THE angling highlight of the weekend is the long-awaited debut of Laybourne Lakes at Hessay.

York Amalgamation have invested heavily in the complex over the last two years and the purpose-built and heavily-stocked lakes will be showcased on Sunday.

There are around 120-purpose built pegs spread over the two lakes that are brimming with fish of all species. With nearly 100 double figure carp in the waters, a big winning weight is predicted.

Chris Jewitt from Tollerton Ponds is running a series of evening matches on Kingfisher Lake starting next Wednesday. The draw will take place at the lakeside from 5.30pm until 6pm with fishing until around 9pm. Pools are £11 all in which includes ticket money and a £1 golden peg fund.

Another fishery hosting an extra event is the Willows where Cath Gallagher is running a Bank Holiday Monday Open on May 26. Anglers wishing to fish should book first and meet in the car park. The draw takes place at 11am with fishing from 12-6pm. Tickets are £15 all-in.

The venue has been in good form recently with plenty of bigger carp and tench falling to meat or paste from Ridgepool. Pegs eight to 15 are generally consistent with pegs three to six excellent for big ide and orfe. On Goldrush, any peg will produce lots of small carp, ide, chub and tench with caster or pellet both good for mixed species catches.

There are plenty of smaller carp and bream showing in the front pond at Carpvale where pellet and paste sorts out the better fish. Floating bread is also producing some better carp, especially in Cyprio Lake with fish to 16lb in the last few days.

Poole Bridge Farm at Wheldrake is on top form for silver fish at present with 20 to 30lb of quality roach and skimmers possible from most pegs. The roach are best targeted by fishing shallow with a single caster and loose feeding plenty of the same to get the fish boiling on the surface. Skimmers love the chopped worm which also accounts for its fair share of red fins.

At Raker Lakes, it is the long pole that often dominates the open matches but pleasure anglers are bagging plenty of good quality carp to double figures by fishing to the marginal cover that is prevalent in most of the 30 pegs on Horseshoe Lake. The humble bread flake is as good as anything more high-tech but cat meat and corn will also score.

Despite last Sunday's disappointing Pocklington Canal Championship when only two anglers managed a single tench each, pleasure anglers have fared much better.

One early bird took five fish at Hagg Bridge, ironically on the worm, with a best of 6lb 6oz. Bream seem to be feeding best at the end of the day rather than at the beginning with a bag of half a dozen fish to 5lb the best reported.

Updated: 10:07 Friday, May 16, 2003