Angling

First off John gave a sizzling performance hauling out a magnificent bag of 61.1.0 during Saturday's Open at the Woodland Lakes on a day when cold easterly winds chilled the 80 strong field.

Fishing Mallard Lake's peg 5 John picked off all carp from the island corner netting mirrors up to 5.8.0 offering corn on the pole at 17 metres.

It was the same tactics but a long way behind on weight when Mark Turner of Leeds Loonies delivered 32.4.0 off Dragonfly's peg four.

Best of the rest: G Poole (Map Elton) 31.8.0; P Jones (Map Elton) 28.10.0.

The following day John fished the Oaks Sessay Open on Maple Lake and kept up his amazing form.

John on peg 49 swapped between eight metres in the deeper channel and across at 13 metres. Small carp on the maggot responded but a bonus fish of 6.0.0 proved invaluable at the weigh in boosting his score to 27.6.0.

Runner up Roger Holmes of Map Elton sat on peg 8 and also switched between two lines on the maggot making for 20.9.0.

Sunday's 68 pegger at the Woodlands split between Skylark Partridge and Kestrel resulted in another double. Last Sunday's winner on the complex, Team Shimano Quakers' Mick Lovelass did it again when his all carp bag of 59.2.0 dominated the scoresheet to leave the rest fishing for second place.

On Skylark Lake's peg nine Mick tackled his swim on the pole and corn at 13 metres to lift the majority of his net, which included samples to 4.0.0.

Weights then took a nosedive and for Elton Tackle's Peter Riley casting towards the aerator off Kestrel 32 got amongst the fish collecting tench barbel chub ide and small carp all to maggot feeder approach for 22.2.0.

Wednesday's Open - Curlew Kestrel Partridge Skylark & Wagtail (59 pegs): 1 P Clarke (Hirst Tackle) 37.2.0 Peg 21 Curlew - all carp on maggot feeder; 2 D Hayes (Castleford Bakery) 30.5.0; 3 M Kaye (Elton Tackle) 20.11.0.

On the region's rivers the Tees came up 18" overnight and subsequently took the cheer out of Thornaby AA's Xmas match on the Croft to Hurworth match length.

Odd chub figured for many and Darlington's Barry Stephenson tempted four to record 7.11.0.

Staked above the ringfield at Hurworth feeder and bread just short of the middle located the winning quartet.

Then came Darlington's Malcolm Clitheroe who also netted four chub but of a smaller stamp. On peg 81 in the ringfield a farside approach on feeder and bread resulted in 6.10.0.

The Ouse below the city was 2ft up for the popular York & District Fur & Feather and although all the 27 prizes were claimed catches were badly affected by the conditions.

Fished between Fulford and Middlethorpe Tim Harrison of Anglers World Holidays returned 3.15.0 enough to beat the big turn out.

Pegged two below the sand bed in Donkey Wood groundbait feeder with both worm and red maggot proved irresistible bringing in two skimmer bream backed by two small roach.

Hot on his heels Nigel Baker of Anglers Corner had the next best of 3.9.0.

The pole and maggot at seven metres in the cable peg at Fulford produced small roach and perch in the slack water.

On the Hunters Lodge, Linton and Thorpe Underwood sections of the Ouse a grandstand finish saw Hirst Tackle's Dave Pollitt pip travelling companion Martin Highe by a mere 2ozs in the Leeds Fur & Feather.

Dave drew peg 261 near the middle entry at Linton and caught roach and perch on the stickfloat and maggot on the long rod. Victory came in the final few minutes grabbing a pound roach and a perch of 1.8.0.

Meanwhile Martin two below the Willowgarth on 188 adopted identical tactics accumulating 70 small roach for an arm-aching 6.14.0 from Steve Bolton (Armley) 6.5.0.

The Cowthorpe reaches of the River Nidd were only 6" up for the Bradford No 1 AA Daily Mirror Cup yet the expected small silver fish failed to materialise. Once noted for its quality dace and grayling it was chub or bust to get ahead for the 72 competitors.

Aireborough's Keith Mottram put 12.11.0 onto the scales from peg 66 on the dog kennels length.

A nearside slack held chub and Keith extracted four at intervals on the bomb and lobworm to see off the opposition.

There was a tie for second place with 8.8.0. Adrian Lewis two above the weir feeder fished wasp grub taming two chub while fellow Bradford rod John Taylor on the bottom of the Kennels stretch picked up three on the waggler and maggot.

Others: G Bass (Bradford) 6.14.8; I Lumb (Turners Tackle) 6.14.0; A Fox (Bradford) 6.4.0.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: *Middlesbrough AC Fur & Feather Middle Swale - Gatenby to Baldersby (200 pegs). Tickets on 01642 / 899288. *Woodland Lakes Open. Telephone 01845 / 526110.

Sunday: *Idle & Thackley AA Xmas Cheer Open River Swale - Swainby. Tickets on 01274 / 618569. *Yarm AA Fur & Feather Lower Tees - Yarm. *Ripon Pisc. Bramley Trophy Xmas Match River Ure - Barn Island to Bishop Monkton. *Billingham SAC Tees - Over Dinsdale. *Durham City AC Xmas Cheer Open River Wear - Shincliffe to Chester Moor. *Tadcaster APA Open River Wharfe - Smaws Ings. Tickets on 01937/ 832972. *Thornaby AA Festival Cup River Tees - Croft to Hurworth. *Yorkshire WL (4) River Ouse - Fulford & Middlethorpe. *Woodland Lakes Fur & Feather Open (150 pegs). *Oaks Sessay Open Maple Lake. *Thirsk AC Fur & Feather Open River Swale - Skipton to Baldersby St James (60 pegs). Tickets on 01845 / 524633.