AFTER the recent floods the Ouse above York was still carrying extra water, normally ideal conditions for bream, but with the blistering temperatures the slabs failed to show in numbers and most of the 150 field struggled for bites.

The annual York Tackle contest saw its lowest ever entry and was accompanied by the lowest winning weight.

Col Plant (York) took the top prize with a four bream net of 15.5 from peg five above the Rough at Beningbrough Village. Fishing a caster feeder with worm he took his fish in the first two hours. Trevor Hewitt (Hirst Tackle) was above the culvert in Beningbrough Park and netted three bream on a caster feeder for his 12.15, while Neil McGloughlin (Leeds) had three bream for 12.13 from the tall trees at Poppleton.

Others: Steve Machel (Aireborough), 12.8; Ray Knox (Aireborough), 9.0; Barry Bell (York), 6.15; Chris Rouse (Anglers World), 6.5; B Ramshaw 6.4; G Brayshaw 6.1; N Linfoot 5.14; D Wood 5.11; P Clark 5.7; P Hyde 5.5; K Wallis 5.4; K Jennings 5.0.

The pairs event went to the pairing of Plant and Pickard with 15.5.

Some 23 juniors contested the annual championship on the New Walk with fish again hard to find.

Nick Darling continued his good recent run taking the best net of 3.1. His catch of roach fell mainly to pole fished hemp. K Young was the only other angler to break a pound with 2.5.

The rest of the catchers were K Steele 0.8.0; R Watling 0.7.8; J Pinder and B Laycock both 0.7.0; L Macdonald 0.6.8; D Elliott 0.6.0; R Dodds 0.4.0; D Watson 0.3.0; A Rhodes 0.2.8; R Macdonald 0.1.8.

Thanks go to York Tackle, Acomb Tackle, Anglers Corner, Walt Brown, Stan Burdett, Mick Potter and Brian Deamer for the kind donations of prizes.

The Wednesday open at Carpvale went to Dave Wright who returned to form with 65.10. Drawn on peg 33 the Team Daiwa Armely Angling man used long pole and corn to take the 40 pegger with an all carp 65.10.

Mick Addinall (Dick Clegg Bradford) took second with 46.4 on floaters from peg 49.

Others: John Haw (Acomb Tackle), 37.8; Mick Laverick (Leeds), 35.8; Gordon Watson (Leeds) 25.4.

The venue record at the Woodlands complex was upped by eight ounces in the 43 peg Wednesday open fished on Swallow, Mallard and Dragonfly. Neil Rymer (Dam Brighouse Geers) set the new best from in form corner peg Dragonfly 21. Opting to ignore the corner he fished pole and meat to the island at 17 meters. His catch of 94.14 included carp to 17lb.

John Allerton (Tricast Elton) continued his good run of form taking second with 56.3 of pole and meat caught carp from Swallow 13.

Others: Adam Jaffier (MAP Elton), 37.2; Dave Smith (Leeds), 34.2; Darryl Taylor (MAP Elton), 32.3; Craig Thompson (Dick Clegg Ossett), 31.3.