ARROW AC fished its first match of a new series of Saturday contests, one a month until 2003 on the River Arrow at Wixford.

June's winner was in-form Alan Bradshaw, bagging 5lb 15oz of chublets using hemp and caster on the long pole from peg 28.

Runner-up was Phil Pitts with 3lb 14oz, a barbel an bits on the stick float and Ron Biggs was third with 3lb of chub from a sluggish river.

Studley AC's first match of the season saw Keith Butler win with 8lb 2oz, a barbel and chub. Mark Imrie was second with 6lb 15oz, and former Arrow champion Tony Bradshaw was third with 5lb of chub on the pole in the goldfish bowl.

Section winners: Phil O'Donwell and Tony Walters.

In the latest Hymatic AC match, fished on the BAA stretch of the River Avon at Barton (section 1), Wally Brown set a new personal best by taking his second club match win in a row.

Using the maggot feeder, Wally caught an excellent 6lb 13oz including a good barbel of around 5lb. In second place was Dave Collier with a mixed bag of 2lb 15oz taken on the maggot using stick float tactics. In third was John Blakemore with 2lb 12oz, again with a mixed bag of fish, also on stick float with maggot as bait.

More than 40 Dark Lane AC members fished the Fisherman's Catch Shield at Alcester on club water on the River Arrow on Saturday.

Experienced Mick Heard took top weight with a good start to the new season, bagging 13lb 4oz chub on the stick float from a noted swim on the bottom of Bleachfield section. Club secretary Keith Jones higher upstream above the footbridge was second, also with chub, with 12lb 9oz and Shaun Sawyer drew a peg half-way along Mill Lane section, for third spot with 9lb using pole-fished casters.

David Gibbs was fourth with 7lb 5oz, followed by Jamie Aspindale with 7lb 13oz and Frank Ward 6ln 12oz. Section winners: Dave Gibbs, Frank Ward, and Barry Feldhahn. Albert Novell had the largest barbel, 5lb 9oz and Shaun Sawyer had a 3lb barbel in his catch. The next contest is on Saturday, June 29. There are places left for the Wye trip on Saturday, September 28. Call Pete Aspindale on 528408 as soon as possible.