ANOTHER busy week of matches began on Tuesday with Northfield's Starlets Veterans holding its event at Woodlands View's Arles Pool, with 36 members taking part.

A close score sheet was headed by Bewdley's Brian Hill who waggler fished breadflake to the Island from peg 11, taking carp up to eight pounds for 43-1-0. Ken Giles (Alvechurch) was second from next door peg 12 with 39-0-0, third Bill Drew (Bewdley) 37-13-0.

Over on Deans Pool the Tuesday Affordable open was won by Chris Hall (Cardiff), who pole fished corn up in the water at peg 27 for 38-9-0. Second Tony Dudley (Dudley) 24-12-0, third Mick Williams (Shrewsbury) 21-13-0.

Barford AC held an open event on Moorlands Farm's Silverfish Pool with the 21 anglers taking part putting 685 pounds of fish on the scales, and that works out to an average of 32 pounds per man - now that's fishing. Top man was Paul Foster (Fosters) who pole fished worm over casters at peg 17 for 70-12-0. Second Colin Jordan (Birmingham Airport) 60-6-0, third Jeff Wyatt (Birmingham Airport) 53-12-0.

Droitwich top rod Rob Francis (Ovation Leisure) was the winner of the Astwood Fisheries' Bluebell Pool open with a 68-4-0 carp catch taken with waggler fished meat from peg seven. John Baillon (Droitwich ACMG) followed with 17-9-0, third Ron Fowler (Weoley Castle) 17-2-0.

The Moorlands Farm Meadow Pool open was topped by Mal Watson (Shakespeare) with a 130-15-0 carp haul by pole fishing corn up in the water at peg 14. Second Simon Allen (Team Central) 118-12-0, third Colin Daley (Moorlands) 98-1-0.

Moorlands Farm's Thursday Special Costcutter open was a close event with Mark Pincher (DC Lifestyle) leading the way by pole fishing corn in the margins of Meadow Pool peg 28 for 78-4-0. Second Chris Haile (Barford) 74-15-0, third Bob Jones (Moorlands) 71-7-0.

The Starlets Veterans Thursday Club were at Hawford Top and Middle Pools with Club Secretary Mick Taylor (Northfield) taking a winning top catch with pole fished worms from Middle peg 21 for 29-12-0 of barbel and carp. Second John Osman (Northfield) 15-10-0, third Phil Hill (Redditch) 14-6-0.

Woodlands View's Arles Pool open was won by Dean Cherrington (Woodlands) with a pole and meat catch of 121-11-0 up in the water from peg 28. Tony Holmes (Slapheads) took second spot with 105-3-0, third John Hague (Woodlands) 60-9-0.

Friday's Moorlands Farm Costcutter open saw Welsh wizard Giles Cochrane (Wales) conjure up a winning 106-14-0 catch by pole fishing corn up in the water at Meadow Pool peg 21. Runner up Simon Richardson (DC Lifestyle) came close with 104-2-0, third Neil Chard (Moorlands) 76-14-0.

On Saturday round four of the Lower Broadheath Spring League for teams of four gave Steve Marke (Ovation Leisure Red) the top individual honours by waggler fishing meat up in the water at Old Pool peg 15 for 64-8-0. Gary Barker (Drum Diamond) followed with 53-8-0, third Tony Delves (Ovation Leisure Blue) 41-3-0. Ovation Leisure Blue won the day with 13 points, Leeda 14, Drum Diamond 15. Overall Ovation Leisure Blue are in front with one round to go on 77, Leeda 82 and Ovation Leisure Red 92.

The Broad Acres open was won by Birmingham angler Phil Deakin (Triplex AC) with a pole, corn and meat catch of 60-1-0 from the margins of peg 23. Second Alan Hook (Broad Acres) 36-12-0, third John Harris (Triplex AC) 34-7-0.

A £500 purse went to Barry Garner (Moorlands) for winning his first ever contest and, after drawing golden peg 30 on the Meadow Pool at Moorlands Farm, he put his first ton up haul of 124-13-0 of carp on the scales taken with pole and corn down the margins. Chris Hill (Fosters MG) followed with 105-3-0, third Lee Nutland (Bristol) 102-13-0.

The fourth round of the Preston Innovations Spring League with 20 teams of four was held on all pools at Woodlands View, with Tony Holmes (Slapheads) taking the top individual honours by pole fishing worms up in the water at Deans Pool peg five for 120-14-0. Second Mick Dagnall (GTI Midland Match) 79-11-0, third Norman Carpenter (Starlets) 79-8-0. DC Lifestyle Blue took the top points score of 64, Preston Innovations 58, Starlets B 57. Overall Shakespeare lead with 222, Slapheads 220, Preston Innovations 206.

On Sunday Birmingham Civil Service took on the White Swan AC on the Grand Union Canal at Knowle in an 11 man a side event, and the home side came unstuck by putting just 5-3-4 on the scales to White Swan's 12-11-0. White Swan members also took the top five places, headed by Denis Allen who pole fished maggots and casters at peg 60, taking a two pound bream plus a few tiddlers for 2-13-8. Second John Cockbill 2-7-0, third Dave Kemp 1-5-0.

Astwood Fisheries open was held on the Smokey Joe Pool with Alan Gibbs taking top spot by waggler fishing maggots at peg 39 for a mixed 10-7-0 catch. Second Steve Williams (Matchbox) 9-6-0, third Charlie Wheelright (Cobra) 7-2-0.

At Moorlands Farm Simon Richardson (DC Lifestyle) came up trumps by pole fishing corn up in the water at Meadow Pool peg 16 for 75-3-0. Steve Fleming (Tricast) took second spot from next door peg 17 with 67-14-0, third Les Thompson (DC Lifestyle) 65-4-0.

The three hour evening event was held on the Bank and Meadow Pools with Ian Whitehouse (Team Wesson) selecting Meadow Pool peg 16, and it was just a formality with fish queuing up for his pole fished corn for a 106-4-0 catch. Second Nigel Gretton (Storey's) 65-12-0, third Chris Hill (Fosters MG) 62-14-0.

Trout returns from Silligrove Fishery in the Wyre Forest gave Bob New from Wollaston 14 Rainbows which came to orange tadpole lures. Black Country fly expert Tony Riley also took 14 fish which also fell to the in lure, orange tadpoles.

Astwood Bank AC members have been waiting in anticipation to get on the banks of its Abbots Salford pool near Bidford, and club chairman Sean O'Farrell has confirmed the restrictions due to foot and mouth have now been lifted.