THE York Open contest proved that there are still plenty of big bream ready to provide an early season bag up.

If you can make the walk to the Rough Field area between Redhouse and Poppleton then this is the place to head. Following Phil Austin's win in the opening Sunday match, a number of anglers have made the long haul.

Not all have connected with the fish, the best return being ten fish for an estimated 50lb. However, all report large numbers of fish on the move, rolling and giving liners. An early morning start should provide the best opportunity to pin down some feeding fish.

Bream are also in evidence in the town centre, despite their absence from catches in last Friday evening's junior contest.

A large shoal of fish are residing around the end of Butcher Terrace, where a dawn kick-off is even more essential to avoid water craft that ply their trade on the Ouse at this time of year.

Away from the rivers, two Amalgamation venues are worthy of attention by those after bream. Park View has produced well with some decent fish to 6lb falling to a ground-bait feeder attack in the middle. The pole is also worth a try with chopped worm bringing good numbers of skimmers.

The often neglected Redhouse Lagoon is recommended should the nearby river not produce the goods. Several tench to 6lb plus have been caught in the last week and bream reach sizes in excess of that weight. Groundbait is not permitted at the venue.

A small block-end feeder packed with chopped worms is the favoured approach for bream with the tench exhibiting a liking for sweetcorn.

Another surprise bream and tench venue has emerged this week in the unlikely guise of the River Foss.

An evening sortie along the Huntington Road stretch revealed one angler with five bream to 3lb and another with three tench having lost several others. Try the area around the cycle track bridge where the water is deeper and there are plenty of lillies.

The opening of Laybourne Lakes to pleasure fishing seems to have had a double whammy effect with fish responding more freely to anglers baits and numbers of herons and cormorants being deterred.

Pleasure anglers may use keepnets, contrary to a previous report, however the Amalgamation Committee recommend that pleasure anglers return their catch immediately after capture. If nets are used then please do not retain your catch for longer than the mandatory five-hour match duration.

Anglers are also reminded that sweetcorn can only be used as a hook bait and may not be loose fed.

Match Secretaries are reminded to pass on their results to me on 01904 785592, at darren.starkey@linoene.net or by post to 12 Danebury Drive, Acomb, YO26 5EG.

Weekend Bookings

Saturday: Beningbrough Park - Local AC, Park View - York RI, Stamford Bridge - Star AC

Sunday: Acaster - Pudsey Royal, Beningbrough Park - Acomb WMC, Beningbrough Village - New Earswick, Marley Pool, Laybourne Lakes - Burton Lane and Tang Hall WMC, Paradise Farm - BRS, Redhouse Below - White Rose, Redhouse Lagoon - York AA

Updated: 09:52 Friday, June 27, 2003