WITH Christmas in full swing and many waters frozen over on Boxing Day, it was surprising to see anglers on the bank.

Angling round-up by TONY BRUNN

Most people struggled for bites at the Moorlands Farm Open but it didn't stop Walsall's Neville Groves (Fosters MG) lifting the Golden Peg £500 prize with a pole and pinkie, perch and roach catch of 18-8-0 from Island Pool peg 15.

Second place went to Mick Henshall (Fosters MG) with 11-10-0 and third was Chris Hill (Fosters MG) 10-12-0.

On Thursday the Moorlands Farm Special Costcutter Open saw some better catches. It was headed by John Cockayne (Fosters Tipton) who waggler fished maggots at Meadow Pool peg 50 for 63-14-0, second Lee Richards (Fosters MG) 29-14-0, third Terry Commerford (Midland Angler) 20-12-0.

There were 44 matchmen competing in the Geers GB Open on the Stratford Canal at Earlswood. It was a close result topped by Adrian Nabbreith (DGL) who pole fished bloodworm and joker at peg 129 below the Bluebell Pub for 5-2-6 of perch and roach. Runner-up was Alex Powell (Middy Central) with 4-11-4, third Phil Harrow (Fosters) 4-10-12, fourth yours truly, Tony Brunn (Ovation Leisure), 4-8-14.

At Astwood Fishery, the Christmas Freebie Open was held on the Bluebell Pool with Bromsgrove matchman John Halfpenny in top spot by pole fishing maggots at peg 17 for a 13-2-0 carp catch, second Mac Taylor (Astwood) 11-14-0, third Gary Kirkham (Droitwich AC) 10-13-8.

On Friday, the LESAC Open was held on the Staffordshire Worcestershire Canal at Stourport and it was Catshill's Gary Booth (Matchbox) who took the honours, staked by the White Cottage, just up from bridge eight. He pole fished chopped worms with casters for four roach, scaling in at 2-2-0. At the opposite end of the matchlength, Colin Cliff (LESAC) had 1-15-8, third Derek Willis (Cock and Magpies) 1-8-4.

The Woodlands View Saturday Open was held on Deans Pool where Paul Sibley took an 18-10-0 mixed winning catch from peg 26, by alternating pole, bloodworm and joker with waggler and maggots. Second Mick Dagnall (GTI Midland match) 11-14-0, third Norman Carpenter (Map Starlets) 10-13-0.

Fishery regular Darren Clewley (Wesson) was the winner of the Moorlands Farm Open with a waggler and corn catch of 31-0-0 from Bank Pool peg 22, second Mick Henshall (Fosters) 23-7-0, third Dave Hill (Fosters) 21-5-0.

On Sunday, Moorlands Farm held a combined carp and silver fish open and it was Halesowen top rod Grant Albutt who took the £357 silver fish prize with 6-5-0, taken with pole and maggots from opposite peg 50.

Adrian Nabbreith (DGL) completed a good holiday double by winning the Mallards Open on the Staffordshire Worcestershire canal between Greensforge and Hinksford.

He took a mainly roach catch of 2-7-12. Second was Richard Guest (Midland Leisure) with 2-4-8, third Joe Cottrill (Sporting Print) 1-8-0, fourth Keith Woodhead (Ovation Leisure) 1-4-4.

At Astwood Fishery, the Bluebell Pool Open was topped by Paul Woodfield (Boars Head) with a pole and maggot catch of 20-9-0 from peg five, second John Savings (Astwood) 19-10-0, third John Baillon (Boars Head) 14-2-0.

Norman Carpenter (Map Starlets) won the Woodlands View Deans Pool Open with a bloodworm and joker catch 10-9-0 from peg 50, second Jim Smith (Pershore MG) 10-6-0, third Derek Hammond (Oxford Drennan) 9-2-0.