Angling: Tied winter league title decided on countback

Bradford-based Tackle2U claimed the region’s bragging rights in a tied finish with Anglers World Holidays – both ended the series with 12 points.

For the first time in years the 10-man team event managed to fish the full league without cancellation due to flooding and, better still, fished most matches in good conditions.

The final match of the series was held on a cold and clear river Ouse around Hunters Lodge and Linton.

The day’s conditions would, in past seasons, have had competitors thinking in ounces; this year only double figures in pounds would be good enough.

Even the river’s usually elusive chub made an appearance for the individual winner, Glen AC-member Tony Earnshaw.

Drawn peg 253, he made no mistake casting a maggot feeder tight to far bank willows to connect with four fat specimens.

And the day’s top weight of 13-09.

Different species showed the water’s changing faces with two-times Ouse Champion Ricky Bonas missing another river win by just one ounce.

Earnshaw took an all-perch catch of 13-08 from bungalows flier 219.

Small roach and dace were the predominant species of all the other catches, and the pole over groundbait and pinkie seems to be the best method, with the long rod or bolo a close second for weights up to 10 pounds that were needed to make the prize list.

With the Leeds & District venues of Linton and Hunters unseasonably consistent, and the York waters around Bishopthorpe Palace being in great winter feeder form for skimmers, it was a little-fished and unpopular stretch that had tongues wagging last week.

Nayburn Weir and locks, the point that the steady Ouse turns into the often raging tidal before going to sea, and better known for the unscrupulous attempting to foul hook passing salmon while being watched by visiting grey seals, stole the show recently with some huge pleasure catches.

Saturdays trial match, fished during the worst of low-bottom tide conditions, proved the whole river to be in top form as Sheffield joiner Paul Hardy won easily from top-end peg 1.

Casting mid-river with an open end groundbait caster and worm feeder, the first of his 23 bream didn’t take long to show an interest and, together with an odd skimmer and a few perch, gave him a brilliant winter 74lb.

For those thinking of a visit, the right bank below Acaster Malbis is controlled by York & District and the left bank below the canal mouth is Yarnbury AA.

Aim for either side of a high tide for best chances of a big feeder catch and be extra careful on the slimy banks left behind by a high tide.

On the local commercial front, venue expert Neil Rymer made the best of a peg 16 cosy corner draw in the latest Kippax Park Saturday series event, fished in icy conditions.

Fishing 4-6m pole and feeding maggot by hand soon had a gang of rainbow trout eating everything he threw at them.

At the final whistle, his 88 fish for a brilliant 100-12 was more than double the weight of brother Andy – drawn opposite – who took second with another great spotty weight of 47-09.

Results

Yorkshire Winter League Linton/Hunters: 1, T Earnshaw 13-09; 2, R Bonas 13-08; 3, C Turbitt 10-10; 4, P Barron 10-05; 5, A Benstead 10-02. Final League. 1, Tackle 2, U 12pts; 2, Anglers World 12pts; 3, Mirfield 16pts; 4, Leeds 28pts.

Leeds DASA Aldwark/Hunters: 1, A Hampson 13-04; 2, D Armitage 11-02; 3, M Calvert 11-00; 4jt, C Turbitt/ A Benstead 10-13.

Tidal Ouse Nayburn Lock: 1, P Hardy Sheffield 74-14; 2, P Kozyra Leeds 25-12.

Anglers World Saturday Series Hunters/Linton: 1, D Taylor Saints 7-08; 2, B Cranmer Halifax 5-15; 3, K Hobson Barnsley 5-09; 4, E Brydon Maver 5-05; 5, I Bowman Barnsley 5-02.

Bradford No1 Roecliffe: 1, J Leyland 1-15; 2, I Newby 1-12; 3, I Parker 1-05; 4, G Cox 1-04.

BSR Bob Co Raker: 1, D Wright 76-12; 2, S Rodgers 62-08; 3, A Middleton 24-12; 4, G Wright 18-06.

Turner Open KP Lapwing: 1, J Brogden 38-04; 2, B Brown 25-06; 3, M Turner 19-12.

Kippax Park Midweek Thrash: 1, N Rymer 100-12; 2, A Rymer 47-09; 3, T Hewson 36-05.

Saturday League Kippax Park: 1, M Bailey 46-04; 2, T Lawson 43-02; 3, A Rymer 40-12.

JT Rodgers Moor Monkton: 1, J Roper 49-08; 2, A Middleton 44-07; 3, L Smith 40-03; 4, S Power 35-09.

Moor Monkton Pools Rover: 1, S Mazza 67-13; 2, M Green 35-04; 3, A Boulton 24-06.

Fryston Winter League (Viking Hawk): 1, A Norris 69-15, 2, S Lupton 19-07, 3, S Bean 6-10.

Match Diary

Saturday

Anglers World Saturday Series, Hunters/Linton: January 7 to season end, contact Stan Haigh 07542700743.

Kippax Park: Winter League November 5 through to March, £100 entry, £20 pools, contact 07967000746.

Poppleton: Saturday Open, pools, £15, draw cafe 10am, contact Roger 01904737279.

Birkwood Farm Fisheries: Emily’s or Oscar’s draw 8.30am, contact 01924 892251.

Woodlands: 72 pegs, tickets £18, contact 01845 520110.

Oaks at Sessay: 50 pegs, tickets £17, contact 01845 501321.

Langwith Lakes: 60 pegs, tickets £16, contact 01904 431874.

Moorfields Farm: 54 pegs, tickets £16, contact 07710817150.

Fleets Dam: 50 pegs, tickets £15, contact 01226 292579.

Birkwood Farm: 60 pegs, tickets £16, contact 01132 80609.

Viking: Saturday open, Hawk Pond, 30 pegs, £16, contact 01405 785206.

Tollerton Ponds: open match all ages, (Kingfisher 20 pegs, Coot 18 pegs, Heron 32 pegs), contact 01347 838115.

Sunday

Leeds DASA: Moor Monkton Pools, Winter League, November 13 through to March, £10 entry, pools £20, contact 07967000746.

Leeds & Liverpool: Kirkstall, contact Roger Movley 01132 772215.

Listerhills: Leeds & Liverpool Canal, contact Eddie Harrison 07518721051.

Woodlands: 72 pegs, tickets £18, contact 01845 520110.

Oaks at Sessay: 50 pegs, tickets £17, contact 01845 501321.

Langwith Lakes: 60 pegs, tickets £16, contact 01904 431874.

Oak Tree Leisure: 50 pegs, tickets £15, contact 01347 810686.

Poppleton: Sunday open, 50 pegs, draw 11am Cafe, contact 07425 146677.

Monday

Woodlands: over-50s, 30 pegs, tickets £15, contact 01845 520110.

Langwith Lakes: over-60s, 30 pegs, tickets £10, contact 01904 431874.

Tollerton Ponds: over-50s, tickets £16, contact 01347 838115.

Tuesday

Kippax Park: over-50s, draw 10am, tickets £10, contact 07967000746.

Wednesday

Leeds & District: Moor Monkton Pools, draw 10am, contact 07967000746.

Birkwood Farm Fisheries: Emily’s or Oscar’s, draw 8.30am, contact 01924 892251.

Woodlands: 72 pegs, tickets £18, contact 01845 520110.

Fleets Dam: 50 pegs, tickets £15, contact 01226 292579.

Tollerton Ponds: open match, all ages, contact 01347 838115.