THE Ouse below York hit its best form for years for Sunday's 56-entry Tadcaster Tower Rose Bowl match, with over 4lb needed to win every section.

Tony Stephenson (Anglers World) led from a peg on the palace bend.

Targeting the middle of the river with a caster feeder he bagged 5lb bream, two skimmers plus around 4lb of roach for a net of 11-15-0.

Close behind was John Cyrowski (Barlby Village Stores) who employed the same

plan of attack on the bottom peg in the palace. His 11-11-0 included two bream of 4lb apiece, three skimmers and was also boosted by some roach taken

on pole and caster.

Keith Mitchell (Selby) was at the bottom of the pumper section in Fulford where he had a superb all roach bag of 10-4-0 taken on pole and caster at ten metres.

The match also threw up some surprise catches that suggest the river may have benefited from the recent flooding.

Tim Coop won his section with the assistance of a 3lb carp while Stan Haigh had a pound ide in his section winning bag from the bottom of the Palace Ings. The Tadcaster veteran also netted a big trout.

Unfortunately for Haigh game fish cannot be weighed in so his chance of a place in the main prize list had to be returned.

Others: Mick Potter (Anglers World) 6-15-0, Steve Blyth (York) 6-1-0 and Ricky Gaunt (Armley Angling) 5-12-0.

Despite bream dominating the main prize list there were plenty of roach to be caught in Saturday's 70-entry on the Ouse around Hunters Lodge and

Linton. Phil Austin (Barlby Village Stores) led with a big 35lb 7oz. Drawn on bungalows peg 221 he had five bream to over 8lb on worm and caster feeder.

Simon Fields (Maver Barnsley) was on former chub peg 214 where he took a surprise net of four bream on caster feeder for his 19lb 6oz.

Steve Lowther (Middy Dons) took third with a big brace of bream

from 219 for his 15lb 2oz.

Others: Mark Presley (Worksop) 13-6-0, Noel Speight (Compton) 12-13-0 and Paul Bennet (Waterline Wibsey) 7-13-0.

For the second day in succession, bream on the bungalows section of the Ouse at Hunters Lodge dominated proceedings in the Leeds open.

Mark Rockingham (Marsh Tackle) led the 80-field from peg 220 with 19lb. Three slabs fell to his caster in the last hour giving him a late winning surge. At the next peg Pete Barron (Middy Dons) had taken three smaller fish on the same tactics in the opening hour for his 11lb 3oz.

On the other side of the winner Trevor Hewitt (Hirst Tackle) had just the one slab of 7lb 13oz.

Others: Paul Bennett (Waterline Wibsey) 4-11-0, Jim Hynes (Saints) 4-5-0 and Ian Bates (Hirst Tackle) 4-3-0.

Youth triumphed again at Raker Lakes where Oliver Hewitt topped the 30-entry with 66lb 1oz from peg six.

Offering pole and corn to the far bank at 16 metres he netted carp to 6lb. The opening round of the York Tackle series at Poole Bridge Farm, Wheldrake, went to Ray Nixon with 6lb 13oz.

Drawn on peg six he used pole and chopped worm for a mixed bag of skimmers and roach.

Others: Steve Brand 5-10-0 and Phil Roberts 5-5-0.

Updated: 11:18 Wednesday, March 10, 2004