The Coarse Fishing season on the rivers traditionally started from June 16 but very few stretches are open because of the foot-and-mouth restrictions operating and unlikely to change for quite a while, writes JEFF HERBERT.

The River Tees from Preston Park on the lower reaches and the River Wear around Durham are open but the Rivers Swale, Ure, Ouse, Nidd & Tyne are very limited with livestock along many miles of the river banks. Please check with club officials before planning a trip.

Due to foot-and-mouth, Yarm AA had to switch their Parker Adams Memorial Match on Sunday a few miles downstream to the more urban Bowesfield stretch on the Tees.

Overnight rain meant the river was pushing through a bit but thankfully a few skimmers showed on the 'new' permanently pegged match length.

Yarm youngster Scott Douglas edged in front returning 6.5.0. Pegged opposite the wall groundbait feeder and worm accounted for 9 skimmers plus a few bits for victory.

In runner up spot Jimmy Messer of Durham also feeder fished worm tempting four bigger samples for 5.4.0.

Others in the frame: Peter Rambow Jnr (Cleveland Angling Centre) 4.6.8 & Peter Jones (Map Elton) 3.0.8.

Yarm AA are running opens on the new Bowesfield match length tomorrow, June 30, July 14, July 21 and July 28 and the ACA Open on Sunday, July 22. For tickets ring Yarm AA Club on (01642) 786444.

The Bowesfield length on the Tees also played host to Thornaby AA's Derek A Lee Memorial Trophy the day before. Heavy rain on Thursday and Friday brought a influx of cold water and the opening day event proved more like endurance with competitors scratching for bites.

Darlington's Malcolm Clitheroe drew peg 35 on the Thornaby Green bend and pole fished maggot at six metres netting a late skimmer bream backed by a few roach and perch for 2.4.0.

Durham City staged their open on the Wear at Shincliffe. Unfortunately a coloured river carrying floating weed dislodged off the shallows killed sport.

A single chub of 3.7.0 was enough for Dick Clegg Metro's Peter Fannon falling to waggler and maggot followed by John Hay of Durham 3.0.0.

With river matches few and far between Bradford's match on the Nidd at Cowthorpe was an instant sell-out with 70 rods in attendance.

Local man Arthur Hand staved off the competition bagging a super trio of fish totalling 16.12.0. Tackling the gas pipe swim waggler and maggot tempted a big bream of 7.12.0 backed by a barbel of 6.0.0 and a chub.

Match secretary Simon Foster was left cursing 2 lost barbel and relegated to second place. Bomb and caster on the Dog Kennels length over to farside willows produced four barbel and a chub for 15.8.0 from Geoff Cox 14.9.0.

Leeds Open River Ouse at Nun Monkton: 1st Martin Highe (Hirst Tackle) 7.9.0. bream barbel & chub on legered lobworm; 2nd Clive Stokes (Armley) 5.2.8; 3rd John Wilkinson (Yeadon) 5.0.0.

Fishery owner Robin Fletcher injected £2,000 in prizemoney for the grand final of the Woodlands Annual Clubman of the Year Finalist held on Partridge and Skylark Lakes.

All past club winners between March 2000 - 2001 were invited to take part in two semi finals and the top 30 from each qualified for a place in the big cash showdown.

Tension mounted at the scales as weights were tight and every fish crucial.

John Beavery of Hynd AC emerged as 'top dog', snatching the glory by a mere 5ozs and enjoying a bumper payout, collecting £1000.

On Skylark 15 it was carp all the way as paste on the pole at 13 metres resulted in 39.12.0 including a common carp of 7.0.0 in his net.

An agonising one fish adrift came Beverley's Julian Griffin who sat on Skylark 29. A combination of paste and pellets at both five and seven metres located a mixture of carp, tench, skimmers, chub and a bream of 4.0.0. to finish with 39.7.0 and £500.

Best of the rest: S. Rodgers (Robin Hood AC) 36.7.0 (£300) & G. Bowes (Langley Park) 34.4.0 (£200).

Woodland Lakes Open (Saturday): 1st L. Harrison (Browning Scunthorpe) 46.14.0 all carp to paste & pellet; 2nd I Thompson (Barnsley) 41.2.0; 3rd M. Phillips (Map Elton) 39.1.0.

Midweeker at Woodlands - Partridge & Skylark: 1st P. Suggett (Driffield) 50.15.0. carp up to 6.0.0. pole & pellet; 2nd S. Rodgers (Robin Hood AC) 44.3.0; 3rd C. Dawson (York Tackle) 37.0.0.

Strong winds made it difficult for most during Sessay's Oaks Open on Maple Lake.

Hirst Tackle's Dave Armitage took full advantage after pulling out peg 63 the sheltered end of the lake.

The long pole across located small carp on the pellet but the match clincher came when feeding the middle channel with corn five bonus carp between two and 4.0.0 pushed his score to 35.12.0.

Kevin Guy at the next peg had more carp but unfortunately nothing over 8ozs. Sticking to the farside on pellet and maggot his 24.5.0 ensured next best from John Allerton Tri Cast Whizzo 22.6.0.

Damsel in all shapes and sizes scoring at Redworth's Jubilee Lakes along with muddlers, sedges and orange cactus clusters fished quickly across the surface. Buzzers doing well but mainly olive and green. Water on both lakes crystal clear.

Largest trout of the week grassed by Ben Hirst of West Yorks a specimen of 16.0.8 falling to a damsel along with plenty of fish over the 10.0.0 mark. Details telephone (01388) 772611.

Third Heat of the Alan Reid Ferryhill Bankmaster at Kiplin Hall: 1st Peter Crowe (Hartlepool) 11.3.0; 2nd Geoff Brewer (Stockton) 7.4.0; 3rd Nigel Hales (Corbridge) 5.10.0. Top fly cats whisker.

Geoff Brewer is running the Three Rivers Ferryhill Barbel and Chub Competition and the first match is on Saturday, July 7 at Shincliffe. Further details contact Geoff on (01642) 645370.

Fixtures - Tomorrow: *Yarm AA Open Lower Tees Bowesfield; *DBT Pairs Shield Snipe and Lane Fox Ponds; *Woodlands Lakes Open.

Sunday: *Thornaby AA Charities Open Lower Tees Bowesfield; *Oaks Sessay Open Maple Lake.