There were plenty of carp still in evidence in the opening round of the winter series of angling matches at Raker Lakes, which produced a promising result.

With venue experts Paul Kozyra and John Cosgrove giving the others a head start, anglers from the West Riding took most of the fish.

The winner was 14-year-old Wayne Nolan (Leeds Juniors). Drawn at 'hot' peg 21 he fished tight across to the trees at 16 metres. Baiting with corn he tempted a string of small carp to a pound for his winning 35lb 8oz.

At the next peg, 22, Neil Horne (Armley Angling) fished pole and meat for his all-carp bag of 33lb 3oz.

Others: Andy Geldard (Leeds) 31-10-0; Dave Geldard (Boston Spa) 25-10-0; Dave Sherwood (Anglers Corner) 22-2-0; Paul Connolly (Hull Works) 19-6-0.

It was big fish or bust on a coloured Wharfe at Smaws Ings, and they don't come much bigger than a 20lb 4oz common carp.

Vic Rookes (Glen) bagged that to win the 67-peg match from peg 44 opposite Leeds wall end. Fishing bomb and worm he added a few perch and eels to win with 22lb 9oz.

Paul Claydon (Tadcaster) tackled 'form' peg three with caster feeder and worm and took three slabs for a 19lb to beat of the bream challenges of Tom Gausden (Anglers World) and Trevor Werritt (Leeds), who both had a brace for 13lb 9oz and 10lb 14oz from pegs 55 and 56 by the gauging station.

Others: Dave Higgins (Leeds) 9-12-0; Ron Purdey (Tadcaster) 9-11-0.

Another superb match on Maple Lake at the Oaks saw 35lb needed to top every section in Sunday's 53-entry match.

Pete Costello (Sensas Garbolino) added to the growing band of trans-Pennine raiders who have scored at the North Yorkshire complex by winning from peg 45. Fishing pole and maggot up the shelf he netted lots of small carp to 12oz for his 54lb 14oz.

Gary Pawlett (The Oaks) moved into the Kamasan final with his 43lb 8oz from peg 55. Fishing pole and pellet into open water he netted carp to 2lb.

Others: Glen Jewitt (Armley Angling) 43-7-0; Mark Vanderkamp (Sensas Garbolino) 43-4-0; Paul McMahon (Sensas Garbolino) 41-12-0; Mick Herrington (Headingley Angling) 41-3-0.

The Tetley Cup match on the Ure at Ripon saw 49 struggle with floodwater on the deeps section downstream of Hewick Bridge.

Terry Morgan legered wasp grub at a peg above the yacht station, where it was picked up by a fine specimen barbel of 10lb 2oz. A couple of small chub boosted his catch to 12lb 7oz.

There was a tie for second place between York's Steve Hodson and Dave Robson, of Selby. Hodson had a mixed bag of roach and eels on pole and maggot. Robson netted ten quality roach on stick float and maggot. Both anglers scaled 5lb 4oz.

Others: Ray Gilby (Ripon) 5-0-0; Paul Wood (Airborough) 4-14-0; Tommy Pitts (Marsh Tackle) 4-13-0.

Updated: 12:41 Wednesday, October 24, 2001