The North's biggest Angling Event of the year the RSPS Tek Neek Team Masters thankfully went ahead following a month of gales and floods that consistently pushed the Swale into the surrounding fields, writes JEFF HERBERT.

Saturday's entry of 22 teams found the river down to just 2 foot above normal winter level but the prolonged unsettled conditions meant a hard contest for most along the Morton Bridge to Baldersby St James match length. Ex NFA National Champ record holder Rob Stubbs added the prestigious Masters Individual Title to his cv finishing well ahead of the 264 strong field returning 23.6.0.

The Darlington Angling Centre rod drew the noted stakes run off peg 16 in A Section below Morton and frustratingly missed 3 early bites on the bomb and wasp grub down the nearside. Then a good mid match burst saw 6 good chub successfully landed to clinch the trophy. Runner up Barry Stephenson fishing for Darlington East End looked like he was going to empty his swim above Baldersby St James Wood. Utilising the feeder and bread down the edge Barry had 4 chub in the keepnet after just 20 minutes. Unfortunately things slowed dramatically and a late fish on the cheese boosted his catch to 14.4.0 from John Nuttall Phoenix 10.1.0; Peter Ingledew Boroughbridge 9.8.0; jt Steve Taylor RSPS & Graham Ellison Wilton 9.2.0. The Team Title on both points and weight went to a thoroughly professional performance by the RSPS squad. Extra water ruled out the noted hotspots and big weight float pegs and the lads just knew they had to search for odd fish off unfancied peg 17. A team weight of 54.2.8 made up of mainly chub accrued a tremendous 178 points and left nearest rivals Darlington East End a massive 57 points adrift.

Teams on Points: 1 RSPS 178 pts 2 Darlington East End 121 3 Aireborough 115 4; Boroughbridge & District 110 5 Phoenix 106 6 Derbyshire Angling Federation 102 Weights: RSPS 54.2.8 from Darlington Angling Centre 42.1.0 There's three vacancies for Teams of 12 for next season's Masters. Interested then give Jim Taylor a ring on 01287 660288.

Derbyshire Angling Federation's weekend double to fish the big RSPS match and then Sunday's Ripon Piscatorials St Wilfrid's Cup on the Ure rounded off in style when the Derby lads had 5 in the top 10 places led by 'Birthday boy' Richard Wood who celebrated with a 26.12.0 victory.

'Woody' drew below the sewage on 146 and tempted all small chub 11 in all from farside cover as bread on the hook in conjunction with a hemp and caster packed feeder worked a treat.

Local Keith Lamb on the big gravel bend below Hutton Beck took 5 quick chub to floatfished bread in the opening hour but the shoal disappeared and two latecomers ensured next best on 20.2.0. Best of the rest: three Tommy Marshall Turners Tackle 18.14.0 4 Mick Taylor Derbyshire Angling Federation 18.12.0. It was chub galore for Darlington's John Whitehouse as he hammered out a staggering 58.11.0 to take the 4 four Darlington BT Combined Cup between the Coniscliffe and Croft reaches. Fishing the run-in to the orchard at Croft John choose a loafer float and bread extracting 26 specimens off far bank willow cover in the shallow three foot glide.

Mark Porter of Darlington East end suffered 6 lost chub but clawed his way back as stickfloat and bronze maggot down the edge located 7 more for 24.10.0 staked below the car park at Low Coniscliffe.

There was just 36 anglers turned out for Yarm legend Mike Grainge's Memorial Event on his beloved Yarm reaches of the Tees. Bob Ramshaw of Armley led a chublet dominated contest on peg 137 opposite Goose Pastures Wood. Stickfloat and maggot over loose feed brought a steady supply of chublets adding a bonus 3.0.0 fish to seal the verdict with 18.6.0. Newman Scott's Phil Arnold 3 swims upstream adopted identical tactics returning 14.8.0 from Peter Nesbitt Darlington AC 14.2.0 and Chris Gowling Darlington 13.15.0.

Acomb Tackle Winter Series - River Ouse Fulford & Middlethorpe (Penultimate Round) - 1 Bob Morris Railway Institute 5.12.0 - bream of 5.0.0 + 2 perch groundbait feeder and pinkie 2 Dean Smith VDE Goole 4.13.0 3 Steve Ellis Selby Shipyard & Stan HaighMitre 4.10.0. Top 3 Teams on the Day: 1 Wibsey 13.7.8; 2 Railway Institute 13.6.0; 3 Mitre 10.3.8; Top 3 Overall: Wibsey 61; Barlby Village Stores 52; Bar Six 51 pts.

CARP SCENE

A blistering performance by Keenets North West Ace John Chapman resulted in the 99 rods being soundly beaten at Woodland Lakes on Saturday when he bagged a cracking 85.9.0. Fished on all 8 match lakes John on Mallard's corner peg 19 pushed the pole out to 17 metres catching all carp up to 8.0.0 on corn along the island side. After that it was a battle for 2nd place as Dave Wathem of Leeds Loonies beat off the rest with a carp haul of 45.1.0 to double maggot and feeder off Skylark peg 23 from Andy Hampson Hirst Tackle 39.8.0.

Woodlands Sunday Open (92 rods) Curlew Kestrel Partridge Skylark Wagtail jt 1 Stuart Wilson Hirst Tackle & Pat Adams Elton Tackle 33.1.0. Three Mark Longhirst Elton Tackle 32.6.0. Midweeker at Woodlands (46 rods) Kestrel Partridge Skylark

1 Don Hayes Castleford Bakers 17.13.0; 2 John Allerton Tri Cast Whizzo 16.1.0; 3 Steve Mears Harraton 15.14.0. Oaks Sessay Sunday Open - Maple Lake (61 rods); 1 Mick Bandy Lower Wharfe Angling 29.10.0 Peg 2 all carp to Pole & Pellet at 13 metres 2 Rob Minikin Team Oaks 29.4.0 3 John Allerton Tri Cast Whizzo 28.0.0. Oaks Thursday Open (35 rods) 1 Mark Calvert CAC 39.9.0; 2 Dean Smith VDE Goole 32.4.0; 3 Mick Bandy Lower Wharfe Angling 29.1.0

TROUT NEWS

Trout anglers at Jubilee Lakes Redworth are finding fishing difficult with changeable weather conditions - very cold nights pushing the fish down deep and bright sunshine keeping them there. Lures presented very deep and retrieved slowly the method. Three double figured rainbows grassed highlight a real beauty of 18.5.0 taken by Mr N Beattie of Walker on a cats whisker. Best patterns casts whisker, black zonkers & tadpoles. Rod average 2.5.

FIXTURES: Saturday 23 February - Woodland Lakes Open - Tickets on 01845 526110. Sunday 24 February - Leeds Open Ouse - Tickets on 0113 2505717; Black Ox AC Bill Howells Trophy Bedale Beck Leeming; Knaresborough Pisc. Open River Nidd - Tickets 01423 880262; Tadcaster APA Open (60 pegs) River Wharfe at Smaws Ings. Tickets on 01937 832972; Idle & Thackley Open River Swale Maunby. Tickets on 01274 618569; Yarm AA Vernouillet Fundraiser Open Lower Tees at Yarm - Tickets on 01642 786444; Preston Innovations Teams of 3 Championship Woodland Lakes (Round 3). Rearranged Ripon Open (80 pegs) River Ure - Hutton Beck to Barn Island. Oaks Sessay Open on Maple Lake