WITH the recent heavy rain, rivers have benefited by increased flow and colour, and this faced anglers fishing club matches on the River Thames on Sunday.

The river was near perfect on Saturday, but heavy overnight rain and then a heavy frost killed any chance of good sport, making fishing patchy.

The river was racing through for Highworth AC's Christmas match held on their Bloomers stretch at Buscot.

Match winner was club chairman Mick Mills, who included a cracking 1lb 12oz perch in his 4-4-0 bag. Weights dropped drastically to Barry Wood 11oz and Gordon Clarke 10oz.

Weights were better further down the river at Rushy, where there was a cliff-hanging finish between two anglers who both had five chub apiece.

At the weigh-in, the five chub of Barry Chalk totalled 15-15-0 to win ahead of Graham Cooper's 14-8-0 and Neil Naydon was third with a mixed bag of 6-14-0. The Perch Cup was won by John Jordan with 1-2-0.

Five bream, roughly 4lb apiece, taken late on in Golden Carp AA Christmas match on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Brimslade resulted in an easy-win for John Hale with 19-2-0. Eric Bizley also had a bream in his second-placed 4-5-0 with Ron Bizley and Chris Tomes tying for third place with 3lb.

The BCA Club's Christmas match held on the big lake at Ivy House was easily won by Bert Page with 27lb of carp, followed by Graham Rose 16-10-0. Weights then dropped to a struggling Mel Mullen's 8-8-0, Pete Sole 8-3-0 and Cliff Brown 7lb.

Young Gareth Jackson included a cracking 2lb perch in his winning 4-15-8 in the Peatmoor Junior Christmas match held at Peatmoor. Weights were close with Nathan Reeves ending up runner-up with 4-12-8 and Russell Willmot was third with 4-8-8.

The Winter League 10-13 year olds age group was won by Reeves. Runner-up with 2-12-0 was Daniel Freeman and third place was Ed Bryant with 2lb.

The 14-16 year olds age group: 1, Russell Willmot; 2, Troy Weaver 1-12-0; 3, Kevin Covey 1-6-8.

Cloverleaf AC at Witherington Farm (Salisbury): 1, John Morgan 46-4-0; 2, Kevin New 18-6-0; 3, Nick Cheeseman 11-0-0.

Ivy House Lakes results: Wed Dec 10: 1, Chris Davis (peg 12) 35-0-0; 2, Pete Sidell (43) 19-13-0; 3, Simon Jones (13) 19-3-0.

Friday Veterans: 1, Simon Jones (2) 15-9-0; 2, Derek Hillier (15) 11-4-0; 3, John Bailey (5) 8-6-0.

Sat Dec 13: 1, Paul Connor (23) 47-12-0; 2, Richard Baston (15) 47-0-0; 3, Pete Humphries (37) 43-12-0; 4, Graham Cooper (33) 18-7-0.

Weekend and CHRISTMAS fixtures

Fri Dec 19: Ivy House Lakes Veterans match.

Sat Dec 20: Peatmoor AC fund raising Open £15 all in. Draw 9am. Fish 10am to 3pm.

Ivy House Lakes Open 9.30am draw. Ring 01666 510368 to book.

Sun Dec 21: Coleview AC (Dave Jordan Memorial) on Upper and Lower Rushy. Breakfast at 7am and draw 7.30am at the Coleview Community Centre. Please bring a prize. Ring Ian on 692700 to register.

Cloverleaf AC Christmas match at Rushy Down. Draw 8am. Fish 9am to 2pm. Call Fletch on 614557 to book.

Haydon St AS Christmas match on the Kennet and Avon Canal. Meet roadside at Froxfield. Draw 8.30am. Fish 9.30am to 2.30pm. Register with Mick of House of Angling 2 on 644748.

Wed Dec 24: Ivy House Lakes Open. Ring 01666 510368 to book.

Sat Dec 27: Greenhill Fishery Open 9am draw. Fish 10am to 3pm. Book in with Mark on 07769 533826.

Ivy House Lakes Open. Draw 9.30am. Book on 01666 510368.

Sun Dec 28: Isis AC Christmas match at Sutton Benger. Club members only. Draw 9am. Fish 10.30am to 3.30pm.

Ivy House Lakes Open. Draw 9.30am. Book on 01666 510368.