Competitors turned out in force on the Lower Tees and Yarm AA's Simpson Trophy attracted 73 anglers eager to practise for this Sunday's final Winter League fixture on the venue, writes JEFF HERBERT.

Recent form suggested a draw in the low 180's opposite Whitehouse Farm the place to be and Yarm Flynn's Geoff Douglas pulled out 183 and made no mistake putting together a tremendous 18.7.0.

The river was up and coloured so thankfully the overnight frost had little effect as Geoff feederfished red maggot in midriver netting nine skimmer bream biggest 3.0.0 backed by small roach to eliminate the opposition.

Three pegs upstream Lee McGinnis of Cleveland Angling Centre used the long rod to control his float and red maggot rig attracting skimmers roach and chublets for 8.12.8 followed by Darlington Angling Centre rods Peter Hamilton 7.10.0 and Martin Robson 7.4.0.

The Tees was running a foot above normal but dropping for the Darlington BT Cloke Memorial Xmas Cheer and as a result checked weights on the Coniscliffe, Croft and Blackwell reaches of the match length.

For Darlington's Anthony Alderson peg 52 proved lucky this time around as in an earlier match he'd fished the same peg without success. Drawn at Croft three chub responded to feeder and bread off the farside while maggot tempted one grayling from the nearside totalling 8.4.0.

The match was over in the first 30 mins for Dave Alderson of Middlesbrough when two chub on feeder and bread came from the bottom end of the Hudd stream at Coniscliffe for 6.10.0.

Others: Bobby Trees (Darlington) 6.6.0 & Bob Blenkinsop (Darlington) 4.9.0.

Just 19 rods took part in Northallerton & District's Fur and Feather on the Swale at Scruton. The river was badly out of sorts carrying ice cold floodwater and only 5 anglers had fish to weigh in at the whistle.

Yarm's Brian Havelock on the bottom of the Horseshoe bend on peg 53 legered bread and maggot picking up two chub from a nearside slack to win with 8.6.0 from Gareth Smith (Northallerton) 5.6.0.

The first round of the York Winter League got under starters orders as 100 competitors lined the banks below the City at Fulford and Middlethorpe.

The Ouse was two foot up but falling and bream and skimmers dominated the scoresheet. John Murray of Bishopthorpe & Acaster edged the verdict netting two bream and three skimmers for 9.9.0. On peg ten the pumper at Fulford groundbait caster with feeder and worm on the hook encouraged the fish to feed.

In the same section Kevin Smith of Acomb Tackle legered worm pulling out a bream of 5.0.0 and 2 skimmers supplementing the remainder of his 8.13.0 net with eels and perch.

Placings: 1 Bishopthorpe & Acaster 20.11.8; 2 Barlby 20.9.8; 3 Acomb Tackle 19.2.8; 4 Cobblers 16.14.8; 5 Bar 6 15.1.0.

Foot-and-mouth restrictions resulted in the postponement of the final round of the North Central League but come Sunday the re-arranged fixture went ahead on Cod Beck and brought chub as expected.

All the leading weights came from Grisewith Farm and Keith Butcher of Thirsk used stickfloat and maggot to good effect catching a dozen small chub for 14.12.0 off the bottom field. Ken Fletcher of Knaresborough just a few chub short was relegated to second place taking 13.4.0 on the identical tactics to the winner.

Top three teams on the day: 1 Knaresborough 87 pts 2 Thirsk 76 3 Ripon 67.

Final placings: 1 Knaresborough 423, 2 Ripon 401; 3 Thirsk 388; 4 Claro 378; 5 Boroughbridge 375; 6 Wetherby 327.

The fourth round of the Chester-le-Street Winter League on the River Wear was a real grueller. Staged between Creighton Avenue to below the weir competitors shivered in freezing cold conditions.

Flatties were the key to success and Norman Laing of Sunderland was fortunate enough to draw below the weir where he managed to extract four for individual glory. Using chopped worm and feeder approach off peg 43 culminated in 4.8.0 from Team Reel Sport's Trevor Bone whose three flatties took the scales to 3.6.0.

Team wise Dick Clegg Metro excelled winning on the day and take over at the top from Turners Tackle Red.

Teams on the day: 1 Dick Clegg Metro 37 pts; 2 Sunderland & Hetton 28; 3 Washington 22.

League: 1 Dick Clegg Metro 132 pts; 2 Turners Tackle Red 115; 3 AMH Angling 108 4 Washington 105.

Carp Scene

At the Woodlands Sunday's Teams of 3 event attracted 27 teams to the prolific complex as anglers put in some rod hours in preparation for the Prestons Innovation League 2002.

Spread around eight lakes Howard Cutts of Diawa Goldthorpe drew Mallard, one of the old established lakes, and bagged fish after fish storming ahead with a magnificent haul of 72.0.0.

Extending the pole and sweetcorn out to 17 metres off corn peg one he connected with all carp highlight a mirror of 8.0.0.

On Dragonfly three a mixed net of carp tench chub and barbel made for 49.6.0 for Stokesley's Phil Noble who also found long pole and sweetcorn most advantageous.

Teams: 1 Keenets Map Elton 13 pts; 2 Castleford Bakers 17; 3 Diawa Goldthorpe 19 pts.

Woodlands - Saturday's Open (80 rods), Curlew Kestrel Partridge Skylark & Wagtail: 1 M Harris (Trevs Wilmslow) 42.8.0 - Kestrel 22 all carp pole 13 & 16 metres on corn and maggot; 2 R Single (Elton Tackle) 41.4.0 3 A May (Dave's of Middlewich) 39.13.0.

Oaks Sessay: On the ever popular Maple Lake form peg 62A came up trumps again when Stockton's Steve Cooper poled his way to a runaway victory. Opting for pole and maggot at 11 metres he fished over to the aerator and found plenty of carp. In an non-stop session he bagged 59.8.0 from Paul Cox Edgeley Supplies 22.7.0 & Roger Holmes Map Elton 18.4.0.

Thursday's Open - Maple Lake: 1 C Robinson (York Tackle) 37.2.0; 2 B Poole (Map Elton) 29.12.0; 3 J Allerton (Tri Cast Whizzo) 27.15.0.

Trout News

Weather has effected attendances at Jubilee Lakes yet for those hardy

visitors who braved the elements sport was very good indeed. Harry Sayles made the long journey from Rotherham worthwhile grassing a super 14.14.0 rainbow on an olive nymph. There were 4 other doubles recorded with a 3.4 fish average mainly falling to bloodworm mini cats whisker damsels and Dawsons olive.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: *Woodland Lakes Open - tickets on 01845 526110.

Sunday: *NEWL Round 6 Lower Tees Yarm. *Bradford No 1 AA Daily Mirror Cup R Nidd Cowthorpe - For tickets ring Simon Foster 01274 571175. *Thornaby AA Xmas Cheer Cup Tees - Croft to Hurworth. *York & DAA Xmas Cheer River Ouse at Redhouse to Poppleton. *Black Ox AC Fur & Feather Rosebowl River Swale at Scruton - draw 9.30 am Scruton car park. *Knaresborough Pisc Fur & Feather River Nidd - Scotton to Goldsborough. *Richmond AS Xmas Cheer Swale - Broken Brea. *Woodland Lakes Open. *Oaks Sessay Open on Maple Lake