Angling

Fish fed avidly and local rod Gareth Smith established a new upper River Swale record with 114.2.0 of chub.

Staked above the Railway Bridge, stickfloat and caster located the shoal off the Rod End. Feeding heavily to both caster and hemp, 42 specimens ensured the old record of 98lb was truly beaten.

Pat Adams (RSPS) also enjoyed an action packed five hours but had to settle for runner-up spot. Stickfloat and caster tactics accounted for 36 fish totalling a creditable 87.11.0 above Scruton Island.

Others to frame: Gary Meeks (Northallerton) 55.4.0; Jim Prescott (Northallerton Angling Centre) 53lb.

Further upstream around Ellerton catches were impressive during the Darlington Brown Trout Bambridge Cup.

John Whitehouse (Darlington) pegged below the Blue Board, floatfished meat down the edge landing 14 chub and a barbel for 46.6.0 followed by Paul Tinkler (Darlington) 36.5.0, Ken Close (RSPS) 32.15.0, Roy Cloke (Darlington) 31.2.0.

Still on the Swale below Gatenby, Middlesbrough AC's Ron Taylor Memorial proved an anti-climax producing just two double figured nets from this normally prolific middle Swale match length.

Washington's Ralph Naylor alternated between feeder and waggler on the maggot tempting eight chub and an eel for 22.13.0 above Ainderby Rapids.

In contrast, a brace of barbel weighing 13.5.0 elevated Steve Evans into second place.

Skimmer bream are starting to show on the lower Tees and Yarm's opening fixture was decided by bream.

Durham's Jimmy Messer netted 8lb plus fish on his way to victory with 12.3.0 to lift the Parker Adams Memorial.

Fish responded to pole and maggot then as bites tailed off a switch across on feeder and maggot added chublets, dace and roach from Harkers Farm.

Peter Hamilton (Darlington AC) weighed in 8.5.0 off the adjoining peg. His net consisted of two bream on the pole including a sample of 5.11.0.

Competitors found it hard going on a low clear Tees between Croft and Hurworth in the Thornaby Lea Memorial.

The venue's dace shoals were absent during red hot conditions.

Darlington rods monopolised the scoresheet headed by Peter Blythman.

Ledgering corn and cheese below the Plantation Fence five chub totalled 13.10.0. Jim Blades on the Buffs run-off secured four chub to farside waggler and corn approach adding chublets on the caster boosting his score to 12.13.0.

The York and District AA open attracted the biggest turnout for the opening weekend of the season attended by 150 rods. Thanks to sponsors York Tackle, £400 first prize was up for grabs.

Disappointingly the Ouse bream failed to appear in numbers, but York's Colin Plant finished a delighted winner scooping the cash with a net of 15.5.0.

Pegged below Beningbrough Village, groundbait, caster and red worm resulted in four bream taken in the opening two hours - then the shoal quickly vanished.

Best of the rest: Hirst Tackle's Trevor Hewitt who returned a trio of bream for 12.15.0 from Neil McLoughlin (Leeds) two ounces adrift.

Carlton Miniott's Woodlands record of 97lb came under threat when Dam Brighouse rod Neil Rymer clinched the midweek event bagging 94.14.0.

Tackling Dragonfly 21, a corner peg with form, Neil alternated meat and paste on the long pole to island latching into quality carp including a mirror of 17.9.0.

Quali-Tie Ferryhill Bank Master, Lockwood Beck _ 1 K Dining (Newcastle) 27.9.0, all rainbows, Dawson's Olive; 2 P Crowe (Hartlepool) 20lb 5oz; 3 E Craster (Norton) 16.12.0.

The Ferryhill AC John Hall Memorial is set for this Sunday at Blackton Reservoir. Meet 9am, fish 10am to 4pm (members only), details on (01388) 811768.

Fixtures: Saturday, June 24, DBT AA Pairs Shield, Snipe and Willowgarth Ponds. Yarm AA Summer Series round one, River Tees. Harrogate and Claro open, Lingerfield Gravels, tickets on (01423) 540328. Thornaby AA Adams Junior Cup, River Tees at Croft. York and District AA Overton Cup, 60 pegs, River Ouse. Sunday, June 25, Idle and Thackley AA open, 45 pegs, River Swale, Swainby, details on (01274) 618569. River Nidd championship, Frank Anderson Memorial, Scotton to Tockwith, tickets on (01423) 880262. Durham City AC open, D Fox series, River Wear around Durham, tickets on (0191) 3842450. Yarm AA June open, 140 pegs, Lower Tees. Middlesbrough AC at Marske Reservoir. Teesside Friendly League Broken Brae Fishery. Swale, Ure, Ouse Challenge (1), River Swale, Helperby. Thornaby AA Charities open, River Tees, Croft to Hurworth.