THERE was good competition for the prizes in the Wilts Angling open match at Witherington Farm on Sunday.

Steve Gardner, of Chippenham, won with a carp catch weighing 87lb 9oz, taken on pole-fished luncheon meat on a 12 hook.

Ian Willetts, of Bradford, was second with another carp catch weighing 72lb 5oz, taken on pole-fished pellets on a 14 hook.

Pete Neate, of Holt, took third prize with a carp catch weighing 66lb 6oz, taken on pole-fished sweet corn on a 12 hook.

Other placings: 4 Gary Dallimore, Frome, 66lb 4oz; 5 Fred Eagles, Trowbridge, 58lb 8oz; 6 John Sudbury, Melksham, 56lb 8oz.

The midweek open match at Ivy House Fishery produced some excellent catches of silver fish.

Gary Etheridge, of Devizes, gained a runaway win with an all-skimmer catch weighing 47lb 8oz, taken alternating with pole-fished casters and red maggots.

Simon Jones, of Ivy House, was second with a carp catch weighing 26lb 4oz, taken on pole-fished pellets on a 14 hook.

He was followed by Les Lainge, of Ivy House, with a mixed bag weighing 25lb 9oz, with Geoff Gooch in fourth place with a carp catch weighing 19lb 4oz.

Landsend Fishery was in prime form for the Carps SAC Open match in midweek. Andy Lloyd, of Frome and Megabait, chalked up another fine win with a tench, chub, roach, ide and carp catch weighing 104lb, taken on pole-fished casters on a 16 hook to establish a new venue record.

The Wednesday open match at Landsend Fishery produced some top class sport, with carp feeding ravenously.

Tony Rixon, of Top Rod Mosella, won with another outstanding performance to take an all-carp catch weighing 173lb 4oz, taken on long pole-fished pellets on a 14 hook.

The Lavington match on Sunday was fished at Baldham Mill where weights were low.

Dennis Gay, of Trowbridge, won with a mixed catch of roach and gudgeon weighing 2lb 7oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots on a 20 hook.

Don Keats, of Hilperton, was second close behind with a roach and gudgeon catch weighing 2lb 6oz, also taken on pole-fished red maggots on a 20 hook.

Similar tactics gave third prize to Mark Williams, of Devizes, with a roach and gudgeon catch weighing 2lb 4oz.

Other placings: 4. Roy Sheridan, Devizes, 1lb 6oz; 5 Chris Brown, Worton, 1lb 5oz; 6 John Cooper, Lavington, 1lb 1oz.

Weights were fairly even in the Wilts Angling open match at Rood Ashton on Thursday.

Mark Harper, of Thatchers 2000, won with a carp catch weighing 72lb 6oz, taken on pole-fished cat meat on a 12 hook. Runner-up was Dave Bancroft, of Trowbridge, who used similar tactics to take a carp catch weighing 63lb 4oz.

He was followed by Fred Eagles, of Trowbridge, with another carp catch weighing 56lb 6oz, taken on pole-fished pellets on a 14 hook.

Other placings: 4 Gary Dallimore, Frome, 41lb 10oz; 5 Jeff Matthews, Trowbridge, 39lb 3oz; 6 Pete Neate, Holt, 33lb 8oz.