THE Ouse below York takes centre stage on Sunday with the John Smith's Hospital Cup booked on all York waters.

With no other major distractions locally, and an upcoming Winter League series to practice for, the entry may require the use of both banks.

The last contest on the same venue two weeks ago saw some excellent nets of roach and perch topped by a fine double figure taken by Mick Potter from the sunken wall at Fulford.

A recent pleasure catch of 17lb of roach taken on waggler and caster from directly opposite, on the Donkey Woods sand-bed, indicates that good numbers of fish are still in the area.

The Ouse has been up and down like a yo-yo in the last week and with rapidly plummeting night-time temperatures action could be a little slow in places. The river is still likely to be carrying extra water and perhaps the odd bream could make all the difference.

Despite Amalgamation signs still being in place at the car park at Wheldrake this stretch of the Derwent was relinquished several years ago due to lack of interest from anglers. Use it or lose it remains the motto.

Interest in the convenience fishing offered by the commercial circuit will surely wane at some point. What a shame if we have no river angling left to turn to.

A recent visit to the tidal reaches of the Ouse produced several double figure pike and a couple of anglers were bagging on bream from the day ticket stretch controlled by the Naburn Locks caravan site.

York members should note that they have access to the water directly opposite. If you want to give it a try, please bear in mind that the tide can rise by at least six feet there and does so relatively quickly.

My advice would be to try to arrive just before the top of the tide and fish at full tide and as the river begins to turn. Not only will you have the greatest depth and the slackest flow but also you won't be in danger of an inundation.

Tide tables are available from British Waterways who control the locks and navigation here.

The BWB also control the fishing on their section of the locks and in the weir pool where an angler had taken several good chub to 5lb on lures and all for the price of a £2.50 day ticket.

The River Foss is also worth a look this weekend. A couple of anglers were getting plenty of bites on the river at the rear of Walker's builders merchants on Navigation Road earlier this week with bread punch and pinkie generating a bite a chuck from roach, small skimmers and perch.

WEEKEND BOOKINGS

Saturday

No bookings

Sunday

All water below York - YDA of A John Smith's Hospital Cup; Beningbrough (Park) - Burton Stone Lane WMC; Howsham (opposite Hall)- Huntington WMC AC; Howsham (Paradise Farm) Coach & Horses AC; Poppleton - New Earswick AC; Stamford Bridge - York Angling Association.

Updated: 11:03 Friday, October 08, 2004