The Mick Grainge Memorial on the Middle Swale organised by Middlesbrough Angling Club and the River Swale Preservation Society proved a Marsh Tackle clean up with the Leeds based anglers sweeping the first three places, writes Jeff Herbert.

Back down to something like normal winter level most competitors located chub from a river barely a foot up.

Staged between Gatenby and Baldersby, it was left to Lower Tees record holder Peter Hyde to lead the triumphant trio recording 17.10.0.

Drawing at Holme top opposite the gutter seven chub arrived at intervals, four on the stickfloat and 3 on the bomb alternating caster bread and cheese hookbaits down the crease.

Not far behind Yorkshire circuit stalwart Tommy Pitts sat on the end peg at Ainderby and utilised feeder and bomb with both wasp grub and meat delivering 6 chub for 16.7.0.

Best of the rest: Terry Morgan (Marsh Tackle) 13.15.0. Steve Newns (KL Tackle) 13.8.0 Johnny Bath (Kippax) 12.10.0 Rob Stubbs (Darlington) 11.5.0.

Dace made a welcome return in anglers' nets during the Yarm AA Bill Simpson Trophy on the Lower Tees.

Cleveland Angling Centre's Chris Hawkes leapt to the top of the scoresheet notching up the day's only double figured net of 12.4.0 from a field of 61.

Pegged on 84 at Lambs stream Chris alternated maggot and caster on the pole to keep the dace coming.

Meanwhile Team Shimano Quaker's Brian Armstrong initially brought in small chub across on the feeder and bread off the Harkers Farm length before switching to an inside line and temping dace to stickfloat and maggot for 8.13.0 from teamate Paul Jackson 8.6.0.

In the Darlington BT Xmas Cheer & Cloke Memorial match split between the Tees and Swale Darlington's John Fairless more than doubled the next best hammering out 18.14.0.

Scene of the action happened above Croft road bridge on the Tees. Cage feeder and liquidised bread accounted for ten small chub.

Fellow rod Mark Burgess three above the Chalk Hole at Low Coniscliffe pulled out a single chub on feeder and bread then opted for a nearside stickfloat and maggot approach adding several grayling to finish with 9.1.0 followed by Ken Close (RSPS Tek Neek Trabucco) 7.2.0 Bobby Trees (Darlington) 6.10.0.

York's local Winter League on the Ouse below the city has a tremendous history of big turnouts and it was no surprise that 101 lined the banks for this season's opening fixture.

The river was 18" up and rose slowly throughout but most competitors caught. Barlby Stores John Cryowski helped his team to victory when he put 13.8.0 onto the scales for individual honours.

Above the 'long flier' at Middlethorpe feeder and worm tactics resulted in five skimmer bream adding 4lbs of perch on the pole at 7 metres fishing maggot over chopped worm.

Second man Peter Hodgson of York Tackle A swapped about like the winner taking 2 skimmers on the feeder backed by quality perch at 10m on the pole and worm for 7.4.0.

Team placings: 1 Barlby Stores 22.3.8; 2 Cochranes 15.13.0; 3 York Tackle 14.9.0; 4 South Bank 13.9.8; 5 Tang Hall MG 11.13.0; 6 Bar Six 10.12.0.

Other results - Northallerton & District Fur & Feather River Swale at Scruton: 1 Jim Taylor (RSPS Tek Neek Trabucco) 12.8.0, 5 chub feeder bread bomb & worm; 2 Tom Earle (Darlington) 8.6.0. 3 Neil Johnson (Northallerton) 7.12.0.

Tadcaster APA Open River Wharfe at Smaws Ings: 1 Bill Riley (Tadcaster) 11.7.0 Roach chub and perch to stickfloat and maggot; 2 Chris Burton (AWH) 8.13.0; 3 Mick Wheelhouse (Tadcaster) 7.7.0.

Leeds Fur & Feather River Ouse Hunters Lodge & Thorpe Underwood: 1 John Chew (Yeadon) 4.0.0. Single bream bomb & lobworm 2 Paul Gallagher (Willows) 3.2.0.

Carp Scene

Two short of the 100 mark, Saturday's terrific attendance at the Woodlands Open saw Mallard Lake dominate the proceedings with two 50lb+ bags for the leading pair.

Diawa Goldthorpe's Jamie Hall on peg 12 pushed his pole out to 17 metres across to the island and working corn and maggot hookbaits, feeding sparingly, he attracted all carp for 58.14.0.

For Steve Fearnley of Elton Tackle the long pole also produced on the day.

Off peg 16 it was mainly corn for another impressive Woodlands winter carp net of 52.6.0.

Other backing weights: Andy Geldart (Diawa Goldthorpe) 44.1.0 Mark Longhurst (Elton Tackle) 33.8.0.

Sunday's Open - Curlew Kestrel Partridge Skylark & Wagtail (74 rods): 1 M Lovelass (Team Shimano Quaker) 35.7.0 2 B Richardson (York Tackle) 34.8.0 3 P Sellers (Elton Tackle) 33.6.0.

Wet and windy, competitors had their work cut out for a place in the frame during Sunday's Oak Open at Sessay.

Sensas Garbolino's John Bradshaw weighed in too much for the rest romping ahead with all carp for 43.6.0 from Maple Lake.

John on peg 51 fished the pole at seven metres into the deeper channel picking up fish to 4.0.0 on maggot.

Tri Cast Whizzo's John Allerton on peg 40 went across at 13 metres locating a smaller supply of carp, best 2.0.0, on the maggot for 32.8.0.

Thursday Maple Lake: 1 C Hall (Team Oaks) 17.10.0; 2 D Smith (Map Elton) 16.4.0 3 I Exley (Middy Team Dons) 14.14.0.

Trout round-up

Redworth's Jubilee Lakes - now open Thursday to Sunday during December January and February. Sport has been consistent with five more double figured rainbows grassed last week. Malcolm Bruce from York landed the heaviest a beauty that settled the scales at 15.14.0. A black buzzer tempted the hard fighting specimen and along with cat's whisker and bloodworm proved the top patterns for a rod average of three fish.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: *Woodland Lakes Open. Tickets on 01845 / 526110.

Sunday: *Bradford No 1 AA Daily Mirror Cup R Nidd, Cowthorpe. Tickets 01274 / 571175. *Thornaby AA Xmas Cheer Cup River Tees, Croft to Hurworth. *Black Ox AC Fur & Feather Rosebowl Bedale Beck Leeming. *NE WL Round 6 Lower Tees, Yarm. *Haughton WMC visits the Tees at Over Dinsdale. *Richmond AS Xmas Cheer Upper Swale, Broken Brea. *Woodland Lakes Open. *Oaks Sessay Open Maple Lake.