WITH the Ouse below York carrying more than a yard of chocolate coloured flood water, bream and skimmers dominated Sunday's 90-peg penultimate round of the York and District Winter League.

Paul Burton led for Anglers World Holidays and helped steer them to first on the day, a win that also saw them move to the top of the league setting up a climax in two weeks with rivals Waterline Wibsey.

Burton, drawn in the wispy willows, used a feeder and worm attack and had to wait until the last hour to get the first of his three bream and two skimmers that gave him his winning 13lb.

Wayne Shillito (Cochranes) was on the same bank, below the sand bed in the Donkey Woods where he legered lob tail for three slabs and 10lb 14oz total.

John Cyrowski (Barlby Village Stores) continued his good run of form with third place from the consistent Bridgefield. Groundbait feeder with worm and maggot accounted for four bream that gave him a total of 10lb 2oz.

York-based Tony Layfield, fishing for Waterline Wibsey, drew the unfancied cable hole at Fulford. There was just enough water in the river, however, to draw the fish in close where he tempted three on pole and worm from the notoriously snaggy peg for his 9lb 3oz.

Others: Don Murray (Tang Hall) 8-4-0, Mark Collier (Acomb Tackle) 7-12-0.

Teams: Anglers World Holidays 21-12-8, Waterline Wibsey 21-7-0, Tang Hall 18-10-0, South Bank 18-9-0, Barlby Village Stores 17-5-0.

League: Waterline Wibsey and Anglers World Holidays both 66, South Bank 61, Cochranes 57, Barlby Village Stores 52.

Further upstream a falling Ouse between Hunters Lodge and Linton was still around two feet above normal level and things were always going to be tricky for the 60-field in Sunday's Marsh Tackle contest.

Odd bream predictably made all the difference and it was a case of early doors and last orders.

Keith Mottram (Airborough) led from peg 227 below the bungalows where he had an 8lb slab of lobworm on his first cast and then had to wait until the closing stages to add a brace or roach for his 9lb 6oz.

Mick Shaw (Hirst Tackle) was four pegs below the willow garth where his patience was rewarded with a bream of 6lb 4oz on his last cast of the day. His only fish also fell to the humble lobby.

Others: Roger Ellis (Anglers World Holidays) 3-4-0, Terry Morgan (Marsh Tackle) 2-12-8, Steve Smith (Marsh Tackle) 2-7-0, Norman Thewliss (Hirst Tackle) 2-2-0.

A swollen river Ouse rose a further three feet during the course of the Millbridge Fisheries match at Widdington and Thorpe Underwood on Saturday.

Surprisingly there were fish to be found and it developed into a close, if low scoring, event.

Barnsley stalwart Keith Hobson finished in top spot with 2lb 6oz after fishing maggot on the crumb feeder at Widdington 51. Despite the wind causing problems with bite detection, the Maver Barnsley man managed to bank 15 roach with gudgeon and a single small skimmer.

One peg above the winner, John Illingworth (Middy Team Dons) used the same approach for 2lb 4oz and now sits on top of the league with a 37-point total.

Updated: 10:08 Wednesday, February 16, 2005