The return of anglers to the river banks did not last long. The Ouse has been rising steadily since last weekend's Yorkshire Winter League match and this Sunday's premier angling event looks to be in jeopardy.

The opening round of the Acomb Tackle York Winter League is due to see around 120 eager rods line the banks of the Ouse from Middlethorpe to Bishopthorpe. Levels need to around 7 feet above normal or lower to enable the contest to go ahead. With the flood expected to peak at around 10 feet yesterday the fate of the contest hangs in the balance.

If the event goes ahead I do not expect the contest to be as grim as last weekend's gruelling match. There are far more skimmers, bream and eels below the city. which should provide the odd pull on the lobby, and with almost record high temperatures recorded this week I fully expect plenty of these species to make up the weights.

As always, a slacker peg will be an advantage and pegs on the Fulford bank around the catholes, paddock and bay will probably be favourite.

Reports suggest that plenty of fish remained in the river after the worst of the flooding. There have been few sightings of stranded fish on ings land and anglers tackling the Ouse below York last week caught a good number of small roach and perch in the Donkey Woods.

The draw for club match bookings has taken place at the City Arms. Post Office topped the list, followed by Black Horse and Huntington WMC. A total of 26 teams were registered, a healthy number in today's climate of falling attendances. It was also pleasing to note the presence of clubs from outside the York area, such as Tadcaster, Stillingfleet and Pudsey, wishing to take advantage of York waters.

With the exception of the Winter League the only other match booked this weekend is YAA, who venture to Howsham Hall on the Derwent.

With so many matches being lost to flooding and the prognosis that the situation is likely to get worse in the short term, one answer to the problem of suitable venues for matches might be to use canals.

The York area is not blessed with a stillwater venue large enough to accommodate a 100-peg winter league match, although I'm not sure how many anglers would squeeze around the newly acquired Rawcliffe Lake.

Canals would seem the likely solution. Pocklington Canal is not a great winter venue, but the Aire and Calder Navigation certainly is. What about Winter League secretaries booking this much underused asset as a reserve venue?