A staggering new record was set on the middle reaches of the Swale on Saturday when Kippax's Johnny Bath bagged 79.10.0 during the Middlesbrough AC Anglers Choice Rosebowl fished between Gatenby and Baldersby.

Patience and little and often drip feeding with caster and maggots certainly paid dividends. The match was half over before Johnny's swim exploded into action.

Fishing Stubthorn Sands edging the waggler and alternating hookbaits it took 23 chub and two grayling to smash the current five hour Gatenby best, which previously stood at 54.11.0 set back in 1997.

Brotherton's Simon McArdle put together another excellent bag of 51.12.0 yet was only good enough to fill second place.

On the bend at Maunby feeder fishing wasp grub tamed a bigger stamp of fish resulting in 15 hefty chub from farside willow cover.

Others: Jeff Herbert (RSPS Tek Nek Trabucco) 29.4.0; Steve Taylor (RSPS Tek Nek Trabucco) 21.12.0; Peter Hyde (Marsh Tackle) 19.9.0

In Round four of the North East Winter League dace dominated on the Tees and hotspots were the shallows upstream of Nellies Beck and Fisheries Bend downstream of the Town Bridge.

Yarm Piscatorials Mick Broadley showed he's still a force to be reckoned with on the stickfloat beating all the pole men with 10.2.0.

Mick on peg 81 worked the maggot to keep small dace coming all match.

It was a tie for second spot between Newman Scott rods Alan Lepatourel and Phil Arnold netting 9.12.0 apiece.

Alan 2 pegs above the winner took dace on the pole and squat while Phil on Fisheries Bend located roach and dace on the pole and maggot.

The rising Diawa Cleveland clocked another victory beating the league leaders Newman Scott by 6 points on the day and now lie nicely poised for the two remaining fixtures at Yarm.

League to date: 1 Newman Scott 8pts; jt 2 Diawa Cleveland & Team Shimano Quaker 10; jt 4 Shotton MG & Dick Clegg Metro 24; jt 6 Yarm Piscatorials & Bill. Tackle Box 26.

It was a nice winter level that greeted competitors on the Tees below Coniscliffe and seven good bags were taken during the Darlington BT AA match.

Darlington's Ray Ingram pegged one above the Skernemouth at Croft float fished caster into midriver locating 11 small chub for 19.7.0.

Then Shildon's Jim Blades followed from below the bridge where he waggler fished caster to the island side picking up 7 chub for 15.8.0 from Harry Growcock also Shildon 14.8.0 and Bobby Trees Darlington 14.6.0.

There was a fair bit of drama during Sunday's Hammond Trophy on the Ouse. Eventual winner Marsh Tackle's Peter Hyde below the little sand bed at Poppleton sat for 3 hours without a bite and decided to go for a walk.

On returning to his swim a bream rolled and the rest as they say is history. Peter took five bream up to 6.0.0 in a mad last hour on the groundbait feeder with caster and worm for 24.13.0.

Runner up Andy Miller of Waterline Wibsey also fished a match he won't forget. Pegged two below the Killingbeck a switch from feeder to waggler for the remaining two hours resulted in 17.4.0 of prime roach up to the pound mark on the caster.

Knaresborough Piscatorial's Howard Robinson Memorial on the River Nidd ended with a clear win for local man Charlie Stainsby.

Downstream of the Sawmills weir above the wood waggler and maggot cast towards far bank into a shallow glide brought four chub and one grayling for 14.5.0.

Legered maggot accounted for two barbel and a grayling registering 9.7.0 for next best John Hay of Dunelm, four below the weir.

Ferryhill Grayling Match River Swale Catterick: 1 Ron Heridge 3.12.0 (6 fish); 2 Tony Baharia 3.7.0 (5 fish); 3 Peter Baharia 2.13.0 (2 fish) including the best one of the match 1.3.0.

Carp round-up

Oaks Sessay: The opening match on the brand new 80 peg Cedar Lake at Sessay on Sunday was almost a sell out and the freshly stocked small carp produced a string of 30 pound plus nets during a tight curtain raiser.

Venue regular Steve Webley notched his first victory off peg 18 putting 36.8.0 on to the scales.

The bottom of the farside ledge held a shoal of carp around the pound mark and Steve alternated maggot and pellet on the pole at 11 metres.

Gareth Drury of Harrogate Angling Supplies finished 1-0-0 adrift picking up carp at 12 metres on maggot to the island side for 35.8.0 off peg 8.

Woodland Lakes (Wed) - 59 pegs: 1. A Warren (Elton Tackle) 45.6.0; 2 A Scotthorne (Shimano Mustad) 45.5.0; 3 G Smith (Northallerton) 45.3.0.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: Woodland Lakes Open (71 pegs) Tickets on 01845 / 526110

Sunday: Yarm AA Bill Simpson Trophy Lower Tees.

Calder League Round 5 River Calder around Brighouse

Ripon Piscatorials Open (80 pegs) River Ure - Hutton Beck to Hewick Bridge. Tickets on 01765 / 605467

Busters visit the Tees at Over Dinsdale.

Oaks Sessay Open.

Yorkshire WL (3) Ouse

Tadcaster APA Open River Wharfe around Smaws Ings. Tickets (01937) 832972.