Flooding once again looks set to pose a major threat to the weekend's fishing action with anglers likely to have to head for the calmer waters of local lakes and ponds.

There is no shortage of choice and recent mild weather has seen mid-week anglers enjoying an unseasonal bounty of carp and tench.

Plenty of carp to 6lb have been caught at Raker Lakes with Horseshoe the pick of the bunch.

Good mixed nets of carp and silver can still be had, meanwhile, on Goldrush Lake at the Willows.

In the same vicinity the front pond at Carpvale is a safe bet for a bite a chuck with Poppleton Ponds also productive.

A stone's throw from there, the Amalgamation Laybourne Lakes complex continues to justify the purchase of a York Yearbook on its own.

A little further afield, Maple Lake at the Oaks is good for 30 to 40lb pleasure nets and big bags of bream, carp and tench have been taken at Oaktree Leisure at Huby.

The final port of call is at Tollerton Ponds, where Chris Jewitt advises that all ponds are in great form with plenty of tench showing a liking for the unusually high water temperatures.

The Environment Agency is urging local anglers to handle their catch with care - especially if they happen to reel in a salmon.

That's because the Agency wants to ensure that the fish are kept safe to return to their spawning grounds the following year.

On the River Tees and northwards to the Scottish borders the salmon fishing season opens on Sunday, but on Yorkshire's rivers it is still illegal to fish for salmon until April 6. In both cases, however, all fish caught must be returned to the water until after June 15.

A number of kelts - salmon returning to the sea after spawning - have recently been caught on the Yorkshire Ouse system. This has prompted the Agency to remind anglers that all salmon caught at this time of year must be returned to the water as quickly as possible without harm.

David Morley, Agency Fisheries Officer said: "Unlike the Pacific salmon, which only spawns once, the Atlantic salmon can return to the sea to ascend the rivers to spawn again.

"After spawning, the fish are weak and if they are to survive to spawn again they must be handled very carefully so that they do not become damaged or stressed.

"The numbers of salmon in the River Ouse system is increasing year on year and these fish are vital if salmon stocks are to return to the numbers seen in the 1930s.

"We would also like to hear from anyone who catches a kelt, as it helps us in our research into assessing the current levels of salmon stocks."

If a kelt is caught, the best advice to anglers is:

"Play" it quickly and unhook it in the water wherever possible, being careful not to squeeze the fish;

Do not weigh the fish, this may cause stress or damage it, instead estimate its weight;

Support the fish in the water current, facing upstream, until it is able to recover and swim away.

There are no matches booked on any York waters this weekend.

Updated: 11:04 Friday, February 06, 2004