Angling news with

TONY BRUNN

WITH the Foot and Mouth situation causing mayhem, a yo-yo situation occurred in fishing circles last week when the Birmingham Anglers' Association gave a press release -- I might add not to me -- that certain sections of their canals were open to fishing.

But that was not the case as British Waterways had only opened its waterways to boaters. Unfortunately this statement was not rescinded. I only hope no angler took notice and ventured to the towpaths over this massive gaffe.

We are very lucky in the Midlands as most of our still water fisheries are still open, and on Tuesday the Starlets Veterans fished its event on Moorlands Farm's Silver Fish Pool and 11 double figures catches were recorded. Top man was Mike Millinchip (Kidderminster) who short poled casters at peg six for 31-6-0 of mixed fish. Second John Joyce (Rubery) 27-10-0, third Mick Taylor (Northfield) 24-6-0.

On Wednesday Paul Webley (Kateshill AC) continued his good run at Astwood Fisheries by topping the Bluebell Pool open with a waggler, corn and meat catch of 24-8-0 from peg 19. Second Gary Kirkham (Astwood) 15-6-0, third Ron Fowler (Weoley Castle WMC) 9-0-0.

At Moorlands Farm the Bank and Moors Pools open was won by Colin Pace (Bilston) with 60-5-0 of carp taken with pole and corn from Bank peg 20. Steve Gaskell (Moorlands) followed with 54-5-0, third Dereck Hopkins (Needles AC) 40-4-0.

Thursday's Costcutter Special was held on the Bank and Middle Pools with father and son duo Paul and Dave Rowberry (Severn Trent) leading the way, with Paul taking top spot with a pole and corn catch of 44-9-0 from Bank peg six. Dave was second with 40-12-0, third Mick Trueman (Avenue Soc) 38-10-0.

The Starlets Veterans were at the Willow Marsh Fisheries Silver Fish Pool, where Brian Hill (Stourport) took an 8-12-0 winning tench catch with pole, worm and casters from peg four. Bob Knight (Bewdley) was a close second with 8-8-0, third Mike Millinchip (Kidderminster) 8-7-0.

On Good Friday the Moorlands Farm Costcutter open saw David James (Fosters Tipton) make good use of Meadow Pool peg 12, where he pole fished worms up in the water for a bumper catch of 107-0-0. Ian Whitehouse (Team Wesson) took second place from opposite peg 59 with 67-14-0, third Darren Clewley (Team Wesson) 55-11-0.

Good catches were also recorded at the Woodlands View afternoon open where 77 anglers took part, and leading the field was Paul Williams (Woodlands) with a pole, corn and meat catch of 71-2-0 from Deans Pool peg 24. Dereck Hammond (Oxford Drennan) followed with 64-10-0, third Mick Jones (Slapheads) 59-15-0.

Saturday's Woodlands View open saw Tony Jones (Slapheads) top the list with 75-13-0 of carp by waggler fishing corn at Arles Pool peg seven. Joint second were ? Guise (Preston Innovations) and Jim Evans (Aldridge AC) both with 54-11-0.

Round Two of the Lower Broadheath Spring League was a big scoring event for the 13 teams of four, and top individual was John Baillon (Odd Jobs) with a pole and corn carp haul of 72-5-0 from Old Pool peg three. John Hudson (Drum Diamond) was a very close second with 71-14-0 from opposite peg 12, third place went to yours truly Tony Brunn (Ovation Leisure Blue) with 43-8-0. Top team was Ovation Leisure Blue with 15 points, joint second were Ovation Leisure Red and Leeda with 21. Overall Ovation Leisure Blue lead with 31, Odd Jobs 45, Ovation Leisure Red 46.

At Moorlands Farm the Meadow Pool open was won by Mick Henshall (Fosters) with a pole and corn catch of 88-1-0 from peg 51. Stuart Pulsar (Shakespeare) took the runners up spot with 86-1-0, third Paul Foster (Fosters) 74-6-0.

On Sunday the Ovation Leisure open at Lower Broadheath's Sycamore Pool was won by West Bromwich top rod Keith Butler (Ovation Leisure) with a waggler and meat catch of 45-15-0 from peg 21. Second Gerry Trueman (Unity AC) 24-7-0, third Steve Marke (Ovation Leisure) 20-13-0.

The Astwood Fisheries Smokey Joe Pool open was headed by Rob Francis (Ovation Leisure) from bonus peg 29, which produced a 22-5-0 mixed catch taken with feedered maggots. Second Clive Duggan (Ovation Leisure) 13-6-0, third Dean Moore (Weoley Castle) 12-4-0.

At Moorlands Farm's Meadow and Moors Pools open, Les Thompson (Baitmaster) was a close winner. Pole fishing corn at Moors peg nine, he put 87-7-0 on the scales, to put Simon Richards (DC Lifestyle) into second place with 85-6-0. Third place went to Grant Albutt (Diawa Dorking) just back from the White Acres Festival in Cornwall where he pocketed £4,000. But this time he had to settle for third with 84-7-0.

The three hour evening open saw Mick Henshall (Fosters MG) make it a weekend double by pole fishing corn and meat at Moors Pool peg ten for 66-2-0. Second John Mottershead (Trentside) 45-8-0, third Neville Groves (Moorlands) 40-0-0.

Rainbow Trout were showing well at Wyre Forest Silligrove Fishery, with the largest fish weighing ten pounds eight ounces falling to an ace of spades fly for Bewdley's Tony Riley. Bill Barley from Stourbridge had fish up to eight pounds six ounces on yellow lures, and Mick Hodgkins took eight fish close to the four pounds mark.

Please note: Chatsworth Angling Fair which takes place in early May has been postponed due to the present Foot and Mouth epidemic, and is now to take place over the weekend of October 20 and 21.