THE most amazing match of the Bank Holiday weekend saw the top five all post nets of more than hundred pounds at the Willows on Monday.

Fish were feeding up in the water as the sun shone and anglers that cottoned on to this made the most of their seasonal bounty.

Danny Scott (United Baits) led the field from peg 59 on Goldrush Lake with a superb haul of 195lb. Offering pellet shallow against an island, it was non-stop action from whistle to whistle as 49 carp to 7lb came his way.

Fishery owner Paul Gallagher netted an excellent 152lb 4oz which would have resulted in an easy win on any other day. Using his intimate knowledge of the fishery, he targeted a shallow sub-surface bar at 16 metres from peg 50. Again pellet proved to be the key to success and he plundered carp to 6lb.

Steve Raper (Hirst Tackle) was the third of the century makers with his splendid 128lb 10oz from peg 58. Offering pellet at 14 metres, he lured carp to 7lb.

Vinny Smith (Tri-Cast) and Mark Rockingham (Leeds Angling Centre) were the other big hitters with 103lb and 102lb 12oz respectively.

Meat-based baits proved decisive at the Willows on Saturday and Lee Smith earned the big brown envelope by offering meat on the long pole at peg 53 to record an 83lb 8oz win as carp to 6lb responded.

Runner-up Dave Pollitt opted for catmeat fished at ten metres into open water off a peg 45 draw to take fish of a similar size on his way to a 78lb finish.

Result: 1 Lee Smith, Robin Hood, 83-8-0; 2 Dave Pollitt, Hirst Tackle, 78-0-0; 3 Steve Raper, Hirst Tackle, 71-4-0; 4 Mark Rockingham, Leeds Angling, 65-2-0; 5 Andy Barker, Woodside Tackle, 64-4-0; 6 Paul Clarke, Hirst Tackle, 58-2-0.


Langwith continues to attract anglers from all over the North and this week it was a Lancastrian who grabbed the lion's share of the money in a close match.

Rochdale-based Geoff Scott more than covered his petrol costs with a winning performance at peg eight on Anya's Lake where he offered pellet at seven metres to finish with 69lb 6oz of carp to two pounds.

Just a fish behind with 67lb 10oz was local man Pip Snaith, who used the same approach as the winner at peg one on Emma's Lake, which left Bill Pearson to follow suit at 23 on the same lake and complete the top three with 65lb 2oz.

Result: 1 Geoff Scott, Rochdale, 69-6-0; 2 Pip Snaith, York Tackle, 67-10-0; 3 Bill Pearson, Magnet, 65-2-0; 4 Dave Botham, Sensas Walton, 58-8-0; 5 Pete Suggett, Driffield, 54-4-0; 6 Wayne Kearney, Gilder's Tackle, 51-2-0.


A two-pronged approach using pellet and meat at peg 31 paid dividends for Daylite Bait's Rab Ogilvy in a wind-ravaged match at Oaktree Leisure on Sunday.

Working mainly at 14 metres to the shelter of the island, Ogilvy beat barbel and bream to 4lb and carp to double figures to finish with a solid 76lb 12oz.

At peg 13, Matt Seal, of Harrogate Angling, offered paste over pellet at 12 metres to clinch second spot with a level 61lb made up of carp to 8lb supported by bream.

Result: 1 Rab Ogilvy, Daylite Bait, 76-12-0; 2 Matt Seal, Harrogate Angling, 61-0-0; 3 Alex Mitchell, Harrogate Angling, 56-14-0; 4 Mike Babb, Reel Deal, 52-12-0; 5 Sean Walker, Reel Deal, 52-0-0; 6 Anthony Scarlett, Bob-Co, 43-0-0.


All the top nets at Woodlands fell to anglers pegged on Partridge pool at the prolific Carlton Minniot complex.

The Saturday open produced the best weight of the week with Greg Norris taking the plaudits for a splendid 195lb 10oz from peg 19.

Offering pellet at just six metres to combat the fierce wind, he found some quality carp in waiting topped off by a beautiful common of 12lb.

Gareth Mallon (Ultima) also fished short, targeting the margins of peg 18 with just six metres of carbon. Carp to 5lb found his pellets to their liking as he progressed towards a 159lb 12oz tally.

It was Partridge all the way in the Wednesday mid-weeker where Gareth Drury headed up an Oaks raiding party with 158lb 15oz of pellet-tempted carp at six metres from peg 32.

Team-mates Chris Hall and Rob Minikin weighed in with other mighty hauls of 126lb 4oz and 114lb.


Bookings

Tomorrow
No bookings.

Sunday
Laybourne Lakes Marley Pool (all pegs): YDA of A, early summer match.

Park View Lake (all pegs): York CIU angling section.