Scottish international Chris Empson won the 12-round winter league hosted by the Bass Rock Shore Angling League.

The Dunbar-based angler recorded 50 points and only edged former pace-setter Shaun Gardner from North Berwick by three points thanks to his win in the final leg. Barry McEwan, another Scottish international, was third overall on 38 points.

Jimmy Green from Musselburgh was fourth with 34 points with James Ogilvie, the organiser, fifth 14 points adrift and Steven Biskup (North Berwick) was sixth four points further back.

Stuart Fairbairn (Haddington), Grant Olesky (North Berwick) and Robert McNess (Edinburgh) were joint seventh on ten points with Edinburgh-based William Stafford eighth on eight points and Alan Brown (West Barns) was ninth on six points.

Over the series, McEwan from Port Seton had the heaviest fish, a 4lb 7oz cod, with Ogilvie second with a 3lb 2oz fish and Fairbairn third with one of 3lb 1oz and eight anglers fished the final leg, a North Berwick Rover, in flat calm seas and drizzle from start to finish. Empson was the only angler to weigh in. His codling of 2lb 1oz lifted the match and the heaviest fish prizes.

The club hold their annual meeting on Wednesday, April 12, in The Golfers Rest, North Berwick (7pm for 7.30pm start) which will decide the start date for the summer league.

Elsewhere, Empson (pictured) came third in the Newhaven Sweepstake organised by Ian Campbell with seven fish. David Cooper (Edinburgh) was second with nine fish and Stephen Barrett first with eight fish but more points. He also won the longest fish prize with a 31cm codling. 

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