Angling by TONY BRUNN

ABYSMAL weather on Tuesday at Woodlands View meant catches were curtailed.

For the Affordable Open held on Arles Pool, onsite tackle shop assistant Steve Pickup made good use of unfancied peg 40 by pole fishing maggot and pinkies over joker feed for a top mixed catch of 14-15-0.

Second place went to Ken Melbourne (Dudley AC) with 12-15-0, third was Mike Williams (Shrewsbury) 11-14-0.

Northfields Starlets Veterans also suffered from the elements for their contest at Woodlands View with just 9-0-0 needed for victory for John Allington (Hereford) who linked ledgered maggots at Deans Pool peg 62, second place was jointly taken by Reg Putnam (Quinton) and Harold Willey (Kidderminster) both with 8-3-0.

On Wednesday, the Astwood Fisheries Bluebell Pool Open was won by Bromsgrove's Paul Webley (Catshill AC) who blitzed the opposition with 27-10-0 of carp by waggler fishing worm with casters from peg five.

Second placed Ron Fowler (Weoley Castle) had 11-6-8, third Kevin Crowley (Austin SS) 9-2-8.

The Starlets Veterans were at Moorlands Farms Bank Pool for their Thursday contest which was won by Mick Taylor (Northfield) who link ledgered casters and pinkies from peg seven for six carp weighing in at 17-4-0, second Alan Ryan (Worcester) 11-12-0, third Brian Hill (Stourport) 9-10-0.

Moorlands Farms Meadow and Moors Pools Open was headed by Clive Munslow (Preston Innovations) with a pole and corn catch of 32-12-0 from moors peg three. Second was Danny Ashington (Birmingham) 25-8-0, third Mike Moseley (Wassell Grove) 23-8-0.

Friday's Costcutter Open was held on the Meadow Pool with David James (Fosters Tipton) taking a top 15-15-0 mixed catch with pole and corn from peg nine.

Danny Ashington (Birmingham) had to settle for second spot again with 13-13-0, third Alan James (Moorlands) 13-6-0.

Saturday's Bank and Meadow Pool Open was won by Lee Nutland (Mosella) with a pole and caster mixed 79-6-0 catch from bank peg eight. Stuart Palmer (Thames Valley AC) followed with 49-14-0.

At Woodlands View, the Dean's Pool Open was topped by Derek Hammond (Oxford Drennan) with an outstanding small barbel catch of 35-7-0 taken with pole fished bloodworm and joker at peg 35, second Mark Lucas (Angling Man) 23-10-0.

On Sunday, the first round of the Woodlands View Silver Fish League saw 16 teams of four competing. Map Starlets members took the rest of the field to the cleaners taking the top three individual places and top team.

Simon Fry led the onslaught with a level 13-0-0 taken with pole fished bloodworm and joker from Arles Pool peg 39. Second was Norman Carpenter 12-11-0, third Mark Warren 12-9-0. Map Starlets Youth lead the league with 54 and Faps ASF1 53.

The 100 AC had to transfer the Christmas Rosebowl and knockout final from a high and coloured River Avon to Lower Broadheath Ash Pool with Halesowen top rod Stuart Cutler taking the honours by waggler fishing maggots at half depth for 50-0-0 of carp up to 10-13-0, second Tony Delves 22-10-4, third Martin Tremlett 16-7-0. Club chairman Steve Marke won the KO Cup with yours truly, Tony Brunn, taking the runners-up prize.

Kings Norton AS were on the River Alne, at Kinwarton, near Alcester, for their fur and feather contest and Richard Hoban (West Heath) continued his good run with a winning 2-5-0 of chub and roach taken with pole and maggots from peg 13, second John Walker 1-6-0, third Jim Pedley 1-3-0.

Birmingham Civil Service AC fished the first round of the individual winter league on the Grand Union Canal, at Bakers Lane, Knowle, with Steve Lile (Coleshill) showing the way by pole fishing bloodworm and joker at peg 94 for 2-5-4 of roach and ruffe. Second place went to Gary Booth (Catshill) with a close 2-4-12, third Darren Mills (Birmingham) 1-7-2.

The Astwood Fisheries Open was held on the Smokey Joe Pool. It was won by John Baillon (Boars Head) with a three-carp catch of 28-10-0 taken with waggler and maggots from peg 30, second Bill Harding (Reservoir Dogs) 17-15-0, third Chris Styler (Hewell Road) 17-4-0.