The final round of the Yorkshire Winter Angling League was a dour affair.

The fish were probably scared off by the seven feet of icy floodwater that had poured through the venue in midweek.

The river was still carrying around two feet of grey tinged snow water and fish were hard to find.

The worst section was the normally productive first field at Middlethorpe, were only three anglers weighed.

For the second week running it was the last peg on the Palace Ings that did the business, with Normark stalwart Paul Clarke being the lucky resident this time. Fishing a small groundbait feeder and baiting with double pinkie he took a string of roach from 1 to 6oz for his winning 3lb7oz.

Nick Sutton (Anglers World) took second place from above the big tree at Poppleton, where he rang the changes to keep in touch with the fish. Swapping between feeder and straight lead he alternated caster, worm, maggot and pinkie for 12 roach and a single perch for his 2lb1oz.

Tony Hewson (Armley Angling) took third place with a dozen roach on bomb and caster from a peg in the willows above the Donkey Woods sandbed for 1lb15oz

Other weights: Jim Jordan (Armley Angling) 1-12-0, Stuart Wilson (Marsh Tackle) and Dave McMillan (Selby) both 1-10-0.

Armley Angling were the only team with no blanks. Their 12 catchers scored 96 points. Anglers World were second on 89, followed by Marsh Tackle 79, Selby 76, Hirst Tackle 75, Bradford 74.

Hirst Tackle hung on at the top of the table and finished on 48 points, which will see them tackle Leicestershire's River Soar.

Anglers World and Armley Angling tied on 44 points. Anglers World took second place with a better overall points total of 453 to Armley's 446. Their reward is a dubious one as they must tackle the Bridgewater Canal.

Other weights: FAPS Bradford 43, Marsh Tackle 38, Normark 31, Selby 29, York 20, Leeds 17, Castleford 10, GB Angling 3.

Steve Smith (Marsh Tackle) won the 52-peg Bob.Co Tackle open match on Saturday on the Ouse at Thorpe Underwood and Widdington. Drawn on peg eleven at Thorpe Underwood he legered wasp grub down the nearside for two chub scaling 8lb3oz. His best fish was 5lb2oz.

Eddie Bridon (Darlington) was the best of the chasing pack of roach anglers with 2lb11oz. Drawn straight down at Widdington on peg 52 he had 20 roach on bomb and maggot. The result would have been close but for a lost chub.

Other weights: Geoff Keech (Yarm) 2-10-0, Andy Strangeway (FAPS Bradford) 2-8-0, Ken Gollightly (Darlington Angling Centre) 2-5-0, John Cryowski (Armley Angling) 2-0-0.

Anglers World float maestro Chris Burton was up to his usual stick tricks in the 65 entry Tadcaster open match on the Wharfe at Smaws Ings.

The river was still carrying plenty of pace and the stick replaced the waggler as the best method. Drawn above the viaduct on peg 82 the winner used bronze maggots under a 5bb stick for an all dace net of 7lb11oz8dr.

Ian Walker (Lower Wharfe Angling) made it two seconds in successive weeks with another all dace net of 4lb11oz from peg 68 below the armchair.

Other weight: Kevin Gilligan (York Tackle) 4-3-8, Nigel Ripley (Big Waters) 3-5-8, Adrian Broomhead (Goole) 2-5-8, Ian Exley (Dam Brighouse Geers) 2-3-0.

Updated: 11:51 Wednesday, January 31, 2001