WITH the River Ouse bursting its banks the fourth leg of the Acomb Tackle York Winter Angling League was a casualty as floods devastated angling fixtures last weekend.

It was left to the commercial fisheries in the area to provide anglers with some action.

Rob Morris (Acomb Tackle) won at Carpvale, heading the 23-entry match with 22lb 8oz. His winning haul was made up of five carp taken on maggot feeder from peg 52.

The rest of the field had roach catches with Simon Shepherd (Bradford) leading with 10lb 6oz.

Others: Mick Addinall (Spectrum) 8-3-0 and Dennis Lemon (Leeds) 8-0-0

It was the same story at Raker Lakes, carp beating the silver fish challengers. Neil Horne (Headingley Angling) won with 33lb 12oz. He bagged a number of small carp to 3lb on floating pole and maggot at 18 metres from peg 21.

Paul Kozyra (Anglers Corner) was runner-up with 26lb 11oz or skimmers, roach and small carp from peg 15.

Others: Gary Walker (Team N Joy) 20-7-0, Craig Thompson (Team N Joy) 17-3-0

Anglers fishing from peg 36 won both the contests last weekend at the Willows, where the small carp have packed on weight this winter.

With last season's pasties now averaging 2lbs each some big weights are predicted for the summer.

Phil Austin (Armley Angling) led on Saturday with 40lb 8oz. He alternated corn and white maggot at 10 metres to keep the carp, ide and orfe interested. Dave Pollitt was second with 35lb 6oz, ahead of John Cyrowski 27lb 4oz and Steve Smith 18lb 8oz.

The following day 27 competed in a wind-hampered match, Armley stalwart Stuart Thompson winning with a reduced bag of 28lb 8oz. Maggot over pellet was the key tactic.

Others: Paul Clark 23lb 8oz, Stan Jeffries 23lb.

Stuart Tuner (Wakefield) topped Sunday's 53-peg match at the Oaks, Sessay. Fishing from peg 1 he took advantage of the following wind by he fished pole and maggot at 12 metres for 35lb 12oz of carp to 5lb.

Mick Barwick (Selby) drew jackpot peg 22 but failed to make it pay as he was runner-up with 26lb 1oz of small carp taken on pole and corn down the inside line at five metres.

Others: Gary Pawlett (Oaks) 23-10-0, John Allerton (Tricast Whizzo) 15-9-0, Dean Smith (Van den Eynde Goole) 13-6-0, Bill Blythe (Newman Scotts) 11-12-0.

Pegs on Skylark dominated Saturday's 53 entry match at the Woodlands complex.

Tony Neesom (Elton Tackle) led from peg 15 where he used a maggot feeder with single maggot for 27lb 5oz of small carp.

John Allerton (Tricast Whizzo) was on peg 21 where he fished pole and corn at 5 metres for carp to 4lb and 24lb 2oz.

Others: John McGarill (MAP Elton) 21-4-0, Vince O'Conner (MAP Elton) 21-2-0, Barry Smith (Newman Scotts) 17-8-0, Martin Leck (Sensas Bawtry) 16-9-0.

The Sunday open match attracted sell-out field of 80 and it was Skylark that led again.

Peter Rambow jnr (Daiwa Cleveland) was on peg 12, where he fished a small maggot feeder tight to the island for 26lb 2oz of carp to 6lb.

John Fellows (Hindley Green) was kept busy on Kestrel 26 netting a string of small carp, tench, barbel, ide and roach on maggot feeder for 21lb 11oz.

Others: Chris Page (Leeds) 20-6-0, Peter Close (Darlington Angling Centre) 19-8-0, Dave Taylor (Selby) 18-10-0, Dave Pimlot (Keenets Elton) 15-2-0.

Updated: 11:49 Wednesday, February 06, 2002