Yet again river fixtures were severely disrupted on the North-East match circuit when heavy rain resulted in the cancellation of many events and for those that went ahead, competitors were up against it, writes JEFF HERBERT.

For the depleted turnout of 34, many just went through the motions during the Yarm AA Baillie Cup fished on the Lower Tees around Yarm.

Yarm Flynn's Geoff Douglas made the scoresheet look respectable returning a hard earned 7.5.0 from a venue badly swollen, 4 ft. up and rising.

From his peg above the Eaglescliffe golf course culvert, Geoff used a small groundbait feeder and worm approach down the edge tempting two quality skimmers, several roach and a chublet.

Then Barry Smith of Newman Scott followed with an all roach net of 5.7.0.

Drawing peg 169 in the reed beds feeder and worm tactics under his feet picked up small 'redfins' at intervals but a late pound plus specimen boosted his final score to 5.7.0 from Nigel Johnson Cleveland Angling Centre 4.4.0.

Meanwhile on a flooded Ure, The Ripon Piscatorials Open was switched off the streams, as the 78 rods were eager to fish in order to collect Rivercare points.

A single chub of 4.0.0 proved more than enough under such testing conditions to earn Ray Underwood of Turners Tackle the £200 first prize.

On peg 99, the bottom of the cow drink below the Yacht Club, bomb with garlic cheese paste accounted for the match-clinching specimen.

Aireborough anglers filled the next three places led by Nick Smith who sat on peg seven above the bridging site field at Bishop Monkton and legered worm for a mixture of roach eels and a perch for 2.14.0

The Ouse rose a staggering 9ft. above normal level with more to come but taking a vote 22 hardy competitors agreed to give it a go during the York and District AA Animals Hospital Cup.

Surprisingly the Fulford length produced with everyone catching and Tadcaster's Paul Claydon settled the issue weighing in an excellent net of 9.2.0.

Fishing in the bay on the Palace bend a small groundbait feeder and worm approach down the side located 3 bream the best 3.0.0 backed by three roach and an eel.

Best of the rest came Paul Burton of Anglers World who was at the top of the paddock and netted 4 skimmers to feeder and worm for 5.12.0.

Others in the frame: D Salmon (Tadcaster) 5.5.0 T Harrison (Anglers World) 5.2.0

Tadcaster Open River Wharfe around Smaws Ings: 1 Paul Brown (Tadcaster) 5.3.8 All eels; 2 Ron Purdy (Tadcaster) 2.6.8; 3 Alistair Wicks (Tadcaster) 2.4.0.

Carp Scene

At the Woodlands a last minute surge swelled Sunday's attendance to 104 as many booked in for various river matches cancelled due to horrendous flooding.

Wednesday's winner on the complex Richard Morley struck again to seal a perfect week recording 49.3.0 of carp.

The Outward Angling man fished identical tactics 11 metres on the pole and corn this time off Partridge Lake's peg 13 and located all carp mainly in the three to 4.0.0 bracket.

Then came Steve Fearnley of Leeds with 34.3.0 finishing 15.0.0 adrift in second place but comfortably in front of several 20.0.0 weights.

Pulling out Partridge 26 the favoured corn and pole brought carp including a ghostie of 4.0.0.

Woodlands Lake (Wed) - Curlew Kestrel Partridge Skylark Wagtail (51 rods): 1 R Morley (Outward AC) 46.1.0b - Kestrel 30. All carp to pole & corn at 11 metres; 2 J Allerton (Tri Cast Whizzo) 43.3.0; 3 M Coyne (Map Elton) 43.2.0.

Saturday's Open - Curlew Kestrel Partridge Skylark Wagtail (87 rods): 1 M Calvert (Map Elton) 55.6.0. Kestrel 9 - All Carp to pole & corn; 2 S Wilson (Leeds) 54.6.0; 3 A Gregory (Elton Tackle) 51.0.0.

Andy Harker of VDE Goole headed the scoresheet on Sunday at the Oaks Sessay.

Working off peg 46 on Maple Lake, Andy used the pole & maggot close in to take a steady succession of carp for 47.4.0 with fish to 4.0.0.

More of the same for Maver Barnsley Black's Ian Bowman off peg 55 resulted in all small carp for 42.13.0.

Thursday's Open - Maple Lake (36 rods): 1 D Smith (Map Elton) 48.12.0 - Peg 63 all carp to pole & maggot to 13 metres; 2 P Sharpe (West Park) 31.13.0; 3 J Allerton (Tri Cast Whizzo) 31.0.0.

Reservoir round-up

Blackton: Cold, discoloured water made for a quiet end of season. Thirty anglers totalled 28 trout, best a rainbow of 5.0.0 falling to L Carr.

Derwent: Dawson's olive, gold heads and orange blobs best as 159 visitors caught 456 rainbows. Heaviest rainbow of 8.0.0 fell to Joe Carr of Consett. Top areas North shore and above the Sailing club.

Fontburn: 193 rods recorded 401 rainbows. M Enguita of Sunderland enjoyed a super three hour session landing the biggest rainbow of 8.4.0 part of a five fish bag totalling 28.6.0.

Grassholme: disappointing end to season. 64 anglers took 67 rainbows to 2.0.0. East end of the South shore most productive.

Hury: Very similar to Grassholme, most rainbows in the 2.0.0 bracket. 68 rods - 75 fish.

Kielder: Strong winds killed sport with odd fish falling to legered worm from Tower Knowle to Hawkhope areas. 26 anglers shared just 35 rainbows.

Scaling Dam: 97 visitors grassed 161 rainbows. Worm best with specimens to 6.4.0.

2002 statistics: 5,344 visitors caught 12,955 rainbows and 39 brownies.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: *Middlesbrough AC Anglers Choice Rosebowl - Middle Swale - Gatenby to Baldersby Tel: 01642 899288.

Sunday: *Darlington BT Coarse Fish Cup River Tees - Coniscliffe to Croft. *Idle & Thackley AA Open River Swale - Swainby. Tickets on 01274 618569. *Bradford No1 AA W Backhouse Cup - River Ure - Roecliffe Bottom. *Black Ox AC Bedale Beck Leeming. *NEWL Round 4 Lower Tees Yarm. *Busters AC River Tees - Over Dinsdale. *Yorkshire Ouse Championship River Ouse above York (150 pegs). Tickets £10 on 01132 482373. *Richmond AS Grayling Shield Upper Swale - Broken Brea