The second round of the Acomb Tackle York Winter Angling League saw the 120 competitors endure a dour start to the year on a cold river Ouse below York.

Although the river was still carrying a yard of extra water most of it was snow melt making for an icy, clear contest.

Pete Johnson (Railway Institute) took the day's only decent net of small fish, from a peg at the bottom of the first field at Middlethorpe. Fishing pole at seven metres with chopped worm he took 4lb 3oz of small perch and roach.

Carl Pringle (Bar Six) had a single bream to thank for his 3lb 13oz. Drawn peg 23 in the cat holes at Fulford he took his slab on feeder and worm.

Ken Jones (Acomb Tackle) took third also with a single bream of 3-10-0 from the Palace bend.

Others: Mick Addinall (Bar Six) and Russ Walker (Bishopthorpe and Acaster) both 1lb 14oz and Dennis Bradley (Acomb WMC) 1lb 8oz.

Teams: Bar Six 8lb 8oz, Railway Institute 5-10-8, Acomb Tackle 4-9-0, Cochranes 3-5-8, Wibsey 3-4-0 and Acomb WMC 2-9-0.

League: Bar Six 39pts, Acomb Tackle 38 and Railway Institute 34.

The 52-peg opening round of Leeds Individual Winter League was won by Bob Ramshaw (Team Daiwa Armley Angling).

Drawn on peg 212 on the Hunters Lodge stretch of the Ouse he worked with long rod and maggot for an all roach net of 5lb 2oz.

Vic Rookes (Glen) was second, fishing from peg 190 below the willow garth where he had 4lb 2oz of roach and dace on a maggot feeder. Jim Jordan (Union) took third with a single chub of 3-10.

Others: Steve Raper (Normark) 3-8-0, Trevor Hewitt (Hirst Tackle) 3-7-0 and Martin Highe (Normark)

The previous day the Hunters Lodge and Widdington sections had also hosted the first round of the Bob.Co Tackle League. There was a tie for first in a dire 45 peg event with Ian Bates (Hirst Tackle) and Terry Morgan (Marsh Tackle) both taking 1lb 14oz of small roach.

Others: Ricky Bonas (Hirst Tackle) 1-13-0 and Mick Glover (Union) 1-12-8

The Ure at Ripon was carrying a foot of extra water for Sunday's 66-peg match, making for a tricky contest on the streams sections.

In-form Terry Morgan (Marsh Tackle) led from a peg opposite the seat above Hewick Bridge. After feeding mashed bread at the off he loose fed casters and alternated waggler and caster and bomb and bread taking six good chub for 17lb 15oz.

Doug Forkin (Yeadon) was kept busy at the pump house run off where his stick float and red maggot attack found 30 grayling for 13lb 6oz.

There was a tie for third place between Paul Wood (Airborough) and Ian Walker (Anglers World) who were both pegged above North Bridge and netted 8lb 4oz. Wood had three chub and Walker 29 grayling.

Others: Mick Tiffany (Leeds) 8-0-0 and Kevin McGlaughlin (Marsh Tackle) 7-10-0.

After thawing out after last week, sport was slow to recover at Woodlands with many dry nets in last weekend's two fixtures.

Saturday's 60-peg match was won by Tony Hammond (Wakefield) who netted 19lb 7oz of small carp on maggot feeder from Skylark 28. His travelling partner Dave Woolley (Wakefield) was drawn opposite on peg seven and the two anglers plundered the same shoal, with Woolley netting 18lb 1oz on similar tactics.

Others: Chris Hand (Huddersfield) 17-8-0, Kevin Guy (Starbeck) 8-2-0,; John McGarill (MAP Elton) 5-3-0 and John Parkinson (Darlington) 4-7-0.

The entry for Sunday's match was down to 45. Steve Baker (Limetree Park) opted to fish waggler rather than the usual feeder at Skylark 4 which worked a treat as he weighed more than the rest of the match put together. His 13 carp weighed in at 18lb 14oz.

Gordon Poole (Leeds) was the best of the rest with eight small chub on maggot feeder from Kestrel 32 for 3lb 8oz.

Others: Dave Armitage (Hirst Tackle) 2-4-0, Roy Sprague (Elton Tackle) 2-1-0 and Ron Ingledew (Boroughbridge) 2-0-0

The opening round of the McCain Winter League was tough for the 36 anglers at Birkdale fishery Terrington. Steve Drayton (GB Red) won with four carp on method feeder and maggot for 16lb 10oz.

Others: Ian Umpleby (Union) 3-13-0, Terry Thomas (GB Blue) 3-10-0 and Glen Middleton (DN Angling) 2-15-0.

Teams: Ripon Fishheads and Union both 17pts, GB Blue 19.

Day tickets for Rawcliffe Lake are available from all the usual outlets as well as Mitre Pet Shop, Shipton Road.

Fishing rights at the lake were secured after talks between York and District Amalgamation of Anglers, Yorkshire Water and City of York Council.

Updated: 11:59 Wednesday, January 10, 2001