Mick Marriott claimed victory at the Benson Invitation on the Thames at Benson – because he was the only one that turned up!

Marriott invited himself to the match and sat on peg 17, weighed in 27.0.0 in total.

He caught bream to 5lb 8oz, roach to 1lb 4oz plus several chub, all taking red maggot and groundbait feeder.

The 20 anglers fishing the Oxford Carp Winter League took a right battering with the high winds, but there were still plenty of fish caught.

The winning weight was taken by Rob Guppy (RS Baits), who fished maggot on the bottom at 13m and put 83.12.0 of carp on the scales.

Fishing long with corn, Gary Keetley did enough with 63.4.0 of carp to take second place.

Third, with 59.0.0 of carp and tench was Nick Dean (Maggots End).

Nick fished caster alternating the depth, so fishing on the bottom and then shallow.

Oxford Waltonian fished their Cuddesdon Shield on the Thame, and the six matchmen found the going tough.

Using a cage feeder with liquidised bread and flake on the hook, Paul Bowers landed six chub to finish first with a top weight of 22.14.0.

With a chub weighing 4.12.0, Mick Baston did enough for second place fishing double maggot on the pole.

Dale Bowers settled for third place with a 4.8.0 chub, using liquidised bread and flake.

The Evenlode was in good shape for Coldstone’s Last Chance Open, fished by 15.

Top weight on the day went to Steve Arthurs with four chub for 15.3.0, the biggest going 4lb 14oz.

Steve had three of the chub on bread feeder and the other on the stick float and double maggot.

Using the pole and maggot, Brian Ballard finished second with four chub going 13.9.0.

Third was Pete Moss with 11.2.0, with three chub along with small roach and dace.

The best fish of the day was a 5lb 1oz chub for Don Barnes.

The Thames at the Oxford Reach was in good nick for the Jolly Anglers’ Novice Cup, was fished by ten anglers.

Fishing the groundbait feeder with maggot on the hook, Warren Cave had four chub worth a winning 10.2.0.

With two chub, one weighing 5lb 14oz, Frank Butler was second with 6.2.0.

In third place was Lee Crook, who used the groundbait feeder with maggot, and landed a bream weighing 5.6.0.

Sutton Courtenay were on the Otneys for their Committee v Members match, but only six members turned out.

I was told that the fishing was terrible, and there were three blanks.

Fishing the maggot feeder, Reg Brant took the honours with two bream and a small chub to weigh in 7.2.0.

Also fishing the maggot feeder was Steve Wheatley, who had two bream for a second place Finishing third with 5.1.0 was Alan Hewer, who netted a bream and a small dace on groundbait feeder and maggot.

With most clubs packing up for the close season, Kinloch AC fished their first match of the season on the canal at Cropredy, where 17 anglers fished.

Fishing the pole with maggot, Bob Webb banked a carp plus bits for a first place weight of 6.0.0.

With a chub going 3lb 3oz and a few small silver fish, PhilWeston was second with 3.8.0 alternating between maggot and worm.

In third place, Bill Bryant used a small feeder with maggot and had a nice perch plus bits for 2.11.0.

The Thame at Drayton Bridge was pushing through and clear for the Cuddesdon Mill VAA Bob Gibson Cup fished by nine.

Chub was the fish that took the first three places.

Brian Hutchings landed two of them on pole and maggot to weigh in 5.15.0.

Ledgering bread flake, Roger Smith landed a decent chub weighing 5.9.0 to take second.

In third with another bread-caught chub, was Geoff Ring, who weighed in 4.2.0.

The Oxford Bus AC fished their final match of the season on their School Waters and the eight anglers found the river up, coloured, with a lot of rubbish coming through.

First place went to Pete Clarke on peg 17 with a winning 4.11.0.

Using the pole midstream with maggot, he tempted some nice roach and perch into his net.

Sat next to Pete was George Kingston, who fished the pole and maggot down the edge.

He landed a perch weighing 2lb 4oz plus a few skimmers for 3.13.0 and second place.

Anthony Tompkins fished the far bank with maggot and had a net of small roach for a third-place weight of 2.5.0.

It was Monty Finnemore’s day in the Kidlington Last Chance Cup, fished by 12 on the canal at the Wise Alderman.

Monty fished his special light house float with three maggots on a size 12 hook.

He latched on to 3.15.0 of skimmers and perch.

With some skimmers, small roach and gudgeon, Henry Clarke was second with 2.6.0, catching all his fish on the punch.

Also fishing the bread punch, but switching to worm Terry Lester was third with 1.14.0. Terry caught roach on the punch and perch on the worm.

Final Points after 19 matches: H Clarke 124, J Bean 116, A Middleton 104, T Lester 102.

North Oxford AS switched their match from Godstow to the canal at the A40 which was fished by seven.

The first job was to help remove a barge which was struck under the drawbridge. Someone had untied the boat during the night.

Once it had been moved and made safe, fishing could commence.

Using bread punch and catching roach and then switching to worm for a few perch, Mick Abbott weighed in 3.8.0.

Not far off the first place weight, Andy Crisp weighed in 3.2.0, fishing pinkie.

Andy had a couple of nice perch around 1lb plus some small silverfish.

Feeding chopped worm and fishing pinkie over the top, John Coleman was third, weighing in a chub plus bits worth 2.8.0.