Plenty of fish added to the Upper Ouse

THE EA's Catherine helps deliver more barbel to the Upper Ouse

Up to ten inches in length, they are (some dye-marked specials aside) among the largest added by the Environment Agency in their long-running campaign to re-seed the river with the makings of a 'sustainable' population.

Batches of 450 went in at Haversham, Sherington Bridge, Harrold and Sharnbrook – spots identified by fishery scientists as those where they are most likely to survive and produce young that will spread to help repopulate the rest of the river!

OTHER EA staff walked the river below Olney's Mill this week, talking to the club's committee about potential for improvements.

GIVEN conditions Sam Willis' 11-pounder was a nice result

And some STILL ask what we get for our rod licence money...

SAM Willis' 11-4 pike may not be the biggest in Newport's Big Pit but – given the Noah's ark weather – it has to be a whacker-of-the-week fish...while Mike Winning rescued a terrapin from floodwater in the outfall.

ALDER's Tuesday open went to Richard Brain with 64lb with Trevor Price on 41lb and Simon Fry 35lb. Going for small stuff, Lee Newson took the silvers prize with 22lb.

CALVERT's Hill View Farm outing was a jolly do – not. Barry Witteridge won with five carp for 24lb, John Robison had four for 18. The rest did not catch...

GARBOLINO mates Simon Fry and Lee Newsom with Lee's Alders' silvers net

INBETWEEN blanks in MK Vets' Brush Mill and Toombes midweeker there were some good weights too. Steve Chilton caught 17-10 of bream. The rest were mainly on silvers. Ernie Sattler 13-10 and Austin Maddock 11-10.

STONY Main's perch fed for Towcester Vets' match. George Cooke had 10-6, Rob 'Rambo' Rawlins 9-0 and John Balhatchett 2-10.

FACING a brim-full canal at Stoke Bruerne, Nene and Towcester moved their joint match north to the Banbury Lane were some found perch. Les Wallace 3-10, Dave Gibbins 3-2 and John Balhatchett 2-10.

THERE's an item everyone could do well to look at called 'Home & Dry' on the westmerciasar.org.uk (links on MKAA, Newport & Towcester facebook pages) and gives advice on how to help anyone in trouble in the water.

Thirty minutes of your life spent going through it could help save the rest of someone else's – maybe even your own?

FIXTURES: Sunday, DATS Christmas match, Stony Main, 01908 568216; Jan 1 MKAA hangover open, 01234 713144.