The country's rivers are again open for Coarse Fishing with the 'glorious 16 June' now past.

River levels are the lowest I can remember after such a long dry spell and a successful early season trip will mean looking for flow with a pool or slack below rapids potentially full of fish and the deeper water opposite almost devoid of fish.

Winners in this Sunday's many river fixtures will definitely need to pull out such a peg.

In Heat 3 of the Turners Tackle 2004 qualifiers Map Elton's Nigel Hargreaves booked his place in the big money Final with a convincing 37.0.0 haul at Brompton's Broken Brea Fishery.

Nigel on peg 13 opted for a pole and paste attack and caught all carp of various sizes.

Eddie Bridon of Shimano Quaker followed on nearby peg 15 but decided to try his luck on the feeder and corn netting another all carp return which took the scales to 28.5.0.

Heatwave conditions ruled out any bumper weights during the Darlington BT Annual Brother George Memorial and anglers split between Lane Fox and Willowgarth ponds had to work for their fish.

Darlington's Lance Todd drew on Willowgarth and fronted the score sheet with a level 15.0.0.

Utilising punched bread on the pole a bonus common carp of 8.6.0 put him firmly on his way adding two bream and two skimmers to seal the verdict.

A big carp of 10.0.0 and a lone tench both falling to waggler and corn resulted in second spot for Freddy Simpson also of Darlington who registered 12.3.0 from Lane Fox Pond.

At the Woodland Lakes on Wednesday the first semi-final of the Open Matchmen of the Year kicked off and the elite line tested their skills on Skylark and Partridge Lakes.

The pressure was on and everything to fish for. The match was decided by Map Elton's John Chapman who showed off his expertise bagging 99.15.0 narrowly missing the ton up.

John on Skylark 21 found an abundance of barbel to bomb and meat and pole and meat and then added some late carp to put the conclusion well beyond doubt.

Ace rod Shimano Mustad's Alan Scotthorne with 85.9.0 followed.

Sat opposite the winner on peg 15 Alan tempted half of his carp and chub catch up in the water as the rest fell to long pole and meat off the deck with a few barbel offering a bit of variety.

Others: D Smith (Map Elton) 82.9.0; B Sowerby (Knaresborough) 73.2.0; D Taylor (Diawa Goldthorpe) 70.10.0; R Sing (Map Elton) 66.9.0.

Wednesday's Regular Slot - Kestrel Curlew and Wagtail (55 pegs): 1 Stuart Melmore (Oldham) 77.3.0; 2 Bill Blythe (Newman Scott) 67.9.0; 3 G Bowes (RSPS Tek Neek Trabucco) 62.0.0.

Saturday's Open - Partridge & Skylark Lakes (sell-out 71 pegs): 1 Phil Sellars (Elton Tackle) 83.0.0; 2 Gordon Poole (Map Elton) 79.9.0; 3 John Chapman (Map Elton) 61.7.0.

In the Oaks match at Sessay on Thursday Steve Rothery under the Daylight Baits banner deposed Harrogate Angling Supplies Adie Mitchell recording 71.12.0.

Quantity rather than quality prevailed and Steve on Maple 15 stuck to the favoured pellet and located all his carp at six metres and with nothing over 3.0.0 there was plenty of bites.

FIXTURES

Tomorrow: Woodland Lakes Open - Tickets 01845 / 526110.

Sunday: DBT AA Bambridge Cup River Swale at Ellerton. Idle & Thackley AA Open River Swale, Swainby. Tickets 01274 / 618569. Yarm AA June Open (100 pegs) Lower Tees Yarm. Tickets 01642 / 786444. Northallerton and District AC Non Plus Cup River Swale at Scruton. Thornaby AA Derek A Lea Memorial Trophy River Tees Croft to Hurworth. Bradford No1 AA Rose Bowl River Nidd Cowthorpe. Richmond AS Spencer Cup River Swale Broken Brea. York & District Open River Ouse above York.