It was history in the making when Durham's Gerry Bowes became the first angler to lift all three RSPS titles adding the latest the Les Winder Memorial Middle Swale Championships to his record breaking Lower and two Upper successes.The river rose two foot overnight and his victory came from the most unlikely of draws, three above the culvert at Baldersby. Feeder and caster down the edge accounted for two barbel totalling 14.7.0, heaviest 8.4.0. Runner-up Adrian Evans (Dewsbury) pulled out the stakes peg between Holme Lane plantations and weighed in five chub to feeder and wasp grub approach for 11.0.0. The event, including raffle, raised £280 for restocking. Others to frame: Steve Evans (Doncaster) 9.1.0. Ian Robinson (RSPS) 8.4.0. Jeff Herbert (RSPS) 7.3.0.

The horrendous weather caught up with the region's rivers by Sunday and several events were postponed including the Yorkshire Ouse Championships which will now hopefully go ahead on November 12. A rising Tees, a metre up and badly coloured, resulted in Yarm officials calling off the Williams Cup. A sweepstake was hastily arranged and 53 'die hards' tried their luck. Defying the conditions, Darlington Angling Centre skipper Chris Gowling won with 2.0.0. to spare, returning an impressive 6.5.0. Fishing peg 187 upstream of the Eaglescliffe Golf Course, maggot feeder and single white on the hook, enticed four good skimmers and three roach. Phil Arnold of MNS followed off peg 131 with an all-small roach net to the maggot feeder for 4.5.0. The elements tested competitors to the limit on the Woodlands complex. Saturday's open on Kestrel, Partridge and Skylark attracted a full house. Cleveland Angling Centre's George Webb off Kestrel 22 chose a very short attack just three metres against the prevailing wind. Loose feeding and alternating maggot and corn on the hook small carp and a sprinkling of barbel and chub made for 39.13.0. at the scales. Pushing the winner all the way Elton Tackle's Mark Longhurst finished with 37.1.0. On Skylark 9, carp up to 7.0.0. responded to pole fished corn at both three and nine metres. Wednesday's open at Woodlands, J. Allerton (Tri Cast Elton) 61.1.0. quality carp to pole and sweetcorn from Skylark 14. K. Golightly (Map Elton) 46.2.0. K. Kotchie (Map Elton) 44.14.0. At the Oaks fishery, Sessay regular Rab Ogilivy took advantage of a blank peg and fished down the margins towards the corner bagging a runaway carp haul of 53.1.0 to various baits, mainly corn meat and paste, from peg 54. Long pole and maggot tactics to island cover produced for Map Elton's Paul Taylor. It was lots of small carp under the pound mark for 40.8.0. The Angling Times/Anglers World Roadshow returns on Wednesday - a perfect antedote for the floods and winter nights. Four times world champion Bob Nudd leads an all-star line up at Middlesbrough's Ladle Hotel, the evening including new films, tackle displays and wrapping up with the traditional questions and answers forum.

Doors open: 7 pm show starts 7.30 pm. Admission £3 (accompanied children free).

TROUT NEWS

Trout anglers also suffered with very few bag limits on wind swept reservoirs. Scaling Dam: 88 rods 157 rainbows - 3 limit bags. Worm taking rainbows to 3.0.0. Grassholme: 143 visitors 190 rainbows - Specimens to 3.0.0. Hury: 136 anglers 160 rainbows - fish up to 3.8.0. Blackton: 17 rods 15 rainbows to 6.8.0. Derwent: 188 visitors 326 rainbows - 27 limit bags. Dawsons olive, gold heads & orange fritz tempting rainbows to 3.8.0. Fontburn: 226 anglers 174 rainbows - 4 limit bags. Stanley's Mark Williams grassed a monster of 16.8.0 - the heaviest rainbow of the week. Keilder: 63 rods 68 fish - 4 limit bags. Jubilee Lakes nr. Redworth, Darlington. Rod average 3.3 - grey and black zonkers, damsels, black buzzers and bloodworm all successful. Rainbows to 12.0.0.

FIXTURES

Saturday 4 November: Gordon Lee Charity Open R. Wear around Durham. Woodland Lakes Open; tickets from Alan on 01845 526110. Sunday 5 November: Idle & Thackley AA Open 45 pegs R. Swale at Swainby. Ring Barry Simpson on 01274 618569. Northallerton and District AC Grayling Cup R. Swale at Scruton. Ripon Piscatorials Open 80 pegs R. Ure; tickets ring Julian Thompson on 01765 605467. N/E Winter League (4) Lower Tees at Yarm. Middlesbrough AC R. Tees Bowesfield. Ferryhill AC Fur and Feather Pairs Shield Shildon Pond. Thornaby AA Festival Cup R. Tees Croft to Hurworth. Bradford City AA J.D Illingworth Trophy R. Ure Brampton to Langthorpe; tickets on 01423 547537. York and District AA Animals Hospital Open Cup R. Ouse Fulford to Middlethorpe; tickets, Terry Pinder 01904 629126. Woodland Lakes Open - tickets from Alan on 01845 526110. Tadcaster APA Open 60 pegs R. Wharfe Smaws Ings - tickets from Bob Barker on 01937 832972