LAST Sunday saw the second round of the Chatteris Members Winter League take place on the Horseway Sluice section of the Forty Foot Drain. This must have been one of the best matches on the drain for some time, with 11lb needed to be in the top 10 and the

LAST Sunday saw the second round of the Chatteris Members Winter League take place on the Horseway Sluice section of the Forty Foot Drain.

This must have been one of the best matches on the drain for some time, with 11lb needed to be in the top 10 and the 17 anglers taking part putting a combined 195lb of roach on the scales.

Out in front with 33lb was Dave Priestly who fished pinkie over ground bait all day on a four-metre whip - nearly double the weight of second-placed Lester Pratt, who weighed in with 17lb.

Sunday also saw the third round of the Angling Times Winter League take place on the River Cam.

This venue also fishes well in the winter and only 1.5lb separated the top three.

Out in front was John Means with 19lb. Stu Northrop was second with 18lb 2oz and Shaun Higgingbottom was third with 18lb 8oz.

On the Day Local Match Group, Mark One came out on top and are now top in the overall league standings.

Local canal ace Rob Graves travelled to market Harborough last Sunday to fish the Grand Union Canal and came first with 8lb 6oz, which was made of three decent skimmers and some roach.

Several of our rivers and drains are starting to hit their winter form and places like Raverly Drain, the Nene at Benwick and the Twenty Foot Drain around the bridges are all worth a visit and one little river that doesn't get much of mention but is well worth a visit is the tiny Bedford River at Welney.

This stretch in the middle of the village can be fished on a day ticket which can be bought on the bank. At this time of year the river normally holds a good head of roach, tench and pike.

Tomorrow (Saturday) sees the British Pike Championships take place in and around Whittlesey on the Twenty Foot Drain Cock Bank and Glassmoor Bank. With the weather now a bit more like winter, catches should be good, so lets hope one of the several local anglers taking part can take top spot.

The Smalley brothers took first and second at Highflyers Lake last Saturday. Johnny was out in front with 125lb, just piping his brother Steve by 2lb. Then Dave Pearce took top spot on Sunday with 98lb.

Over at Decoy last Saturday, Gary Whitwell came first with 90lb 8oz on the Willows Lake.

The following day, Nigel Baxter took top spot on the Beastie Lake with 69lb 8oz. And Bob Fayers won on the same lake last Tuesday, with 52lb.

Last Saturday saw the in-form Kevin Beavis take another win in the Fenland Rods match. Held on the Beastie, at Decoy, Kevin won the match with 38-8.

Mill View Angling Club were also at Decoy last Sunday, fishing their first round of their Winter League Series.

Finally, the March and District club are holding a club match on the Bypass Stretch of the Old Neneon Sunday. Draw time is 8.30am and fishing will be from 10am-3pm.