HALFWAY House Angling Club member Colin Davis comfortably won their latest encounter on Church Farm pool despite the disappearance of the venue's carp population.

The match was held once again on the narrow arms of the fishery where competitors found only small silver fish willing to feed.

Davis netted a mixture of perch, rudd and skimmers along with a few ide by offering his red maggot hook bait across at eight metres to the far shelf, ending with a final winning total of 8lbs 7oz.

The runner-up prize went to Mick Watling whose mixed bag fell to worm on the hook over a bed of groundbait and weighed 5-14. Consistent clubman Richard Oliver took third spot, thanks to a maggot-caught 5-1.

Fourth was regular match winner Keith Deaner who needed to take just 2-6 to the scales. The next Halfway AC contest is on Sunday.

Also finding carp hard to come by were competitors in the third round of the Portobello winter series which took place on the club's own pool at Rushwick.

Taking a rare first place was macaroni' specialist Graham Collins who ignored his favourite bait in preference to the tiny pinkie maggot in order to net a few small perch.

Along with the only carp caught on the day, it tipped the scales to a match-winning 5-9. Steve Dobbs came second with an all-skimmer net of 2-9.

Alan Tibbetts again pinned his faith in breadpunch to secure 1-9, ahead of Wayne Parkin with 1-4 in fourth.

The Wye around Hereford continues to be a premier river venue and 72 competitors turned out for the winter league, recording numerous double figure nets.

Even though the Belmont venue was carrying around four feet of extra water, catches were outstanding but it was favoured peg 96 between the bridges that recorded a second win in as many weeks.

Lucky angler this time was Shakespeare matchman Lee Gardner who used pole, maggot and groundbait to net around 50 chub for 42-12.

Local ace Paul Woodward came a close second with 41-11, while his Woody's team mate Darren Harper finished third with 39-4.

Top team on the day were Woody's with 56 points followed by Shakespeare on 51 and Cardiff Nomads with 41.

After six rounds, Woody's are in the lead on 56, while, in second place, Nomads and Match Fishing are tied on 53.

The best match of the week at Moorlands Farm was the 24-peg Wednesday over 50s contest which once again saw Daiwa Gordon League star Mal Watson come out on top with an all-carp net. Watson caught on waggler, pellet and corn from peg 53 on Meadow pool going 68-8.

Saturday saw Martin Johnson take 43-5 from Bank pool 20 to clinch first prize on the 52-peg winter league held on all pools. Best team were Top Fours with 14 points.

Martin Guest won the 26-peg open on Sunday with 38-4 of carp on the lead, this time from peg seven on Moors pool.

Prospects: A spell of settled weather is needed on all still waters and canals for fish to feed consistently.

On the rivers, the Wye reigns supreme with huge bags of dace coming to pole and groundbait from the Belmont stretch.