DRIVERS and customers of Abbey Taxis competed at Hampton Springs Fishery, with Bob Thelwell taking top spot.

He pulled 38-8-0 of carp out of the Rock Pool with sweetcorn. This was enough to beat Andrew Griffiths with likewise for 25-8-0 and Neil Faulkner with 14-8-0 of roach.

The River Dee was high and rising in the Holt and Farndon AC match at Holt. Ron Evans won with dace to weigh 2-4-0, just beating Reg Davies with 2-0-0 and Ben Pridding with 1-12-0.

Alan Dewhurst put 46-15-0 of carp on the scales to win the Thursday match at Lingmere Fishery. He saw off Steve Openshaw’s 43-0-6 and Steve Foster with 21-14-0.

Openshaw bounced back to win the Saturday match, however, bringing in 45-14-0 of carp to beat Chris Smith with 35-4-0 and Richard Nelson with 33-0-0.

Willaston’s Phil Cross was the cornertone of the Cheshire Match Group team which took part in the opening match of the Crewe and District Winter League.

Fishing the Market Drayton length of the Shropshire Union Canal, Cross finished fourth with 2-4-8 of small fish. Despite this, the team still ended up in the bottom half.

Chester Tackle Locker fared better as Keith Wilson finished in third with 2-10-0 of roach and perch.

He was supported by Wayne Jevons’ 0-15-0 of gudgeon and John Andrew with 0-4-0 as Locker claimed second place.

Chester entrants led the Deeside Tackle Winter League match at the Llangower end of Bala Lake.

Frank Doran won the contest with roach weighing 2-14-0. Third was Martin Holding with 2-0-10.

Ray Rigby took the honours in Chester Tackle Locker’s silver fish only match at Hampton Springs Fishery. A haul of chub weighing 20-0-0 was enough to see off Bob Asher with roach and perch at 14-0-0 and Lee Addy and Mark Pleavin each with roach weighing 13-0-0.

Bill Dobson put 56-6-0 of carp on the scales to win the Saturday open match at Hampton Springs Fishery. He beat Lenny Bolton with 38-8-0 and Gary Tolley with 26-8-0.

The Sunday match went to Tim Brown with a carp-based 80-2-0 as he finished ahead of Andy Amos with 53-0-0 and Bill Taylor with 44-1-0.

FISHERIES REPORT

Meadow: Andy Hambridge of Chester lured an 8-0-0 rainbow to a bloodworm. Paul Williamson, also of Chester, tempted a 5-8-0 rainbow to a gold ribbed hare’s ear and Cestrian John Jackson fished a pink fritz to take a 4-12-0 rainbow.