ANGLERs in the York Amalgamation Veterans match enjoyed great sport on Marley Lake at the Laybourne Lakes complex.

Amalgamation stalwart Dougie Dalton proved age is no barrier to success winning the over-70s section with a fine bag of 33lb 3oz.

Fishing close to the margins with meat, Dallton was bagging the odd nice carp until the intervention of a beast of 15-10 catapulted him to the top of the prize list.

Winner of the under-70s was Barry Richardson with 24-6 ahead of Ernie Wright and John Gray, who tied on 16-6 and Brian Pallister's 16-3.

In the more experienced category, Pete Lowson took runners-up spot with 19-3 to see off the challenges of Jim O'Brien (17-12) and Bill Lumley (14-7).

Chris Vipas from Black Horse enjoyed the club's visit to Brafferton Lakes, where he topped the contest on the F1 Pond with a respectable 30-15.

Fishing small pieces of cat meat at ten metres, he netted small carp to 2lb steadily throughout. Second place went to Barry Richardson with 30-1. Best of the rest: Alwyne Martindale 22-14, Frank Atkinson 22-6, Brian Pallister 22-0 and Geoff Hardy 14-0.

Mark Rockingham won the Saturday open at the Willows from peg 48 on Goldrush.

Offering worm and caster at 13 metres, he bagged a string of ide to 2lb backed by just four carp that fell to pellet. Dennis Gelderd took second from peg 33, where he offered meat and corn in open water for a mixed bag of 53-2.

Others: Tony Hewson 45-12, Andy Rymer 43-12, Gordon Fennell 42-8, Barbara Jeffries 42-0.

Peg 20 once again proved to be the key to unlocking prizelist in the Sunday contest on Pond Four at Oaktree Leisure.

Best of the bunch was Mark Linley, who bagged

42-8 of carp on pellet and corn at 14 metres from the current form peg.

Close by on peg 23, Mark Dunlop took second with his 40-4 net of carp and bream taken on meat and caster which was good enough to see off Mark Leftbridge's 34-8.

Fishing fiesta

HUNDREDS of wannabe anglers in the York area will get the chance to try the sport for free during National Fishing Week from August 20-29.

This year's event will be bigger than before as it enters the second year of the Environment Agency's three-year support.

New anglers will take the bait at a taster day at New Earswick nature reserve on August 20. Kids can try their hand at fishing for free from noon until 4pm in an event run in conjunction with New Earswick Angling Club and the Joseph Rowntree Trust.

John Littlewood, coach at the Environment Agency, said: "We're banking on people wanting to take up the sport after their experience at the day."

Other events in the week-long festival include a fishing taster day at Wykeham Lake, near Scarborough, and a children's match at Langwith Lakes in Heslington, York.

Updated: 11:42 Wednesday, August 17, 2005