Angling

Pegged between Hutton Beck and Barn Island below Hewick Bridge, the river was a foot up at the onset.

Local ace Cliff Lofthouse made the most of his draw and was into chub from the word go. Fishing peg 213 on the willowgarth above the North Bridge, Cliff on the feeder and caster swiftly took ix fish in the first six casts, then added another four chub and three grayling before conditions deteriorated.

Thankfully at that point victory was in the bag with 34.12.0 in his keepnet. For the rest of the duration Cliff sat out the match watching a motionless tip as the water kept on rising.

Armley's Steve Beckwith on 207 returned 24.14.0. Working feeder and maggot down the side accounted for 11 early chub followed by Steve Aldridge of Aireborough nine chub to feeder and wasp grub for 20.8.0.

Best of the rest: Tommy Marshall (Turners Tackle) 18.12.0; Rob Pickles (KL Tackle) 16.10.0; Graham Skirrey (Turners Tackle) 14.5.0.

Conditions were against big weights on the River Swale running 2.5 foot above normal for Saturday's Middlesbrough Zetland Trophy. Nevertheless the top five all required over 10.0.0 and for Bentley Angling Centre's Steve Evans. He thought he was on course to break the match record.

The match began at 10.30 and 45 minutes later he'd over 20.0.0 in the net. Opposite the stakes below Holme Lane End using feeder and bread down the middle bites were virtually on the drop - five quality chub in the first six casts but then all hope disappeared when the fish suddenly vanished. After countless changes to bring about a revival a sixth and final chub accepted a legered lobworm cast well down his peg to make for a super 23.13.0.

The aptly named specimen hole 207 delivered for Brotherton's Simon McArdle when feeder and wasp grub in the margins made for 17.15.0 of chub from Rob Stubbs (Darlington) 14.14.0; Paul Werrett (Bradford) 12.11.0 and John Bath (Kippax) 10.2.0

It was a runaway victory during the Darlington Brown Trout Grayling Cup for Darlington's Dave Hanson on the Tees. A bag of 10.8.0 pushed Dave well clear of the rest on a difficult river carrying extra water.

Pegged one below the little weir at Low Coniscliffe stickfloat alternating maggot and redworm brought 24 fish.

Next came Middlesbrough's Dave Alderson, also at Coniscliffe on the Hud stream, who stuck solely to the maggot collecting 15 small grayling for 5.8.0.

It was a chublet affair on the Lower Tees with all the action centred on the Fisheries Bend pegs between 130 & 146 for Yarm AA's Sweepstake.

Keith Jones of Yarm grabbed the verdict netting 8.7.0. Sat on peg 137 groundbait feeder and maggot combination into the middle encouraged nine chub and a few dace holding off Derek Reaney four swims below. Swapping between bread maggot and worm hookbaits via the feeder totalled 7.15.0.

Odd pockets of bream throughout the 96 peg match length decided the honours for the fourth round of the York Winter League on a swollen Ouse.

In the pumping station peg two at Fulford, Cobblers John Miller had three decent bream enough on the day recording 9.4.0 as groundbait feeder and double red maggot worked a treat.

The rocky culvert in Donkey Woods came up trumps for Tang Hall MG's Trevor Price in second place. Opting for chopped worm and feeder five skimmer bream and three roach took the scales to 7.1.0.

Mitre won the day with a combined team weight of 19.1.0 and with two matches left now hold a narrow two point advantage over Cochranes Shipyard.

Top three teams on the day: 1 Mitre 19.1.0; 2 Wibsey 16.7.8; 3 Tang Hall MG 15.9.0.

Overall placings: 1 Mitres 43 pts; 2 Cochranes 41; 3 Wibsey 40.

Carp Scene

Woodlands Lakes (Wed) Kestrel Partridge Skylark & Wagtail (36 rods): 1 A Sparling (York Fire Service) 22.14.0; 2 G Poole (Map Elton) 17.8.0; 3 G Moore (Elton Tackle) 15.11.0.

Saturday's match attracted 72 competitors spread around the many match lakes on site and Dragonfly proved the hot place to draw with the top three all fishing there.

In form peg ten saw Tri Cast Whizzo's John Allerton put together 43.3.0 of quality carp as the long pole and sweetcorn tempted samples up to 6.0.0 off the island ledge.

Team Shimano Quaker's Eddie Bridon on peg 15 adopted identical tactics but frustratingly failed to locate any quality fish - his heaviest just 3.0.0 on his way to a second place bag of 29.15.0

Sunday's match - 7 match lakes (61 rods): 1 D Smith (Map Elton) 25.6.0; 2 G Poole (Map Elton) 20.7.0; 3 M Coyne (Map Elton) 19.12.0.

It was a close call during Sunday's Oaks Open at Sessay with less than a pound separating first and second.

Raygill's Andy Purvis got the shout thanks to some better quality carp up to 3.0.0. Andy on Maple 41 went across at 13 metres on the corn to finish with 24.6.0 from John Allerton Tri Cast Whizzo 23.9.0.

Jubilee Lakes Redworth: Catches tumbled as a result of low temperatures however, the venue renown for its heavyweight rainbows didn't disappoint.

Harry Rowland from Richmond grassed a real beauty of 16.7.0 on a Cat's whisker, which along with white lures generally proved the most successful fished slowly on an intermediate or sinker.

Paul Hull of Evenwood grassed specimens of 15.4.0 and 11.6.0 during a week when visitors averaged 2.5 fish a rod.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: *Woodland Lakes Open

Sunday: *Black OX AC Tom Bradley Trophy Bedale Beck - Leeming. *Knaresborough Pisc. Open River Nidd. Tickets on 01423 / 880262. *Tadcaster APA Open River Wharfe - Smaws Ings. Tickets on 01937 / 832972. *Leeds DASA Open River Ouse Hunters Lodge. *Idle & Thackley Open River Swale - Swainby. Tickets 01274 / 618569. *Yarm AA Prince Charles Trophy Lower Tees. *Woodland Lakes Open. *Oaks Sessay Open Maple Lake.