TROWBRIDGE matchman Nick Johns gained a runaway win in the Wilts Angling open match at Witherington Farm on Sunday.

He took a mixed catch of carp and skimmers weighing 108lb 12oz, fishing with waggler-baited white maggots to take his catch.

Jeff Matthews, of Trowbridge, was a distant runner-up with an all-carp catch weighing 40lb 14oz, taken on waggler- fished sweetcorn on a 14 hook.

Other placings: 4 Fred Eagles, Trowbridge, 29lb 9oz; 5 Steve Sibley, Melksham, 21lb 8oz; 6 Mick Gunning, Trowbridge, 19lb 10oz.

Fish were hard to tempt in the Friday open match fished at Ivy House Fishery.

Pete Sivell, of Dynamite Baits, won on a low weight day with a mixed bag of carp, skimmers and perch weighing 14lb 3oz, taken on feeder-fished red maggots on an 18 hook.

Terry Strange, from Wootton Bassett, was second with a catch of carp and skimmers weighing 10lb 3oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots on an 18 hook. He was followed by Dave Walker, of Ivy House, with a mixed bag weighing 6lb, with John Bailey, of Ivy House, fourth with a mixed catch weighing 4lb 12oz.

The Wednesday open match at Ivy House produced better sport than of late. Pete Townsend, of Elgin, won with a mixed bag of carp and silver fish weighing 24lb 4oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots on an 18 hook. Elick Payne, of Chippenham, was second with a mixed catch of carp and silver fish weighing 20lb 5oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots on an 18 hook.

Fish were hard to tempt in the Lavington match at Ellis Lake on Sunday.

Oliver Keats, of Bradford, won on a low weight day with a carp catch weighing just 10lb 4oz, taken on feeder-fished red maggots on an 18 hook.

Tom Ince Jnr, of Trowbridge, was second with a carp catch weighing 8lb 8oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots on an 18 hook. Clive Gumm, of Trowbridge, was third with a carp catch weighing 7lb, taken on feeder-fished red maggots on an 18 hook.

Other placings: 4 Steve Mulberry, Devizes, 6lb; 5 Don Keats, Hilperton, 5lb 12oz; 6 Bob Gould, Melksham, 4lb 15oz.

Weights were fairly even in the Airsprung open match fished on Sunday on the Avon on the Pond Fields stretch at Bradford.

Stuart White, of Chippenham, chalked up another fine win with a mixed catch of roach and chub weighing 13lb 11oz, taken on Avon-floated red maggots on an 18 hook. Vic Abbott, of Melksham, was second with an all-roach catch weighing 9lb 2oz, taken on Avon-floated red maggots on an 18 hook. Similar tactics gave third prize to Colin Gittings, of Melksham, with a mixed net of roach and chub weighing 7lb 11oz.

Other placings: 4 John Williams, Chippenham, 7lb 9oz; 5 Mark Green, Trowbridge, 5lb 14oz; 6 Dave Targett, Bath, 5lb 13oz.

Competitors enjoyed good sport on Sunday in the Calne open match at Hazeland. Gary Dodson, of Calne, won with a mixed catch of bream and chub weighing 12lb 8oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots on an 18 hook.