The first of this year's Winter League matches was held last Sunday on the Thames at Clifton, Dorchester and Benson where 57 matchmen were in action.

Richard Norris tells me the river did not fish that well and there were a few blanks, while once again it was bream that decided the top prize.

Mick ‘The Bleak’ Elliott (Oxford Drennan) netted 107.4.0 of them to win. He was pegged at the bottom of the hotel field at Clifton, fishing the pole with maggot and chopped worm.

Pegged next to him was Mick Craig (Sensas A4), who also had a net of pole-caught bream weighing 54.15.0.

Matt Herbert (Oxford Drennan) weighed in 26.14.0 of bream, plus some roach, to finish third. He was also pegged at Clifton above the old groyne, and fished the pole and maggot.

Team points: Sensas A4 45, Fox Match Isis 43, Oxford Drennan 38, Garbolino Banbury Gunsmiths 33, North Oxford 21, Oxford Bees 13.

The first three anglers home in the Kinloch AC match on Medley of the Thames between the poplars and the boat station were all sat in a line in the poplars.

If you did not have bream out in front of you it was a struggle, and several among the 26 anglers failed to catch.

Fishing a groundbait feeder with worm, Bill Bryant put 52.4.0 of slabs on the scales for top spot.

On the next peg, Terry Scanes caught 32.2.0 of bream for second. He also fished a feeder, but used four maggots on a size 14 hook.

Martin Scanes took third place with 12.3.0 of bream using feeder and worm.

Beehive AC made their first visit this season to the Thames at Radley, and with a strong wind and rain, the key for the 14 anglers was to get comfortable and keep dry.

Andy Waters fished the groundbait feeder with maggot and landed four bream for a winning 15.14.0.

With no bream in his swim, Kevin Jeacock went for the chub, catching three of them, plus roach, on the maggot-feeder, for 10.8.0.

Steve Ferris went on the stick float and caught 5.5.0 of roach for third.

Dorchester fished their Ron Skates Memorial on the Thame downstream from Dorchester Bridge, and although the river was clear, the six members found some fish.

Dave Head triumphed with 13.0.0, which included a pike of around 2lb, a chub about 1lb and the rest roach, all caught on pole and caster.

'Jonno' Johnson went bleak snatching with a whip and maggot, weighing in 9.1.0 of them for second, while Tony Krason caught a chub and some perch place on the feeder with caster and worm for 8.7.0 and third place.

There was only six members in the Oxford Bus AC match held on their school waters last Sunday.

Pete Clarke fished the pole hard over against the wall with maggot and hemp for a winning 11.12.0 of roach, plus a nice perch of 1.15.0.

Anthony Tompkins also caught roach and a few perch on maggot and bread punch for a second-placed 9.10.0, while Mark Heath landed roach and perch for 8.3.0 and third.

Jolly Anglers fished their CJ Holmes match on the Thames at Fairmile where the seven anglers found the going very hard.

Fishing a maggot-feeder well over, Martin MacDonald caught 14 small chub worth 8.0.0 to lead the field.

Frank Butler started off on the waggler and then switched to feeder to return 3.3.0, comprising one decent perch, the rest bits.

Lee Edmonds finished third with five roach for 2.4.0 on groundbait feeder and maggot.

A small field of six contested Cuddesdon Mill VAA's open on their stretch of the Thame at Chistlehampton, which was steady and clear.

Andy Brooks fished the pole with maggot and fed hemp, netting a nice barbel of 5.6,0, plus a few bits, for a winning 7.11.0.

Marcus Brooks caught a few small silver fish for 1.9.0 to finish second.

Appleford Reach was the venue for Sutton Courtenay’s Silver Goblets and once again the 13 matchmen found the going hard – there were even blanks in the float-only match.

Alan Hewer finished top with 4.10.0 of small roach taken on waggler and maggot, while Phil Boyes weighed in 4.2.0, a bream and three little perch, followed by Kevin Cross with 3.10.0 of roach for third.

The first Linear open pike match of the year was held on Manor Farm Lake last Sunday with 20 fish being caught.

The five qualifiers go through to the £1,000 final on Manor Farm Lake on February 22 .

For more details, visit the Linear website www.linear-fisheries.co.uk or contact Basil Hopkins on 07993 704880.

Sunday's result: 1 O Finnemore 12.0.0, 2 N Niger 8.4.0, 3 P Mace 8.4.0, 4 MTruman 7.13.0, 5 P Orton 7.6.0.