The Thames continues to fish its head off and local anglers are enjoying some of the best roach and bream fishing for years.

It is in stark contrast to this time last year, when many clubs and disgruntled pleasure anglers were bemoaning the lack of silver fish in our local rivers.

Nearly 180lb of fish was caught by the 17 anglers who fished the Mars-ton FTB match against Masons at Donnington.

Pegged below the mouth of the Cherwell, FTB shop manager Reid Tutty caught 16 bream and some nice roach over the 1lb mark for an impressive winning weight of 55lb 8oz.

All his fish came to the groundbait feeder and red maggot.

Steve Foster was one peg upstream and also had bream on the same tactics for 22.4.0 and second, followed by Anthony Tomkins with 16.0.0 of bream.

Tackley Estates AC enjoyed a cracking day’s roach fishing on the river at Radley.

Stephen Malone topped the eight-strong field with 17.2.0 of roach on waggler with maggot, followed by Frank Malone, with 11.4.0 on pole and caster, and Anthony Alder two ounces behind.

More than 20lb was required to win Sutton Courtenay AC’s Jack Woodley Memorial Cup on the Otneys stretch of the Thames.

Alan Hewer triumphed with 23.4.0 of skimmer bream, roach and perch caught on the feeder with worm.

Malcolm Vigor was close behind with 21.5.0, followed by Colin Prior with 12.6.0. Eight fished.

North Oxford AS contested their Collier Cup on the Marston Link Road and Wolfson College stretches of the Cherwell and those pegged at Wolfson dominated.

Henry Clarke recorded a super bream and a good perch on the feeder with chopped worm for a winning 9.12.0.

Runner-up Dave Pether caught 7.14.0 of roach on pole-fished maggot, followed by Dave Scott-Picton with 5.15.0 on chopped worm.

OTHER RESULTS

Dorchester AS: (Inter-league, Lodge Farm, Fritwell, 9 fished) 1 W Cave 35.2.0 (carp, pole, pellet or maggot), 2 T Buddeski 30.5.0, 3 D Head 26.9.0.

Oakfield: (Wednesday, Red Kite Lake, 12 fished) 1 J Brewster (Dynamite Oakfield) 65.1.0, 2 R Wall (Dynamite Oakfield) 61.8.8, 3 S Nicholls (Banbury Gunsmiths) 58.1.08.

Oakfield: (Saturday, Red Kite & Swallow Lakes, 35 fished) 1 G Thorpe (GOT Baits) 93.8.8, 2 D Robinson (Littlemore AS) 88.0.8, 3 M Giles (RS Baits) 71.2.0.

TOMORROW'S FIXTURES

Angling Trust Oxford Winter League: Practice match, Thames at Radley.
Sutton Courtenay AC: v Marston FTB, Cherwell. Draw 8am, fishing 9-2.

Dorchester AC: 3rd Rose Bowl. Thames at Benson. Fishing 9-2.

Kidlington AS: Club match, Cherwell. Draw Kidlington Green SC 7.30am, fishing 9-2. Tel 07990 587379.

Littlemore AS: S Denny Shield. Thames at Sandford. Draw 7.30, fishing 8.45-1.45.

Beehive AC: Pairs match. Panshill. Draw 9am, fishing 10-3.