The Yorkshire Winter League is poised for a nail-biting finish after the penultimate leg on the Ouse upstream of York on Sunday.
On a low and clear river, fish were much harder to tempt than the previous day’s contest on the same venue and there were a number of blanks.
The bottom two pegs on the Linton section dominated proceedings and it was Paul Clarke of Hirst Tackle who led from peg 294.
Offering pole and maggot at ten metres, he tempted roach and perch to 8oz for a winning haul of 9lb 11oz.
Keeping him company on end peg 295 was Trevor Hewitt (Sensas Wibsey), who chose similar tactics for his 7lb bag.
Tony Earnshaw took third for the Glen team with an all-dace net of 5lb 12oz taken on stick and maggot from peg 213.
Stuart Thompson (Leeds Angling Centre) completed the top four with his 5lb 2oz net of small roach taken on maggot feeder from peg 290 at Linton.
Denis White (Maver) and Jim Jordan (Leeds Angling Centre) were the nearest challengers on 4lb 15oz and 4lb 14oz respectively.
Sensas Wibsey scored an easy victory on the day with 56 points ahead of Anglers World on 40, Leeds Angling with 34, Hirst Tackle 33 and Barlby Village Stores 31.
With one match remaining, on the same venue in two weeks’ time, the league is still wide open and any one of the top five could clinch the coveted title.
Anglers World Holidays hold the advantage on 13 points, one clear of arch-rivals Sensas Wibsey.
Hirst Tackle follow them with 17, while Barlby Village Stores and Leeds Angling are tied for fourth on 19.
The previous day, Darren Taylor topped the frame in the first round of the Riverside Financial Services League on the River Ouse above York.
The Saints’ man claimed top honours with a tidy 12lb 9oz net that fell to maggot and long rod from peg 57 at Widdington and was made up of mainly roach in the 3-4oz bracket.
Runner-up Eddie Brydon (Maver) averaged a fish every couple of minutes at peg 294 at the bottom of the Linton length, where he used maggot at ten metres to finish the day with 12lb of roach and dace.
Weekend bookings
Tomorrow
No bookings.
Sunday
Donkey Woods/Fulford/ Palace Ings: Yorkshire & District Winter League.
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