Billinghurst open match organiser Derek Fuller missed the latest event on both lakes at Malthouse due to work.

The 18 who did attend found it hard going after overnight frost. Club member Martin Cooper won with a carp of 2lb, plus tench for 6lb 4 1/2oz. Dudley Chandler of Pulborough had 4lb 15 1/2oz of skimmers and roach and then came two more Billingshurst members, Derek White with 4lb 13oz of small tench and Mitch Hudson with 4lb 12oz of roach and skimmers.

Eleven teams of eight will compete in the Billingshurst League which starts tomorrow on the River Adur at Henfield.

A Billingshurst club match fished by 18 on the River Arun at Lee Place was a failure for all but Los Gillett who had a 1/4oz roach.

One tench and some bits made Cliff Zanoncelli winner of the Copthorne match at Little Rowfant while Dave Whitehouse had 3lb 13oz of bits and Paul Brinkhurst 3lb 6oz. In another match at the same venue, seven fished for five hours but the only fish was a carp of 3lb 8oz by Ray Thayre. Several lost carp.

Cold conditions resulted in a top bag of only 5lb 10oz by Wayne Walter in Isfield's match on the River Uck at Isfield Mill. Steve Hughes had 2lb 10oz, Geoff Ridley 2lb 4oz and Terry Walter, with one bite and one fish had the best of the day, a roach of 1lb 4oz.

The Samaritans benefitted from the Hastings and St Leonards beach open fished by 25 anglers. Colin Crosby won with a sole of 15oz included in his 2lb 5oz, Steve Martin had 1lb 8oz and Jesse Crouch 1lb 5oz.

-Ray Potten