THE fourth round of the Yorkshire Winter League is the feature event on Sunday.

All waters on the Ouse below York will play host to around 80 anglers with Anglers World York looking to extend their lead at the top of the table on their local waters.

The region has seen biting cold winds cutting from the east during the course of the week with wind chill factors well below zero. There is an old angling saying that when the wind is in the east the fish bite the least.

I fear that Sunday's encounter may not be a classic with roach and perch likely to provide most of the action. Pegs on the Fulford bank should provide some respite from the icy blasts and the bottom pegs in the Palace Ings would be my fancy. Hardy souls not otherwise engaged may be able to get a fish in one of several sides who are short of anglers. Interested parties should call league organiser Stan Haigh on 01937 832949.

The Aire and Calder Canal at Pollington, near Selby, gets better in colder conditions with fish shoaling up tightly in the wides opposite the boats. Clubs affiliated to York Amalgamation can now book matches on this prolific stretch for just 50 pence per peg. Interested club secretaries should call Trevor Banks on 01405 860210.

The York Year Book remains unchanged in price for yet another year. The printers are hard at work at the time of writing and the books should be in the shops for Christmas.

The match programme for next year was announced this week with a number of notable date changes invoked in order to avoid clashes with potentially more attractive fixtures.

The revised calendar is: March 2 - Tadcaster Tower Rose Bowl; May 11 - Pocklington Canal Championship; May 18 and June 1 - Members matches are set for Laybourne Lakes; June 20 - Junior Championship; June 22 - First Sunday Open; August 6 - Veteran's Match, September 28 - WJC Noakes Cup; October 12 - Hospitals Cup; November 2 - Tower Trophy; November 16 - Animals Hospitals Cup; December 14 - Christmas Cheer.

Weekend Bookings

Sunday: All Below York - Yorkshire Winter League

Updated: 10:35 Friday, December 13, 2002