Anglers flock to Whittle Dene.

THE hot weather and cloudbursts flooded some of the region's rivers and made angling impossible midweek - but stillwaters have still been in fine form. On the Big Waters, roach, rudd perch and skimmers are being caught and Nigel Beardsley took eight good bream on waggler for 36lb.

Aldin Grange is still in top form with ide, while anglers have flocked to Whittle Dene this week making it one of the busiest this season.

The lower and the northern are still proving to be the favoured areas with good catches being reported from K Phillips ,who took a double-figure catch of roach and perch, while M Jobson and G Perkins also report good catches from the lower.

Monday's full moon gave the anglers spectacular fishing on the Angel complex with anglers taking more than 200 fish, and on lookout outstanding tench to 8lb have been caught this week along with a high number of crucians.

A cracking 3lb 3oz perch was caught on worm and numbers of other perch have shown too, but patience is needed to target this species this week as they have loads of fry to feast upon at present.

Bowes has fished well for carp, while Bassetts saw eight-year-old Luke Deathe enjoy a great Learn to Fish taster session, taking more than 20 fish from a water which has seen ide and orfe top 2lb apiece.

North of the border, Chris Daphne legered a trout head on to a deep shelf 20yds from the bank and accounted for a superb 6lb 2oz eel, which equals the Scottish record. It was caught during an overnight session on an undisclosed loch, where, after missing his first two bites, it eventually connected with the huge fish at 1am.

With reports of 20 lb plus bags of roach, some topping the pound mark, Sunderland FAC were hopeful of good weights during their match on Silksworth - but it did not fish to plan.

Match winner and also on the "Golden peg" was Colin Bunnet with 5lb 3oz of roach ahead of Roger Turner with 4 lb 2 oz and Kevin Nash third with 2lb 14 oz. Tim Gustard won a second match on Whins on the trot when he put 40 lb 7 oz onto the scales, while a 7lb 4oz carp was enough to see Clive Porter win the latest match on Crofton.

Sunday's match on The Angel was won by Rob Emmery of Shotton with 67lb 6oz ahead of Chris Owers with 59lb 5oz and Alan McGuire on 57lb 14oz, while Andy Dargue won the Wednesday Match with 60lb of carp.

Sunday's North Yorks/South Durham Open fished on the Tees at Over Dinsdale saw John Whitehouse land an 8lb barbel along with seven chub to give him a winning weight of 33 lb 7 oz, while the Thornaby AA match on the Tees, Croft to Hurworth section of the Tees saw victory go to Anthony Smith with four chub for 13 lb 4 oz caught on luncheon meat.

Carlisle schoolgirl Leonie Brooks has won national recognition by taking this month's prize in a competition run by a popular monthly angling magazine for her record-breaking carp of 20lb 8oz .

THIS WEEK'S ANGLING DIARY Saturday: BWAC Juniors, 10.30am-2.30pm on Dissington Pond; CADCAC Junior League on Crofton.

Sunday: 100-peg charity match on the Angel in aid of Macmillan Nurses, phone [phone] to book; Drennan League match on the Tees at Yarm; WACAC Junior/Ladies match on Brenkley; Blyth FAC evening series match; Sunderland FAC Pole Trophy on Silksworth; Hetton Lyons club match; opens on Woodlands and The Oaks; Fred Harvey Memorial match on Aycliffe Pond.

Monday: Yarm AA evening sweepstake, draw at the Green Field 55.30pm.

Tuesday: Darlington and County Durham PAC meet in the Coxhoe CIU club; Big Waters AC evening series on Big Waters; King of Whins series on Whins Pond; WACAC OAP/disabled match at Horton Grange.

Wednesday: Lakeside AC business meeting at the Lakeside Inn, Fellgate Estate, Jarrow; Leazes Park AA and Hetton Lyons midweek matches; midweek open on Woodlands.

Thursday: Four in One AC meet at The Bay Horse Pub, Whickham; midweek open on The Oaks At Sessay.

Friday: CADCAC's Evening League match on Crofton; Dawson Trophy match on Aycliffe Pond.

DAVID HALL [phone] [e-mail]