THE fifth round of this year’s Oxford Winter League was fished by 54 anglers on a very clear Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal, which was so clear that in places you could see the bottom.

To stand any real chance, you needed to be pegged by a lock or bridge, fishing in deeper water.

Chris Ives (Sensas A4) was on such a peg by the Oakfield flyover, putting 11.5.0 of roach and skimmers on the scales. He fished punch at six metres.

Just above Oakfield Lock, Steve Johnson (Oxford Dren-nan) did enough to finish second with 9.12.0 of roach on the punch.

Using a whip at three met-res with bloodworm, Richard Rosinski (Sensas A4), pegged above Broughton Lock, was third with a net of roach and perch worth 8.13.0.

Teams on the day: Oxford Drennan 41, Sensas A4 38, Garbolino Banbury Gunsmiths 33, Fox Match Isis &d Oxford Bees 30, North Oxford AS 23.

Teams to date: Oxford Drennan and Sensas A4 both through to semi finals, Garbolino Banbury Gunsmiths & Fox Match Isis 17, Oxford Bees 26, North Oxford AS 28.

Twelve members of Bee-hive AC fished the fourth leg of their Beehive Cup on the Specimen Lake at Panshill, and it turned out to be a good match as this venue holds lots of roach and small carp which don’t get normally fished for.

In first place with 28.12.0 was Nigel Waters, who cau-ght small carp and roach on pole and maggot.

Also catching roach and carp on maggot, Roger Bur-ton was second with 17.7.0, followed by Dave Simmons, who did something com-pletely different, using a small maggot-feeder cast to the island to catch 16.0.0.

The specimen lake is a cracking little venue during the winter and well worth fishing.

There was a good turn-out of 16 for the sixth round of Masons’ Individual Winter Series and although it was bitterly cold on the Thame at Wheatley, some good weights were recorded.

Fishing pole with worm by the old railway bridge, Steve Morton put together a top weight of 24.13.0 of perch, some going over 3lb.

In second place with 8.0.0 was Yan Stankowski, who fished the stick float and alternated between worm and maggot to tempt a couple of chub, plus some roach.

Andy Benwell finished third with roach and perch on pole with worm and maggot.

On a very cold and mis-erable Sunday, eight anglers turned out for the Jolly Anglers match on the town waters, where it was ‘chub or bust’.

With four chub in the net, the best weighing 5.6.0, War-ren Cave was a runaway winner with 16.6.0 on maggot-feeder with maggot on the hook.

Sat next to the winner, Anthony Brooker used the same method to catch three chub for a second-placed 9.0.0, while a 5lb chub, plus some bits, earned Phil Ansell third place with 6.7.0 on the feeder and maggot.

Oxford Bus AC fished their ‘backwater’ down at the ‘School’ last Sunday because the Cherwell was a bit to pacy.

Once again, it fished very well and Pete Clarke tri-umphed with an impressive net of large perch, skimmers and roach on pole and caster weighing 15.4.0.

Anthony Tompkins put a mixed bag on the scales using pole and various baits for a second-placed 7.15.0, one of the roach going 1.1.0, which is nice to see.

Terry Yates was third with 5.1.0 of perch and skimmers on pole and worm.

The Oxford Canal at Fren-chay Road was clear for Dor-chester’s Inter League fifth-round match, fished by seven.

Tony Krason topped the field with 10.13.0, comprising three pike on worm, plus bits on the punch.

Also landing a small pike on worm and a few bits on punch or chop, Ian Fisher put together 1.13.0 to pip Rod Rose, with 1.11.0 of bits.

Witney AS were on the marina at Lechlade and with the river running low and clear, it was a struggle for the 19 anglers. Indeed, six of of them blanked.

Fishing worm over chop, Martin Avons returned 10.10.0 of perch for first place.

Les Tibbetts (RS Baits) finished second with 6.8.0 of roach and perch on pole and either punch or maggot for second, followed by Dean Bowerman, who caught 80-odd small fish on whip and long pole.