THE Animals Hospitals Cup fished on the Ouse below York provided one of the more memorable results from the venue in recent years, writes Darren Starkey.

The dire weather saw the river close to bursting its banks and a vote was taken on whether to fish.

Many opted for a refund of ticket money but 22 optimists ventured out.

With the Ouse carrying nearly ten feet of cold flood water it was nothing short of a miracle that virtually every angler caught fish and the top six all had hauls of four pounds or more.

Paul Claydon, of Tadcaster, led from a sheltered peg on the Palace bend.

Fishing a small groundbait feeder and worm on the edge of the slack water he found three bream to 3lbs, plus three roach and an eel for his winning 9lb 2oz.

Paul Burton took second from the top peg in the paddock where he had four skimmers to feeder and worm for 5lb 12oz.

Third went to another Tadcaster man, Dennis Salmon. He was the last peg in the catholes and used bomb and lob worm for a bream, plus two skimmers for 5lb 5oz.

Other leading performers were Tim Harrison with 5lb 2oz, Wayne Shilitto on 4lb 15oz and Chris Jewitt with 4lb 5oz.

It was not so good on the Wharfe at Snaws Ings where the only fish caught were eels. Paul Brown led with a dozen on lob worm from below the armchair hole for his 5lb 3oz.

Ron Purdy had half a dozen from peg 84 for his 2lb 6oz to head off Alistair Wilkes on 2lb 4oz and Bob Barker with 1lb 10oz.

Some 78 hardy souls battled with a River Ure swollen five feet above its normal level on Sunday. As expected the weights were nothing to write home about but winner Ray Underwood (Turners Tackle) wasn't complaining as he pocketed over £200 for one bite.

Drawn in the cow drink below the yacht station he legered close in with garlic cheese for a single chub of 4lb. Nick Smith (Airborough) had most fish on the day netting three roach, two eels and a perch on bomb and worm from the bridging site at Bishop Monkton. His mixed bag fell to lobbie and scaled 2lb 14oz.

Derek Emsley (Aireborough) was pegged below the winner and had two chub. His brace on worm went to 2lb 10oz.

Others: John Wilkinson (Aireborough) 2-1-0, Tommy Marshall (Turners Tackle) 1-14-0 and Malcolm Gardener (Big Waters) 1-10-0.

The fish on Maple Lake at the Oaks are starting to shoal up in the deeper water with the onset of winter.

Anglers fishing at the bottom of the near ledge found most fish in another excellent contest at the Sessay complex.

Andy Harker (Van den Eynde Goole) led from peg 46. Fishing maggot at five metres he had carp to 4lb in his 47lb 4oz haul. Ian Bowman (Maver Barnsley) was on peg 55 where he used the same tactics at six metres for his all-carp net of 41lb 13oz.

Others: John Chapman (Team NW) 39-4-0, John Clarke (Shadwell) and Sean O'Malley (Snaith) both 38-8-0; Dave Pimlott (Elton Tackle) 35-12-0.

Updated: 12:43 Wednesday, November 06, 2002