AFTER tying for first place on the canal during the previous Barbourne AC contest, consistent clubman Richard Hancocks scored an outright victory on the club's own pool at Cotheridge.

Cold northerly winds tempered catches and left some competitors fishless on the normally prolific venue but not Hancocks, who made good use of peg two towards the corner of the pool.

Offering worm bait close in, Hancocks took half a dozen similar sized carp throughout the day and finished well ahead of the field with a weight of 23-8-0.

Runner-up Nigel Hobday found himself drawn on flyer peg seven where, after netting a seven-pound carp first cast, he added just three smaller fish to his caster and corn-caught net of 14-5-0.

Paul Bosworth was once again in the frame when he took 13-10-0 to the scales for third place, beating Pete Hughes, whose 11-1-0 consisted of three carp from unfancied peg 10.

Barbourne AC's next outing is this weekend on the Cavalier section of the canal.

n Gloucester-based matchmen made their trip to Brockamin worthwhile as they secured first and third places during the latest open contest, held on the venue's top pool last Sunday.

Local anglers had to take a back seat as Alan Davis netted a winning 10-fish 64-2-0 total by using the method feeder and maggots on permanent peg 33 towards the top end of the lake.

Runner-up was Worcester's Tony Whicher with 31-8-0 consisting of 25 small carp, taken from the margins of peg nine on pellet.

Gloucester's Adrian Green was third with just three fish weighing 18-4-0 from peg 35.

There will be an open contest held at Brockamin on both Easter Sunday and Monday.

n WDUAA are organising the popular Geoff Tibbetts Memorial contest on the canal between Lansdowne and the Commandery on Sunday. Interested anglers should contact Colin Pettifer on 01905-25193.

n Moorlads Farm's Wednesday Over 50s contest was won by P Wellington M Watson was second.

Wednesday Over 50s: 1 P Wellington (63-10-0), 2 M Watson (55-1-0).

Saturday Open: 1 S Chester (61-7-0), 2 M Leferve (55-14-0).

Sunday Open: 1 D Elliot (38-14-0), 2 M Watson (35-10-0).

n With warmer weather returning, carp on commercial fisheries will start to come into the margins where, at this time of year, worm becomes the number one bait.

On the canal, bream may turn up on any peg during their annual migration to spawning grounds.

All anglers are reminded that they should now be in possession of a new Environment Agency rod licence.