In the River Wear Championships fished around Shincliffe, Prebends and Chester Moor, Team Shimano Captain Peter Close added the 2003 Wear title to his amazing list of successes beating the 55 rods with 21.8.0.

Pegged upstream of Shincliffe Bridge below the wires, Peter opted for the waggler and netted nine chub backed by dace and perch all falling to caster and the magic wasp grub.

A surprise bream of 5.12.0 elevated Diawa Cleveland's Geoff Douglas into second place returning 19.8.0.

Drawing two below Chester Moor Beckmouth, stickfloat and caster accounted for lots of dace to add to the bream, a rare fish indeed for this section of the River Wear.

Others to frame: Dave Harris (Diawa Cleveland) 16.2.0 Ron Wilkinson (Newman Scott) 15.8.0.

Reigning Lower Swale Champion, Chris Jackson of Keighley, blew away the rest during the Middlesbrough AC Mac Hopson Memorial bagging a cracking 48.8.0 from a peaty stained Swale that fished well below par.

In a late match burst, Chris ran the waggler along far side willows, pegged opposite Sand Hutton Wood and accumulated 16 chub on caster and maggot hookbaits with specimens up to 4.8.0. Ran in conjunction with the opening Swale / Yorkshire Rivercare Championships Chris scored 15 points on the day.

For Aireborough's Nick Smith upstream of Holme Lane swapping between bread and maggot on the feeder resulted in ten smaller samples totalling 22.10.0.

A perfect Autumnal Tees carrying 3" of extra water and a touch of colour delivered 13 double figured weights in a chub dominated NYSD Federation Open at Over Dinsdale.

Darlington's Rob Stubbs one below the wire netting on peg 20 located chub on the opposite side and presented big baits, meat and cheese under a loafer float, for the best catch of the day 29.14.0.

Meanwhile a more delicate approach got the fish on the feed when fellow Darlington rod Lance Todd used the stickfloat and caster to good effect taking another all chub net for 24.13.0 from the top of Bolton Park streams followed by Cyril Close of Shildon 20.4.0.

In the fourth round of the North Central League on the Ure at Ripon, local Cliff Lofthouse helped steer his team to victory recording a comfortable 26.7.0.

Fishing upstream of the North Bridge, feeder and caster picked up ten chub and a single perch along far bank cover.

Dave Higgins kept the league leaders Harrogate in the picture weighing in 8.6.0 off the Bell Bank gravels. A waggler and maggot approach encouraged seven chub and four grayling.

Top three teams on the day: 1 Ripon 81; 2 Boroughbridge 69; 3 Harrogate 66.

League to date: 1 Harrogate 303; 2 Boroughbridge 293; 3 Ripon 269; 4 Wetherby 261; 5 Thirsk 219; 6 Knaresborough 212.

Over on the Ouse the Midweek flood had passed through too quickly for Sunday's York and District AA Noakes Cup and bream failed to show on a clear river below the City at Fulford.

Anglers World Tim Harrison weighed in 5.8.0 enough to take the honours. One below the stump on peg 13, Tim on the pole with caster and maggot at 11 metres tempted mainly small perch and roach but added a bonus red fin of 1.0.0.

Then on the Palace Bend Wayne Shillito of Selby on the groundbait feeder with worm and caster extracted three skimmers and two roach for 4.8.0

Carp News

World Champion Alan Scotthorne showed his absolute class at Woodland Lakes on Wednesday beating the 61 entry by almost 50.0.0 and putting the venue record in jeopardy when he hauled out 137.0.0.

The Shimano Mustad ace now holder of 4 World titles, pulled out the red hot Partridge Lake and sat on peg 4. Taking the pole out to 16 metres and making it look easy, Alan loose fed casters and caught carp to 8.0.0 up in the water offering red maggots on the hook.

Map Elton's Alan Sharman also on Partridge went on the meat at 14 metres tempting all carp for 87.12.0 off peg 28.

From peg 62A on the popular Maple Lake at the Oaks Sessay produced once again and Waterline Wibsey's Dave Topham totalled 81.12.0 in Thursday's match to leap way ahead of the others on the score sheet.

Fishing into the corner on pellet Dave picked up a constant supply of small carp from HAS rod John Brain whose carp net of 47.0.0 came at 13 metres on the maggot off peg nine.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: RAFA Leeming Annual Charity Match Middle Swale. Tickets on 01677 / 422279.

Woodland Lakes Open.

Sunday: Idle & Thackley Open River Swale at Swainby.

NEWL (1) River Wear Durham.

Ripon Pisc Webster Trophy 60 pegs River Ure - Norton Conyers.

Northallerton & DAC Trenholme Cup River Swale at Scruton.

Thornaby AA Thornaby Angler's Open Cup River Tees - Croft to Hurworth.

Oaks Sessay Maple Lake.