Ex-Darlington Angling Centre Captain Chris Gowling enjoyed a welcome return to team fishing storming ahead during round 3 of the Northern Division of the Drennan Super League staged on the River Wear between Durham and Chester-le-Street.

Now under the Yarm AA banner Chris left the 80 strong field well behind weighing in 14.9.0. Drawing on the jetty near Prebends Bridge in Durham a midriver waggler and maggot approach brought small fish galore and his net consisted of dace roach chublets gudgeon and barbel.

Runner up Malcolm of Darlington Angling Centre won a three peg gudgeon battle on the downstream Chester-le-Street waters. Pulling permanent peg 15 out of the draw bag pole and maggot accounted for 8.14.8.

Teamwise Cleveland Angling Centre bombed out big style. Prior to the match it was neck and neck with Newman Scott Blue but Newman Scott finished top team on the day and Cleveland Angling Centre plummeted to 9th, dropping behind at the halfway stage by 29 points.

Placings: 1st Newman Scott Blue 60 points; 2nd Darlington Angling Centre 57; 3rd Newman Scott Red 52.

Top of the table: 1st Newman Scott Blue 184 points; 2nd equal Cleveland Angling Centre + Darlington Angling Centre 155; 4th Newman Scott Red 144; 5th Dick Clegg Metro 131; 6th Dunelm 117.

An influx of extra water was running off nicely for the Ripon Piscatorials Helmsley Cup and there were 11 double figured nets on the Ure as the colour dropped out.

Last year's holder Steve Hodson from York did it again lifting the trophy when he recorded 40.13.0 and wiped out the opposition.

The RSPS team member drew below the sewage outflow on the Skell length and was into chub and dace on the waggler and caster down midriver before a switch to bomb and maggot over to farside cover added a few bigger chub and a bonus barbel of 6.8.0.

Fellow York rod John Lillie claimed runner up spot. Upstream of Hewick Bridge one above the Sand Hole John chose a feeder and maggot attack tempting ten chub for 23.8.0 from Marsh Tackle's Terry Morgan at the next peg whose six chub tally on the feeder with caster and maggot made for 19.10.0. Darlington Brown Trout and Durham Police's Sweepstake match on Lane Fox Pond Nesham resulted in a runaway victory for Darlington's Steve Chantry.

Pegged on the shed bank opposite the long jetty groundbait feeder using worm caster and red maggot resulted in a super bag -19 bream and two tench for 41.8.0.

Michael Griffiths followed netting a mixed skimmer bream and tench net of 19.8.0 from Ray Ingram 7.8.0.

At the Woodlands complex Carlton Miniott water temperatures dropped following recent rainfall but it didn't prevent Keenets North West ace John Chapman from rattling out 50.4.0

Fished between Skylark and Partridge Lakes John beat yet another capacity entry alternating pole lines between seven and 12 metres.

Opting for the new 'in bait' cat meat, mostly carp responded the biggest 5.0.0 adding a sprinkling of barbel and tench.

Meanwhile Newman Scott regular John McGarrell, like the winner, fed cat meat and poled his way to 36.11.0 taking mainly carp off Skylark 21 to hold off a surge of 30lb+ nets.

Midweeker - Partridge & Skylark Lakes (67 rods): 1st P. McBrinn (Normark) 43.14.0 all small carp - Partridge 20 - Pole & pellet at seven metres; 2nd K. Kotchie (Map Elton) 41.13.0; 3rd D. Parrington (CAC) 39.10.0.

Small carp made up big weights for almost everybody during a keenly contested Oaks Open at Sessay.

Staged on the ever popular Maple Lake Lancashire lads filled four out of the top six places and Mark Lucas of Ted Carters Preston literally snatched the honours bagging 52.10.0 after non stop action.

Long pole and chopped worm fished tight across off peg 57 packed small carp onto the ledge and Mark fed a continuous stream of fish to 10ozs into his keepnet.

Local Keith Pentland checked the North West onslaught off peg 52 but

disastrously missed victory by an agonising 2ozs as pole and maggot approach over pellets could only muster 52.8.0.

Other results: Tadcaster APA Open R. Wharfe at Smaws Ings: 1st P. Lancaster (Glen AC) 6.7.8 - all perch on maggot & redworm hookbaits; 2nd J. Jordan (Armley) 4.8.0; 3rd B. Collier (Armley) 4.5.0.

Trout News

Leighton Reservoir has produced good catches despite a real mixture of rain, winds and hot conditions. Highlight of the week was a super 26" long 10.0.0 rainbow grassed by Brian Smith of Newton Aycliffe.

156 visitors totalled 440 trout with specimens over 3.0.0. Daddy longlegs deadly.

Black & green buzzers, hares ear, bloodworm and black pennell doing well at Jubilee Lakes Redworth.

Jim Stafford of Shotton Colliery took the best of several doubles last week grassing a fine rainbow of 15.11.8 falling to a black buzzer.

12-year-old Andrew Pugh of Sadberge near Darlington boasted a big rainbow of 14.7.0 which also fell to successful black buzzer.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: *Bradford No. 1 AA Charity Rose Bowl R. Calder (Brighouse). Draw 12.15pm. Tickets available from Simon Foster (01274) 571175. *Woodlands Lakes Open - Tickets on 01845 526110.

Sunday: *Yarm AA Danby Cup Lower Tees. *Thornaby Aa Open Bowesfield. *North Central League (5) Ripon Racecourse Lake. *Durham City AC Open (60 pegs) R. Wear Tickets on (0191) 3784050. *Tadcaster APA Open (70 pegs) R. Wharfe at Smaws Ings. *Oaks Open Sessay - Maple Lake.