WORCESTER'S Swan club held their first contest of the year on a dour Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and it was towpath specialist Colin Davis who marked a return to form by taking two good chub on pole and worm.

After a disappointing individual winter league by his standards, Davis got back to winning ways when he netted the two big fish from the centre channel.

He took those along with a few small roach from his peg nine on the Kiddy Tip section of the canal, but was unfortunate to lose three more chub on his way to a final 3-11-7 first place.

Davis's travelling partner Mick Samson finished second from the adjacent peg eight with around a dozen roach, all caught on chopped worm and going 3-4-0.

In third place was James Wilson with a mixed bag of small fish, caught mainly on squatt, weighing 2-10-4. Fourth place went to Gary Smith who netted just one caster-caught chub weighing 1-5-0.

For the first time, this season the club has introduced the Golden Peg' which on this occasion was drawn by Paul Harris who unfortunately did not bother the scalesman so the prize carries over to the next contest which is again on the canal at Oldington Lane in two week's time.

Conditions for the final Portobello contest of the season also proved difficult with Broadheath fisheries' Ash Pool being lashed by strong winds, making bait presentation almost impossible.

Mastering the elements best was Chris Eldridge who wisely opted for a straight ledgered approach along with maggot on the hook in order to net three carp, which together pulled the scales down to a match-winning 12-3-0.

Runner-up was John Tibbetts who persevered with the pole and maggot and was rewarded with an all-silver fish catch of 10-4-0.

Consistent Pete Coldrick al-so used the pole, along with pellet bait, to take a third- placed roach and skimmer net going 9-6-0 to beat Stuart Tibbetts whose 8-10-0 catch was good enough for fourth prize.

The club's first winter league contest starts on Sunday at Rushwick Pool.

The Wards club pool once again proved an excellent winter venue with all the leading catches on the club winter league event coming from different pegs to previous weeks.

Drawn on peg 21 was club star Dave Wright who, after finishing second on the last three contests, finally recorded a victory when he took an all-carp weight of 30-2-0 using pole-fished pellet as bait.

In second spot was Derrick Silk on peg 25 where, after taking a mixed bag of small fish throughout the day on maggot, successfully landed a carp on the final whistle to take his figures to 12-8-0.

Third position went to previous round winner Terry Box with a weight of 10-14-0 from peg 13.

Former Shakespeare river specialist Dave Elliot won the first round of the 52-peg Moorlands Farm Winter League with an all-carp net weighing 52-6-0, taken from the margins of peg 12 on Moors pool, sweetcorn being the preferred bait.

SBS angler Dean Sheldon finished second, weighing 48-10-0, with fishery manger Mal Watson third with 43-0-0.

Best team were Top Four with 14 points followed by Moorlands Gold on 18 and Mossella Black Country third with 19.

The over fifties rover' event saw Ken Sherriff declared winner when he netted 47-4-0 of carp on the feeder and corn from peg 14 on Island.

Runner-up was Gary Kirkham weighing in 39-12-0, while Watson finished third with 30-5-0.

Twenty-one anglers fished the Sunday Rover' with Droitwich matchman Pete Bailey coming out on top from Silver Pool peg five with 88-6-0 of carp taken on ledgered hair-rigged corn.

Fishery star Lee Richards finished second with 45-10-0, while once again in third spot was Watson weighing in 39-8-0.