The Abingdon Pairs match produced some of the best fishing seen on borough waters of the Thames for a long time.

Twenty-eight anglers fished and no fewer than 24 of them had double- figures returns, including seven with more than 20lb.

The river was still hardly moving and clear, but that didn’t stop the roach, skimmers and perch going on a feeding frenzy.

Simon Willsmore (Drennan) topped the pile with 24lb 10oz from a peg upstream of the bridge opposite the swimming pool, catching roach and skimmers on pole and maggot over groundbait.

Drennan Banbury Gunsmiths’ Carl Eland was only just behind with 23.13.0 from opposite the sailing club, with quality roach to 1lb and skimmers on pole and maggot.

Paul Passmore (Devizes) drew in the bay below the bridge and had perch on chopped worm and roach on maggot for 23.2.0 and third.

Pairs: 1 Simon Willsmore & Darren Davis 3pts, 2 Paul Passmore & Martin Kirk 6.

Quality perch and roach were also evident in the Angling Trust Oxford Winter League first round fished by six teams on the Medley, Channel and Folly stretches of the Thames.

Despite the rain, the river had no flow until some weirs were opened during the second half of the match.

Drennan Banbury Gunsmiths angler Mick Denton took the honours.

He drew the end peg on the Abbey Road end of the Channel and had a chub to go with perch and roach on pole and worm.

He weighed in 17.4.0. Phil Drew (Sensas A4) had 14.1.0 from the deep water peg at Folly and had mainly quality perch on pole and worm for second.

Teammate Steve Pawson was on the marina at the Osney end of Folly and caught roach on pole and maggot over groundbait for 13.2.0 and third.

Teams: 1 Abingdon 35pts, 2= Isis & Sensas A4 30.

There was a good turn-out of 20 as Marston AC FTB took on Dorchester AC on their own stretch of the Cherwell, where atrocious weather and a rising river made conditions hard.

Marston anglers filled the top spots, with Anthony Tomkins continuing his excellent run of form.

He caught skimmers and roach for a winning 5.3.0 Ron Hillier was second with 3.5.0 of roach on the pole with bread, and Graham Bradshaw third with 3.1.0 of perch and roach on chopped worm.

Tackley Estates AC staged their Pairs Cup on the Oxford Canal at the Rock of Gibralter, where bream put in a show.

Ian McCormack topped the nine-strong field with 9.5.8 of bream and perch on pole with worm and maggot.

Just behind was Stephen Malone with 9.2.0 on a pole with a variety of baits, followed by Mick Merry with 7.15.0 of bream and perch on pole with worm.

The Pairs Cup was won by Stephen Malone and Anthony Alder. A 4.10.0 bream, a large perch and a few bits gave Dave Pether top spot in the Kidlington Green SC AS Club Cup on the Cherwell at Thrupp.

He used a mixture of baits on the pole for a winning 8.4.0.

Jason Bean was second with 6.11.0 and Jan Cebula third with 5.4.8.

OTHER RESULTS

Beehive AC: (Second 2-none Cup Stable Lake), 1 T Belcher 46.0.0 (carp; pole & maggot), 2 K Jeacock 43.0.0, 3 R Hopgood 35.0.0. Points (after 8 matches): 1 J Bean 53, 2 H Clark 43, 3 T Lester 40.

Sutton Courtenay AC: (Mullins/Croucher Cup, Thames, Abingdon waters, 10 fished) 1 I Higgins 10.4.8, 2 M Vigor 9.7.8, 3 G Stafford 8.10.0.

Oakfield: (Wednesday, Swallow & Red Kite Lakes, 19 fished) 1 M Giles (RS Baits) 102.7.8, 2 R Foley (Dynamite Oakfield) 77.12.0, 3 P Alland, Dynamite Oakfield (75.4.0).

Oakfield: (Saturday, Swallow Lake, 15 fished) 1 G Thorpe (GOT Baits) 117.6.0, 2 I Graham (J&K Tackle) 85.1.0, 3 P McLoughlin (Dynamite Oakfield) 66.8.0.

Oakfield: (Sunday, Swallow Lake, 15 fished) 1 S Johnson (Sensas A4) 59.1.0, 2 A Wiffin (Biosource) 52.10.0, 3 G Thorpe (GOT Baits) 48.11.0.

TOMORROW'S FIXTURES

Angling Trust Oxford Winter League: Round 2, Oakfield.

Sutton Courtenay AC: J Woodley Memorial Cup, Thames at Otneys. Draw 8am, fishing 9-2.

Marston AC FTB: v Masons AC, Thames at Donnington. Draw 8am, fishing 9-2.

North Oxford AS: Collier Cup, Cherwell. Draw 8am, fishing 9-2. Masons AC: v Marston (see above).