LAST weekend saw the start of the new season on the river sections of the RDAA venues, writes Dave Wright.

After three months of the closed season fish seem difficult to catch until they get used to the baits used by anglers.

This point was proved with only one match on the River Kennet, which saw TRBLAS use the Beat Five stretch for their first match.

Simon Couling drew the fancied peg where the Holybrook enters the Kennet and was the peg which won from the same match last season.

Couling banked two 5lb-plus chub and silver fish to win the match with 14lbs 12ozs.

Second place was claimed by Tony Claridge who had a couple of smaller chub with some perch to weigh in 4lbs 10ozs.

Ian Claridge completed the top three with 3lbs 8ozs of silvers.

Prestcold AC travelled to Wallingford to fish the B section of the Thames and Graham Walker took the honours fishing waggler tactics and using sweetcorn as bait to avoid the nuisance bleak. Walker had roach up to 12ozs to weigh in 13lbs 12ozs.

The runner-up was Roy Green who set his stall out to catch the bleak in some numbers.

He amassed 350 of the species, weighing in 8lbs 3ozs.

Third spot went to match secretary Mike Sheasby with 5lbs 6ozs of skimmers, chub and a fine 2lbs 8ozs perch.

Bracknell Avocets found the going a lot harder on the Thames at Sonning.

Maybe the deeper water put the fish off the feed, but nine anglers could only manage to put 2lbs 13ozs on the scales.

The winner was Robin Reynolds with 13ozs and Dave Brooks took the runner-up spot with 10ozs. Terry Smith claimed third place with 7ozs.

This weekend will see the first additional association match, which will be held on the Beat sections of the Kennet.

Anglers are asked to book in as usual with Mike Sheasby and the draw will be at the match hut at Farnham Flint at 8am.