Yarm AA used part of their Tees club waters for the first time this season following the opening of the Pump House to Stricklands length and skimmers again made a big impact on the lower reaches, writes JEF HERBERT.

Yarm's Ron Hopkins drew below the sunken barge on the Nellies Beck section and picked up small perch on the pole.

A mid match switch to the feeder and worm down the centre found the bream feeding on his groundbaited patch. Six obliged in as many casts then in the closing stages an extra three ensured victory totalling 13.11.0.

Runner-up Ronnie Wilkinson of Newman Scott worked tirelessly on the pole and squatt amassing 8.10.0 of small roach while third man Geoff Douglas downstream of the winner relied on 5 bream to feeder and worm for 8.3.8.

The River Wear on the Shincliffe to Prebends length was carrying a foot of extra water for Durham City's Open but fortunately it started to drop and encouraged a few fish to feed.

Dunelm's Mark Burnip managed to stay ahead during a close contest putting a hard earned 6.11.0 onto the scales.

Staked above the Rose Tree Inn at Shincliffe stickfloat and caster winkled out two good chub and a grayling.

In hot pursuit came Trevor Patten of Durham a mere 3ozs adrift. Fishing below the wall on the Prebends length in Durham feeder and maggot extracted three chub and two eels from Paul Werrett (Bentley AC) 6.6.0.

Anglers in search of river matches will be delighted to know that the River Wharfe around Smaws Ings is open and Tadcaster have wisely organised several extra matches during the summer in a bid to keep the foot & mouth ravaged North East circuit alive.

Armely's Geoff Wilmore took Sunday's opener returning 15.9.0. Drawing on the fancied top limit shallows at Newton Kyme, Geoff used the feeder and caster off peg 2 to locate a mixture of barbel and bream and perch.

Match organiser Ian Walker of Lower Wharfe Angling below the beck on peg 22 followed with 10.3.0. A bonus bream of 6.0.0 fell to feeder and caster from under farside trees in an otherwise all perch net from down the middle on pole and maggot tactics.

At the Woodland complex Carlton Miniott Swallow lake completely dominated the results during Saturday's open and competitors enjoyed a bumper carp day.

Regular visitor John Chapman of Keenets North West hammered out a tremendous 73.8.0. Fishing into the corner off Swallow 10 alternating worm and meat mostly carp responded.

Corner peg 1 also emerged as a hotspot for Elton Tackle's Vince O'connor who secured second place. Vince opting for the usual pellet and paste attack landed plenty of carp with a few barbel adding variety to put 64.10.0 onto the scales.

Others: Mark Calvert (Cleveland Angling Centre) 54.13.0; Dave Pimlott (Keenets Elton) 53.14.0; Martin Robson (Darlington AC) 47.5.0.

The midweek fixture at Woodlands on Partridge and Skylark lakes was well attended.

Map Elton's Dave Gill on Partridge 29 was into small carp from the off. Catching close in on the pole at 5 metres paste kept the bites coming delivering a winning bag of 47.14.0 from Kevin Holbey of Elton Tackle who weighed in 45.1.0 off Partridge 13 to similar tactics.

Best of the rest

Thornaby Aa Annual Cup - Lower Tees at Bowesfield: 1. Bill Holmes (Darlington) 2.4.0 chublets roach and perch on 11 metre pole and maggot; 2. Dave Munt (Billingham) 2.2.0; 3. Gary Ellison (Thornaby) 1.14.0

Oaks Sessay Open Sunday - Maple Lake (66 rods): 1. K. Guy (Harrogate AS) 57.1.0 peg 62 Pole & corn to 16 metres all quality carp; Tying G. Hall (Oaks) & P. Cromie (K.L. Tackle) 36.4.0; 4. G. Pawlett (Oaks) 34.6.0.

Thursday's Open - Maple Lake: Tying in first place - I. Bailey (Harrogate AS) and K. Armitage (KL Tackle) 36.5.0; 3. J. Brain (Harrogate) 33.9.0; 4. P . Rambow Snr (CAC) 33.6.0.

Beaumont Fisheries Sunday Open: Acer & Cherry Tree Lakes. 1. K. Golightly (Map Elton) 28.7.0 - all carp from Cherry Tree 8 on pellet; 2. S. Maitland (Newman Scott) 21.0.0; 3. D. Fox (Newman Scott) 17.14.0.

Trout News

A week of cold and windy weather checked sport on Masham's Leighton Reservoir. A total of 123 visitors managed 266 fish.

Best lures black and green fritz, Dawsons olive and occasionally natural muddlers.

Best specimen of the week a tagged rainbow of 8.0.0 fell to a Dawson's olive and earned a bottle of whiskey for Darlington's Mr Robson.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: *Yarm AA Summer Series (4) Lower Tees at Bowesfield. *Woodland Lakes Open - Tickets on 01845 526110. *The Ferryhill & District 3 Rivers Chub and Barbel match. Meet 9am at Dinsdale Spar. Fishing times 10 - 4 p.m. For further information give Geoff Brewer a ring on 01642 / 645370.

Sunday: *Yarm AA A.C.A Open on the Lower Tees (140 pegs) Tickets from Yarm Club on 01642 / 786444. *Darlington BT Burgess Memorial on Willowgarth, Snipe and Lane Fox Ponds. *North Central League (4) Aire and Calder Canal. *Durham City AC Open 60 pegs R. Wear Durham. Tickets on 0191 3784050. *Beaumont Fisheries Open Acer & Cherry Tree Lakes. *Oaks Sessay Open on Maple Lake.