ANGLING

By Colin Scull

AS an experiment, this year's Bathampton annual open Christmas match will be held on the club's lakes at Hunstrete and Newton Park on Sunday December 10.

This is one of the region's most popular events and with all four lakes capable of producing very big weights, there is considerable interest among local anglers and tickets are already selling well.

Pleasure anglers as well as match anglers are snapping up the tickets as there is every chance of their usual methods yielding big catches.

With this being the only time when all four lakes will have been used for a competition, the winner could come from anywhere, although a draw at Newton Park will be favoured by many.

There are 60 prizes on offer and the winner will receive a superb Christmas hamper. Optional pools will be available on match day for anyone who fancies a flutter and they will include an all-in pool, section pool, heaviest fish and golden peg pools.

Tickets are now on sale at local fishing tackle shops and each competitor will be provided with match information and rules. The draw will take place at match headquarters at Fry Club, Keynsham from 8am. Fishing will take place from 10am to 3pm.

As we move towards the end of November we once again approach the annual Christmas matches and there are plenty of events to choose from.

These events always attract good attendances with many non match anglers joining in and carrying off some of the Christmas prizes on offer.

The first event this year is the Frome Christmas match on Sunday November 19 on the River Frome at Lullington. The same day the Lavington Junior Christmas match takes place at Merritts Lake. The Avon Christmas match will be fished on Saturday December 2 at Melksham and on the same day the Commercial House Christmas match will be fished at Frys. On Sunday December 3 the Bristol and West Open Christmas match takes place at Keynsham; the Ridgeway Christmas match at Freshford; Airsprung Christmas match on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Bradford; Chippenham Junior Christmas match at Chippenham; Frome Junior Christmas match at Lullington; and the Devizes members only Christmas match on the Kennet and Avon Canal at The Willows and Piles stretch. Sunday December 10 sees the Bathampton Open match; the Bradford Christmas match at Bradford; the Chippenham Christmas match at Chippenham; and Stapleton Christmas match at Grosvenor. On Sunday December 17 the Bath Open Christmas match takes place at Bathford; the Frome Christmas Fair match at Lullington; Lavington Christmas match at Merritts Lake; Calne Christmas match at Hazelands; King Billy Christmas match at Swineford; and the Bradford Open Christmas match at Barton Farm.

Despite the poor weather conditions, which resulted in the cancellation of some events, the Usher Winter League match was fished on Sunday on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Semington where small fish made up the bulk of the catches.

Devizes Angling Centre took team honours with 68 points to extend their lead at the top of the table, with Bradford second with 64 and West Tackle third with 62.5.

Individual honours went to West Tackle matchman Tim Suttle with an all skimmer catch weighing 7lb 3oz taken alternating with pole fished pinkies and casters on a 22 hook. Close behind came Devizes AC matchman Kevin Abigail with a mixed catch of skimmer and roach weighing 7lb 1oz taken on pole fished squats on a 22 hook. Bradford matchman Mike Withey clinched third place with a mixed catch of tench, bream and perch weighing 6lb 15oz taken on pole fished red maggots on a 20 hook.

Other placings: 4. Mick Olden, Devizes AC, 6lb 13oz 8dm; 5. Shane Ponting, Avon, 5lb 9oz; 6. Rob Kepner, Devizes AC, 4lb 7oz 8dm. Teams: 1 Devizes AC 68; 2 Bradford 64; 3 West Tackle 62.5; 4 Devizes AA 62; 5 Chippenham 57; 6 Avon 52.5; 7. Airsprung 32; 8. Frome 25.

League placings: 1 Devizes AC 343; 2 Avon 324; 3 Bradford 296; 4 West Tackle 292.5; 5 Devizes AA 259.5; 6 Chippenham 248.5; 7. Airsprung 218; 8. Frome 123.5.