AT this time of year we see a big increase in matches to fish as the weather starts to pick up, and fish start to get their heads down on the bait to produce a more consistent sport.

Bank Holiday Monday saw many anglers out on the banks of our local fisheries and at Lower Broadheath the Ovation Leisure open was held on the Old Pool where Solihull angler Alan Bartlam (Matchbox) took the top 45-13-0 carp catch by waggler fishing meat up in the water at peg 23. Second Paul Butler (Ovation Leisure) 22-4-0, third Tony Delves (Ovation Leisure) 20-0-0.

At the Broad Acres open John Foyle (Fisherman's KO) pole fished meat in the margins of peg 32 for a winning 72-13-0. Second Bob Brown (Loonies) 47-0-0, third Roy Harvey (Triplex AC) 26-13-0.

Astwood Fisheries Bluebell Pool open saw Richard Hammond (Cobra) in top spot by pole fishing corn at peg six for 27-9-0. Second Kevin Crowley (Austin SS) 24-8-0, third Gary Mitchell (Avenue Social) 18-6-0.

The Moorlands Farm Bank and Meadow Pools open was won by Gary Marsh (Ibstock) with a pole and corn catch of 50-14-0 from Meadow peg 29. Mick Henshall (Fosters MG) was a close second with 49-9-0, third Colin Jeavons (West Midlands) 41-9-0.

Big catches were recorded at the three hour evening Meadow Pool open with John Mottershead (Trentside) showing the way with a pole and worm catch of 149-10-0 from peg 31. Second Paul Maybury (MN Autos) 138-2-0, third Colin Terne (Moorlands) 94-8-0.

On Tuesday the Starlets Veterans were out in force with 38 members lining the banks of Moorlands Farm's Silver Fish Pool, and it was Mike Millinchip (Kidderminster) who continued his good run with a top catch 31-10-0 of bream taken with pole fished casters from peg 16. Second John Cole (Bewdley) 31-8-0, third Ken Giles (Alvechurch) 26-1-0.

At Woodlands View the Affordable open was held on Deans Pool with Mark Bedford (Spartans) pegged at 52 where he pole fished worms up in the water for 54-1-0. Second Paul Foster (Blackheath) 46-5-0, third Tony Delves (Dudley) 44-11-0.

On Wednesday the Astwood Fisheries Bluebell Pool open was won by Barry Jones (Weoley Castle) with a waggler and meat catch of 39-7-0 from peg 17. Second Ron Fowler (Weoley Castle) 30-6-0, third Brian Williams (Redditch) 19-8-0.

Moorland Farm's Meadow Pool open saw another ton up catch with Tim Guise (Fisherman's Friend) taking 111-10-0 with pole and corn from peg 12. Colin Pace (Bilston) followed with 80-8-0, third Rob Gandley (Shakespeare) 68-13-0.

Pete Ricketts (Willenhall) was the winner of the evening Meadow Pool open with a pole and corn catch of 108-0-0 from peg 15. Second Les Thompson (Baitmaster) 93-1-0, third Vince Gandley (Shakespeare) 89-1-0.

The Starlets Veterans were out again on Thursday, this time at Wassell Grove near Hagley. Clive Humphries (Bewdley) took the honours fishing worm and caster at ten metres to the island on Brook Pool peg 28 for 19-14-0 of carp and tench. Club secretary Mick Taylor (Northfield) was second with 13-2-0, third Phil Hill (Redditch) 7-6-0.

Moorlands Farm Costcutter Special open saw Martin Edge (Team Strike) pole fishing corn at Meadow Pool peg 53 for a top catch 84-9-0. Mick Williams (Shrewsbury) followed with 69-4-0, third Chris Newton (Redditch) 62-12-0.

Friday's Costcutter open was a big scoring event for Paul Ainsworth (Mid City) and it was pole fished corn that did the trick again for 108-4-0 from Meadow peg 13. Second Giles Cochrane (Wales) 77-9-0, third Chris Newton (Redditch) 76-0-0.

The Woodlands View afternoon open was held on Arles and Deans Pools with winner Steve Juliff (Pershore MG) pole fishing meat up in the water at Deans peg 40 for 83-9-0. Second Mark Westwood (Woodwards) 77-12-0, third Mac Cox (Tromans) 63-5-0.

On Saturday the Annual 100 AC Invitation Club Championships for 15 teams of five took place at Lower Broadheath, with the host team of Tony Delves, Rob Francis, Keith Butler, Steve Marke and yours truly Tony Brunn clinching the title, taking three top sections, a second and a sixth for 74 points. Starlets Veterans were second with 64 and joint third were Cobra and Odd Jobs with 53. Top individual was Bromsgrove's Tony Delves (100 AC) who pole fished worms at Old Pool peg 25 for 81-15-0. Geoff Morris (Redgrove) took the runners up spot with 75-2-0 off the Willow Pool, and Keith Butler (100 AC) was third with 66-4-0 from the Sycamore Pool.

Bristol top rod Lee Nutland topped the Moorlands Farm open with 120-10-0 by pole fishing meat up in the water at Meadow Pool peg 15. Second Andy Robinson (Moorlands) 97-8-0, third Darren Clewley (Team Wesson) 82-15-0.

The three hour evening Meadow Pool open was won by Stourbridge matchman Andy Newton (DC Lifestyle) who pole fished corn at peg 39 for 110-0-0. Second Jez Williams (Strettons) 92-10-0, third Dan Ashington (Moorlands) 82-0-0.

On Sunday Astwood Fisheries Buddleia Pool open was won by Bromsgrove's Paul Woodfield (Boars Head) who pole fished casters at peg 52 for 21-5-0 of crucians. Second Bernard Boland (Northfield and District) 16-0-0, third Steve Marke (Ovation Leisure) 13-6-0.

Coseley's Bird in Hand AC fished its event at Silligrove Fishery with Gary Cresswell in pole position with a corn and meat catch of 15-1-4 from peg seven. Second Martin Penn 15-1-0, third Brian Evans 13-2-0.

Some very big Rainbows were taken at Silligrove this week, with Quinton's John Mason taking a 10-8-0 specimen with damsel fly on Friday. Kidderminster's Stuart McIntyre had 13 fish up to five pounds on the same day and on Saturday John Dvern from Kinver had a 10-4-0 fish on an a pitizer fly.

Close catches were recorded at the Woodlands View Deans Pool open with Simon Fry (MAP Starlets) pole fishing meat at peg 50 for 74-0-0. Second Kian Wardle (MAP Starlets) 73-10-0, third Alistair Chisholm (FAPS Trinders) 71-0-0.

Richie Hull (MAP Starlets) came in from the cold after a long lean spell to win the evening open by pole fishing corn and meat for 86-7-0. Second Rich Guppy (Woodlands) 69-12-0, third Alan Childs (Fisherman's Friend) 64-14-0.

John Mottershead (Trentside) had a match double at Moorlands Farm, both with ton up catches. In the daytime open he put 117-1-0 on the scales, taken with pole and corn down the margins of Meadow peg 58, and in the evening event John found 129-1-0 of ravenous carp snapping up his corn feed from, would you believe it, the same peg 58. Steve Fleming (Tricast) took second place in the daytime match with 55-10-0, third Colin Pace (Bilston) 45-5-0. Ian Giddings (Storey's) was in second spot in the evening event with 62-5-0, third Andy Newton (DC Lifestyle) 59-4-0.

One for the diary on Bank Holiday Monday at Moorlands Farm, the Rods and Sods £1,000 Sponsored open. This winner-takes-all open has a £10 entry, 9.00am draw, fish 10 till 3. To enter call John Talbot on 01299 250427.