Angling prospects for this weekend appear poor as water temperatures have plummeted in the icy winds.

However, some venues can still be relied on to provide bites in the harshest of conditions.

Kevin Whincup from Carpvale says that the front pond is in good form with plenty of small fish to be had. Pole or waggler tactics will both score well.

Maggot is the top bait with regular drip feeding the key to encourage bites. With most fish averaging less than a pound light tackle can be used with fine shotting recommended as the fish are prone to come up in the water even on the coldest of days. Try pegs 53,54,64 and 69.

Small carp are also providing the bulk of the action at Raker Lakes, Wheldrake.

Pleasure anglers should remember that Horseshoe Lake will be booked for a match on Sunday.

Acorn and Heron try caster over chopped worm for good mixed nets of silver fish, crucians and perch. Some mighty stripeys have been taken from Horseshoe by match anglers of late. Try legering lobworm close to near and far bank cover.

Match activity will be reaching a peak at Woodlands this weekend, with anglers taking the final opportunity to practice on the Carlton Minniott complex before next Saturday's Winter League semi-final.

Given this week's icy weather the delayed event will be more akin to a Winter League than a Spring Series. All five match lakes - Skylark, Kestrel, Partridge, Swallow and Dragonfly - are fishing well to a variety of methods.

Recent events suggest that Maver Barnsley, Daiwa Goldthorpe and Newman Scotts will be the teams to beat. Mayer Barnsley are being coached by venue regular and matchman of the year front-runner John Allerton.

Rawcliffe Lake has bounced back to form after a recent lull. Pegs on the point and in the corner by the spill way are best with leger tactics still outscoring the pole. Bread and caster sort out the better fish with quality roach and odd chub the target species.

Other York Amalgamation venues worth a try include Burn Road and Hemingbrough.

Maran Lakes continues to provide Anglers with a few fish. They are not easy to come by but the thinking angler gets amongst them. A midweek look at the returns provided good reading.

D Goddard seven fish, best 4lb. P Snowden ten fish, best 6lb. B Hunter four fish, best fish 2. Geoff Ward nine fish, best 3lb. Sid Knowlson five fish, best 4lb Mal Kitchen ten fish, best 2 lb. J Clow four fish, best 4lb. 21 anglers caught 83 fish.

The weekend tally was: Richard Henderson ten fish, best 3lb. Alan Pringle six fish best 3lb.

Laurie and Josh Horum both took three fish but Horum got the heaviest at 3lb.

Len Farrow and Geoff Coats landed four fish and Len Farrow one with the best fish for both of them being 4lb. Sid Knowlson winkled out two fish, best to 2lb.

The tactics appear to be stick with the back lures and black buzzers, the latter fished below an indicator and fished static work when all else fails so be prepared to chop and change methods and catch fish.

Instructor John Berry held a junior day at Maran Lakes recently which attracted a dozen youngsters.

Fishery owners are reminded that they can contact me with catch news and returns, coarse or game, on 01904 785592 or at Darren.Starkey@LineOne.net

Updated: 13:03 Friday, April 20, 2001