lugg Beckington 2 lb 6 oz.

Weights were well below their best in the Lavington match fished on Sunday at Merritts Lake. Top honours on the day went to Pete Craig of Potterne with a carp catch weighing 20 lb 4 oz taken on feeder fished red maggots.

Terry Fell from Devizes took second prize with a mixed catch of carp and tench weighing 16 lb 6 oz taken on pole fished sweetcorn. He was followed by Dave Bancroft of Trowbridge with a carp catch weighing 15 lb 8 oz taken on feeder fished luncheon meat.

Other placings: 4. Ted Hulbert Melksham 11 lb 14 oz; 5. Tony McCarthy Devizes 10 lb 2 oz; 6. Chris Brown Worton 9 lb 4 oz.

Weights were fairly even in the Bathampton Open match fished on Sunday on the Kennet & Avon Canal between Darlington Wharf and Claverton.

Top honours on the day went to Guy Manton of Preston Innovation Thatchers with a bream catch weighing 46 lb 2 oz taken alternating with pole fished red maggots and bloodworm for a runaway win.

Richard Lacey of Bathampton took second prize with a mixed catch of roach and skimmers weighing 7 lb 8 oz taken on pole fished red maggots.

Andy Bernstein of Blackmore Vale MG took third prize with an all roach catch weighing 6 lb 11 oz 8 dm taken on pole fished pinched bread. 4. Vince Lunn Sensas Bathampton 6 lb 8 oz; 5. Richard Chave Blackmore Vale MG 6 lb 2 oz; 6. Martin Barrett Preston Innovation Thatchers 5 lb 10 oz.

The Airsprung match fished at the week-end on the River Frome at Stowford produced mixed sport. Top spot on the day went to Richard Whitmarsh of Frome with a mixed catch of chub, roach and perch weighing 16 lb 6 oz taken on pole fished red maggots for a clear win.

Runner up spot went to Mike Stowford of Frome with an all bream catch weighing 5 lb 13 oz taken on pole fished red maggots. Steve Southern of Trowbridge took third prize with a perch catch weighing 4 lb 3 oz taken on stick floated red maggots.

Other placings: 4. Bill Turner Trowbridge 3 lb 11 oz; 5. Ted Hanson Trowbridge 3 lb 4 oz; 6. Steve Saunders Bath 2 lb 9 oz.

Weights were below their best in the Bath Spartans match fished at Rood Ashton on Sunday with fish hard to tempt.

Top honours on the day went to Clive Blacker of Paulton with a carp catch weighing 39 lb 12 oz taken on feeder fished red maggots.

Gavin Messer of Bath took second spot with another carp catch weighing 30 lb 0 oz also taken on feeder fished red maggots.

Noddy Ball used identical tactics to clinch third prize with a carp catch weighing 29 lb 10 oz.

Other placings: 4. Chris Konieczny Yate 29 lb 6 oz; 5. Steve Cross Calne 26 lb 6 oz; 6. Paul Box Paulton 22 lb 0 oz.

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Future events: Sunday Mar 8: Calne v Wootton Bassett at Hazeland Avon Open match at Melksham Frys match at Bullocks Farm Trowbridge match at Staverton Kingswood & Hanham RBL match at Bradford Lavington match at Baldham Mill AT Winter League semi final K & A Bathampton to Claverton