Now in its tenth year, the prestigious NFA Fishomania came to the region at the weekend for the North East Qualifier held on the Lower Tees around Yarm.

Attracting a staggering 94 hopefuls, fish were in short supply.

In bright sunny conditions from a venue lacking in both colour and flow competitors spent five gruelling hours hoping for a chance to make it into the Grand final and ultimately the £25,000 first prize.

Armley's Dave Wright, known more for his carping skills, brushed aside the opposition and put 13.8.0 onto the scales for a clear victory.

Dave drew on the Lambs streams stretch of the river. Fishing off peg 80 a combination of far bank feeder fishing and the pole accounted for chub and perch to worm and maggot hookbaits.

Runner-up and venue regular Peter Rambow jnr came from the Wards Lane Section and took mostly perch on the pole and worm at five metres. Then added two chub and an eel on the feeder across to boost his net to 8.10.8.

Others: J Cryowski (Armley) 8.1.0 B Smith (Newman Scott) 7.5.0.

Shildon's Jim Blades pulled out a fancied draw above the Skerne mouth and quickly got into fish during the Thornaby AA Charities Open on the Croft to Hurworth match length of the Tees.

Jim searched the shallow glide along farside cover and netted ten chub to waggler and caster for 12.14.0.

A late surge pushed Darlington's Barry Stephenson firmly into contention.

Floatfishing meat one above the Salmon Pool resulted in five chub but Barry ran out of time as he registered 12.4.0 followed by D Atkins (Darlington) 7.2.0.

Evergreen Jim Taylor who makes a habit of winning on the Ripon circuit scored yet again with the added bonus of pulling out the 'jackpot' peg worth an extra £100 during the Ripon Piscatorials Garbutt Cup.

The RSPS Tek Neek Trabucco regular was delighted to draw the famous Leatham' s run off on the River Ure but heatwave conditions meant a hard slog.

Jim used his expertise to coax out ten chub from under far bank overhanging trees. He caught only when the sun went in on the waggler and caster for an impressive 31.10.0 during a closely run contest.

The end peg above Barn Island came good for Leeds Dougie Forkin. Working the waggler and maggot down the middle nine chub and two perch clinched second spot on 31.2.0 and Steve Evans of Bentley AC 30.12.0.

Northallerton and District's first open of the new season was marked by 13 double figured weights from along the Scruton and Morton sections of the Swale.

First off local man Pat Adams of the RSPS Tek Neek Trabucco squad showed the rest how it's done hauling out 46.6.0 off the Horseshoe Bend.

On the waggler and bronze maggot over depth he picked up 17 chub at steady intervals followed by Derbyshire Angling Federation's Ian Bowler whose 41.6.0 came from below the ICI pool as quality chub a dozen in all fell to stickfloat and caster tactics from Ken Close (RSPS Tek Neek Trabucco) 38.12.0 and Kevin Warburton (RSPS Tek Neek Trabucco) 25.5.0.

Darlington BT AA willowgarth Ponds: 1 D Alderson (Middlesbrough) 15.13.0 - 6.0.0 common carp, 6 bream & a roach to feeder maggot and corn; 2 A Alderson (Darlington) 10.13.0. 3 D Waterson (Middlesbrough) 10.8.0.

In the 'Grand' Qualifier, Sessay's Maple Lake hosted the eagerly awaited big money showdown on Saturday for the 52 finalists who had booked their places via three qualifiers.

Sensas Garbolino's Derek Willan enjoyed a dream match when he pulled out peg two.

A decision to fish chopped worm paid dividends and the pole at 13 metres alongside the island brought lots of small carp. Derek collected a terrific net of 77.12.0 and the coveted cash prize of £1,000.

For Ray Williams on adjoining peg one it was what might have been. Also electing to fish alongside the island on the ledge in 2 foot of water, the Fisherman's Tackle rod opted for pellet up in the water and hauled out another big small carp haul of 70.0.0 for next best in the money stakes.

Woodland Lakes - Wednesday, Partridge Skylark & Kestrel Lakes (76 rods): 1 R Wilkinson (Newman Scott) 92.1.0; 2 D Taylor (Diawa Goldthorpe) 87.1.0; 3 S Broughton (Armley) 84.7.0.

Red-hot Partridge Lake ruled during Saturday's match on the complex and five out of the top six on the scoresheet were all drawn there.

The 'paste' brothers Daryl Taylor and Brian Sowerby continue to succeed on this tried and tested method but this time Daryl finished out in front.

On Partridge ten, Daryl on the pole and paste at 12 metres bagged all small carp on his way to a magnificent haul of 97-13-0.

It was more of the same for Brian on peg 31 who extracted 37 carp for 92-6-0 as the wonder bait continues to prove irresistible.

Trout round-up

Blackton Reservoir: 121 rods 271 trout. Best fish a brownie of 6.0.0 for I McQuillan.

Derwent: 410 anglers 1117 trout. Best fish rainbow of 6.8.0 grassed by A Armstrong of Rowlands Gill. Most successful flies Dawson's olive orange & black fritz and Cat's whisker.

Scaling Dam: 214 visitors 408 rainbows to 3.8.0 4 limit bags.

Grassholme: 278 rods 739 trout with rainbows to 4.4.0 - 30 limit bags.

Fontburn: 301 anglers 640 rainbows. Best a super fish of 12.2.0 falling to Terry Dawson of Carlisle.

Kielder: 220 visitors 579 trout. D Ainsley landed the best rainbow of 6.4.0.

Tunstall: 2.9 rod average. Black hoppers and bibios taking majority of fish. Best bag 12 trout went to Les Cope of Yarm and heaviest rainbow 3.14.0 to Ian Reynolds Yarm.

Leighton: 206 anglers 520 trout - 70 limit bags. Darlington's Charlie Newton returned the biggest rainbow of the week an 8.8.0 sample taken on an olive lure.

Jubilee Lakes Redworth: 2.4 rod average. Damsels and black buzzers most popular at present. Four double figured rainbows last week including the pick a super one of 16.7.0 taken on a Damsel nymph by Gateshead's Michael Burke.