YORK-AREA clubs were out in force over the Bank Holiday weekend with commercial fisheries generally favoured.

One club that braved the river were Acomb, who tackled the Ouse at Fulford. An early start to avoid the worst of the armada of small boats was prudent but still the bream failed to play.

Despite potentially ideal river conditions with both colour and flow it was left to perch to make up most nets.

Graham Chappell won with an excellent all-perch bag from the top of the stones. Fishing pole and maggot he netted a level 9lb. Other leading lights were Robert Hayhurst with 4lb and Geoff Lane on 3lb 2oz.

York Juniors enjoyed another good match on the Front Pond at Carpvale on Wednesday with Oliver Kaye winning with a level 18lb.

Richard Woods reeled in 17lb 4oz, Carl Pulleyn 12lb 7oz and Tom Stead 10lb 5oz, the trio heading up a string of 7 to 9lb nets. Most anglers caught small carp on cat meat or floating bread.

The same venue hosted Mitre Angling Services on Sunday when Terry Carlton showed his class with a level 50lb winner. Barry Klar landed 39lb 9oz while Richard Milner's 39lb 2oz and Paul Dobson 38lb 14oz completed a tight frame.

Mick Addinall (Spectrum Autos) topped the 31-peg Tuesday evening open at the Willows with 37lb 8oz. The former Team Dobin man took carp to 3lb on pole and paste from peg 53.

Steve Newton (York) was runner-up with 38lb 4oz. He netted a mixed bag of carp, tench and skimmers on pole and pellet from peg 31. Ian Walker (Boston Spa) 27-2-0 and John Haw (Nomads) 24-9-0 were third and fourth respectively.

Colin Sherwood (York) won the Black Horse match at the Rising Sun fishery, near Aldwark, on Sunday with a straight 13lb. Like most other anglers he found only small fish willing to feed and netted roach, skimmers and crucians on pole and maggot.

Others weights: Alan Atkinson (York) 12-4-0; Chris Vipas (York) 8-12-0; Brian Pallister (Tollerton Pond) 7-10-0

The ton barrier must surely be broken soon at Woodlands as Dean Smith came within a whisker when setting a new five-hour match record to top Wednesday's 75 pegger.

Drawn Partridge 29, he fished meat over pellets at 13 metres to bag carp to 5lb throughout. His winning haul came up agonizingly short of the magic three figures at 99lb 14oz.

Ray Singh (MAP Elton) is still a man to be reckoned with at present. Sting Ray bagged 73lb 3oz of carp to 6lb on meat from Partridge 21.

Others weights: Steve Broughton (Armley Angling) 72-4-0; Brian Sowerby (Knaresborough) 60-8-0; Gordon Poole (MAP Elton) 59-10-0; Robert Jordan (KL Tackle) 55-13-0

Saturday's match at Woodlands was also a belter with 16 weights over 50lb in the 71 peg sell out on Skylark and Partridge.

It was Partridge that dominated the top of the leaderboard filling the top four places.

John Chapman (Keenets NW) led from Partridge 28 with 92lb 2oz. Fishing at 13 with small pieces of meat he fed sparingly with meat and pellets to catch carp to 4lb up in the water.

In-form Dean Smith (MAP Elton) continued his rise up the Kamasan table taking second from Partridge 6 opposite the winner. He too fished meat up in the water and had carp to 3lb for his 71lb 11oz.

Other weights: Wayne Bartholomew (Maver Barnsley) 63-13-0, Darryl Taylor (MAP Elton) 57-11-0, Brian Sowerby (Knaresborough) 57-10-0, Nigel Hargreaves (Elton Tackle) 57-8-0

Andy Stoner (Merlin Baits) had an easy win in Sunday's 64-entry on Maple Lake at the Oaks from peg 22.

Fishing cat meat down the track at seven metres he had carp to 6lb for his 56lb 4oz bag. Charlie Moran (Dick Clegg Ossett) fished pellet tight to the island from peg 20 where he took smaller carp to 3lb for his 46lb 14oz.

Other weights: Mark Lucas (Ted Carter Preston) 37-8-0, Mick Herrington (Headingley Angling Centre) 37-0-0, Danny McGuire (Preston Innovations) 35-4-0, Gary Pawlett (Oaks) 34-3-0

Updated: 11:53 Wednesday, August 28, 2002