Angling round-up: High winds on opening day

Fishing on the season permit day had been good from most areas but especially from the North side of the lake.

But the strong winds soon made fishing from that side of the Lake impossible on opening day and anglers had to move to Green Lawn, Rainbow Point and Butcombe for shelter.

And plenty of fish were taken although many anglers packed in early after being battered by the weather.

One angler who stuck it out was Robert Harris who completed his limit bag and included in it was the biggest fish from Bristol Waters this season – a beautiful 7 lb 4 oz brown trout.

The successful flies were a white fritz booby and an orange goldhead. He took his catch from Butcombe Shore.

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Catches were fairly even in the mid week Open match at Landsend Fishery. Mosella star Tony Rixon again showed his class to take top prize with an all carp catch weighing 68 lb 8 oz taken on long pole fished pellets.

Nigel Duckett of Landsend was runner up with another carp catch weighing 60 lb 13 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

He was followe3d by Tony Whitcombe of Mosella with another carp catch weighing 49 lb 6 oz also taken on pole fished pellets.

The silver fish prize went to Steve Kedge of Somerset Angling with a mixed catch weighing 25 lb 4 oz taken alternating with pole fished casters and soft pellets.

Other placings: 4. Mark Leader Sensas 44 lb 1 oz; 5. John Dyte Avon Angling 43 lb 10 oz; 6. Steve Kedge Somerset Angling 39 lb 7 oz.

Viaduct Fishery was in prime form for the Wednesday Open match with the top five all topping 100lb.

Top honours on the day went to Josh Garrett of Maver Veals with a carp catch weighing 156 lb 0 oz taken alternating with pole and waggler fished pellets.

Gary Etheridge of Devizes carried off second prize with another carp catch weighing 141 lb 12 oz taken on pole fished pellets. He was followed by Ray Hayward of Viaduct Select with a carp catch weighing 124 lb 4 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

The silver fish prize went to Paul Garrett of Maver Veals with a mixed bag of tench and skimmers weighing 26 lb 9 oz taken on pole fished casters. Other placings: 4. Lee Werrett Fox Match 113 lb 10 oz; 5. Mash Mashedar Sensas Viaduct 102 lb 8 oz.

Competitors enjoyed mixed sport in the Mosella Avalon Fishery Open match last week. Clayton Hudson of Mosella outshone all his rivals to gain a runaway win with a carp catch weighing 115 lb 6 oz taken on waggler fished pellets.

Steve Skelton of Avon Angling was a distant runner up with a carp catch weighing 45 lb 15 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

He was followed by Vince Brown of Mosella Sedges with another carp catch weighing 41 lb 0 oz also taken on pole fished pellets.

The silver fish prize went to Alan Oram of Dynamite Baits with a skimmer catch weighing 10 lb 1 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Other placings: 4. Les Pesticcio Mosella Sedges 33 lb 13 oz; 5. Andy Smith 30 lb 14 oz; 6. Andy O’Reilly Mosella 28 lb 10 oz.

The Dynamite Frys MG match at Bullocks Farm produced fairly even weights on a windy day. Top honours on the day went to Steve Preece of Dynamite Frys MG with an all carp catch weighing 59 lb 10 oz taken alternating with long pole fished soft pellets and catmeat.

Drawn next to the winner Gary Bedford of Sarfix SW took second prize with a carp and fantail catch weighing 32 lb 10 oz taken alternating with pole fished sweetcorn and pellets.

Mike Fergusson of Dynamite Frys MG took third prize with a mixed catch weighing 26 lb 13 oz.

The silver fish prize went to Dave Atcherley of Keynsham AA with a mixed catch of fantails and roach weighing 23 lb 13 oz.

Other placings: 4. Andy Curry Dynamite Frys MG 26 lb 10 oz; 5. Tony Rixon Mosella 26 lb 4 oz; 6. Dave Atcherley Keynsham AA 26 lb 1 oz.

Weights were again fairly even in the Landsend Fishery Open match with carp making up the bulk of the weights.

Top honours went to fishery owner Mike Duckett with an all carp catch weighing 53 lb 15 oz taken on pole fished soft pellets.

Close behind came Anton Page of Avon Angling with a carp catch weighing 51 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Dave Sawyer of Landsend clinched third prize with a carp catch weighing 47 lb 1 oz. Nick Collier of Sarfix SW took the silver fish prize with a skimmer catch weighing 17 lb 8 oz.

Other placings: 4. Rod Wooten Dynamite Frys MG 42 lb 2 oz; 5. Kevin Molton Maver Veals 38 lb 12 oz; 6. Alan Oram Dynamite Baits 29 lb 14 oz.

Weights fell well below their best in the Wilts Angling Open match fished at Blue Circle Lake on Wednesday. Top honours on the day went to Sean Rhodes of Trowbridge with a carp catch weighing 27 lb 14 oz taken on feeder fished pellets.

Ian Willetts of Bradford took second prize with another carp catch weighing 24 lb 0 oz taken on feeder fished red maggots.

Trowbridge veteran Dave Baker clinched third prize with a mixed catch of carp and skimmers weighing 22 lb 10 oz taken on feeder fished red maggots.

Other placings: 4. Lee Symes Trowbridge 21 lb 6 oz; 5. Ian Stainer Bradford 16 lb 4 oz; 6. Mick Gunning Trowbridge 9 lb 2 oz.

During the 1960s and 70s the name of Mike Jones appeared regularly among the big winners including a runner up position in the first big sponsored individual event which became the Woodbine Challenge fished at Combe Abbey Lake.

And then when in his prime Mike gave up match fishing and last week he fished his first match in fifteen years in the Bathampton AA Over 55s/Disabled match at5 Bridge Pool.

He showed he had lost none of his skills by not only winning the event but also took the silver fish prize.

Drawn at peg 15 Mike took his mixed catch weighing 57 lb 14 oz taken on waggler fished red maggots.

His catch included 15 lb 14 oz of silvers to clinch that prize. Chris Snow from Bristol took runner up spot with a mixed catch of carp and silvers weighing 43 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

He was followed by Ian Sheppard from Bristol with a mixed catch weighing 24 lb 0 oz.

Other placings: 4. Kevin Collins Peasdown St John 22 lb 8 oz; 5. Dave Bacon Bath 28 lb 0 oz; 6. John Wild Bristol 17 lb 9 oz.

Weights were fairly even in the Todber manor Open match fished on Saturday.

Mark Brennan of Preston Innovation Thatchers was the exception taking top honours with a carp catch weighing 84 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished pellets for a comfortable win.

Steve Tucker of Preston Innovation Thatchers carried off second prize with another carp catch weighing 51 lb 8 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Matt Cardwell from Street completed the frame in third place with a carp catch weighing 39 lb 14 oz also taken on pole fished pellets.

Other placings: 4. Gary Etheridge Devizes 38 lb 10 oz; 5. Dave Faleeto Gillingham 37 lb 12 oz; 6. Fred Roberts Yeovil 34 lb 8 oz.

Fish were hard to tempt on Sunday in the Wilts Angling Open match fished at Rood Ashton. Top honours went to Pete Neate from Holt with a carp catch weighing 39 lb 0 oz taken on method feeder fished red maggots.

Terry Gatty from Melksham took runner up prize with another carp catch weighing 29 lb 2 oz taken alternating with pole fished paste and feeder fished red maggots.

Rob Kepner from Chippenham clinched third prize with a carp catch weighing 27 lb 12 oz taken on method feeder fished red maggots.

Other placings: 4. Nathaniel Johnson Melksham 20 lb 10 oz; 5. John Atkins Trowbridge 15 lb 12 oz; 6. Steve Gardner Chippenham 15 lb 4 oz.

The first Bathampton Junior match of the year was fished at Withy Pool which was a silver fish only event and the youngsters turned in some good performances.

14 year old Ryan Summerhayes from Bristol continued where he left off at the Junior Xmas event by again topping the prize list in the over 13 class with an excellent catch of roach and skimmers weighing 14 lb 11 oz taken pole fished red maggots.

Consistent 15 year old Daniel Ball from Frome again made the frame in second spot with another roach and skimmer catch weighing12 lb 4 oz taken on pole fished red maggots.

11 year old Joe McMahon from Bristol finished a creditable winner of the under 13 class and fourth overall with another roach and skimmer catch weighing 9 lb 7 oz\ taken alternating with pole fished worms casters and red maggots.

Other weights: 3. Luke Pester 9 lb 9 oz; 5. Reece Parsons 5 lb 11 oz; 6. Steven Wride 5 lb 6 oz.

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Future events:

Sunday April 5: Bathampton Junior match at Withy Pool Frys match at Bullocks Farm

Monday April 6: Lavington AC AGM Lavington Community Hall

Thursday April 9: Bathampton Over 55s/Disabled match at Bridge Pool