Sunday sees Marley Lake at the Laybourne Lakes complex playing host to the York Amalgamation Early Spring Match.

With temperatures at the back end of the week more like mid-summer, the action could be frantic.

Unless fish are preoccupied with spawning duties, which seems unlikely given the sudden rise in temperatures, some bumper catches could be taken by the sell-out entry.

The only other booking on York venues sees Tang Hall WMC venture to Park View Lake where bream have been feeding well in recent days.

Raker Lakes at Wheldrake were in sparkling form last weekend with numerous catches in excess of 40lb from both Horseshoe and Acorn Lakes.

Floating bread was taking the bulk of fish on Horseshoe with a floating pole set-up being utilised to fish tight to the far-side cover.

The margins will also produce to pellet or meat with fish hugging the near-bank tree cover.

Floating baits have accounted for some brilliant catches at Carpvale, where bags of 20 carp to 7lb have been taken from Cyprio Lake.

Plenty of fish of a smaller stamp have also succumbed to surface baits on the Front Pond, where anglers have been using a surface controller float of bread popped-up from a bomb rig to reach the more distant island features.

Some huge tench are still featuring in catches from the Match Lake. A huge tinca of 7lb 8oz was banked by local rod Gary Watson on pole and double red maggot from peg 26.

Anglers probably spend more time next to rivers and streams than any other section of the public and we are therefore ideally situated to help the York Natural Environment Trust (YNET) in their ongoing survey for the presence of water voles. Water voles, you may recall Ratty from Wind in the Willows, are not in fact rats but much smaller with a stubby blunt nose and a short tail.

They could be confused with their more ubiquitous, longer-tailed and pointy nosed cousin but with good views identification should be straightforward.

They are a regular sight on the River Foss around Huntington and, with the help of observant anglers, YNET are hoping to build up a much fuller picture of their abundance and distribution in the York area so that their habitat can be protected. Sightings can be reported to the York Amalgamation Secretary or the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

Bookings

Saturday, May 6: No bookings.

Sunday, May 7: Laybourne Lakes (Pool closed) Marley, all pegs - YDA of A Early Spring match; Park View Lake - Tang Hall WMC AC.

Wednesday, May 10: Laybourne Lakes (Pool closed all day) Marley, all pegs - YDA of A Veteran's Early Spring match, draw at 1pm.

Updated: 10:31 Friday, May 05, 2006