The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Formidable force Bates is best again as Nene exceeds all expectations
Angling - The biggest matches of the week
With all the extra water about over the past few weeks it was no surprise to see the Old Nene at March pushing through hard and carrying a lot of colour.
Not ideal conditions for those fishing the March Open, which was also a day to practise for this weekend’s penultimate round of the East Midland Winter league.
It was a big field from around the Wigstons Bridge area right through to the ByPass.
Leading the way was Alex Bates, a formidable force on Fenland waters, putting a fine 38lb to the scales. He caught on the pole, fishing pinkie over groundbait catching skimmers and roach from the popular culvert peg at Wigstons Bridge.
Runner-up Tony Watling drew a few pegs away and fished very similar tactics, but found roach rather than skimmers for 31lb 15oz. Third with 28lb 12oz was Graham Welton followed by Rob Hubbard on a level 28lb.
The venue performed over and above expectations and once again showed us just how good the Old Nene is through out the winter months.
Match organiser Bob Fitzjohn has just announced the remaining dates for the big matches on the Old Nene at March right through to the end of the current season.
Angling Times Winter League - November 24 and final February 22. Sunday Opens on December 22, January 12 and 26 and February 16, March 8.
•The Old Nene at Ramsey St Mary’s is also in top form. The Ramsey AS club had two good results there over the past week.
On Wednesday it was club match secretary Keith Rayment who took the top spot from fancied peg one, catching on the whip with pinkie and maggot for 15lb 6oz.
Second on peg four was Malc Sansom with 10lb 11oz who caught quality roach on the pole using hemp seed.
Third was Malc Hobbs with 9lb 12oz.
Sport was a touch better on Sunday as Liam Harlock took the honours in round one of the club’s winter league series, again from peg one. Liam weighed in 19lb 10oz, fishing maggot and hemp on a short pole line.
In second place came Malcolm Plant who fished maggot on a long line for 13lb 15oz, followed by Simon Wagstaff with 10lb 12oz and Stu Cheetham on 10lb 4oz.
It was a much better • day on the Four Island Pool for those fishing the Cock Inn winter series on the Decoy Lakes complex. Pegs one and 10 were poor but the rest fished reasonably well.
Leading the way from peg three was Colin Buckingham. He put 49lb 3oz to the scales, catching on a straight lead approach fished close up to the island. In second place was Pete Howson who caught fishing the long pole with soft pellet for 46lb and then came the consistent Gary Sell with 43lb 3oz who is now an early leader in the series with 4 points.