THE final Reading & District Angling Association Open match of 2016 took place last Friday when 47 anglers were booked in.

The weather was dry and sunny after early fog, cold and with a slight breeze blowing. The Kennet & Avon Canal had a little colour and was towing slightly.

Total match weight was 141lbs 0ozs, (average 3lbs 8ozs per angler).

Many thanks to all those that turned out and to the proprietors and staff of the Sun Inn, Hungerford, which we used as our draw and result headquarters.

The match was won by Colin Dance of Preston Innovations, Thatchers. Fishing the first peg below the second ash tree above Lock 71 on Froxfield C section, Dance banked 120 roach, a skimmer bream of 12ozs and three perch to 1lb 8ozs.

He used fishing pole tactics, feeding liquidized bread at five metres with breadpunch on the hook and groundbait at nine metres, with squatt and pinkie on the hook, to record a weight of 9lbs 1oz.

John Beasley of Drennan Oxford took second spot fishing the first peg below Lock 68 on Froxfield A (wides) section. He banked two skimmer bream to 2lbs along with five perch to 1lb 8ozs fishing a combination of pole and maggot feeder tactics, feeding chopped worm and caster, with worm on the hook, to record a weight of 8lbs 11ozs.

Dave White of Pangbourne & Whitchurch was third overall. Fishing the second peg above the second ash tree above Lock 71 on Froxfield B Section, White landed a bream of 2lbs 8ozs and a perch of 2lbs 8ozs along with skimmer bream and roach. He fished pole tactics, feeding groundbait and chopped worm and caster, with worm, red maggot and pinkie on the hook, to record a weight of 8lbs 9ozs.

Meanwhile, the RDAA Tuesday Club got back into their weekly match dates with a visit to New Barlows Lake on the Stacey complex at Tadley.

They found the lake iced over after probably the coldest night of the year, but promptly set about breaking the ice to fish.

John Ambrose managed to charm a small carp to take his bread bait and, as nobody else had a bite, he took the prizes as well.