FISHERMAN'S Tackle have taken the Heronbrook Fishery Winter League title.

Although the team could manage only fourth place in the final match on Sunday, it was more than enough to clinch the championship and a £650 payout.

Their top rods in a carp-dominated match were Winston Duckers, who took 20lbs 12oz, Phil Henry with 16-8-0 and Steve Carrier who had 16-4-0.

Chester Tackle Locker were 17th on the day and 22nd overall. Top weighers were Danny McLoughlan with 17-8-0 and John Woodrow with 10lbs. Martin Holding took the honours in the Tarvin Sands AC match at Tattenhall's Cheshire Fishery with a 46-8-0 of carp taken on sweetcorn. Andy Amos was next with 42-8-0 with Les Picken third with 15lbs.

There was only one weigher in the Grosvenor Estates AC match on a private brook on the Eaton Estate, Norman Cadman putting 0-9-0 of small roach on the scales.

Steve Firfie won the Helsby Sports and Social Club AS match at the BICC factory pools with 4-3-0 of skimmers and roach ahead of Malcolm Lightfoot's 3-12-0 and George Scattergood with 0-14-8.

Phil Cross took one of the best weights of the year from the SU Canal when Wil -laston AC fished at Tilstone Fearnall. He had 8-8-0 of bream using bloodworm or joker, as well as 6-8-0 of roach using caster. John Edwards was runner-up with 2-15-15 from James Hughes with 2-11-0.

Victory in the Lobol AS match at priory pool went to Barry Carlson with a 3lbs carp in a 6-7-0 mixed bag. Eric McNamee was next with a carp-based 5-6-0 and Terry Nolan third with a 3-14-8 mixture.

With the Weaver up and coloured on Sunday, members of the Rake and Pikel AS struggled for weights on the marina length of the river. Dave Spencer needed just 1-6-8 of small fish to beat Jeff Williams's 0-10-8 and Jimmy Page's 0-6-12.

Upton AC fish their feathers match tomorrow on the SU Canal at Waverton and members should obtain tickets from Chester Tackle Locker for £5.

Wendy Locker came out on top in the Hampton Springs Fishery open match with 32lbs of skimmers taken from the Alice Springs pool.

Dave Bampton led the field in the Grey -hound, Saughall AC match at Hampton Springs with 15-8-0, including an 8lbs carp. Don Sexton was next with a 12-4-0 brace of carp, while Peter Johnson took 11-6-0.

Dave Lawrence was top rod in the Burton Mere Fishery midweek open match with 33-6-0 of carp and crucians taken with pellet. Runner-up with a carp-based 24-10-0 was Steve Boyd. The Sunday match went to Barry Davies with a 6lbs common carp from Dave Lawrence's 5-2-0 of tench and skimmers and Rob Adderley with 4-11-8 of roach.

Richard Parry was a comfortable winner of the Airbus, Broughton AC match at Cheshire Fishery with 18-9-0 of small carp and roach from John Woodrow with 12-3-0 of carp and Dave Jones with 11-4-8, which included the best fish of the day, a 6lbs carp.

Paul Rose chalked up another win in the Chester Tackle Locker open match on the SU Canal at Waverton with 3-7-0 of roach and gudgeon, from Ernie Leatherbarrow's 2-9-0 and Mark Ashton's 2-7-0.

FISHERIES NEWS Meadow: Jim Fryer, of Hoole, lured a 5-10-0 rainbow to a black fritz lure.

Dearnford Hall: Paul Harding, of Ellesmere Port, coaxed the top fish of the week, an 8-2-0 rainbow to a montanna nymph, and Frodsham's Kevin Wayne netted 21 fish, the best a 6-2-0 rainbow, to fritz lures.

Llandegla: Mike Everleigh, of Chester, coaxed eight rainbows up to 3-1-0 to a green and white fritz lure. The fishery will be closed from December 22-25, reopening on Boxing Day.