Gloucester Park regular Sid Hammond was the clear winner at Sunday's Ridley Angling Products sponsored Gloucester Park Open weighing in three carp for 27lb 13oz.

And Sid prevailed despite having last-but-one choice in the walkoff and missing out on a swim off the popular cockle bank, which has been producing good hauls of roach lately.

After settling into a swim in the big bay Sid targeted the carp using a quivertip and swim feeder.

His maggot bait produced just three fish, but with the biggest weighing in at 11lb 3oz his 27lb 13oz haul saw him finish more than 12lb clear of the field. Sid won £100.

Second place and £76 went to Basildon angler Steve Lloyd with 15lb 12oz 8dr. Steve fished halfway along the cockle bank where his swim feeder tactics produced four small carp and a bream.

The third and fourth places went to pole anglers targeting quality roach.

Canvey angler Richard Martin collected the £50 third prize with a tremendous 15lb 3oz 8dr cockle bank haul, whilst Gloucester Park regular Dave Hemmings took fourth place and £40 with a 13lb 7oz roach bag taken further along the same stretch.

Section wins worth £25 each went to Simon Hodder, the on form Alan Busby, and Mick "The Fridge" Watling.

Simon Hodder fished the cockle bank to claim the Section One monies with 13lb of roach, whilst Alan Busby took an 11lb bag of roach from the incoming sluice to win the Section Two award. Mick Watling weighed in a carp, five skimmers, and a handful of roach to take the Section Three monies with 13lb.

The Ridley Rollover Golden Peg remains unclaimed and now stands at £500 for Sunday's match.

Entry will cost £11 plus the usual £4 day ticket. For more information telephone Mick Toomer on 01268 282317.

Published Wednesday, January 29, 2003

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