SPA SBS Black team took both the individual and team honours on last Sunday’s fourth round of the WDUAA winter league event held on the canal at Blackpole, Perdiswell and the Arboretum.

A sudden drop in temperature made the going hard for competitors and none more so than John Burton who, on peg 75 above Bilford lock, had to wait until the final hour of the match before an excellent three-pound chub took his maggot bait offered in the centre channel.

The fish, added to a few gudgeon caught earlier, brought Burton’s total to a match-winning 3-3-8.

Venue expert Nick Vaughan (Alans) did well to net around 40 small fish from his Blackpole peg two before a good perch of around a pound also took his breadpunch offering, giving him the runner-up prize with 2-14-8.

Just an ounce adrift in third place was Phoenix’s Alf Hand who made use of a good draw on peg 42 at Perdiswell to take around a dozen perch for 2-13-8.

Spa Black’s 11-point victory was exceptional on such a hard day. They were followed by previous round winners Alans Tackle on 15, while both Greenman and Spa Blue tied for third spot with 19 points.

The league, after four rounds, now puts Alans Tackle in pole position with 63 points, Spa Blue second on 64, Greenman third on 76 and in equal fourth place are Spa Black and Swan on 77.

The next round is on Sunday, December 13 with the final on Sunday, January 3, 2010.

Excellent winter catches were recorded when the Barbourne AC held a match on their own pool at Cotheridge last weekend.

Coming out on top with 54-8-0 was club star Pete Hughes who took around a dozen carp from peg 27 on pole fished meat at eight metres.

Second place went to in-form Bob Griffiths who, on peg 12, netted carp to double figures on meat and corn from the margins to weigh 50-4-0.

Terry Box once again made the frame, this time in third spot with 27-12-0 from peg six to beat Nigel Hobday and Pete Rowles who tied for fourth place with 26-2-0.

Hobday’s catch came from peg 10, while Rowles was on peg 25. The next Barbourne AC contest is the Fur and Feather in two week’s time at Brockamin.

Portobello’s Lol Jameson enjoyed an superb day when his club tackled Brockamin for their Fur and Feather.

Using a pellet feeder along with corn on the hook, Jameson amassed a 70-12-0 winning weight.

Mick Weston claimed the runner-up prize with a pole and feeder-caught 45-6-0.

Alan Tibbetts’ third-placed 20-0-0 fell to straight ledgered corn, while fourth was Steve Dobbs, also using the straight lead with boilie on the hook to take 12-6-0 beating Ron Eagle’s small fish catch of 5-4-0.

Once again, strong wind and rain lashed the Cob House Wednesday open held on the Laugherne Island pool.

However, venue regular Scott Jones still took a staggering 109-12-0 to the scales when he offered soft pellet at 13 metres on peg 36.

Another regular at the fishery, Mike Hendry, was some way behind in second with 46-4-0 from peg 30 to beat Alan Bount’s third-placed 40-15-0. Moorlands Farm; Wednesday over 50’s open: 1 M Watson 45-4-0, 2 M Lefevre 44-2-0, 3 A Jones 31-0-0.

Saturday open: 1 M Watson 37-11-0, 2 S Julian 26-0-0, 3 D Johnson 25-8-0.

Sunday Open: 1 P Mace 43-4-0, 2 S Julian 35-1-0, 3 C Pace 32-0-0. Prospects: This week’s unsettled weather could make things difficult.

However, Sunday’s WDUAA open on the Commandery section of the canal should see plenty of perch taken on worm along with roach finally accepting caster bait.

Stillwaters should see carp coming to corn while on rivers, the Avon is in good trim and the Wye should be perfect for the Hereford winter league on Sunday.