THE first RDAA senior match on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Froxfield this season was held last weekend, writes Alan Hughes.

Forty-five anglers were booked in and the match-day weather was mainly dry, overcast and mild with a slight breeze.

The canal had little colour and was towing slightly, but was also very low in places.

As this was the Christmas match, the top 10 individual anglers in the match each section winner received a suitable prize.

Total match weight on the day was 126lbs 7ozs, at an average weight of 3lbs 2ozs per angler.

The top three teams on the day were Reading Fishing Club with 26lbs, Yotac/21Club with 24lbs 11ozs and Reading Civil Service with 19lbs 7ozs.

The match was won by Gordon McGee of Reading Civil Service.

Fishing the first peg below Lock 68 in the Wides on Froxfield A section, he banked one bream of 3lbs and skimmers, fishing groundbait feeder tactics and casting up towards the Lock, with double red maggot on the hook to record a weight of 15lbs 4ozs.

Rob Stephens of Yotac/21 Club was second overall. Fishing the first peg below Lock 69 in the Short Pound on Froxfield A section, he banked mainly skimmers and a few perch during the course of the match, fishing groundbait feeder tactics and casting up towards the Lock, with double red maggot and worm on the hook to record a weight of 11bs 4ozs.

Paul Leek of Pangbourne & Whitchurch was third overall. Fishing in the middle of the section below Lock 71 on Froxfield C section, Leek banked four skimmers along with perch and gudgeon fishing pole tactics, feeding chopped worm, with single pinkie on the hook to record a weight of 7lbs 11ozs.

Fourth place went to Tony Franklin of King Heron with 7lbs 3ozs and fifth spot was taken by Martin Hutchins of Excelsior with 7lbs 2ozs.

Section weights were: A section – 43lbs 8ozs, B section – 27lbs, C section – 24lbs 2ozs, D section – 14lbs 4ozs and E section – 17lbs 7ozs.

Reading Fishing Club top the Club Championship with 140lbs 4ozs, T.R.B.L.A.S. follow with 124lbs 11ozs and in third place are Courage/SE Club with 77lbs 13ozs.

The Individual Aggregate Weight Trophy is headed by Tony Tibble (TRBLAS) with 42lbs 15ozs and Phil Allen (Reading Civil Service) is in second spot with 41lbs 4ozs.

Tibble also heads the points table with 40 points and Phil Allen is in the runner-up position with 36 points.