ALTHOUGH plenty of fish were caught, the fishing did not go to plan when the North West Association of Sea Angling Clubs held its Two Day Open at Otterspool Promenade - an excess of rainwater in the estuary saw to that.

The whiting failed to show in the expected numbers and those anglers without fresh crab struggled as the crab-loving eels and codling made up the bulk of the catches.

A guaranteed £500 on offer for the winner of each day ensured that competition was fierce among the 78 rods.

Visitors took the day wins - Buckhaven welder David Dobbie on Saturday and veteran match regular Jim Dobie on Sunday!

However, as a confidence booster for Merseyside anglers in view of next year's S.A.M.F. U.K. Masters being fished in the Mersey, the prestigious Two Day title was won by Wallasey's Jamie Pickup with a zone win and a second for three points in the negative scoring system that is used for two (or more) day events.

He went home richer by £375 plus zone prizes.

RESULTS - Saturday: Zone 'A': 1, Franco Attanasio (Cardiff), 204cms; 2, Paul McCarthy (Liverpool), 188. Zone B: 1, Jamie Pickup (Wallasey), 293 cms; 2, Shane Russell (Colwyn Bay), 288; Zone 'C': 1, David Dobbie (Buckhaven), 370cms; 2, Dave Campbell (Bebington), 325; Zone 'D': 1, Mike Flynn (Llanfair p.g.), 355 cms, 11 fish; 2, Ian Elliott (Newcastle), 355, 10 fish. S.A.M.F. Qualifiers: I. Elliott, Chris Heywood (Anglesey), Mick Hutchinson (Blackpool), Mike Emery (Onchan), M. Flynn and Paul Bonner (Wallasey).

Sunday: Zone 'A: 1, Justin Mitchell (Holyhead), 215 cms; 2, Dave Bowerbank (Blackpool), 153; Zone 'B': 1=, Norman Duckers (Birkenhead) and Chris Jones (Gaerwen), both 226 cms; Zone 'C': 1, Jim Dobie (Peterlee); 2, Shane Russell. Zone 'D': 1, Alan Price (Kinmel Bay), 324 cms; 2, J. Pickup, 210. S.A.M.F. Qualifiers: J. Dobie, Sheryl Bellfield (Leeds), J. Mitchell, Doug Wharton (Birkenhead).