It was a record-breaking weekend in the Evening Press area with two venues posting their best returns.

The new match record set last weekend by Alan Scotthorne didn't last long at the North Yorkshire complex.

It was that same man again on Wednesday when the Shimano Mustad-backed England star added just over a pound to his previous best, topping Wednesday's 70-pegger with 134lb 7oz.

Drawn peg 10 on Skylark, he fished at 16 metres up in the water with meat. Loose fed casters and small cubes of meat soon had the carp boiling under the surface and he plundered fish to 4lb.

Partridge 13 produced for Kamasan champion Dean Smith (Trabucco Elton), who fished the same way as the winner feeding pellets instead of casters. His all-carp net of 114lb included fish to 6lb.

Brian Sowerby (Knaresborough) was well adrift in third with 84lb 7oz of paste-caught carp but he had the satisfaction of knowing his catch from Kestrel 7 is the best ever weight from that lake.

Others: Dave Sharp (MAP Elton) 61-4-0; Steve Wood (Leeds Police) 60-2-0; Vince O'Connor (MAP Elton) 55-14-0.

Over at Birkdale Fishery, near Terrington, a new best weight fell just short of the ton barrier when the Sunday Open went to Leeds rod Dave Talbot with 92lb 4oz.

Drawn on the Bottom Pond, he used pole with meat and worm for a fine net of carp ranging between 2lb and 7lb.

Other leading carp weights were taken by Mick Walsh with 37lb 14oz and Chris Hughes on 32lb 14oz. Both anglers pole fished pellets.

With Laybourne Lakes now open from dawn until dusk to deter the unwanted attentions of cormorants and herons, the fish are gradually becoming accustomed to the anglers' baits and the bank-side disturbance. Numbers of small silver fish are starting to feature regularly in catches.

Ken Wallis (York Tackle) topped the 22-peg York Committee match on Marley Pool.

Drawn peg 50, he fished pole and maggot across for a 21-15-0 mixed bag of small carp, skimmers, perch and tench.

Dave Findlay (York) took second with another mixed catch of 15lb 11oz taken on waggler and maggot.

Others: Walter Brown (York) 10-5-0; John Simpson (York) 10-1-0; Stan Burdett (York) 9-12-0; Terry Pinder (York) 9-8-0.

They saved the best until last at the Willows with a superb finale to the Bob.Co series.

All the 47-field weighed 20lb or more in a brilliant contest split between Goldrush and Ridge Pool.

It was the former that led the way with Andy Barker (GTI Walton) leading from peg 55. Offering pellet to the overhanging willows, he bagged carp 4lb and tench and ide to 2lb for a winning net of 62lb 5oz.

The loss of 15 large carp robbed him of an historic ton-up haul from the York fishery.

Mick Lodge (Colmic Ossett) continued his good recent form with second from peg 43 on the point. Alternating chopped worm and meat, he took 54lb 8oz of carp and ide to 4lb. Dave Pollitt (Hirst Tackle) filled third with an all-carp 49lb 12oz taken on pellet and cat meat from peg 50.

Others: Keith Mitchell (Selby) 47-14-0; Tony Hopkin (Colmic Ossett) 45-12-0; Andy Gallant (Bob.co) 37-9-0.

Final Series: John Allerton (Tri-Cast Whizzo) 68 points, 255-7-0; Bernard Guy (East End Park) 68, 210-0-0; Dave Cheetham (Castleford) 67.

At the same venue, the 30-peg midweek Open went to Dennis Geldard (Boston Spa) who amassed a creditable 54lb in just three hours.

Drawn peg 40 on Goldrush, he alternated cat meat and red Sillybait paste at ten metres for carp to 4lb. Tony Hewson (Armley Angling) was on peg 32 on the same lake where he tempted carp to 4lb on pole and pellet for 40lb 8oz.

Others: Addie Mitchell (Harrogate) 39-4-0; Dave Ward (York) 38-10-0; Graham Broadley (Castleford) 33-0-0; Mick Lodge (Colmic Ossett) 31-12-0.

Dave Templeman (Merlin Baits) scooped the jackpot peg worth £400 in Sunday's 52-entry on Maple Lake at the Oaks.

Drawn on unfancied peg 38, he fished to the far bank with chopped worm for a lucrative 48lb 12oz bag of small carp, tench and ide. Dave Pimlot (Drennan NW) took second behind fellow Lancastrian with a 46lb 4oz carp bag on meat from peg 7.

Others: Gary Pawlett (Oaks) 41-12-0; Dave Cheetham (Castleford) and Adrian Mitchell (Oaks) both 40-8-0; John Chapman (Drennan NW) 38-15-0.

Updated: 11:34 Wednesday, June 18, 2003