STEVE Bellion recorded the first win of the winter season at Alvechurch Fisheries as he narrowly saw off Warren Beach on Saturday.
The top two battled it out at the Horseshoe Lake and after they both lost some big fish in the last hour it was Bellion who just held out for the victory.
Bellion (peg 28) took the honours with 96lbs 9oz after fishing waggler and maggot on the deck up to the island for carp up to 10lbs barbel and ide.
This was enough to deny Beach (peg 36) who started on pole and maggot at 11 mts rotating a number of lines before switching down the margin with worm to net a number of carp up to 9lbs and barbel for 93lbs 2oz.
Bellion and Beach were well clear of the rest as Les Ayres (peg 24) finished third after fishing waggler and maggot out in front before switching to pole and dead reds to land a 12lb superb common carp to boost his mixed bag to 60lbs 11oz.
Malcolm Brown’s (peg 29) net of 57lbs 2oz edged Tom Keating (peg 18) who weighed in with 56lbs, while Carl Hopps (peg 6) came sixth with 47lbs 6oz.
Meanwhile, Les Ayres (peg 5) won a low weight affair last Thursday as his 30lbs 8oz catch was enough to beat Phil Evans and Ron Taylor, who finished second with 26lbs 14oz and third with 25lbs 2oz respectively.
Fourth place went to Paul Cleverly (peg 32) after securing a mixed bag worth 20lbs 2oz, while Pete Mace (peg 24) and Gary Clarke (peg 1) took the remaining top six spots.
