The 2001 Teesside Friendly League got underway with a capacity turnout on the recently opened Maple Lake on the Oaks Complex at Sessay, writes JEFF HERBERT.

The 13 teams of five found the venue's carp in a co-operative mood feeding in numbers. Nigel Hargreaves of the Pole Pullers led his team to victory and enjoyed individual glory recording 25.6.0.

Drawn on peg 22, Nigel was into small carp throughout and utilised the 13 metre pole and maggot tight to island cover to keep his bites coming.

Venue regular Paul Taylor, one of the Oaks Pole Ninja squad, squeezed into second place fishing identical tactics to the winner and made up a similar bag totalling 19.15.0 off peg 18.

Others individuals: Mickey Bunn (North Ormesby Institute) 19.11.8; Len Blyth (Parklands) 16.0.0; Mel Ardley (Northallerton Angling Centre) 15.6.0.

Teams: 1st Pole Pullers 56 pts; 2nd Northallerton Angling Centre 46; 3rd Middlesbrough Anglers Choice and Team Oaks 43.

Sunday's open on the Carp only lake at Broken Brea Brompton on Swale resulted in quality fish and a tight scoresheet.

Darlington Angling Centre's Nigel Rance on fancied peg 13 opposite the island caught a dozen carp a mixture of commons and mirrors to 6.0.0 on groundbait feeder and maggot for a winning 28.6.0.

Hot on his heels came local man Mark Middlemass who netted five specimens - highlight being a mirror of 8.1.0 for 27.8.0 at the scales. Lee McGuinness (Cleveland Angling Centre) followed on 24.12.0.

At the Woodlands complex, Carlton Miniott popular on site tackle dealer Alan Gregory disposed of the 92 strong field during Sunday's Open.

Alan put his wealth of knowledge to good effect bagging 28.15.0. off Skylark 10. The feeder and maggot approach with mainly double maggot on the hook attracted small carp at steady intervals - biggest up to 6.0.0.

Matchman Supplies' Jim Clayton held off a strong challenge for runner-up spot. Pegged opposite Alan on 23 once again the proven maggot feeder rule producing 19.2.0.

Saturday's Open Kestrel Partridge & Skylark: 1st J Allerton (Tri-Cast) 34.8.0 of carp off Skylark 28 to pole & corn 13 metres; 2nd D Ludlam (Diawa Goldthorpe) 25.4.0; 3rd D Walters (Team Angling Man) 23.3.0.

Wednesday's Open: 1st K Ellaby (Army Air Corp) 21.7.0. Partridge 8 - carp to pole on the inside & feeder in the middle on maggot; 2nd M Day (Diawa Goldthorpe) 13.7.0; 3rd P Sharp (West Park) 11.14.0.

Dick Clegg Metro's Neil Cowan pulled out all the stops to win the opening Sunderland FAC event on Silksworth's Lake.

Neil used a two pronged attack from peg 38. Initially the eight metre pole down the ledge brought gudgeon to pinkie and maggot hookbaits but then quality roach up to 12ozs proved the backbone of his net; all falling to caster two metres further out.

Next Big Waters Martin Craig landed a good skimmer of 1.8.0. on feeder and maggot in an otherwise roach and gudgeon pole and maggot return for 7.7.0 at peg 41.

The floating pole was the key to success on Horseshoe Lake during Raker's Open at Wheldrake.

John Cosgrove needed to venture out 18 metres to reach the far bank off peg eight and apart from a trio of two pounders it was all hand sized carp on the maggot for 22.13.0.

In contrast Ray Savage of Harehills WMC took seven better samples off hot favourite peg 22. Ray found the fish at the bottom of a farside ledge to pole and maggot at 16 metres finishing with 18.4.0.

Carpvale Pool Open, Moor Monkton: 1st S Howard (Armley) 12.10.0. Carp and a single chub on groundbait feeder and corn; 2nd D Maddison (Nomads) 8.8.0; 3rd M Wade (Armley) 8.2.0.