8:15pm Friday 16th March 2007
As expected, the final weekend of the 2006/7 river season was a total washout around Oxford, writes Andy Webber.
Every river was bank-high and the Environment Agency 'River Watch' was still being enforced.
Although the rivers and floods were receding, work commitments meant that was it for most of us until June 16.
For the next 12 weeks we can all get on with our household chores so everything is sorted ready for the new season.
There are still a few things to do - cleaning and sorting through tackle, replacing line and odds and sods - and don't forget that very important Environment Agency rod licence.
They will be available from post offices from April 1.
Chris Lowe travelled down from West Bromwich for a 48-hour stint on Linear's Manor Farm Lake and wasn't disappointed.
He spodded out a mixture of particles and broken SBS Lobworm boilies and then attached these boilies to his rig.
He banked a mirror weighing 35.2.0, plus five 20s, the best going 26.0.0.
When Oxfordshire specimen hunter Alan Storey is not catching huge roach and perch, he targets the Thames around Oxford in search of its large chub.
For several weeks Alan has been doing some short evening sessions on the river. After accurately baiting up in the margins, he captured three chub, all over 6lb, the best going 6.15.0.
He used a paste-wrapped Heathrow Baits Service Super Stench boilie.
Northampton carper Vincent Cripps visited Milton Pools over three consecutive days and had 20 carp from the water, near Wheatley.
His catch included two large carp weighing 33.10.0 and 31.6.0, plus four 20s and numerous other nice fish.
All of them fell to either hair-rigged maggots or Elite Baits pop-up boilies.
Casting to rising fish, Frazer Gascoigne, from Chesterfield, banked a smashing 30.12.0 mirror carp from Orchid Lake at Dorchester.
Frazer also had carp weighing 23.2.0 and 16.7.0.
All his fish fell to Carp Company icelandic red caviar and cranberry pop-up boilies mounted on a 4-inch stiff hooklink. The big carp was taken at 70 yards over a gravel bar.
If you have any news, views or photos, contact me on 01865 725606 or email andrew@webber01865.fsnet.
co.uk
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk