Cold and clear River Trent can stil produce the goods

Although the River Trent has continued to run cold and very clear, the latest midweek Newark Federation open match produced some respectable weights from the Red Bridge section.

Notts veteran Pete Warren (Middy) finished ahead of the 19-strong field with three barbel and some roach on stick- float from peg 35 for 15-11-0, with Dave Powell (Worksop) second with 13-2-0 of small barbel on the feeder on peg 19.

Stan Mee of Mansfield was third with bream and skimmers on the feeder for 5-12-0, and Barry Wiggington was fourth with 5-11-0.

The Burton Festival saw 48 anglers fishing the three-day event but, because of pollution worries, the festival was fished at Shardlow, some 17 miles downstream from the intended stretch at Burton.

The overall winner was former England international angler Wayne Swinscoe from Nottingham with four points. But pushing him close with an excellent score of five points was Newark’s star river angler Colin Walton.

He included a first day fifth place with 16-12-0 and a third day win with 18-12-0 which gave him a very nice overall pay day from the event of £370.

New Inn fished at the prolific Janson’s Fishery where, with 26 anglers competing at the 40-peg pond, everyone had a spare peg.

The winner from golden peg 11 was Nigel Lale who fished maggot on his pole top two sections for a weight of 140-2-0 which was worth £38 golden peg money.

Runner-up was Mick Warner from peg one on the same bait for 109-4-0, while Reg Barrass was third, fishing across to the island with worm over pellet and hemp on peg 19, finishing with 108-15-0.

Fourth was Mark Liwoshko with 98-14-0, also on maggot, with Simon Curtis fifth with 92-13-0, and Steve Baker was sixth with 84-2-0 and was also the winner of the lucky peg prize of £25. The next match is at Girton Mill Dam.

Collingham fished their Christmas Cheer match at their Millennium Fishery where 46 anglers fished on what proved to be a difficult venue.

Darren Harston had the last peg in the bag as usual but, for only the third time in the last ten years, it wasn’t on Willow but peg four on Centenary.

He didn’t have a cast to the island, but used a pole and sometimes a method feeder fished to the lilies in the corner, and that was enough to win with 32-4-0 of carp on pellet.

Pete Kitchen hardly ever fishes the ponds — being a confirmed river die-hard — but he had to have a go for his Christmas dinner.

He had a few decent carp for 26-14-0 from peg 13 on Willow on the trusty feeder, and second spot earned him a turkey.

Bernie Mawers was third from peg 11 on Centenary with 26-4-0 on pole and pellet, while Ced Baldwin was fourth from peg 15 on Willow with 25-14-0, Jason Jeale was fifth with 22-4-0 on pole and pellet — nearly all caught in the first 90 minutes — and Bill Whitworth was sixth with 19-15-0, despite losing plenty of fish.

My 5lb-odd will be enough for a chicken leg, but if only that monster hadn’t got away...

Newark Working Men’s Club concluded their season at Girton Mill Dam in the match lake where the winner was Graham Cobb, fishing maggot for a weight of 32-9-0.

In second place was Alan Atkinson who fished pellet for 28-1-0, while match secretary Alan Ball was third with 26-15-0, also caught on maggot, with Tony Fox fourth with 25-3-0.

King William had a challenge match against Worthington Simpson which should have been on the Witham at Claypole but, because of low water levels, was switched to Simpson’s pond.

Mick Hudson was a clear-cut winner with a weight of 23-0-0 taken on caster but the carp of 20-8-0 — the biggest that he has taken on a pole — was a help.

Pete Asher was second with a pinkie-caught 5-9-0 of ide and skimmers, and Neil Fletcher was third with 5-8-0 of chub and ide also caught on pinkie, with Arthur Rigley fourth with 4-4-0. King William totalled 33-11-0 to Simpson’s 18-7-0.

Railway Club fished on Portland’s Long Island which, despite its good depth, doesn’t seem to like the cooler weather.

The winner was Ronnie Dawes, fishing paste for 13-1-0 of carp, with Barry Young the runner up with 11-2-0 taken on maggot. Pete Knott was third with a pellet-caught 10-12-0, while Clive Knott was fourth with 9-10-0 taken on pellet.

The open match on Marnham Lake saw a change as the small carp showed, and the winner, fishing meat, was Terry Bingham with a level 27-0-0.

In second place was Tony Mills, fishing maggot and corn, and he also had some carp for 17-6-0, Mick Shalloe was third with 6-8-0 of skimmers and roach caught on maggot.

Anyone with any fishing news or views should contact the Advertiser angling correspondent Pete Willis on Sunday evenings on 07595 342927.