THERE is still no sign of the usual winter mixture of frosts and cold winds — and that is having a real effect on fishing both on still waters and rivers.
In most cases, the winning weights are still good, but the back-up weights have tended to drop off quite quickly but, nevertheless, they are still better than would normally be expected.
One exception was the Ferry Bridge Angling Club’s fur and feather match at Pot Kiln Fishery in Measham.
Almost everyone caught more than 20lbs and things were very tight at the top — so close that just one fish could have changed the result.
It was also strange that all of the top weights came from one side of the fishery.
Top rod was Ritchie Bennett with an excellent 42lbs 14ozs, almost all common carp caught on a straight lead set-up that he alternated with a long pole when things became too quiet.
From an unfancied peg, Jeff Eardley also fished the straight lead and sweet corn and had carp to 5lbs in his 37lbs 9ozs net.
Third place went to one of the most consistent anglers this season, Mick Reynolds. His 37lbs 6ozs net was only a fraction off taking second place off Eardley.
Chris Talbot (35lbs 10ozs) and Dave Shakespear (35lbs 2ozs) took the next two places in this high scoring match.
The best fish of the day went to Neil Cotterill with a superb common carp of 13Ù lbs. It made up half of his finishing weight.
Reynolds did make up for this by winning the Over 60s match at Robin Wood Fishery.
He won the match by a margin with 36lbs and, like the other competitors, he found the better quality fish closer into the dying reeds.
Runner-up Dave Rudge netted what was a lowly weight in comparison, 19lbs 2ozs.
Having said that, he had a clear margin over Dave Walkerdine with 15lbs 8ozs and Terry Carpenter on 12lbs 8ozs. Small carp and ide made up all of these weights.
Over on Stoppos Fishery, the weights are slowly getting lower as the temperature of the water gets lower, but the weights were still very good and the fish were of a good size too.
The best on the day was John Wayte with carp that went to 6lbs in his net of 26lbs 4ozs. All responded to luncheon meat and feeder combination.
Runner-up once again was Dave Kinson, who also fished the same way as the winner but really need at least another couple of fish as he weighed in 20lbs 8ozs.
Fishing his favourite chopped worm and caster, John Stevens netted bream and several perch up to 2lbs each for third place with 12lbs 8ozs.
THE final round of the newly named Derby Central Angling League was fished at the Springwood Fishery at Melbourne and anglers found that the fish were not in their winter mode yet and that the fish were still tight to the islands.
Winner Barry Volley chose to fish the straight lead and bread towards the corner of the island in front of him. He caught a single ide and a brace of carp for 13lbs 6ozs.
Second-placed Barry Birkinshaw also fished the straight lead, but this time between the islands and with double red maggots.
He also caught ide and carp but much smaller samples for a level 9lbs.
Roly Brooks alternated between the pole at 12mtrs and the feeder at 18mtrs for his 5lbs 2ozs to prove every bite counts in matches like this.
