The York winter angling season bowed out with a whimper on Sunday when a field of 43 endured one of the poorest matches of a long campaign.

Sunday's booking on the Ouse below York was reserved as the spare date for the York and District Winter League.

The driest winter for 80 years meant that none of the previous six rounds were lost to the usually annual flood events allowing anglers a final crack at the venue without the pressures of team responsibilities.

But many must have wished they had stayed at home. Fished in a blizzard with driving snow and biting easterly wind, there were many dry nets and most failed to tempt more than a pound of fish.

However, winner Phil Austin rounded off a memorable season in style.

After capturing the individual honours the previous week, he took victory in the finale. And his triumph in the Millbridge Fisheries League on the Ouse at Widdington the previous day pushed his weekend prize haul to almost four figures.

Drawn on peg ten in the pumper at Fulford, he enjoyed some rare shelter from the gale to fish the pole at nine metres. Alternating baits between caster, maggot and pinkie, he tempted a mixed bag of tiny roach and perch for a modest net of just 3lb.

Close behind was Ricky Gaunt, who opted for quality over quantity at his peg on the palace bend. Legering lobworm close in, he took two hybrids and four roach for his 2lb 10oz bag.

Rich Darling was close at hand with his pole-tempted net of 2lb 3oz, while Wayne Roberts included a fine perch of 1lb 8oz in his 2lb fourth-placed catch from the pumper. Tim Harrison completed the prize-list with just 1lb 14oz.

Things were a little different at Carpvale, where the curtain-raiser to the Bob Co Spring Series saw Bernard Guy take top spot with an epic 90lb 12oz haul.

Tackling the tricky peg three, he hauled out carp to 8lb from their snaggy corner lair. Pole and meat was the successful combination.

Last year's winner Mick Addinall looks like he will still be a force to reckon with after taking second with 55lb 8oz.

Andy Gallant with 29lb, John Mills on 28lb 12oz and John Haw with 24lb 4oz were the best of the rest.

Weights were down at Langwith Lakes, as was the entry.

Just 34 anglers endured the cold on a day when all the top weights came from the relative shelter of Kevin's Lake.

Phil Walker led from peg three, where pole and pellet fished tight to the island brought carp to 3lb in a winning net of 39lb 4oz.

Snapping at his heels was Dave Sutton, who failed by two ounces to take first place from peg 29 on the same lake.

Bold Lang time for memorial tie

The second annual match for The Gerald Leslie 'Kingfisher Cup' will take place at Langwith Lakes on Saturday, March 25.

Leslie was a well-known York angler. Before his death in December 2004, he ran many matches at venues in and around the city.

The match is being drawn at 9am and is being fished on Bethany's Lake and Kevin's Lake. The sweeps are £15 all in. Fishing is between 10am and 4pm.

Anyone wishing to enter should put their name down on the sheet either at York Tackle, Badger Hill, or at Langwith Lakes.

Updated: 10:53 Wednesday, March 15, 2006