The river Ouse has been falling gradually throughout the week so the Tadcaster Tower Rose Bowl angling match on the Ouse below York should go ahead as scheduled on Sunday.

With the entry likely to be limited, the field should be accommodated on the Fulford bank of the river.

Given that extra water is likely to be present, the usual flood water pegs should figure and I would be more than happy with a peg in the paddock or bay area.

The weights will be entirely dependent upon water temperatures.

After a week of heavy frosts I fear the worst and in the absence of bream or skimmers, which are unlikely to show on the chilly waters, the match could be gruelling, with a couple of pounds of small fish probably enough to get in the frame.

If river levels are low enough, I recommend a visit to the Wharfe at Healaugh, where float anglers should find plenty of small dace willing to provide bites.

Small fish are also showing well in the Foss Basin. The flood barriers have been lifted so the fish might well be on the move again.

I suggest that pegs around the Blue Bridge area of the Foss/Ouse confluence will be productive.

The only other matches booked on York waters this weekend are at East Cottingwith and Howsham Hall.

Stillwater matchmen should find Carpvale a good source of action following last weekend's surprise bag up.

Andy Gallant won with the best weight of the winter, a splendid 45lb 12oz. Drawn on peg 45 he used pole and maggot at 16 metres tempting seven carp up to 12lbs.

Dave Wright netted five carp with similar tactics from peg 17 for his 20lb 4oz.

A much larger turn-out is expected this weekend, so anglers are advised to book early with Dave Wright at Armley Angling Centre.

The biggest angling match this weekend will be the annual River Swale Preservation Society Team Masters competition, with 25 teams of 12 anglers lining the banks of the Swale between Morton Bridge and Fawdington in search of the venue's chub shoals.

The RSPS aims for the event are to provide river anglers with the rare opportunity to fish a genuine big match while at the same time generate funds for their continuing restocking and habit improvement schemes on the river.

Since the event began, winning weights have increased from the 13lb 4oz which won the inaugural match in 1991 to the 50lb 4oz record netted by Keith Cooper in 1998.

I am certain that some or all of the credit for this improvement in sport on Swale is down to the hard work of the RSPS.

It is therefore fitting that the RSPS team hold the record team weight for the event of 184lb 5oz which was set in a memorable match in 1998.

River conditions this weekend should be almost perfect.

This year's World Junior Coarse Angling Championships are to be held on the prolific Szolnok rowing course in Hungary.

The England youth team, managed by Mark Downes and Joe Roberts, will be looking to go one step better than last year's silver medal.

According to Downes the event promises to be "a real net bulger".

The Ladies World Championships were held on the same venue in 1995 and were widely acclaimed to be the best in the event's history.

Roach, skimmers and bleak proliferate and the anglers will need to be proficient at both long and short pole work.

Last year Castleford's Paul Starbuck won the individual competition gold medal.

If you think that you are one of the 'baggers' that your country is looking for, CV's are requested immediately at the National Federation of Anglers Headquarters.

Contact the NFA at Halliday House, Egginton Junction, Derbyshire, DE65 6GU.

Updated: 13:45 Friday, February 16, 2001