The 'big guns are taking the spoils at Woodland Lakes as the run up to tomorrow's eagerly awaited Winter League Northern semi-final hots up, writes JEFF HERBERT.

Mark Silman of favourites Maver Barnsley produced a cracking weight of 52.5.0 beating the 70 turnout at the weekend. Mark off Skylark 24 pushed the pole out over 12 metres catching on the corn - the bait that's accounting for big bags at present. On his way to success he collected plenty of small carp but included a few decent samples hghlight a mirror of 6.0.0. Big monsters were the order of the day for runner up Diawa Goldthorpe's amie Hall who fished the corner peg 37 off Partridge. Pole & corn along the boards brought a brace of double figured mirrors but agonisingly another 4 huge fish refused to be beaten and Jamie finally had to settle with 33.13.0 from S. Gardner (Angling Man) on 28.7.0.

Returns might have been low by Woodlands high standards during the midweeker but at the weigh in competitors vied for top spot as ounces proved crucial. York Tackle's Roger Holmes just gained the edge putting together 23.4.0. Relying on the trusted feeder and maggot approach small carp responded from Skylark 8.

Meanwhile Steve Bell fell a mere 2ozs short off Kestrel 30. The Cleveland Angling Centre regular located his net at 11 metres on the favoured corn.

Others in the frame: D. Taylor (Map Elton) 22.15.0. & J. Hall (Diawa Goldthorpe) 22.8.0.

Rods were in action on Maple Lake at Sessay for the 3rd round of the Teesside Friendly League and Mark Calvert of Pole Ninjas grabbed the verdict. Mark pulled out peg 46 and took the long pole across alternating corn and maggot to keep enough small carp coming to keep ahead with 21.13.8. Hot on his heels came North Ormesby Institute's Steve Bell who recorded 20.3.8. Steve used similar tactics off peg 9 to pick up small carp off the shelf. Ninjas and North Ormesby tied on the day scoring 50 points but at the halfway stage Pole Pullers look good on 148 points; 14 points clear of Anglers Choice.

League: 1st Pole Pullers 148 points; 2nd Anglers Choice 134; 3rd Pole; Ninjas 132; 4th Team Oaks 130.

Army angler Steve Bowers certainly won the battle thundering to victory with a super 41.14.0 during Round 5 of the Abu Carpvale Spring Series at Moor Monkton. In an effort to reach the island side from peg 22 Steven had to extend the pole to 14 metres. After trying several hookbaits meat had the desired effect taming 14 carp the largest 5.0.0.

Best of the rest: Len Swainy of Armley Angling Centre pole fished maggot sat on peg 31 and recorded 9 carp totalling 18.5.0.

Dick Clegg Metro star Martin Robson took control during round two of the Sunderland FAC Leisure Services Series on Silksworth Lake to finish with a hard earned 5.4.0. Martin pole fished pinkie and maggot over loose feed at 8 metres opposite the island. Gudgeon, tiny roach and a bonus skimmer of a pound held off strong Darlington Angling Centre pressure. Peter Hamilton on peg nine choose the groundbait feeder and maggot enticing a mixture of skimmers and roach for 4.12.0 disposing of team mate Peter Close on 4.10.8.

Round up of the rest - Raker Open Horseshoe Lake Wheldrake: 1st K. Hay (Harehills WMC) 16.13.8; 2nd P. Kozyra (Anglers Corner 16.4.0; 3rd P. Connelly (Hull Workers) 14.15.0.

Broken Brea Open (Carp Lake): 1st M. Reeves (Darlington) 18.10.0; 2nd J. McGilligan (CAC) 14.11.0; 3rd T. Kowal (Broken Brea) 12.13.0.

Harrogate & Claro Open Lingerfield Gravels: 1st N. Milstead (Claro) 13.4.0; 2nd S. Robinson (Claro) 3.2.0; 3rd D. Higgins (Claro) 1.3.0.

Carpvale Pool Open (Mon): 1st D. Wright (Armley) 33.4.0; 2nd J. Clarke (Leeds) 21.8.0; 3rd M. Wade (Armley AC) 19.4.0.

Second Match Alun Reid Ferryhill Bank Master - Lockwood Beck: 1st Peter Crowe (Hartlepool) 9.8.0 (3 fish); 2nd Jeff Darwin (Haswell Plough) 9.6.0. (3 fish); 3rd Kevin Lancely (Haltwhistle) 8.12.0.

* The winner of the Ferryhill Club membership draw 2001 is P. Lundey of Shildon.

Trout News: Big fish featuring from Redworth's Jubilee Lakes with an exceptional eight double figured rainbows landed last week.

Stephen Laverick of Bishop Auckland grassed the heaviest of 15.6.0 adding another impressive specimen of 13.11.0 both to cats whisker.

Fluctuating temperatures making for changeable fly patterns - black buzzer and black pheasant tail deadly on warmer days cats whisker and dawsons olive working if sinking lines are needed. Telephone: (01388) 772611.

Buzzers and bloodworm proving very effective at Bellfask Fishery, near Wath N. Yorks.

Venue regular Malcolm Roberts of Stockton landed a dozen hard fighting rainbows the best 12.8.0. Visitors averaging eight fish a session. Telephone: (01677) 470716.

Fixtures - Tomorrow: *Winter League Northern, semi-final Woodland Lakes.

Sunday: *Broken Bra Open (45 pegs) Tel: 07711 277248; *Oaks Sessay Open (55 pegs) Poplars Lake Tickets on 01132 614090; *Harrogate and Claro Open Lingerfield Gravels Tel: 01423 862385; *Abu Carpvale Spring Series (6) Moor Monkton. Tel: 01904 738249.