A sell-out field of 50 enjoyed a great contest on both Ridge Pool and Goldrush at the Willows on Saturday.

It was the larger residents of the former that did the damage with Dave Armitage (Hirst Tackle) taking top spot from peg 13.

Alternating maggot and corn over loose fed pellets, he switched lines from the island to the track to keep carp to 5lb coming for his 30lb 14oz.

Peg 6 on the same lake came up trumps for Steve Sharples (Bob. Co), who used pole and corn at 16 metres to the island for carp to 6lb and tench to 4lb in his 30lb 2oz.

Best weight from Goldrush fell to Steve Fearnley (Milkmen) with 29lb 4oz of carp, tench, ide and chub on pole and maggot from peg 53.

Others: John Cyrowski (Selby) 27-8-0; Dave Cheetham (Castleford) 26-14-0; Bernard Guy (East End Park) 26-4-0.

The Golden Peg provided Chris Hawkes (Cleveland Angling Centre) with a bumper pay day of £400 on Maple Lake at the Oaks on Sunday.

After pulling peg 10 he went on to win the contest and pocket the long standing bounty.

Pole and corn fished down the margins found carp to 3lb for a valuable 38lb 13oz.

Stuart Turner (Merlin Baits) fished corn over pellets tight to the island at 13 metres from peg 59 for carp to 6lb and 37lb 6oz

Others: Gary Pawlett (Oaks) 26-0-0; Stef Armitage (Team Glum) 25-15-0; Mark Calvert (MAP Elton) 23-3-0; Ray Singh (MAP Elton) 23-3-0.

The opening contest on the Carp Pond at Tollerton Ponds provided a promising start with good numbers of small carp keeping the 22 field busy.

Glen Jewitt led with 27lb 10oz. Alternating pellet, corn and maggot, he netted carp to 3lb. Mick Watson was second with a level 21lb of small carp taken on pole and corn. Best of the rest was Kev Gilligan on 12lb 10oz

Neil Horne (Headingley Anglers) topped the 30-peg sell-out on Horseshoe Lake at Raker on Sunday with an excellent 37lb 12oz.

After drawing fancied peg 22, he made no mistake and offered corn tight across on a floating pole set up at 19 metres for fish in the 3 to 4lb class.

Norman Dixon (Anglers Corner) targeted a tree close in to his right on peg 9 where he offered a large lump of bread for quality carp to 8lb and 25lb 4oz.

Others: Rob Eden (JT Rogers) 23-2-0; Wayne Nolan (Leeds) 22-2-0; John Cosgrove (York Tackle) 19-0-0; Dave Sherwood (Anglers Corner) 16-1-0.

Overnight frost and bright sunshine combined to make for a tough 30-peg opener in the Red Lion backed Carpvale Spring Series on the Match Lake at the Moor Monkton venue.

Paul Smith (Leeds) led from peg 31 with 19lb 3oz of small carp taken on pole and maggot fished towards the island.

In the same area, Geoff Wilmore had 15lb 8oz of small carp and silver fish to long pole and maggot from peg 33.

Others: Paul Fawcett (Leeds) 14-12-0; Gerry Eastwood (Castleford) 9-12-0.

The Coarse Lake at Poole Bridge Farm, Wheldrake, was in good form for the opening round of the York Tackle backed league.

Steve Brand (York Tackle) led from the Old Pond. Offering chopped worm at 11 metres he netted quality roach and skimmers to 12oz for 19lb 7oz.

Karl Midhage (York Tackle) fished up in the water with maggot for an all roach 14lb 1oz.

Others: Ken Wallis (York Tackle) 12-15-0; Doug Featherstone (York Tackle) 12-12-0; Andy Wallis (York Tackle) 11-12-0.

Updated: 09:42 Wednesday, March 19, 2003