Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with catching perch, but our river has been well known over the past few years for outstanding roach fishing and I had just three all day.

Now I may not be the best of river anglers but I do pride myself in the fact that if there are roach feeding I will catch my fair share. Yet on Sunday upstream of Orton locks hardly a roach was taken.

So it's a very worrying time for local anglers but perhaps more importantly for the local angling club Peterborough DAA, who control quite a long length of river from Stibbington down to the Dog and Doublet sluice gate.

Without roach showing any time soon anglers are going to be very reluctant to venture onto the river.

And it's not just our river, all over the country roach have been conspicuous by their absence.

Let's hope they show up soon, or perhaps they will feed through the winter months as they used to several years ago.

Sunday's match on the river was the second round of the Nene Summer League. It may not have attracted so many teams this season but it is still producing some tight finishes.

The main talking point of the day was the best roach weight to come from the Orton Downstream section this season, 11lb 8oz taken by Martin Howard.

Unfortunately it was the only roach weight – most of the other weights throughout the match length were made up of small skimmers, perch and eels.

So matchwinner Howard bucked the trend taking his roach weight on pinkie fished on a long pole line from the 480s just before the wides.

Alex Bates continues his fine run of form on the River Nene taking second place with 10lb 4oz followed by Kevin Wilson, who was top weight above the locks with 8lb 12oz.

On the team front Sensas Mark One and Peterborough B drew for the top spot which leaves the Mark One side out in front at the half-way stage on two points.




IN the Oundle AC match further upstream it was the same story – plenty of bites but once again the roach did not show.

Out in front with a net of small skimmers was Adi Stokes, who fished the feeder for most of the match before switching to the pole line to finish with 9lb 3oz.

Second place went to Steve Tyrell on 8lb 13oz followed by Tom Halfpenny with 6lb 7oz.




THE first round of the Drennan Super League saw just four teams competing this year, but it is still a very strong competitive event.

I am sure if the matches were on Sundays several other teams would be interested in joining.

The match was fished on the North Level Drain at Tydd Gote and despite some heavy recent pressure on the venue there were some exceptionally good weights recorded.

Sensas Mark One are up against some top quality anglers so I am very pleased to report that they took a creditable second place just a point behind Daiwa Trentmen.