Angling: Butler did it ... Rab can carp on about contest win

Additional swims had been created for the eight anglers who turned out for match that provided some good-quality fish.

The four who fished the upper lake were looking for the tench but John Williams won the match with mainly perch. He weighed in at 5lb 7oz ahead of newcomer Glen Riley with 5lb, again with perch. Third was Vince Herringshaw with a smaller bag of the same.

The tench stayed away for the day while the other four anglers on the lower lake again had a perch field day. Rab Butler won with 13lb 6oz, benefitting from a nice carp and a tench.

But managing to avoid the small perch, Keith Hughes found the carp. He lost three which would certainly have won him the m atch but landed a 6lb specimen to give him second, followed by Steve Hanson with 3lb 12oz.

Overall it was a mixed day’s fishing at these lovely two club ponds near Chiddingfold.

Both the Rother and Arun have had a lot of water passing through and conditions are ideal now they are thinning out – the clearer water means good fishing.

Chub are again showing throughout the Rother with 5lb-plus fish quite common. The bream are at the upper Coates Castle stretch and three were caught from mid section at Fittleworth.

It’s a pity there are so few roach these days in the Rother, although a few smaller ones have been caught from Watersfield on the Arun.

Unfortunately some incidents of poaching have been reported. Valuable fish stock are being targeted and removed for food – this is theft. Anyone spotting anything suspicious should phone the Environment Agency hotline on 0800 807060 who will quickly pass details to local officers.

Anglers can phone Petworth & Bognor Angling Club’s bailiffs, details of which are at www.sussexangling.co.uk

ROGER POOLE

STEDHAM

Forty-nine anglers from several clubs took part in the Richard Morgan Memorial Fishing Match on Chichester Canal at Hunston.

Despite strong winds making fishing difficult, all anglers caught fish.

Thanks to ticket sales, donations and generous raffle prizes donated for the after-match draw, £878 was raised for Macmillan Cancer Support in the Midhurst Area.

Results: 1 Nick Merritt 13lb 6oz; 2 Martin Clark 10lb 1oz; 3 Paul Bentley 8lb 1oz; 4 Dave Woodward 6lb 15oz. Section 1 - Trevor Mordle 6lb 8oz; Section 2 - Den Merritt 6lb 10oz; Section 3 Alex King 5lb 3oz; Section 4 - Keith Hughes 6lb 3oz.

The winning team of four were The Muppet Show - Alex King, Andy King, Steve Worth and Nick Merritt with a combined weight of 26lb 4oz.

THREE COUNTIES LEAGUE

The first round of the league has been held.

Division A was fished on Cooks Pond at Milland.

Results: 1 Rother 23pts; 2 Rother III 22, 3 Ash 21; Individuals: 1 Andrew Enticknap (Rother) 9lb 11oz (mainly skimmers & roach on the pole with maggot); 2 Robbie Gaiger (Rudgwick B) 6lb 7oz; 3 Martin Clarke (Rother III) 6lb 3oz.

B division was fished on the Rother at Stedham.

Results: Jt 1 Rother & Stedham A 22pts; 3 Ash 20; Individuals: 1 Mick White (Stedham B) 6lb 6oz; 2 John Dudman (Rother) 4lb 3oz; 3 Geoff Oram (Stedham A) 4lb 1oz.

C division was fished at Baker Mill Pond, Alton.

Results: 1 Bognor 19pts; 2 Stedham 18; 3 Match Boys 16; Individuals: 1 Roy Corbett (Pollards Hill) 16lb 1oz; (crucians, roach, skimmers & perch on the pole); 2 S Speller (Bognor) 15lb 1oz; 3 K Hughes (Bognor) 13lb.

BOGNOR

Bognor Amateur Angling Society held a beach match at Westend, Bognor.

Results: 1 Wayne Hart, 1 dogfish, 1lb 8oz; 2 Dereck Carr, 3 pouting, 14oz; 3 Bill Gobey, 2 pouting, 10oz. Heaviest fish: Wayne Hart, dogfish. People fished: 6; People weighed 5; Total aggregate weight: 3lb 11oz.

A club match was held at Bognor Pier.

Results: 1 D Carr 4lb 8oz, two pouting, six black bream; 2 A N Sandell 3lb 3oz, 3 pouting, 1 black bream, 1 bass; 3 B Gobey, 1 black bream. Heaviest fish: A N Sandell, bass 1lb 15oz; People fished: 4; People weighed in: 3. Total aggregate weight: 8.3oz.