A TOTAL OF 19 South West Disabled and Over-50's AC members competed against a fierce, north east wind blowing across Acorn Fishery's Match Pool.

Heavy showers added to the misery, but the lake came up with a low but reasonable set of weights considering the appalling conditions.

Top of the scoresheet was veteran Tom Coulson with a 33-5-0 catch of mostly carp from end peg 18.

The Saltford-based member started the match by fishing a straight lead and banded pellet into the far lakeside margins but after getting no response switched to an 11-metre pole.

He said: "The ever-changing weather made it difficult for both anglers and fish.

"The fish fed intermittently and I struggled to catch right up until the last 90 minutes when the wind subsided, the sky brightened and the carp started to feed."

The runner-up was match organiser, Ted Bethel, who made a good start at peg 10 – two below the new bridge.

He poled paste over a light 6mm pellet feed to far edge of a reed bed and caught 15 carp totalling 31-4-0 during the first half of the match

He said: "I was going great until mid-afternoon when it started to rain. It wasn't a heavy shower but, during and afterwards, all I got were a few line bites."

Third was Roy Morley, with 28-4-0 of carp taken from the far lakeside margins of peg 16 with a method feeder.

He said: "I started the match by fishing an 11-metre pole, but after the first hour the wind became stronger and couldn't hold it steady.

"I switched to a method feeder, fished a 6mm banded pellet close to the far lakeside margins and caught steadily until around mid-afternoon when the swim died.

"My last two fish came from the far left corner during the final 15 minutes of the match."

The top silvers catch was taken by Bill Ferris, who poled maggot and caster at seven metres off peg one in the bottom bowl and weighed-in a winning 6lb of skimmers, roach and perch plus a three-carp catch totalling 7-0-0.

Result, overall: 1, Tom Coulson 33-5-0, peg 18; 2, Ted Bethel 31-4-0, peg 10; 3, Roy Morley 28-4-0, peg 16; 4, Bob Warren 22-8-0, peg 7; 5, Kevin Collins 19-0-0, peg 14; 6, Bob "The Bread" Price 18-4-0, peg 18.

Silverfish: 1, Bill Ferris 6-0-0, peg 1.