DEVIZES have finished the Upper Thames Winter League as deserved champions, having dropped only two points throughout the six match series.
The final match was fished on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Great Bedwyn where Devizes took maximum points with 53, followed by Daiwa Gordon League with 52 and Turners Tackle and Bait and Fox Match with 43 each.
Individual honours went to Eamon Byrnes, of Turners Tackle and Bait, with a mixed bag of perch, roach and skimmers weighing 12lb 11oz, taken alternating with long-pole fished casters and chopped worm.
Dave Johnson, of Colmic Talisman, was second with a mixed catch of roach and skimmers weighing 8lb 5oz 8dm, taken on pole-fished casters, and third was Adrian McTiffin, of Devizes, with another roach and skimmer catch weighing 8lb 1oz.
Other placings: 4 Mark Howard, Daiwa Gordon League, 7lb 12 oz; 5 Kevin Rowles, Devizes, 7lb 10oz; 6 Dave Clapton, Devizes, 7lb 5oz 8dm.
Teams: 1 Devizes AC 53; 2 Daiwa Gordon League 52; 3 Turners Tackle and Bait and Fox Match 43; 5 Colmic Talisman 42; 6 Premier Angling 26.
Final standings: 1 Devizes AC 8; 2 Daiwa Gordon League 13; 3 Turners Tackle and Bait 21; 4 Fox Match SW 22; 5 Colmic Talisman 25; 6 Premier Angling 34.
Runaway win for Etheridge
THE Wednesday open match at Viaduct Fishery was fished in strong winds but there were still excellent catches.
Devizes star Gary Etheridge turned in another outstanding performance to win with a carp catch weighing 167lb 13oz, taken on waggler-fished sweetcorn for a runaway win.
Andy Neale, of Maggots End, was second with a carp catch weighing 101lb 3oz, taken on legered pellets. He was followed by Andy Oram, of Dynamite Baits, with a carp catch weighing 91lb, taken on waggler-fished pellets. Mosella star Tony Rixon took the silver fish prize with a mixed catch of tench, roach and skimmers weighing 27lb 5oz.
Other placings: 4 Richard Lucas, Haines Angling Frome, 90lb 5oz; 5 Rob Young, Maggots End, 81lb.
Kepner wins with all-skimmer catch
THE Devizes Christmas match fished on Saturday on the Foxhanger stretch of the Kennet and Avon Canal produced some good weights.
Rob Kepner, of Melksham, won with an all-skimmer catch weighing 14lb 4oz, taken on feeder-fished red maggots. Kevin Bamford, of Swindon, was second with a mixed catch of roach and skimmers weighing 9lb 11oz, taken alternating with pole-fished casters and red maggots. Dave Johnson, of Calne, was third with a mixed catch of tench and roach weighing 9lb 2oz 8dm, taken alternating with pole fished red maggots and pinkies.
Other placings: 4 Danny Williamson, Devizes, 8lb 4oz; 5 Alan Brown, Devizes, 6lb; 6 Kevin Rowles, Devizes, 5lb 2oz 8dm.
Cooper takes top honours
FISH were hard to tempt in the Lefarge Christmas match fished on Sunday on the Avon at Staverton.
Top honours went to Paul Cooper, of Melksham, with an all-roach catch weighing 5lb 11oz, taken on Avon-floated casters. Dean Adams, of Bradford, was second with a mixed catch of roach, skimmers and a small bonus pike for a weight of 4lb 5oz, taken on pole-fished pellets. Terry Fell, from Devizes, clinched third prize with an all-roach catch weighing 3lb 15oz 8dm, taken on pole-fished casters.
Other placings: 4 Mike Wright, Westbury, 3lb 9oz; 5 Mick Higgins, Westbury, and Kevin Grant, Trowbridge, 3lb 2oz.
Future events
Sunday December 23:
- Trowbridge Christmas match at Staverton
Thursday December 27:
- Avon pairs match at Scotland Road
- King Billy Christmas match K & A Canal
Friday December 28:
- Calne open match at Hazeland
- Bathampton open match at Bridge Pool
Sunday December 30:
- Airsprung open pairs match at Pond Fields and K & A Canal
Tuesday January 1:
- Chippenham open match at Chippenham.
