MOST matches were cancelled last Sunday because of the state of the waters around Oxford, with just a handful on stillwaters surviving, writes Andy Webber.

With the Cherwell at ‘The School’ almost across the playing fields, Oxford Bus AC switched their match to the lake at Fritwell.

The weather was terrible at the start, but as the day went on, it improved, and so did the fishing.

Dougie Robinson was the clear winner, weighing in a bag of carp and roach going 68.8.0. He started on the feeder with hair-rigged corn, but most of his fish came under his feet in five feet of water on maggot.

Pete Clarke did not get off to the best of starts, finding a snag, so everything had to be re-made and once he started to fish, nothing much happened.

He then moved his maggot rig closer to the bank under a bush and found some carp to end up with a second-placed 46.6.0.

Terry Yates finished third with 10.5.0 of carp after alternating between maggot and worm fished straight out in front of him towards a feature.

The Lechlade Marina Winter League and Witney AS fished a combined match at Ridgeway where there was a good turn-out of 22 anglers.

Paul Pickett netted five carp for a winning 18.8.0, caught on straight lead at 17 metres with corn.

Alternating between maggot and corn with a feeder, Paul Hayes weighed in 16.10.0 of carp for second place.

Martin Blackman had three carp on pole and maggot and then switched to the feeder and maggot to catch roach and perch for 14.12.0 and third.

Lechlade Marina Winter League final points: G Perkins 55, P Hayes 52, F Harrison 51.

Masons switched their Last Points match from Radley to a very hard Barford St Michael for their final match of this season, which was fished by nine anglers.

The match was split between the moat and stream and at the final whistle, Dennis Patrick took the honours with two carp worth 11.12.0.

He fished pole and had one fish on sweetcorn and the other on pellet.

Bob Gosbee was runner-up with a net of silver fish taken on maggot for 4.8.0, followed by Dave Pether, who fished maggot and caught small roach and skimmers for 1.6.0.

Kidlington’s Green Road Social Club Open was switched from the Cherwell to the Oxford Canal at New Bridge, where the 11 matchmen found the water a nice colour.

Pegged on the boats at Langford Lane, Terry Lester caught 3lb of roach on punch and then went well over with chopped worm to catch perch for a winning 6.1.8.

Dave Britnell finished second using the same tactics. He had around 2lb of roach on bread, while the rest of his 4.6..0 was made up of perch taken on the chop fishing against a reed bed.

Dave Scott-Picton had to settle for third place with 4.1.0, also on punch and perch.

l Panshill are staging a three-day festival on April 3, 4, 5. Book in with Tracy Adamberry on 07740 707795 or call into the fishery.