The previous week's hard frosts had a big impact on the latest round of the Oxford Division Angling Times Winter League on the Oxford Canal around Banbury.
From the 60-strong field, there were ten blanks recorded and more than half the anglers caught less than 1lb.
However, a couple of sections did produce reasonable sport - and the top four individuals.
Making the most of a peg in the town marina was John Beesley (Oxford Drennan), who had a busy day fishing bloodworm over joker for an all-roach 7.3.0.
In the same section and using the same tactics, John Price (Banbury Gunsmiths Garbolino) finished second just one ounce behind.
Third and fourth places came from the Tramway. Third man Henry Clarke (North Oxford) fished bloodworm over joker for an all-roach 5.3.0, edging Tony Hobbs (Banbury Gunsmiths Garbolino) into fourth with 4.15.0.
Robert Head (Oxford Drennan) weighed in five fish for three ounces and was the only angler in the whole of section C to catch.
This meant that Oxford Drennan were the only team without a blank, but they had to settle for joint first place with Banbury Gunsmiths Garbolino on 43 points.
Teams on the day: Oxford Drennan & Banbury Gunsmiths Garbolino 43, Sensa A4 39, Isis VDE 28, North Oxford 19, Chipping Norton 14.
Points to date: Sensa A4 7, Banbury Gunsmiths Garbolino & Oxford Drennan 12, Isis VDE 14, Chipping Norton 15, North Oxford 23.
Although the weather conditions were terrible, the second match in this year's Oxford Carp Winter League, fished by 19 anglers at Lower Court, proved quite success- ful.
Fishing the pole at 13m, Paul Dann put together a winning weight of 92.8.0 of carp taken on maggot.
Sat next to him was Gary Keetley, who used the same tactics and finished second with 77.12.0 of carp.
Also on the pole at 13m, but using corn instead of maggot was Gary Knight, who finished third with 55.4.0.
Pans Lake at Panshill was the venue for Oxford Waltonian's Osbourne Cup where eight matchmen turned out in the cold and wet.
Maggot was the bait to be on and the first three all used it.
Jason Smith took first place with a net of carp on the pole at 11m weighing 30.13.0.
Fishing a little further out at 13m, Neil Grant landed 26.1.0 of carp for second, followed by Paul Bowers with 25.12.0 on the pole at 7m.
Jolly Anglers were on the Oxford Reach for their latest match, and with the Thames running very clear it was hard work for the ten members.
Lee Crook had three chub, plus some bits, on the maggot-feeder for a top weight of 11.0.0.
In second place with 2.14.0 of bits was Warren Cave, while 2.2.0 was enough to give Bob Wyatt third. Both used the maggot-feeder.
Marston's John Simmonds Cup went to Pete Clarke, who also pocketed the Golden Peg worth £100.
The Cherwell was 'horrible' and the five anglers who turned out really struggled.
Clarke caught five perch on the pole and chopped worm for 7.15.0, pipping Steve Tomkins, with 7.0.0 of roach on punch. He could have caught more, but for a hungry pike that decided to move into his swim.
Steve West also had some roach for 2.13.0 and third.
Points after 14 matches: P Clarke 116, J Perella 78, S Tomkins 71, S Weston 58.
Sutton Courtenay fished the Culham Reach for their Tombs Ripond Memorial, and I suspect the ten anglers had rather stayed in bed.
There were just three fish caught - although there were loads of crayfish taken.
Bob Gosbee used liquidised bread in a cage feeder with flake to tempt two chub for a winning 7.11.0.
The other fish was a 1.11.0 perch caught by Brian Leahy on groundbait feeder with worm.
There was a good turn-out of 21 for Kinloch's match on the Medley stretch of the Thames, but that's where the good news ends, as there were no fewer than 17 blanks.
Bob Webb had a 5lb bream on groundbait feeder with a caster/worm cocktail to win, followed by Phil Weston with a chub of 3.12.0 on waggler with single red maggot.
Another chub of 3.9.0, which took breadflake, gave Malcolm Crook third spot.
Oxford Bus AC were on their school waters down the High' where Nick Brooks topped the six-man field with a bag of roach weighing 5.0.0.
Tony Prescott also had roach for 3.2.0 for second, while Terry Yates caught 1.0.0 of perch for third.
OTHER RESULTS
Mason's: (Points match, canal, St Edward's School) 1 G Pether 3.4.0 (perch, roach), 2 R Hood 3.2.0, 3 B Gray 2.6.0.
Oakfield: (Wednesday, Swallow, 19 fished) 1 A Foulkes (Oakfield) 40.7.8, 2 L Ripper (Fox Match GOT Baits) 23.1.0, 3 S Johnson (Acorn Angling) 19.13.0.
Oakfield: (Saturday, Brook, 22 fished) 1 L Ripper (Fox Match GOT Baits) 50.4.8, 2 F Lawther (Oakfield) 43.8.0, 3 S Roebuck (Ton Up Baits) 43.7.0.
Panshill: (Saturday, Pans Lake, 18 fished) 1 R Grimes 42.13.0, 2 J Sweeting 29.2.0, 3= P Bunce, M Shepherd, P Gowan 28.7.0.
Panshill: (Sunday, Wood Lake, 16 fished) 1 G Thorpe (GOT Baits) 67.4.0, 2 D Hoare 35.9.0, 3 M Nutt (GOT Baits) 30.5.0.
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