This is a trend which even the normally prolific Sherwood Forest Farm Park has failed to buck.

In particular, Holmedale Lake, a venue which regularly provides three-figure weights, was hit with one match in the Gateford Angling Supplies Fun League requiring less than 20lb to win it.

That was the round on 29th October when just three carp were enough for Greyhound FC Worksop’s Arthur Bird to win a frosty and bitterly cold match.

Arthur fished straight lead and corn cast to the for bank, losing his first three fish but landing three carp to 9lb in the last hour for a 19lb 10oz total.

By the following Wednesday’s round things had picked up somewhat.

A slightly milder day found the carp in the feeding mood.

Winner John Woodland drew peg 48 and fished the pole and pellet on two lines, one at 13m and the other at 10m.

He took carp from both lines weighing in 38lb of small carp to 2lb, with five to 7lb making up the rest of his 72lb 2oz catch and again finishing with over 20lb to spare.

In second place Mick Langton also fished pole and pellet on two lines, both at 13m, weighing in over 30 carp to 5lb for a 50lb 1oz return.

Between those two Wednesday fixtures was the regular Sunday afternoon Open.

It must have been the foul weather, cold and persistent rain all day, that kept the anglers away as only 10 fished.

Top of the list again, Pete Ellis fished pole and corn on two lines over a bed of pellets and caught steady from the off, finishing with nine carp to 7lb, weighing in 39lb 3oz - more than double his closest rival Bob Place.

The following weekend the lake fished extremely well despite the conditions, very cold with gale force winds and heavy rain.

In first place Dave Madin fished a small pellet feeder and meat cast to the submerged island at peg 3.

After a slow start he caught 13 carp, the biggest at 6lb, for a total of 73lb 14oz.

John Woodland was kept busy finishing second with 64lb 9oz of stocky carp to 2lb on the pole and pellet fished at 6m.

Woodland also won the latest two Tuesday matches on Sherwood, but they were two contrasting matches.

In the earlier round, a move to the warmer field side of the lake was the right move on a freezing cold day.

Most of the fish were caught in the last two hours and John came out top with 18lb 12oz of skimmers to 2lb on the pole and chopped worm.

Second placed Lee gambled on the skimmers having a go on the pellet, but after a blank first two hours they moved over his bait and in the last three hours he put 12 bream to 2lb in the net.