THE chill evening on Sunday seemed to me to mark the changing of the seasons. September is often one of the best months of the angling year. Bream and barbel in particular usually feed very well this month and the lower water temperatures often bring the roach on as well.

So hopefully fishing on our local rivers will improve in the next few weeks, and reduced boat traffic on the canals should ensure better sport on them also before winter's icy grip starts to bite.

I hear that the Arrow Valley carp are showing quite strongly. Lake specialist Mark Hemming fished last Wednesday afternoon on the Shakespeare bank, throwing the method feeder to the point of the island for a cracking 121lb 8oz catch of carp. Mark's bag of 22 fish included three of over 10lb. This augurs well for the forthcoming matches on the lake starting with the Redditch carnival match this Saturday. By the way tickets are still available for the match and can be obtained from Barbara Jones on 456318.

Also, I think there's still time to enter the Broadacres disabled and ladies' matches on September 15th and 16th. Ring Mal Hayes on (01527) 836461 to book in.

Now on to some match reports starting with a couple from last week. Astwood Bank AC's fifth aggregate match was fished on the club's new water on the Avon at Abbott's, where once again the low and clear river was very difficult. Andy Lacey topped the 30 strong field with 3-4-0. In second place Michael Kesterton had a small pike in his 3-2-8 return, ahead of Glen Ralph with 2-10-0 and the winner's brother Mick with 2-9-0. Section winners were Mark Imrie with 0-13-0, Allan Knight and Paul Butler who tied with 1-7-0 and Dennis Heath with 2-5-8.

Shawn Sawyer took the Needles AC club match at Great Alne with 4-10-0 of dace and small chub taken on the pole with casters from peg 9. Tom Gregory was runner-up with a level 4lb catch of skimmers and roach also on caster. In third place Barry Feldhahn had 3-6-0 of dace with Dave Kingerley fourth again with dace for 3-2-0. Section winners were K John 2-2-0, Richard Chester 2-2-0 and Derek Hopkins 2-12-0.

The Avon at Offenham was hard again for the Astwood Bank pensioners' match on Thursday. Club stalwart Brian Foster needed only 3lb 10oz of small chub to win with Bert Humphries in second place with 3lb 6oz, which included a 1lb 2oz perch. Harry Mills was third with 2lb 1oz ahead of Bob Wheatcroft with 1lb 12oz.

This year's Arrow champion is Jonathon Newton (Faps Trinders) who mastered a dour river with two barbel and a few perch for 14lb 7oz taken on the pole from peg 22 on the 40 acre meadow at Wixford. In second place match organiser Mark Russell (Matchbox) had five bream plus a few bits from Broom peg 2 for 11lb 8oz, taking fish spasmodically through the match on pole fished maggot. Also at Broom on peg 6 Steve Barlow (Matchbox) straight ledgered caster for 11lb 2oz and third place. This included a bream of 5lb plus. Fourth man Tony Walters (Studley AS) also used the lead for a 9lb 4oz bag of chub from Wixford peg 34 taking fish on casters and worm. In fifth place Andy Smith (Alcester TL) had 7lb 4oz of chub on the waggler from Broom. My congratulations go to Mark Russell and his team of helpers from the Alcester AA for once again running an excellent match which was a full 110 peg sell out.

On the same day up the river at Oversley the Dark Lane AC fished their Perridot shield match. Match winner A Simmonds had 8-6-0 of chub from peg 20 to pip Tony Sabin by 4 ounces, Tony had a barbel of 6-14-8 in his catch which he subdued on light stick float tackle. Simon Howell was third with 6-6-8 of chub with Richard Cope fourth with 5-3-0 and Tony Lockett fifth with 4-10-0.

At Lapworth pools, Phill Rutter had a good catch of 9-6-0 of bream up to 4lb to win the Saturday afternoon scramble. Runner-up match secretary Ady Powell also had bream for 5-15-0 ahead of Barry Fitzgerald with more skimmers for 4-14-0.

The poor form of the river Alne continued for Sunday's Needles AC club match with Bob Brazil needing only 3lb 9oz of chub and dace from peg 32 to win. Runner-up, my good friend Neil Clee, had one good chub on the feeder weighing in a 2lb 10oz on peg 16. Aggregate leader Phill O'Donnell fished the stick float with casters for 2lb 7oz of chub and dace for third place with Clarrie Partridge fourth with 2lb 4oz 8dr. Section winners were Gerry Jones 1-4-8, Ian Hubbocks 1-11-0 and Keith Avery 1-8-0.

This week's RMG open on the cut at Yardley Wood was a win for Pete Lewis (Studley Road) with 2-5-8 of small roach on punch and squatt. Richard Knowles (MFF) was second with 2-4-1 ahead of Jim Wills (Maver) 2-2-2. Section awards here went to Barry Fitzgerald (Maver) 1-7-0 and Steve Savage (Shimano Portway) 1-2-13.

I'm told that this Sunday Barry Fitzgerald runs a match on the Pipco stretch of the same canal. Ring Baz on 50000 to have a dabble.

This year's Redditch Business Houses angling match will take place at Twyford farm on Saturday 7th October. There will be a meeting of delegates from firms who would like to take part in the match at the Studley Sports and Social club (ENTACO) next Thursday September 14th, with an 8pm start to discuss the arrangements for this years match.

Tight Lines!