The weekend's matches fell foul of the weather once again - the most notable casualty being, as predicted, the fourth round of the York Winter League.

The reserve match will now have to be brought into play but this leaves no further room for cancellations.

One of the few river matches fished in Yorkshire was Sunday's Knaresborough Open, which was fished on a swollen River Nidd.

With the river two feet up at the start and rising a further foot surprisingly a dozen of the 48-strong field caught fish. All had a single chub, so it was a case who had the biggest.

That honour went to York's Pete Miller (Marsh Tackle), who used bomb and maggot at peg 117 on Chapmans Bottom for his 'rub a dub' of 4lb9oz.

Tony Baxby (Knaresborough) was also at Chapmans where he used the lobby to tempt his fish of 3lb15oz.

Others: Stuart Holt (Dam Brighouse Geers) and Paul Cooksey (Claro) both 3-5-0, Ray Gilby (Ripon) 3-0-0, Terry Morgan (Marsh Tackle) 2-11-8.

The entry at Raker Lakes was swollen to 24 by flooded-off river anglers and the silver fish responded well to the milder conditions.

It was still the odd carp that proved the difference and Paul Connelley (Hull Sports) found two at peg 19.

Fishing pole and maggot at 18 metres accounted for his brace that weighed around 4lb apiece.

A switch to 12 metres found another 7lb of roach and skimmers boosting him to a level 15lb.

Close behind was Richard Cavell (Leeds Juniors) who had a similar catch of three carp, plus silver fish for 14lb10oz from peg 27.

Others: Stuart Falkingham (Leeds) 13-3-0, Paul Kozyra (Anglers Corner), John Cosgrove (Anglers Corner) 8-12-0, Al Martindale (Tang Hall) 8-10-0.

With the Ouse at Widdington lapping at the top of the banks the 33-entry Bob Co tackle match was always going to be tough and in the end only three anglers broke a pound.

Nigel Hirst (Hirst Tackle) made full use of a near side slack behind the bush on peg 45, where he pole-fished maggot for a 12oz skimmer, plus small roach, for 1lb14oz.

Jim Jordan (Team Daiwa Armley Angling) and Tony Hewson (Team Daiwa Armley Angling) both used lobworm for roach braces scaling 1lb1oz.

Others: Stan Haigh (Anglers World) 0-10-8, Ricky Bonas (Hirst Tackle) and Tony Webster (Hirst Tackle) both 0-9-8.

With the Woodlands complex at Carlton Minniot starting to thaw out entries are gradually creeping up again and with the water still cold the fish are tightly shoaled.

Geoff Leyton (North Ormesby) found himself sat on a lump of fish in Sunday's 48 pegger on Skylark and Partridge.

Fishing a small maggot feeder at Partridge peg three he alternated single and double maggot to keep carp to 4lb coming, finishing on 32lb2oz.

Alan Barker (Sheffield) was the best of the chasing pack with a level 16lb taken on the same tactics as the winner from Skylark 32.

Others: Ken Dixon (Bradford) 14-14-0, Dave Wilson (Elton Tackle) 10-0-0, Alan Copperthwaite (KL Tackle) 8-13-0, Nigel Hargreaves (Elton Tackle) 8-8-0.

The previous day had seen a much tighter contest with Tony Neesom (Ripon) topping the 28-entry on the same two lakes.

Drawn on Partridge eight he used the standard maggot feeder combination for 19lb1oz of small carp.

Updated: 13:37 Wednesday, February 14, 2001