BATHAMPTON AA’s fishery at Newton Park Lake, near Bath, is coming into its own with some big roach and quality carp being caught in the coldest weather.

Alan Gingell was on hand when the ice thawed sufficiently to fish the waggler and caught some beautiful roach on imitation and real sweetcorn. He kicked off by fishing real corn over cooked hempseed and after a short while started catching roach up to a pound regularly.

A solitary carp weighing 12lb came to his bait and then after trying imitation corn he took the fish of the day – a beautiful roach tipping the scales at exactly 2lb. Gingell’s only regret was that he had not brought his camera to film the fish.

Further along the bank another member had good sport with four immaculate double figure carp taken on boilies. The two biggest were mirrors weighing 16lb 5oz and 18lb 1oz.

On another recent day Rob Delaney fished in freezing conditions looking for the lake’s carp. Fishing with CS1 boilies Delaney took five lovely fish – four doubles with the biggest common weighing 17lb 4oz.

He said: “Every fish was in superb condition and gave a very good scrap.”

Low weights at Spartans match

THE Bath Spartans match fished on the Avon at Newbridge was a near disaster in poor conditions, with few fish being caught.

Top spot on a low weight day went to John Kelley, of Bath, with a few small roach weighing just 7oz 8dm, taken on feeder-fished red maggots. Dave Targett, of Bath, took runner-up spot with an eel weighing 5oz, taken on feeder-fished double white maggot. Martin Francis, from Bath, and Frank Rawlings, from Paulton, tied for third place with roach catches weighing 3oz 8dm, both taking their fish on feeder-fished red maggots.

The only other competitor to weigh in was Bath veteran Terry Norris with a roach weighing 1oz 8dm.

Mixed sport at Avalon Fishery

THE Mosella Wednesday open match fished at Avalon Fishery produced mixed sport in cold conditions.

In-form Dean Malin, of Dynamite Baits, hit the jackpot again with an all-carp catch weighing 86lb 10oz, taken on feeder-fished red maggots for a runaway win.

Runner-up spot went to Alan Oram, of Dynamite Baits, with another carp catch weighing 46lb 5oz, taken on legered sweetcorn. He was followed by Tony Rixon, of Mosella, with a mixed catch of carp and silvers weighing 21lb 10oz, taken on feeder-fished red maggots. Rixon also carried off the silver fish prize with a weight of 10lb 2oz.

Other placings: 4 Gary Wall, Landsend, 14lb 6oz; 5 John Bennett, Carps AC, 11lb 13oz; 6 John Bradford, Avon Angling, 10lb 2oz.

Tom wins with skimmers catch

COMPETITORS enjoyed reasonable sport in the Viaduct Fishery silver fish only Wednesday open match.

With no sign of ice at last, Tom Thick, of Thatchers Tackle, won with an all-skimmers catch weighing 23lb 7oz, taken on long pole fished red maggots. Andy Power, of Preston Innovation Thatchers, was second with a skimmer catch weighing 22lb 13oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots, and Steve Jackson, of Garbolino, used similar tactics to take third place with a skimmer catch weighing 21lb 15oz.

Other placings: 4 Will Bonnie, Garbolino Blackmore Vale MG, 15lb 12oz; 5 Charlie Barnes, Charlie’s Angels, 9lb 14oz; 6 Richard Coles, Team Trinity, 9lb 7oz.

Johnson takes the honours

THE fifth round of the Bristol Commercial Winter League was fished on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Limpley Stoke where catches were fairly even.

Preston Innovation Thatchers B took top spot on the day in A division with 28 points while SWEB and Superseal shared top spot in B division with 23 points each.

Individual honours went to Nathaniel Johnson, of Preston |Innovation Thatchers A, with a catch of small roach weighing 9lb 7oz, taken on short pole fished punched bread. Lee Warden, of Crown Road Electrical, pushed him all the way to finish a close runner-up with a mixed catch of roach and skimmers weighing 9lb 6oz, taken on pole fished punched bread.

He was followed by Nick Ewers, of Preston Innovation Thatchers B, with a roach and skimmer catch weighing 8lb 3oz, also taken on pole fished punched bread.

Other placings: 4 Kevin Dicks, Bathampton Avon Aquatics, 8lb; 5 Mark Brennan, Preston Innovation Thatchers B, 7lb 13oz; 6 Jerry Pocock, BTM Services, 7lb 10oz.

Teams: A Division: 1 Preston Innovation Thatchers B 28; 2 Bathampton Avon Aquatics 27; 3 Preston Innovation Thatchers A 22.5. B Division: 1 SWEB and Superseal 23; 3 Maver Veals 22.

League standings: A Division: 1 Bathampton Avon Aquatics 24; 2 Preston Innovation Thatchers A 22.5; 3 Preston Innovation Thatchers B 21.5 B Division: 1 Maver Veals 23.5; 2 D & W Builders 21.5; 3 SWEB 19.

Close finish at Ivy House

THE Ivy House open match produced a close result although weights were below their best.

Top spot went to Steve Rich, of Swindon, with a mixed catch of small carp, trout and skimmers weighing 16lb 8oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots. Runner-up spot went to Elick Payne, of Calne, with another mixed catch of small carp and silvers weighing 15lb 5oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots. He was followed by Mick Gale, of Devizes, with a mixed catch weighing 14lb 6oz, with Ian Millichip, of Ivy House, a close up fourth with a mixed catch weighing 13lb 8oz.

Rising river hits weights

THE Chippenham match on Sunday was fished on a rising river Avon following heavy overnight rain and catches fell to their lowest, with only six competitors catching fish.

Kevin Williams, of Chippenham, won with an all-bleak catch weighing 5lb 4oz, taken on pole-fished bronze maggots for an easy win. Liam Lathbury, of Chippenham, used identical tactics to take another bleak catch weighing 1lb 14oz to carry off second prize and he was followed by Steve Palmer, of Chippenham, with a roach catch weighing 1lb 5oz, taken on feeder-fished red maggots.

Other placings: 4 Nigel Smith, Chippenham, 2oz 8dm; 5 Mark Wooldridge, Chippenham, and Mick Ash, Chippenham, 8dm each.

Bancroft tops as weights improve

THE milder weather brought much improved results in the Wilts Angling open match fished on Sunday at Colkin Farm.

Top honours went to Dave Bancroft, of Trowbridge, with an all-carp catch weighing 104lb, taken on feeder-fished red maggots. Ian Willietts, of Bradford, was second with a carp catch weighing 98lb, taken on waggler-fished red maggots.

Trowbridge veteran Dave Baker clinched third prize with a carp catch weighing 81lb, taken on feeder-fished red maggots.

Other placings: 4 Jeff Matthews, Trowbridge, 64lb; 5 Gerry Lugg, Beckington, 63lb; 6 Jamie Smith, Frome, 58lb 10oz.

Future events

SATURDAY January 31, Westinghouse match at Chippenham; Sunday February 1, Calne Reg Humphries/Air Ambulance Open match at Hazeland, Frys match River Frome, Lavington match Cheverell Complex, Tuesday February 3, Lavington pensioners match Cheverell Complex.