Late catches as river season comes to a close

As the river season crawled to yesterday's close, only the most desperate were out there trying to catch something '“ anything!
CHRIS Denton finished his Lodge season with a doubleCHRIS Denton finished his Lodge season with a double
CHRIS Denton finished his Lodge season with a double

Among them Paul Andrews boosted Olney's best-of-season chub mark – which he already held with a 5-11 – to 6-5.

And on the same length a day or two later, Dave Partridge made fourth in a club match with just one perch...scaling 3-3-8.

Upstream in MK Shaun Taylor, still convalescing from injuries sustained in a fire, managed to see his season out in style with a 5-9 chub...and an ear-to-ear grin.

CHUB in the parks: Shaun Taylor with 5-9 Ouse chubCHUB in the parks: Shaun Taylor with 5-9 Ouse chub
CHUB in the parks: Shaun Taylor with 5-9 Ouse chub

Elsewhere on the Ouse and Ouzel Arthur Terrill, Ian Woodman and Gary Maton all found a fish or two in the final days of the season.

REGULARS on Lodge (same close season as rivers) were also making the most of the remaining days.

In the case of Lou Smith and Chris Denton, that included freeing a carp – estimated at 22-24lb – found tethered to a bush after taking the bait on a rig which had broken off after someone had miscast.

For Lou that meant a cold spell on the bank in his budgie-smugglers while drying off after wading in to help the fish.

CHUB in the parks: Shaun Taylor with 5-9 Ouse chubCHUB in the parks: Shaun Taylor with 5-9 Ouse chub
CHUB in the parks: Shaun Taylor with 5-9 Ouse chub

A job well done...but whoever lost the gear should have retrieved it, or at least reported it if they couldn't.

Chris also had a brace of low doubles using conventional rod-and-line tactics. Steve Lindopp had one too, as did Alex Buey.

ON Furzton two Sutton Coldfield visitors shared six carp to 20lb. On Sherington Pits, piker Graham Hadkiss a low-double snapper.

POOR river conditions shifted MKAA's Grand Slam to the cut at Bradwell, where Nigel Bass had 4-5 of perch and roach with Scott Tapp on 1-13-8 as Dave McLlennan and Kevin Osborne tied on 1-9-8.

OLNEY's Ouse do fell to Mike Farey with three perch to 3-2 for 7-12. Paul Caton had 5-8 and Nigel Porter 4-1.

MK Vets, canal, Willowbridge: despite the electro-fishing team going through...Paul Chapman STILL won with 5-2. Dave McLlennan 2-2, Mick Hefferon 1-14.

TOWCESTER and Nene, canal, Heyford: Les Wallace had a 2lb perch in his 6-4, Dave Gibbins 6-4, Graham Martin 5-12.

ALDERS open: Sean Wain 42-2, Mark Newbold 38-12, Andy Leathers 38-11.

CALVERT, Ouse, Buckingham: Austin Maddock 2-2, Dave Lewis 1-4...the rest are just glad it is over.

VAUXHALL open, Ouse, Bedford town centre: Dave Bowler 3-14, Nigel Bass 2-8...and Kevin Osborne third with the smallest ruffe he'd ever seen.