ANGLING is becoming more popular - and that's official.

According to a recent report by the Environment Agency, the sales of rod licences for the first half of the year were 22 per cent higher than for the equivalent period last year.

The news could be even rosier once the figures for direct debit sales have been included and the peak in sales over the school summer holidays is taken into account.

A number of reasons have been advanced for the increases.

Active licence promotion by the Agency and a crackdown on licence evasion are part of the story; the greater availability of purpose-built, high quality stillwater fisheries has also been an important contributory factor; and a halving in the price of a junior licence has proved popular, with 33 per cent increase in sales.

The report confirms the huge opportunities that exist to bring more people into the sport. Market research earlier this year confirmed that although nine per cent of the population in England and Wales had fished at least once in freshwater in the last two years, a further eight per cent were either 'very interested' or 'quite interested' in taking up angling.

The positive news has been welcomed by Roger Smith, chairman of the Angling Trades Association (ATA).

"I am delighted by the finding of the recent reports. Angling brings many important benefits to its participants by helping to forge friendships, engendering interest in and respect for the environment, and providing the ideal means of unwinding from the pressure of modern life," he said.

"The increase in angler numbers justifies the ATA's concerted campaigns to promote the sport to all. There are not many other social activities where people from all walks of life, backgrounds and ages are brought together for one common goal. This is just one of the key benefits that our sport has on society as a whole."

The Association is finalising plans for a major angling promotional initiative, to be announced shortly.

The heat-wave conditions experienced in the area this week has produced mixed fortunes for York-area fisheries.

Problems caused by low oxygen levels have seen a number of fish lost at a variety of stillwaters. However, carp anglers have been bagging at the same fisheries.

Carp are patrolling the very upper layers of water, where the most dissolved oxygen is usually present, and can be targeted on a variety of surface baits.

Many anglers use a floating pole as a method of presenting their bait tight to snags and other features. This is not for the faint-hearted and some hefty lines and elastics, coupled with a pole, that will take a battering are required.

A safer option is to use a controller float and fish a running line with a carp rod or even a beefy feeder rod. Try to fish with the breeze at your back so that your bait gradually drifts away from you and towards the fish.

Hookbaits range from large chunks of bread and marshmallows to dog food mixer and floating pellets. Hair-rigging the hook-bait gives a better chance of a hook hold and remember to wait until the float goes under before striking. Many a surface carp has escaped through an over strike at a fish inspecting the bait.

If the hot weather holds through to the weekend get down to your local carp pond with a loaf of bread and plenty of floating pellets and give the exciting surface fishing a whirl.

Weekend Bookings

Saturday: Beningbrough Park - Local AC, Park View Lake - CIU Saturday League

Sunday: Acaster - Burton Stone, Beningbrough Park - Acomb WMC, Howsham Hall - New Earswick, Poppleton - White Rose, Skip Bridge - Pudsey Royal, Tockwith - Sea Horse

Laybourne Lakes at Hessay was officially opened this week. Don't miss tomorrow's Evening Press on York's former national champion angler George Laybourne.

Updated: 08:47 Friday, August 08, 2003