The Thames was in cracking form for the third round of the Oxford Winter League fished by 64 anglers between Radley and Abingdon.
With wet weather changing the river after weeks of low, clear and almost static conditions, this was a 'proper' match, with all bar one section won with over 11lb, and bream, tench, chub, roach and perch all feeding well.
Making the most of a good draw one peg below the famous Grey Gate swim upstream at Radley, Darren Wright (Sensas A4) finished top man.
He fished a chopped worm feeder with worm and/or caster hookbaits for a brace of decent chub and a number of good-sized bream to weigh in 53.14.0.
This easily beat teammate Chris Ives, who nevertheless had a nice bag of chub for 32.13.0 taken from two pegs upstream of Radley boathouse on feeder-fished maggot.
In third place was consistent Paul Passmore (Faringdon Exiles), who had a fabulous all-perch catch of 27.10.0 taken from the downstream end of Abingdon town water, using worm over chopped worm.
Teamwise, Oxford Drennan GOTBaits recorded an impressive 62 points from a possible 70 for their match win, pushing Sensas A4 into second place both on the day and overall.
Teams on day: Oxford Drennan 62, Sensas A4 48, Fox Match Isis 44, Faringdon Exiles 38, Carp League 36, Garbolino Banbury Gunsmiths 24, North Oxford 17.
League to date: Oxford Drennan 4, Sensas A4 5, Fox Match Isis 10, Faringdon Exiles 11, Carp League 16, Garbolino Banbury Gunsmiths 17, North Oxford 21.
Beehive AC fished in terrible conditions at Lower Court for their Beehive Cup fourth leg, luckily no poles were smashed by the wind, but four umbrellas were damaged.
Most of the 280lb caught by the 12 anglers came from the margins, Kevin Jeacock claiming his second win on the trot with 50.6.0 of carp and skimmers to pole and maggot.
Not far behind with 49.10.0 was Robert Bennett, who caught carp on maggot down the margins, followed by his dad, Mark, with 38.12.0 of carp, again to maggot.
Littlemore fished their Sumner Cup at Cheney Manor, where Gerald Perks made it back-to-back wins.
He was on the fancied peg and fished groundbait feeder with red maggot to tempt eight carp, plus a tench, for 33.0.0.
Brian Hutching used pole and maggot for a good net of roach and rudd worth a second-placed 12.1.0, while two carp and some roach on pole and maggot gave Ken Franklin third with 8.8.0.
Twelve members of Kidlington travelled to the Rock of Gibraltar to fish their Paul Jackman Cup on the Oxford Canal.
Pegged opposite the marina, Dave Britnell cast a maggot-feeder to the boats for a winning net of skimmers worth 10.6.0.
Henry Clarke fished the pole with pinkie over groundbait for a second-placed 5.1.8 of skimmers and roach, pipping Maurice Winstone, who had 5.0.0 of perch on worm and bits on pinkie.
Oxford Bus AC were on their ‘School Waters’, where Pete Clarke topped the eight-man field with 10.1.0 of roach, skimmers and perch on pole with caster against the far wall.
Runner-up with 9.5.0 was Dennis Butler, who fished maggot and fed chopped worm to catch perch, plus a couple of roach.
Pegged on the backwater, Terry Yates was third with 1.0.0 of small roach and perch.
Considering the weather conditions, Appleford Reach did not fish too badly for the ten anglers in Sutton Courtenay’s Howard Rice Trophy.
Winning his second match on the trot, Alan Hewer put 9.2.0 of roach and chublets on the scales, having used a slider and maggot.
Steve Roberts was second with 8.14.0 of roach and perch on pole and maggot, followed by Eammon Capocci with 4.4.0 of perch and gudgeon on worm.
There was a marked lack of chub in the Cuddesdon Mill VAA Ron Smith Rosebowl fished by nine matchmen.
The winner was Mick Harding, who had three perch – the best going 2.6.0 – on legered worm for 5.0.0.
Geoff Nash fished the waggler with maggot and caught 2.11.0 of bits, while Keith Nash was third with 2.8.0.
Other Results Oakfield: (Wednesday, Brook, 14 fished) 1 P Alland (GOT Oakfield) 25.0.0, 2 S Johnson (Maggots End) 22.6.0, 3 R Morris (Isis Oxford) 18.13.0.
Oakfield: (Saturday, Swallow-Brook, 22 fished) 1 G Keetley (Maggots End) 44.3.0, 2 P Alland (GOT Oakfield) 35.2.0, 3 G Thorpe (GOT Baits) 24.13.0.
Panshill: (Thursday, Pans Lake, 12 fished) 1 N Dean (Maggots End) 93.11.0 2 R Honour 71.10.0, 3 S Johnson (Maggots End) 68.2.0.
Panshill: (Saturday, Pans Lake, 11 fished) 1 B Eddy (Panshill) 68.12.0, 2,J Hyrens 59.12.0, 3 S Carr 51.3.0.
Panshill: (Sunday, Wood Lake, 17 fished) 1 R Guppy (RS Baits) 74.8.0, 2 J Hohlweg (Panshill) 63.0.0, 3 B Eddy (Panshill) 57.10.0.
Dorchester: (Inter-league, Seacourt Stream, 6 fished) 1 T Budd 5.2.0, 2 R Rose 1.10.0, 3 L Budd 1.5.0.
Jolly Anglers: (Club match, Fairmile, 10 fished) 1 P Ansell 3.2.0, 2 L Crook 3.1.0, 3 F Butler 2.15.8.
Match Diary Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday Oakfield: Tel 01296 770899.
Panshill: Tel 07740 619991.
Sunday North Oxford AS: Roach Cup, Cherwell. Draw 8am.
Masons: Club match, Cherwell (Marston). Draw 9am.
Oxford Bus AC: Club match, School Waters. Draw 6.30am.
Yarnton: Club match, Lower Court. Draw 9am.
Stable Lake: Winter League Series. Draw 9am.
Jolly Anglers: Club match, BMH. Draw 7am.
Dorchester: Thame Championship, Thame (DB). Draw 8am.
ODAA Waters booked tomorrow Medley up/down.
NOVEMBER 22 Acorn Angling: Open, Carmel College. Book in at Acorn Angling or phone 01235 816132.
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