There was a double helping of match action available for the keen angler willing to brave the weather this week at Rayne Lodge, Braintree.

Wednesday's Daytime Open Match was fished on the bottom and middle lakes, and first place was taken by regular Mickey Hood for the second successive week.

Mickey, of Romford A.C., won with a catch of 25-6-0, with second place being taken by Steve Copping of Bromages with 19-2-0.

Dale Smith of Browning Trent Tackle was third with 15-14-0, and Dennis Paine fourth with 13-8-0.

Saturday's Open match marked the return of Graham Dack of Image E17, after a two week absence.

It was no surprise for him to take first place in the match, fished on the top and middle lakes, with a 33-8-0 catch.

John Hunt of Brentwood A.C. was second with 26-0 -0, with Simon Colclough of Browning Trent Tackle third with 24-4-0.

Mickey Hood was fourth with 22-2-0, with Pete Sargeant of Colchester Bait & Tackle fifth with 17-0-0, and Darren Clarke of Anglia Groundbait was sixth with 14-8-0.

There are daytime open matches at Rayne Lodge every Wednesday, and for further information, telephone Tony on 01376 345719.

Basildon matchman Brian Hemmings added another win to his list, by taking first place at Sunday's Gloucester Park Open Match.

He weighed in a total of 17-9-0 at the scales, consisting of roach and tench, after fishing from a peg in the little bay.

He tempted the fish with pole tactics and chopped worm baits.

Second place went to Dell Smith with 10-15-0. Smith fished the beginning of the canal stretch using pole tactics to take a total of 10-15-0.

Steve Daniels was third with 10-7-0, after changing his tactics halfway through the match.

Daniels had been fishing with a quivertip from the cockle bank but, after no success, changed to using an inside line with the top three sections of the pole, getting an immediate response.

He caught his entire bag in the last two hours!

The next Gloucester Park Open Match is this Sunday (December 3).

Meet at the western end of the lake from 7am for a 7.15am draw and walk-off. Fishing time will be from 8.15am until 2.15am.

Entry will be £6.00, 100 per cent payout, with the usual day ticket payable on the bank.

For more information telephone Mick Toomer on 01268 282317.

Eddie Bingham won the Northlands Park Pike Open recently, netting two pike for a total of 11-2-0.

He fished the road lake taking his pike on ledgered lamprey.

Second place went to Terry Rance who floated fished sprat to take a fish of 6-8-0 from the caf lake. Graham Rance was third with a small pike of 4-4-0.

The Northlands Park caf Lake proved lucky for Kevin Steele when he tried pike fishing for the first time this week.

Using ledgered lamprey on his carp gear, Steele tempted pike of 14-2-0 and 8-8-0, while his companion Colin Woofs used eel section to take a pike of 12-8-0.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.