West Mids angling round-up

The talented Shakespeare team expectedly clinched the Stafford FMS league title with yet another victory, this time in the final round.

It was held along the Shropshire Union canal at  Norbury and Grubb Street where Paul Bick led their onslaught with a 10-10-12 top individual score. 

Drawn four pegs into the Grubb Street section he used blood worm feed and hookbait to catch smallish skimmer bream and roach offered close  to the far bank.

His main rival, Ian Moulton, captain of the Mohmar team was second with a 7-8-13 similar haul. 

This came from a peg in the glass factory section where he hooked all roach, again with bloodworms.

Another northern visitor Carl Lowe (Sensas North West Green) was third with 7-5-10 from a peg next to the High bridge and he included lots of gudgeon in his mixed bag. 

Another Mohmar team man Andy Billingham was fourth with 6-5-0 over Digger Conway (Isaac Walton Stafford) 5-5-12 and Gary Lunt (Mohmar) 5-4-0. 

Team points on the day were Shakespeare 54, Mohmar 51, Sensas North West Blue 47 and Isaac Walton Stafford and Pickerings both 36.

Overall winners Shakespeare – Rob Quinn, Darren Massey, Fred Bedford, Dave McCall and Paul Bick – won five of the six rounds . 

Final league points are: Sensas North West Green 30, Pickerings 31, W B Clarke Red 34 and Mohmar and Fosters Tipton VDE both 37.

• A second internet advertised competition organised by Wednesfield angler Lee Woodhouse and held along the Birmingham Main Line canal at Dixon Street, Wolverhampton saw him clinch victory by a four ounce margin.

The controversial bloodworm bait was allowed and he used it as well as casters to catch 8-10-7 of roach from a peg at the back of the Delta factory. 

Three members of the Talk Angling  squad took the next five places all with roach catches taken on bloodworm and they were Mark Williams 8-5-3, Jeff Warmington, 7-2-1,Tony Walsh 6-13-12, Adam Slade (Mosella) 6-13-3 and Dave Whittington (Talk Angling) 6-12-7.

• The final round of the Insurance Factory league produced a close result on the Birmingham canal with ounces separating the top three weights.

The match was split into  two sections, one at Winson Green and the other at Clissold Street and it was the latter which yielded a 4-5-0 winner for Mal Galliers.

The Cornerstone AC team man drew peg 87 on the roadside where he caught two skimmer bream plus small roach with punched bread. 

Second-placed Brian Jarvis was a mere five ounces  behind with 4-5-0 from peg 36 on the hospital section.

Organiser Colin Gregg was third with 4-1-0 over Mick Hill (Newquay) 3-3-0 and Graham Collett (Harris M G) 3-3-0.

League winner Mervyn Rogers totalled 162 points over Colin Gregg 159 and Brian Jarvis 156.

• One of the poorest matches ever held in the Stirrup Cup AC’s open series on the Birmingham Fazeley canal at Curdworth saw the top five weights total a modest 14lbs.

A very strong wind did the damage and anglers had problems holding their rods and long poles. In fact, winner Dave Freestone only required 2-14-0.

The Three M’s team member drew peg 64 in the wide section opposite the housing estate where he latched into a 1lb perch plus mixed small roach and even smaller perch on casters. 

Club team-man Ray Walbank was second with 2-13-6 but he hooked and lost three very big fish.

He was on peg 49 by the bungalows where his large maggots feed and bait took mainly roach with odd perch. 

Karl Harper (Sensas Dams & Lock) was third with 2-12-0 of mixed small fish while the fourth and fifth prizes went to Gary Ward (Cradley Heath Labour) 2-11-8 and Harold Tolton (Long Eaton Federation 2-4-8, respectively.

• Local lad Dean Williams chalked up another victory in the Stafford Isaac Walton open match series but it was a close decision with a mere two ounces separating the top two weights. 

A member of the organising club he came good  on the Shropshire Union canal at Gnosall where he weighed in a 5-3-4. Pegged almost next to the ‘boat’ bridge he used squatt maggots to tempt mostly small gudgeon plus odd roach.

Chris Gibbs (Fenton) with 5-1-4 fished a peg at the opposite end of the stretch, a very narrow section where he hooked a few skimmer bream plus roach with similar tactics.

Veteran Fred Cheetham (Eclipse) was third with 3-5-8 over his club mate Tony Keeling 3-2-12, Steve Faux (Eclipse) and Alan Branchal  (Fenton) both 2-15-4.

• Weekend catches varied widely at Curborough Fis-hery near Lichfield where a 65-0-0 haul of mixed sized carp gave John Harper a clear victory. 

The Burton on Trent visitor used corn and pellets with a long pole on the Oak pool. Graham Lane (Coppice A C) was second with a similar 44-12-0 from peg 20 on the Swan.

Sunday saw Steve Jarrett (F1 Group) take charge on the New pool but with a modest 24-12-0, mostly carp taken with pellets.

Veteran Stafford expert Doug Bell was second with 18-2-0, again carp on pellets.