A PERFECT seasonal day greeted an excellent turnout for the first round of the Burton Winter League on the canal at Clay Mills and Stretton on Sunday.
The weights were good, with the top two over 5lb and the next four over 3lb.
Anglers were greeted by an ice-covered canal, but only thin ice which was quickly broken by an early boat that passed through the length.
The Stretton end kept its icy cover throughout as much of it was protected from the sun by the industrial units, whereas the Clay Mills end became icefree quite early.
Most of the weights came from the Clay Mills end, but the winner was positioned in the reeds just above the Mill House.
Bloodworm and joker were a requirement, as the winner proved.
Stuart Naylor, fishing for Four Skins, proved his class by taking an all-roach net which weighed 5lb 11oz.
At the other end of the match length at Clay Mills, Aaron Wells alternated two swims and, just as the winner, caught small roach almost from the off.
He caught 5lb 8oz and was in the winning Leicester Sensas B team who triumphed by a comfortable margin with just 12 points.
Third placed Dave Walkerdine (Old Goats) was a few pegs away from the winner and had to be a little more patient as he did not have a bite until halfway through the match.
He still put 3lb 13oz 7drams onto the scales, fishing joker on the hook just at the bottom of the far shelf.
Alex Towell (Rubber Dinghies, 3lb 10oz) and Baz Smith (Leicester Sensas B, 3lb 8oz 10drams) also had all-roach nets from the Stretton end of the match length.
The gudgeon are no longer a target as there are not enough around, so it is the roach and perch that are the fish to go for, with the former in big numbers due to the abundance of reeds that have now spread along most of the length at Stretton.
The perch tend to be bigger and it is a matter of luck as to whether or not you can nail one or two.
Behind Leicester Sensas B, things were very tight, with Old Goats and Shakespeare tying for second place on 17 points, while Fishers were only a point behind on 18.
Burton Lads scored 23 points and Burton Angling Supplies finished middle of the table with 26.
It is all to play for after the first round and anything can happen in the second match on the canal at Rugeley on January 29.
The draw will be at Lea Hall Social Club at 8am.
The carp are still feeding at Stoppos Fishery as the latest open proved, with samples to 13lb taken during the day.
That lucky man was John Stevens and the fish helped him to second place with 15lb 4oz.
It was not enough to secure first place as that honour went to Dave Kinson with 17lb 8oz — another all-carp catch that was caught by the now usual method of a feeder fished fairly close in.
The only winter change is that many anglers now fish with worms, with sweetcorn as the change bait.
Third place went to John Harper with a level 9lb.
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