The second round of the Acomb Tackle York Winter League saw many anglers struggle to tackle an icy cold River Ouse below York on Sunday.

Few quality fish were in evidence as a bitingly cold east-wind dulled the appetite of the fish.

The only angler to tempt more than a token skimmer was Dave Potter (Barlby Village Stores). Drawn on his favourite bridge field section at Bishopthorpe, he legered a redworm and caster cocktail to tempt a brace of decent skimmers, plus three roach and a few tommy ruffe.

His net of 5lb 12oz was far too good for the rest of the 90-strong field, but not quite good enough for his side to take the team honours on the day. They do, however, cling on to a narrow margin at the top of the league table.

Graeme Shepherdson (Bishopthorpe and Acaster) took second spot from the noted rocky culvert in the donkey woods, where he used stick float with

caster over caster and hemp loose-feed for a net of roach and perch scaling 4lb 1oz.

Chris Burton (Anglers World Holidays) led the charge that propelled his team of experienced campaigners to victory on the day from four pegs above the runner-up. Alternating bomb and stick float, he offered caster to tempt an all-roach bag of 3lb 13oz. Kev Keene (Acomb WMC) took fourth from

the bottom peg on the Palace Ings with his net of 3lb 9oz 8dr.

Others: Tony Stephenson (Anglers World Holidays) 3-8-0; Kev Ellaby (Acomb Tackle) and Col Plant (South Bank) both 3-4-0.

Teams: Anglers World Holidays 15-4-0; Barlby Village Stores 14-12-0; South Bank 9-8-0; Bar Six 9-6-0; Cochranes 9-5-0; Bishopthorpe and Acaster 9-2-0.

League: Barlby Village Stores 27; Anglers World Holidays and Bar Six both 26; South Bank 25.

John Wilkinson (Airborough) was going nowhere fast in the Leeds Open on a dour Ouse on Sunday.

Many of the 55-field struggled on a cold and clear river and Wilkinson was no exception. Pegged on a lifeless middle section at Linton, he, along with most of the others in the section, could not muster a bite from the elusive roach.

With the clock ticking down he remembered a piece of steak he had in his bag from a session on the Wharfe earlier in the week. Out of desperation a sliver of rump went on and minutes later a match-winning chub of 5lb 15oz was nestling in the pan.

Runner-up Eddie Bridon (Shimano Quaker) also left it late in the day to find his first bite. All of his 5lb 2oz, 21-roach net, that fell to long rod and maggot at peg 222, came in the last hour.

Ian Bowman (Maver Barnsley) started the Millbridge Fisheries series as he ended the last one, with a win.

After dominating the league last winter, the Harrogate-based star took a surprise win from unfancied peg five at Thorpe Underwood.

Hampered by overhanging trees, the only way to tackle the 'parrot cage' was with the bomb.

Bowman worked a straight lead around the peg with maggot to find around 40 small roach and perch for a winning 5lb 6oz.

Updated: 10:51 Wednesday, January 11, 2006