YORK Amalgamation veterans endured a gruelling contest at Laybourne Lakes this week.

Fished under a baking sun, the 29-strong field found the fish hard to tempt from Marley Lake.

Best weight of the day was a modest 15lb netted by Ron Hugill who also topped the Under-70s section with his three-carp haul.

Pete Lowson won the Over-70s with his bag of 11lb 4oz that was also the second best catch of the event. In the Under-70s John Gray was second with 10lb 13oz ahead of Ernie Wright with 10lb 6oz and Alwyne Redhead who had 10lb 1oz.

Runner-up in the seniors section was Dave Findlay with 9lb 2oz, who beat the 8lb 5oz net of Jim Dodsworth with Ron Thompson taking fourth with 4lb 2oz.

Such was the popularity of the matches that another event has been arranged for September 21. Fishing times are noon until 5pm. Tickets priced at £3 all-in are available from local tackle shops.

The feature club event on York waters this weekend in the CIU Saturday League where Park View Lake takes pride of place.

Most owners of commercial fisheries insist on the highest standards of fish-care these days. Separate nets for large and small fish, barbless hooks, keepnet restrictions and minimum line strengths are all common regulations on the area's many stillwater fisheries.

The same standards should also apply on our rivers.

One of my fishing companions was chatting with an angler, who was helping his son to try to catch his first barbel fishing on a favourite section of the Ouse. My friend was advised that they had lost several barbel despite stepping up to 6lb line.

On the snag-strewn Park length, or any other barbel river to be fair, line of 6lb breaking strain has no place. There is nothing worse than leaving fish trailing terminal tackle that could leave them tethered to underwater obstacles. I use 12lb mainline and a 15lb braid hooklink.

I have also witnessed an angler with a double figure barbel in his keepnet which was being transported along the bank so his son could take a picture. My advice is not to keep barbel in keepnets. In this case it would have been better if the son had gone to the catch to take the picture, not vice-versa.

Weekend bookings

Tomorrow - Beningbrough (Park), Shepherds AC; Widdington, Local AC; Park View Lake, CIU Saturday League.

Sunday - Poppleton, Pudsey Royal AC; Stamford Bridge, Clifton Hotel AC; Laybourne Lakes (Marley, pegs 1 to 25), Burton Stone Lane WMC.

Updated: 11:19 Friday, August 26, 2005