Angling

First victory came in the fourth round of the 130 peg North East Winter League off peg 168 then a week later Darren pulled out the adjoining peg 167 to finish third in the prestigious Tees Championships.

They say things come in threes and Darren couldn't believe it come Sunday's fifth and penultimate fixture of the North East Winter League at Yarm out comes peg 168 once again.

The reed beds just upstream of Whitehouse Farm are becoming his second home. A lucky draw, but skill soon clicked and Darren went on to beat the other 129 anglers recording a comprehensive 26.12.0.

Groundbait feeder and worm into mid-river accumulated ten quality skimmer bream backed by roach chublets and perch to round off a super performance.

In runner up spot Rob Bezemer of Stokesley downstream at Bowesfield on peg 12, feeder fished worm for a six-skimmer tally of 15.4.8.

In the team event Newman Scott Reds made it two wins on the trot but overall Newman Scott Blue and Cleveland Angling Centre, a point apart, will lock horns in a fortnight when the title will be decided.

Other individuals: Keith Ward (DBT) 9.14.0; Rob Morgan (CAC) 8.5.0; Peter Wadge (Newman Scott Red) 8.2.0; Martin Chapman (DBT) 7.13.8.

Top three teams on the day: 1 Newman Scott Red 109; 2 Newman Scott Blue 98; 3 CAC 97.

Overall placings to date: 1 Newman Scott Blue 11; 2 CAC 12; 3 Newman Scott Red 18; 4 Shimano 19; 5 Metro MG 28; jt 6 Yarm Flynns & Stokesley 35 pts.

On the Croft to Hurworth match length the Tees was 18" up and coloured for Thornaby AA's Presidents Cup yet surprisingly it was all small chub for the leading six.

Darlington's Charlie Hodgson one below Pybus Hole at Croft feeder fished bread down the middle and picked up 9 chub for a winning 12.6.0.

For Joe Longstaff of Thornaby he had a slightly better stamp bringing in six for 11.11.0 as the same approach and casting 2/3 across from peg 11 below the Railway Bridge delivered.

Best of the rest: Anthony Smith (Thornaby) 9.7.0; Maurice Mudd (Darlington) 7.11.0.

In the Frank Anderson Memorial River Nidd Championships the Sawmills length at Scotton proved the place to draw.

Knaresborough's Richard Sowerby notched his local river title off peg 68 needing only 7.1.0 on an out of sorts venue.

Alternating red maggot and caster on the bomb under a nearside willow coaxed out grayling and a quality chub to edge out Durham's John Hay on 6.13.0.

Three swims above the winner, John chose the stickfloat and maggot tempting 2 chub and a single grayling from Denis Wood of Rawdon 6.4.0.

It was odd big fish for glory on an inhospitable Ouse 3ft up and badly stained for competitors in the third fixture of the Yorkshire Winter League.

Dave Petty of Marsh Tackle pulled out the biggest, a bream, which took the scales to 7.10.0.

Pegged two below the willowgarth 188 at Hunters Lodge the priceless specimen accepted legered lobworm.

Tony Ernshaw of Hirst Tackle B, above the bungalows on 204, also found the lobworm most effective tempting a 4.0.0 chub plus six roach for 6.4.8 while third man Paul Clarke of the A team left it to the very last cast taming a terrific chub of 6.2.0.

Reigning champions Anglers World Holidays York nudged ahead on the day and at the halfway stage command a three point advantage.

Top three teams on the day: 1 AWH York 60; 2 Wibsey Angling 59; 3 Hirst Tackle A 52 pts.

Overall: 1 AWH York 4 pts; jt 2 Wibsey Angling & Hirst Tackle A 7; 4 Hirst Tackle B 13; 5 Armley AC 14; 6 Marsh Tackle 16 pts.

Elsewhere - Idle & Thackley Open River Swale at Swainby: 1 Alan Walsh (Idle) 8.3.0 2 chub to legered cheese; 2 Mick Wosika (Leeds) 7.6.0; 3 Ron Williams (Turners Tackle) 5.14.0.

Thirsk AC Open on Cod Beck: 1 Colin Weaver (Thirsk) 15.14.0 chub dace & grayling to pole and maggot; 2 Chris Clark (Thirsk) 11.13.0; 3 Stuart Tate (Helperby) 7.12.0.

Carp Scene

Team Glum's Stef Armitage lost a few fish and slipped into second place during last Sunday's Oaks Open but seven days on it turned out perfect. A tremendous session resulted in 57.12.0 and a cool £510 when Stef pulled out the jackpot peg on the day.

On Maple Lake's peg 47 Stef finished over 30lbs clear when carp to 5.0.0 obliged on pole and maggot down the middle at 8m.

Mark Vanderkamp of Sensas Garbolino headed the rest of the field when a farside 13 metre & maggot approach off peg 14 located small carp for 26.14.0.

Oaks Sessay (Thurs) Maple Lake: 1 D Smith (Map Elton) 30.8.0 Pole & maggot all small carp off peg 58; 2 D Wright (HAS) 19.13.0; 3 K Mitchell (Selby) 19.8.0.

Woodland Lakes (Wed), Skylark Partridge Curlew Kestrel & Wagtail (50 pegs): 1 D Taylor (Diawa Goldthorpe) 34.5.0 Mixed net including a big common carp of 10.0.0 off Skylark 22; 2 M Coyne (Map Elton) 32.8.0; 3 M Adams (Lineside) 31.0.0.

The pressure was on during Saturday's match at Woodland Lakes when Mr Consistent Map Elton's Dean Smith and Castleford's Kevin Hughes battled it out during a peg for peg battle on Partridge Lake. On a day when the rest of the field slipped behind they recorded the only bags over 40lbs.

Dean fresh from his midweek success at the Oaks managed to snatch the honours. Drawing peg 10 he chucked the maggot feeder out to 25 yards and was into plenty of bites as small carp fed steadily making up 43.2.0.

Meanwhile on peg 11 it was quality rather than quantity. Kevin's net consisted of just 9 carp, which took his total to 41.15.0. In contrast to the winner, he found long pole and sweetcorn to his liking securing fish at intervals.

Woodland Lakes (Sun) (84 pegs): 1 C Kitchen (Bob.Co) 52.0.0. All carp off Dragonfly 4 to pole & corn at 17 metres; 2 S Webley (Castleford Angling) 49.2.0; 3 P Todd (Darlington AC) 47.2.0.

Trout News

Three doubles last week as anglers continue to enjoy winter rainbow trout sport on Jubilee Lakes Redworth. Rod average 2.9.

Black buzzers are best but all sorts of patterns are working including Cat's whisker, bloodworm, daddy's, orange nomad, olive zonker and damsels.

Brian Anderson of Newton Aycliffe grassed the heaviest rainbow of 15.14.0 on a bloodworm and the same pattern worked for Bishop Auckland's Michael Roddy landing a specimen of 13.6.0.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: *River Swale Preservation Society Mike Grainge Memorial middle Swale - Gatenby to Baldersby. (200 pegs). Tickets telephone 01642 / 899288. *Woodland Lakes Open. Tickets on 01845 / 526110.

Sunday: *Darlington BT Xmas Cheer & Cloke Memorial River Tees, Skerne & Swale. *Calder League Round 6 around Brighouse. *Northallerton & DAC Fur & Feather River Swale at Scruton. *Yarm AA Bill Simpson Trophy Lower Tees Yarm. *Shildon WMC Tees at Over Dinsdale. *Tadcaster APA Open River Wharfe Smaws Ings. Tickets on 01937 / 832972. *Chester le Street Open River Wear. *York WL Round One Ouse - Fulford to Middlethorpe. *Woodland Lakes Open. *Oaks Sessay Open Maple Lake.