The odd skimmer made all the difference in the opening round of the York and District Winter League, backed once again by Acomb Tackle.

There were also plenty of roach to be caught despite the far from ideal blustery conditions and team weights were very impressive.

Jim Carter (Selby) led from the bottom peg in the Bridgefield at Bishopthorpe where, after a slow start, the skimmers moved on to the feed. Fishing a third of the way across into his 30 foot deep peg, he employed a groundbait feeder and baited with double red maggot or worm for five fish and a winning 9lb 15oz.

Trevor Price (Tang Hall Match Group) also had a skimmer in his net from the bottom peg on the Palace Ings. Deciding on a feeder attack to combat the wind, he baited with caster and worm for a mixed net of quality roach and perch scaling a level 7lb.

The day's best roach net fell to Paul Burton (Anglers World Holidays) from the productive wall peg at Fulford.

After trying various methods he eventually pinned the fish down with a waggler and caster attack that saw him net roach to 10oz in a 6lb 8oz haul.

Others: Keith Mitchell (Cochranes) 6-2-0; Geoff Taylor (South Bank) 5-10-0; Rob Morris (Acomb Tackle) 5-9-0.

Teams: Barlby Village Stores 25-14-8; Anglers World Holidays 22-4-0; South Bank 17-11-0; Waterline Wibsey 17-0-0; Cochranes 15-6-0; Tang Hall Match Group 15-4-0.

Kamasan front-runner Dean Smith (MAP Elton) put his challenge back on track with a crushing victory in Saturday's open at the Woodlands complex.

After drawing form peg six on Skylark, the York-based ace never looked back. His winning net of 86-7-0 was nearly treble that of the second placed angler, outlining his supremacy.

The Evening Press caught up with him the following day on the Ouse where he explained his match-winning approach. "I knew I had a good chance of winning when I drew as the fish have been around this area for the last few weeks," he said.

"I think the key to doing well at this time of year is not to overfeed. I decided not to put in any feed at all and just fished a straight bomb at around 25 metres.

"I began getting liners straight away so I knew the fish were around and that it would just be a matter of time before I caught.

"I could see anglers around me starting to lose patience and put bait in to try to get a few fish moving. I stuck to my plan of nil by catty and after two hours I started to catch."

Added Smith: "As the match progressed the fish came faster and faster until by the whistle I had around 30 with fish up to 6lb."

All Smith's fish fell to two pieces of sweet corn that were hair-rigged with a Korum Quick-Stop to a Kamsan Animal Eyed size 18, which was tied to 0.12 Silstar Match Team hook-length.

Smith now has 39 points, which puts him up to secondplace in the battle for angling's ultimate accolade.

However, he reckons that he could need at least 60 points for him to regain his title.

He declared: "Points will be harder to come by in the colder months and I thought that if I was in touch with the leaders at Christmas I would be in with a shout.

"Fish are more tightly shoaled at this time of year and a few good draws could make all the difference."

Updated: 10:46 Wednesday, December 01, 2004