Small carp dominated the first ever match on the new Laybourne Lakes at Hessay in the York and District AA Open as the venue's silver fish population were few and far between on the day.
Staged on Marley Pond, 53 hopefuls decided to try their luck in this debut event and in a close run contest York's Tim Biggins just snatched the verdict putting 28.13.0 onto the scales.
Tim drew corner peg 13 and proceeded to pole fish maggot into the corner catching carp up to the 1.0.0 mark at steady intervals. However, victory hinged on two quality fish a carp of 6.0.0 and a tench of 4.0.0 for Selby's Keith Mitchell it was relegation to runner up spot just 3ozs behind.
Pegged next to the bridge on 37, small carp responded to pole and maggot throughout over loose fed casters.
Others in the frame: D Murray (Tang Hall Match Group) 24.12.0; P Austin (Armley) 22.8.0; M Wood (South Bank) 21.12.0; A Whitehead (Tang Hall MG) 21.8.0.
Raskelf Lake played host to the Bradford No1 AA Pauling Cup at the weekend.
York Tackler dealer and man of the match Waterline Wibsey Angling's Colin Hardy took the Pauling Cup for the second successive year when he netted 33-3-0, nearly 10-0-0 in front of his nearest rival.
Working off peg 14, Colin opted for a chopped worm attack and worm on the hook presented on the pole at 11.5 metres. A dozen bream fell at intervals backed by two ide and a tench.
Second place went to Peter Vickerman of Bradford who collected mainly tench off peg 49 in the shallows; ten were in the net - best 4.0.0 but a few rudd also on the pellet came to a 13 metre line for a 23.7.0 return.
It was one of the best matches at Raker Lakes Wheldrake on Sunday with some excellent bags.
Bread proved the deadly bait off Horseshoe Lake and a hefty carp bag of 57.2.0 elevated Selby's Mally Laverack into prime spot.
Pulling out peg 22, Mally went over on the long pole and tempted fish up to 5.0.0 on floating bread and bread flake presented on the drop.
Meanwhile just a fish adrift JT Rodgers angler Paul Stead delivered 52.14.0 off peg 11 going over to the far bank on sweetcorn in search of sport.
Woodland Lakes (Wed), Kestrel Partridge & Skylark (59 pegs): 1 S Broughton (Armley Angling) 44-1-0; 2 A Sparling (Leeds Fire Services) 43-13-0; 3 L Roberts (Map Elton) 40-5-0.
Map Elton's Lyndon Roberts third in Wednesday's match emerged victorious during Saturday's 69 pegger beating the talented turnout and bagging an impressive 47-10-0.
Lyndon winning off Skylark Lake also changed the formbook.
Tactics wise it was a continuation of the previous match the pole at seven metres and the deadly paste on the hook for all carp including the heaviest a mirror of 6-0-0 from peg six.
Teammate John McGarrell followed with 44-13-0 off peg 31 on nearby Partridge Lake. John decided to use the long pole at 13 metres and took a series of small carp on the pellet.
Lots of 30.0.0 plus nets were the order of the day at Sessay for Sunday's Oaks Open on Maple Lake but Map Elton's Mark Coyne tipped over the 40.0.0 mark to frame first from the 52 contestants.
Sat on peg 65 an over to the island approach on the long pole and pellet brought the carp onto the feed tempting samples to 3.0.0 to make for 40.8.0.
Identical tactics paid off for Cleveland Angling Centre's Andy Harker. From peg 56 he pulled out plenty of carp but of a smaller stamp than the winner to finish with 36.8.0.
Oaks - Thursday - Maple Lake (32 rods): 1 R Singh (Map Elton) 49-13-0; 2 S Medd (Billingham Tackle Box) 41-4-0; 3 M Coyne (CAC) 40-10-0.
Trout News
Kielder water fished well during the Tyne & Wear England Eliminator.
Thirty would be internationals took to the boats enjoying good sport and 198 fish were landed.
Weardale's Andrew Scott tied on weight with current European Champion Ian Barr of Northampton returning 16.1.0 apiece but Andrew clinched the day due to a faster catch rate. 3rd place went to Colin Bradley of Consett returning 13.10.0.
Black buzzers are proving red-hot at present on Redworth's Jubilee Lakes.
Stephen Hodge of Kiphill grassed the heaviest rainbow scaling 16.1.0 from Bishop Auckland's Michael Roddy whose specimen of 14.5.0 also accepted a black buzzer.
Workington visitor, Mike Haslop choose a pheasant tail nymph to tame another big rainbow of 14.4.0. Rod average of 3.1. Six double figured rainbows.
Tunstall Reservoir: Trout responding to black hoppers and Kate McLarens. Best bag 14 rainbows to Keith Blanford. Heaviest rainbow 4.2.0. Rod average 4.2 fish.
Fontburn: 439 rods 1088 trout. Rainbows to 10.0.0 falling to a black variant of a cat's whisker. Eight fish limit bag of 33.8.0 went to R Armstrong of East Hartford. Best flies black or orange fritz, muddlers, blobs, hoppers and hares ear.
Kielder: 194 rods 568 trout. 17 limit bags. Rainbows to 7.0.0. Top patterns Alexandra, black Zulu and black and peacock green tag.
Blackton: 102 rods 340 trout. Three limit bags. K Stoddart took the best fish a lovely brown trout of 6.4.0. Floating lines with long leaders and bibio, Kate McLaren or droppers deadly.
Scaling Dam: 189 rods 516 rainbows. 19 limit bags. Worm accounting for the majority of fish with samples nudging 6.0.0.
Grassholme: 311 anglers 795 trout. 30 limit bags. Fly and worm equally effective. Rainbows to 5.0.0.
Leighton: Fish rising to small green flies but mainly caught on buzzers, black fritz, and Dawson's olive. The largest rainbow took the scales to 10.4.0 for Charlie Newton of Darlington who opted for a black fritz gold head. 147 visitors totalled 435 trout.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: *Woodland Lakes Open (71 pegs) Partridge & Skylark Lakes. Tickets on 01845 / 526110.
Sunday: *DBT AA Lartington Charity Match on Snipe, Lane Fox and Willowgarth Ponds. *Shotton & District Match at Eden Meadows. *York Tackle Spring Series (6th & final match) Poole Bridge Farm. *Oaks Sessay Open Maple Lake. *York & District AA Open Laybourne Lakes.
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