ANTHONY Staite had to wait until the dying minutes of the Plough AC Fur and Feather contest in order to be declared winner with a 12 pound bag.

After netting a carp mid match along with a few silver fish on maggot from peg 25, Staite hooked another good fish in the last half hour, but that shed the hook. However, he rebaited and took another carp in the dying seconds to claim victory.

Runner-up was Wilf Evans whose one-carp catch from permanent peg 11 gave him 10-8-0, while Nigel Crane claimed third prize with 8-8-0.

Gary Brixton blitzed the latest Portobello contest when he netted six carp and a few roach on corn and pellet from Rushwick pool going 31-7-0 for a comfortable victory.

Way back in second place was small fish expert Ron Eagle who stuck to his guns by offering caster on the pole to take an all-roach net of 7-1-0.

Chris Aldridge came third thanks to a small carp net caught on pellet going 6-8-0 to beat Mick Weston’s 3-8-0 which also consisted of small carp and silvers falling for his maggot offering.

This coming Sunday’s Porto-bello match will be on the Ash pool at Broadheath fisheries.

Despite the River Wye still carrying five foot of extra water, round three of the Hereford winter league saw exceptional catches.

Local angler Pete Golding (Fox Match) claimed glory with a fantastic 54-2-0 all-roach net taken on stick float and maggot from peg 93 above the road bridge.

Previous round winner Hadrian Whittle (Woody’s) had to settle for second place this time when he took 51-2-0 of roach and dace to the scales.

Upton star Colin Harvey (Match Fishing) whose all-roach net of 44-14-0 fell to stick float and maggot from two pegs above the railway bridge landed him third spot, while team-mate Ian Winter netted 44-9-0 of dace from between the bridges for fourth.

There was a tie for first place between league favourites Woody’s and Match Fishing, both teams scoring 55.

The league after three rounds puts Woody’s just in front with 35 points followed by Match Fishing on 30 and Fox Match Hereford third with 27.

The previous week’s three-day festival saw mammoth catches taken despite the event starting on a river nine foot up. Overall winner with five points was Fox Match angler Tony Doyle, second was Whittle with six and in equal third were Craig Haupt and Paul Downes both with seven points.

The best individual catch was taken by Pete Golding on the second day with 80-4-0 of roach.

MOORLANDS FARM — Thursday Costcutter Open: 1 P. Foster 41-6-0; 2 C. Bennett 39-9-0; 3 R. Finch 37-4-0. Saturday Open: 1 M. Watson 76-9-0; 2 L. Richards 60-10-0; 3 D. Randell 39-0-0. Sunday Open: 1 L. Richards 64-9-0; 2 K. Hayes 63-8-0; 3 C. Bennett 51-1-0.

PROSPECTS: With colder weather forecast, Sunday’s WDUAA winter league battle could be a caster affair with roach and perch making up the top weights. Stillwaters continue to be dominated by sweetcorn bait, possibly hair rigged on a straight ledger set up. Rivers could be tough with the exception of the Wye.