A COLD chill wind greeted the contestants of Tuesday's Woodlands View's Affordable Open.

And catches were severely curtailed with winner Steve Pickup (Fishermans Friend) needing just 25-10-0 of carp for victory, aided by a last minute tail hooked carp, all taken with pole and worm from Arles pool peg four. Yours truly Tony Brunn (Ovation Leisure) just missed out with a second placed 24-7-0, third Roger Finch (Baggeridge) 20-9-0.

Northfield Starlets Veterans were also at Woodlands View, holding their event on top pools one and two, which provided better sport.

Phil Hill (Redditch) showed the way by pole fishing red maggots at nine metres for 40-11-0 of carp. Second place went to John Osman (Northfield) with 32-9-0, third Brian Hill (Stourport) 32-6-0.

On Wednesday, the Moorlands Farm Open was held on the Bank and Moors pools, with top spot going to Adam Toal (Lifestyle) with a 50-7-0 mixed catch taken with pole and maggots from Moors peg seven. Ken Giles (Shakespeare) was second from bank peg 10 with 30-5-0, third Rick Haynes (CSM) 26-13-0.

Thursday saw the Starlets Veterans at Broad Acres top pool and it was Clive Humphries (Bewdley) that showed the way by pole fishing maggots at peg 20 for 24-0-0 of carp. Second was Derek Buckle (Bewdley) 16-0-0, third Phil Hill (Redditch) 11-2-0.

Bewdley top rod Bill Drew was the winner of Moorlands Farms Friday Costcutter Open with a pole and corn catch of 27-2-0 from Meadow pool peg 54. Close on his heels was Keith Finch (West Midlands) with 26-2-0, third Clive Munslow (Preston Inovations) 17-8-0.

Saturday's Meadow Pool Open saw catches improve with Stourbridge matchman Andy Newton (Lifestyle) in top spot by pole fishing pellets at peg 38 for a 96-2-0 catch. Second place went to Martin Lefevre (Barry's Boys) with 91-0-0, third Ian Whitehouse (Wesson) 81-0-0.

At Lower Broadheath the Ovation Leisure open saw good catches recorded with Graham Upton (Athol AC) taking first place with a ten carp catch of 51-7-0 taken by alternating worms, corn and maggots at nine metres from Sycamore pool peg three. Yours truly, Tony Brunn (Ovation Leisure), was second with a pole and small carp catch of 41-9-0, third Keith Woodhead (Ovation Leisure) 39-9-0.

Round three of the Woodlands View Winter League was held on Deans and High pools with the top weights coming off high. Tony Holmes (Slapheads) topped the individual score sheet with pole fished chopped worms and casters at peg 12 for 64-7-0. At next door peg 11 was Alistair Chisholm (Woodlands View B) who fished similar style for a second placed 61-1-0, third Henry Maybury (CSM) 34-0-0. Top teams were Jocks 6 Pack with 33 points with CSM and Slapheads on 26. Overall Jocks 6 Pack lead with 78, Preston Inovations 73, Oxford Drennan 72.

Sunday's Woodlands View Deans Pool Open was won by Kevin Dolton (Oxford Angling Centre) with a pole, worm and caster catch of 35-6-0 from peg 23. Second Paul Sibley (Woodlands) 29-3-0, third Mick Charnell (Leicester Sensas) 23-8-0.

Fiery Holes AC fished its event on Woodlands Views Ghost pool, where Bob Tromans took a very impressive 105-1-0 catch with pole, maggots and corn. Chris Sheldon was second with 63-12-0, third Charlie Porter 58-10-0.

A cold gin clear Staffs-Worcs canal at Hinksford greeted the competitors of the Mallards Open. It was punched bread which proved to be the winning method for Adrian Narbeth (DGL), staked just above the lock at bridge 39. He pole fished the far shelf for 4-15-0 of roach, Graham Collett (Harris Brush AC) took the runners-up spot with a similar catch of 4-1-12, third Steve Hayes (DGL) 3-12-4.

Kings Norton AS fished its Wine and Spirits contest on club waters at Kinwarton on the River Alne. Rubery angler Derek Phillips will have plenty of Christmas cheer after taking a top catch 6-3-0, which consisted of a three pound barbel and a three pound chub taken with pole and bronze maggots from peg 23. Second placed Richard Hoban weighed in 4-11-0, third Steve Groom 3-8-0.

Clive Munslow (Preston Inovations) was the week's big weight winner when he topped the Moorlands Farm Open with a 138-2-0 catch from Bank pool peg six with waggler fished corn.Dave Elliott (Shakespeare) took second place with 111-6-0, third Ian Whitehouse (Wesson) 97-8-0.

At Astwood Fisheries the Bluebell Pool Open was won by Mark Roberson (DAC Mosella) with a pole and caster catch of 30-2-0 from peg seven. Second was Mick Fisher (Powells FT) 23-7-8, third Harry Brotherton (AAA) 14-13-0.