ANGLING: Roach bonanza on the Thames

After three days of rain, there were fears that it could have been a struggle, but the bit of colour and extra flow turned on the roach with a vengeance.

Every section was won with double figures and some sections produced double figures for everyone.

The winner was Mick Denton (Drennan GOT Bait) with 24.6.0. He was pegged on the top end at Benson and caught all his fish on pole and caster at ten metres. The roach were up to 12oz.

Second with 20.10.0 was Steve Page (Drennan GOT Bait), pegged in the rarely-used section above Clifton Bridge. He caught roach and hybrids on pole and maggot over groundbait.

John Hassler (Fox match Isis) was third with 19.15.0 of roach on caster over groundbait from the bottom section at Benson.

On the team front, champions Drennan GOT Bait dominated with 54 out of 60 points. Second were Turners Tackle with 41, followed by Sensas A4 with 40.

The final round in Littlemore’s Aggregate Cup was fished by ten at Lodge Farm, Fritwell.

Paul Willoughby was the victor, but it was Nick Collier who won the overall series.

Willoughby had more than 30 carp to 5lb at 11 metres on worm and caster up in the water, ending up with 82.5.0.

On the next peg, Collier used identical tactics to weigh in 66.12.0 for second place, and third with 60.2.0 was Brian Hutchings, who fished the corner peg and had 45 small carp on pellet.

Final placings: 1 N Collier 95.11.0, 2 P Willoughby 90.9.0, 3 B Hutchings 65.9.0.

Tackley were at Lower Court and although the weather was terrible, the 12 matchmen found plenty of fish.

Dave Clarke (Predator) used the long pole with meat for a winning 31.0.0 of carp.

Also fishing long, but using chopped worm, John Spencer only just missed out on top spot with 30.4.0, and third with 29.4.0 was Frank Malone, who fished down the edge switching between chop and caster.

Only four anglers turned out for the Jolly Anglers’ CJ Holmes match fished on the Thames at Fairmile in pouring rain, and the ones who stayed away missed out as there were some good weights.

Phil Ansell took the honours with a net of 53 roach, plus skimmers, weighing 17.3.0. He used a stick float that held plenty of lead, with maggot on the hook.

Lee Crook put 14.5.0 of skimmers on the scales for second, taking all his fish on groundbait feeder and maggot.

Also on the feeder, Steve Gray finished third with a mixed net of fish for 8.0.0.

The Thames at Folly was the venue for the Kinloch AC match fished by nine anglers.

At the final whistle, Bill Bryant triumphed with 16.2.0 of skimmers, roach and perch on the pole, alternating between maggots and worm.

Malcolm Crook and Fred Harrison tied for second, both weighing in 9.12.0. Crook caught roach and skimmers on stick float with maggot or caster, while Harrison had a similar net on maggot over caster.

Andy Pickett was just out of the frame with 9.8.0 of quality roach on groundbait feeder with maggot and worm.

Oxford Bus AC were back at “the School” last Sunday and the turnout was low because of the wet weather.

New member Kevin Dirke had never seen this stretch of the Cherwell before, but put together a winning 11.15.0, comprising quality roach and skimmers on caster and pole.

Fishing pole and maggot, Dennis Butler caught a net of roach and perch for a second-placed 5.2.0, and third with 3.15.0 was Terry Yates He caught roach, perch and daddy ruffe on either maggot or worm which were tempted ed from under an overhanging bush.

Sutton Courtenay fished their Silver Goblets on the Thames at Appleford, and because it was a float-only match, the nine matchmen could not really get under brollies and therefore got pretty wet.

At the final whistle, Bob Gosbee won with a net of roach and perch going 6.13.0 on pole and maggot over groundbait.

Runner-up was Eamonn Capocci with 5.14.0 of gudgeon, bleak and small roach on a whip with maggot, pipping John Baldwin, who had 5.12.0 of roach on hemp and tares.