THE Upper River Derwent never fails to disappoint in the early season and, as expected, anglers fishing the opening round of Malton’s evening series at Wray’s struggled for bites.

Ken Dalton had the best of the action from peg one above the shallows, netting a 12oz roach and several small dace and gudgeon with stick float and maggot tactics to record a winning 1lb 2.5oz.

Mike Lightfoot took second place with 13oz of small fish.

The expected decent weights of skimmers failed to materialise in the York Angling Association match on the Ouse at Poppleton on Sunday, leaving perch to make up the majority of catches.

Whitwell-on-the-Hill’s Paul Lightfoot netted 10 with ground bait feeder and worm tactics to put a winning 3lb 4oz on the scales, relegating Mark Collier into second with 2lb 2oz.

Eighteen-year-old James Thompson enjoyed his first-ever win on Wednesday, top-scoring in Huttons Ambo AC’s evening match at Wagtail Park with 19lb 13oz.

Fishing up to the lilies with pole and pellet at peg 10, he landed half a dozen skimmers to the 12oz mark plus lots of smaller roach, barbel, tench and ide.

Colin McNeil pulled off a good double last week, winning Wednesday’s York midweek match on the Horseshoe at Raker Lakes and Plaxtons Friday afternoon/evening fixture on the Arc at Redwood Park.

On both occasions he put just over 68lb of carp on the scales having used the pole with either cat food or pate for bait.

Brian Hewitt was to the fore in the Contemptibles Monday match at Rosedale Fishery, banking five carp on the 16-metre floating pole with banded pellet and three on the margin pole with bread to end the day with 28lb 6oz.

Ken Herbert did it the hard way, taking 18lb of small silver fish with pole and maggot.

Malton and Norton AC travel to the Aire and Calder Canal at New Bridge for round seven of their summer series this Sunday. For details, phone Paul Thompson on 01653 618602.