THE Yorkshire Winter League returns to provide this weekend's top action for match anglers in the York area.

In what is turning out to be a fiercely contested series, Anglers World are leading the way with a narrow advantage over Armley Angling, Wibsey Angling and Hirst Tackle after the opening two rounds on the Aire and Calder Navigation at Pollington and the River Calder inn Mirfield.

This weekend's match was scheduled to be a return visit to the Calder, but the continued lifting of foot and mouth restrictions has led to the third round fixture being switched to its original location.

The match will be fished on the Leeds water on the Ouse at Hunters Lodge, Thorpe Underwood and Widdington.

Prospects for a normal level river look good and I predict that it will be a cracking contest.

The venue has been in sparkling form for roach, with four double figured nets in last weekend's Leeds open.

Float tactics should dominate, with stick and maggot fished in conjunction with a long rod the order of the day.

The draw will take place at the Green Tree, Great Ouseburn at 9.00am.

There are few matches booked for York waters this weekend. The only matches tomorrow are Local Angling Club at Fulford, Royal Oak at Acaster and Pudsey at Howsham Hall.

Pleasure anglers visiting Howsham Hall are asked not to walk across the greens or fairways of the adjacent golf course when they are making their way to the river.

York Amalgamation of Anglers' annual meeting last week was a quiet affair. All committee members were re-elected.

Details of proposals approved are in the amalgamation's current newsletter.

Many venues continue to fish well despite the onset of winter. Pick of the bunch is Poole Bridge Farm at Wheldrake.

Rodley Barge Angling Club enjoyed a superb club contest on Norman's Pond last Sunday, the winner bagging a huge net of carp scaling 149lb 11oz.

Fish are starting to shoal more tightly in the deeper pegs with falling water temperatures making spectacular bags such as this a real possibility. Pole fished meat at 10 metres was the winning tactic.

On the carp pond at the same venue, one angler had 15 doubles in a session, with fish to 17lb. Legered mussels and cat meat proved the fishes downfall.

The back pond offers great silver fish sport, with pole fished maggot or caster producing double figure nets of quality roach to a pound.

Updated: 11:34 Friday, November 23, 2001