THE wintry weather may be decimating most of the area's sporting scene – but sea anglers are expected to take to the water as usual this weekend.

Despite the snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures of the last few days, the Humber Sea Angling Club's match tonight, between 6pm to 10pm, is still on.

The match takes place at the shallows, from 4.45pm. Anglers should meet at the barrier.

The club was forced to call off its previous match last Sunday due to the sudden downfall of snow.

The club chairman and committee felt it was best to call it off for health and safety reasons, and there may have been trouble gaining access to the sea wall.

However, organisers don't expect any problems tonight.

After last week's match cancellation, several members still decided to brave the elements and fish at the woods, Stallingborough.

They all had a good night catching decent numbers of cod.

Garry Hutson had six fish, fishing to the right of the pipeline.

George Smith had four, while Mark Taylor had three and Karl Nangle landed one but lost two.

They were encouraging results as the Humber Wall has not fished quite so well in recent weeks.

A match that did beat the weather was at Skegness.

The sudden cold snap sent the whiting shoals out into deeper water and it was the resident flatfish that saved the day in the latest Skegness Pier Angling Club (SPAC) match held at Jacksons Corner.

In a match of two halves, Wrangle's Alan Steadman had a disastrous start, with missed bites and dropped fish.

He then scaled his hook and bait size down for the last two hours, and run out easy winner with 12 flatties weighing 5lb 8½oz.

He also took the heaviest flatfish prize with a specimen 1lb 4oz flounder and, to make a good day complete, won the heaviest round fish prize by default with a 14oz dab.

Kettering's Dave Shorthouse had been in the lead for most of the match, but eventually had to settle for second place with 10 dabs for 3lb 3¼oz.

Skegness man Dave Bradley framed again in third place, with four flatties weighing in at 1lb 15½oz.

The SPAC AGM will be held next Saturday at 7.30pm in the New Park Club, Scarborough Avenue, Skegness.

All current and prospective members are invited to attend.

The next Skegness match will be held on Sunday, February 19 from 2pm until 6pm at North Shore Road. There is an open section that non-members are welcome to participate in.

For further information, call Chas Tibble on 07984 967988 or chastibble@hotmail.com

Anglers should get their entries for the HCA Baitbox Cod Open on February 26 to club secretary Chris Banks as soon as possible.