High levels affected match returns on the region's rivers but for the 6th and final round of the Yorkshire Winter League it was cancelled as the Ouse topped 8 foot making fishing impossible, writes JEFF HERBERT.

The League is now complete and will be decided on points over the five fixtures and the final placings read: 1 Anglers World 9 pts 2 Hirst Tackle A 13 3 Wibsey Angling 14 4 Armley Angling 16 5 Marsh Tackle 18 6 Hirst Tackle B 21 7 Castleford 24.

In the Yarm AA Prince Charles Trophy on the lower Tees conditions tested the 51 competitors.

Three foot up the Tees Barrage gates were open yet the river rose a further foot during the match.

Current top North-East rod Darlington Angling Centre Captain Peter Close showed his expertise winkling out a level 4.0.0 enough to win on a chocolate coloured venue.

Fishing peg 187 above Eaglescliffe golfcourse bomb and lobworm down the side encouraged chublets and a few nice roach up to 12ozs.

Meanwhile teamate Eddie Bridon had the luxury of a nice slack after pulling out peg 129, the first in the rough on Fisheries Bend and like the winner the same tactics resulted in a similar net for 3.11.8.

On the Nidd heavy rainfall increased the river level by four foot on Saturday but fortunately come Sunday there was just two foot of dirty water in for the latest Knaresborough Piscatorials Open.

A strong contingent turned up 60 in all and the Sawmills section gave the best action. Durham's Dave Wood finished above the rest taking a hard earned 5.12.0. Legering lobworm down the nearside in the wood secured a very welcome 4.0.0 chub in an otherwise 6 grayling net.

It was more of the same for runner up Stuart Proctor of Knaresborough in the greenfield when he slipped the net under a good chub to bomb and meat while grayling responded to small feeder and maggot totalling 5.1.0 from K McLoughlin Marsh Tackle on 4.0.0

Other result: Tadcaster APA Open River Wharfe at Smaws Ings (40 rods) 1 V Rooks (Glen) 2.4.0 small roach to bomb and single bronze maggot off peg 53 2 T Poole (Glen) 1.14.0. 3 R Dinnan (Tadcaster) 1.10.0

CARP SCENE

Best weight of the week came in Saturday's event on Woodland Lakes Carlton Miniott when Keenets Elton star Dave Pimlott extracted a super all carp haul of 48.4.0 on the pole at 11 metres producing carp to 6.0.0 off Partridge 22 on sweetcorn. In contrast the feeder worked a treat off Kestrel 34 for Martin Longhirst of Elton Tackle when an assortment of small fish fed to corn and maggot hookbaits for 34.2.0 from Lyndon Roberts Map Elton 29.8.0. Still at Woodlands Heat one of the Preston Innovations Teams of 3 finally got underway at Woodlands on Sunday attracting 22 teams to battle it out for national glory.

Humberside trio Goolies booked their place in the final winning round one on 13 points edging out Elton Tackle Red by a mere point.

Individually Martin Leck of Sensas Baltry returned a cracking carp bag of 40.12.0. Sat on Partridge 14 feeder in conjunction with single and double maggot accounted for a steady succession of fish ranging from 8ozs to 4.0.0. Stokesley's Phil Noble claimed next best off Dragonfly 19 weighing in 34.9.0.

The long pole alternating single maggot and corn returned roach rudd skimmers tench barbel and carp - biggest carp going 4.8.0.

Top 3 Teams 1. Goolies 13 pts 2 Elton Tackle Red 14 pts 3 Drop Outs 17 pts Woodland's midweeker - Kestrel Partridge Skylark and Swallow (45 rods) 1 L Roberts (Elton Tackle) 24.2.0 Kestrel 26 - maggot feeder approach -all carp 2 D Taylor (Map Elton) 20.5.0 3 G Leach (Williamthorpe) 19.2.0.

Armley's Andy Gallant proved an easy winner on Moor Monkton's Carpvale Pool match lake on Sunday putting a creditable 38.11.0 onto the scales as long pole to the island brought 8 good carp off peg 53.

However 2nd place Mick Addinall made the headlines when the Spectrum rod weighed in 16.4.0 of all prime roach. Suffering a blank 2 hours in search of carp he then switched to light feeding with caster and maggot using the pole at 11 metres for an unexpected redfin surprise. In the Oaks Open on Maple Lake Team Oaks Rab Ogilvy bounced back to form winning Sunday's match to record 29.10.0 A change of tactics fishing down the side off peg 4 stirred up the carp and specimens to 4.0.0 came to pellet and maggot on the hook at both 5 and 6 metres.

The more normal long approach across to the island off peg 56 worked for John Allerton of Tri Cast Whizzo who caught small carp to maggot for 21.12.0 from Steve Hodson RSPS on 15.8.0.

Oaks Thursday Result: 1 D Smith (VDE Goole) 33.6.0 Carp to shorter range /deeper water on maggot 2 A Hampson (Hirst Tackle) 24.15.0. 3 I Exelby (Middy Team Dons) 18.10.0.

TROUT NEWS

Redworth's Jubilee Lakes produced a whopping rainbow of 19.1.0- the best this season - falling to Darlington's Steve Bone who tempted the hard fighting specimen on a black zonker.

South Shield's Blythe Palmer kept up his incredible record on this venue landing a 12.12.0 rainbow - his 7th double in as many visits. Rod average 3 fish. Best patterns bloodworm white zonker and small shuttlecock buzzer.

FIXTURES: Saturday 2 February - Ferryhill & DAC Grayling Match Upper Swale Catterick Meet 9.30 Swale Lane; Woodland Lakes Open Tel: 01845 526110. Sunday 3 February - Leeds Open River Ouse; Ripon Piscatorials Open River Ure - Hutton Beck to Barn Island. Tickets on 01765 605467; Richmond AS Singleton Cup Upper Swale Great Langton; York WL Round 4 Ouse - Fulford & Middlethorpe; Northallerton & DAC Thompson Cup River Swale - Scruton to Far Fairholme (100 pegs) Tickets on 01609 778031; Thornaby AA Ernie Reynolds Memorial River Tees - Croft to Hurworth; Bradford City AA Telegraph & Argus Trophy - Tickets on 01423 547537; Woodland Lakes Open; Oaks Sessay Open Maple Lake - Tickets on 01132 782168; Carpvale Poole Open - Tickets on 01904 738249.