Northampton’s Ringer brothers are fresh back from landing another brace of international silver medals for England.
Both Phil and Steve were in what was effectively England’s A team – which finished runners-up to their B team – in the European feeder fishing championships on Holland’s Sasgent canal.
A canal? Should be a walkover for town lads, right? Not quite. At 250 metres wide and 50 feet deep, this one was a totally different world to the Grand Union.
The fishing was rock hard and virtually all 26 teams had at least one blank over the two days as they struggled for roach, skimmers, gudgeon and bullheads on the tip.
Now they’re looking forward to November’s ‘worlds’ in South Africa – where things NOT to hook are likely to include crocodiles, rather than the sea-going ships of the Sasgent.
Nearer home, Daventry annihilated luckless Glebe eight sections to nil on Tofts in their Supercup tie – and made a clean sweep of the frame as Rich Wills had 75-8, Martin Paynter 67-5 and Paul Knapman 26lb.
Towcester met a similar fate in their heat, drubbed seven sections to one by Finedon on Peatling Pools.
OSPREY, Lakeside, Towcester; Mark Wilson 179lb (carp) Loll Summers 94lb, Tony Winnock 93-8.
CASTLE Ashby: midweek, Scotland, Joe Roberts 101-4 (34 bream), Mick Waddham 86-6, Phil Wintle 63-12; Saturday, Brickyard, Dick Rodgers 48-12, Mick Hewlett 35-4, Keith Garrett 31-8; Sunday, Grendon, Steve Shakespeare 148-12 (18 carp) Waddham 68-4, Paul Barnes 66-8.
WHITE Hart Flore, Spring pools: Glen Tilson 55-4, Tom Griffiths 41lb, Dave Chapman 31lb.
BISHOPS Bowl open: Jake King 46-6, Dick Ashby 32-12, Chris Campling 27-2. Greenhill produced three 20s to 25-8 Saturday night.
CASTLE, silverfish, Canons: Jeff Rice 27-7, Fred Prior 9-1, Len Keech 7-15.
MOBBS Miller, Chapmans: Jim Archer 22lb, Dave Rawlins 11-15, Chris Jones 9-12.
HEYFORD, midweek vets: Dick Stafford 11-6, John Balhatchett 8lb, John Muskey 6-7.
NENE, Weedon cut: Balhatchett 6-15, Paul Minney 2-11, Baz Eaton 2-1.
STANWICK, Coot: Andy Baisley had four bream to 9lb and a 6lb tench.
Tomorrow, Friday: the funeral of popular local rod Tony Pickering, killed while cycling to work a month ago, is set for 11am at Three Counties Crem.
FIXTURES: tonight (Thursday) 8pm, Abington Park AC AGM at Old Northamptonians; April 12, Olney AGM, 8pm, Two Brewers, Olney.
Sunday, Towcester individual open series kicks off at Wappenham water, week-and-week about with Bairstows after that, 07915 613862; April 17, Castle AGM, 8pm, Far Cotton WMC.