Match fishing

IT was a real perch feast for the nine anglers who fished Marston AC’s John Simmonds Cup on the club’s own stretch of the Cherwell, and some cracking specimens were caught.

Jim Foster broke the long-standing club match record with a staggering 38lb of stripeys, all caught on lobworm. He had three crackers over 3lb, with the biggest going a superb 3.6.0.

Graham Bradshaw caught five good perch for 7.14.0 on chopped worm, while another all-perch catch gave Steve Tomkins third place with 6.15.0.

Marston are staging their Christmas match and raffle tomorrow on the Cherwell (see Match Diary) and there will also be a raffle at the draw. Prizes, including a Drennan rod and reel, will be given out after the match.

A lot of clubs were staging their Christmas matches, among them Coldstone AC, who were on the Evenlode.

Barry Barnes drew a peg that was stuffed with chub, catching 17 of them up to 5lb, plus 3lb of dace and chublets on stick float and maggot for a fabulous total of 51.13.0.

Steve Arthurs was a distant second with four chub on pole and maggot for 7.13.0, followed by Don Barnes with 7.10.0, comprising one chub and 4lb of bits.

Coldstone are running an open match on Saturday, January 7 on the Evenlode, drawing at 8.30, fishing from 10am-3pm. Meet in the caravan field by the railway crossing in Ascott.

Oxford Bus AC were on the Cherwell at ‘The School’ where eight fished their Christmas Open.

Steve Foster took top spot with a good net of perch on worm and red maggots for 8.10.0.

Second-placed Terry Yates caught small perch on worm for 2.8.0, while Stuart Yates had two perch on pole and worm for 2.4.0.

Three chub were enough to give Jeff Bond top spot in Oxford Waltonians’ Russell Free Christmas Match on the Thame at Wheatley Bridge.

He totalled 9.10 on pole and maggot.

Paul Bowers was runner-up with two chub for 7.14.0 on pole and caster, followed by Antony Currell, with 6.6.2 of chub on pole and maggot.

Dean Bowerman is the new Kinloch AC club champion after the series, fished from March to December, came to a close on Sunday.

He finished with 86 points, two more than Phil Weston.

Neither of the top two figured in the final match at Milton Pools, where Martin Blackman emerged the victor with 19.0.0 of skimmers, perch and roach on a mixture of pole and the method, with maggot on the hook.

Bill Bryant had a similar net on caster and maggot for 18.8.0, followed by Fred Harrison, with 16.16.0 of perch on maggot-feeder.

OTHER RESULTS

Benson AS: (Christmas match, Thames at Benson) 1 T Budd 2.10.0 (perch; feeder), 2 D Head 1.7.0, 3 M Marriott 0.14.0.

Tackley AC: (Christmas match, Cherwell at Northbrook, 11 fished) 1 J Spencer 5.14.0 (chub & chublets; legered maggot), 2 S Malone 0.11.0 (chublets, maggot & waggler), 3 J Fisher 0.8.4.

Oakfield: (Wednesday, Swallow) 1 I Edwards (GOT Baits Oakfield) 46.5.8, 2 B Walker (GOT Baits Oakfield) 32.2.8, 3 N Bryan (The Matchmen) 27.14.8.

Oakfield: (Saturday, Swallow & Brook) 1 R Ives (Ernest Turner) 57.10.8, 2 S Carr (GOT Baits Oakfield) 54.0.0, 3 J Brewster (GOT Baits Oakfield) 50.6.0.